Last week we witnessed an inspiring demonstration of leadership as Democrats in Congress staged a sit-in on the House floor to demand a vote on pending legislation around gun control. U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ (D-Ga.) declared: “Deadly mass shootings are…
Speak the power of love before we lose ability to speak at all
The following is a letter to pastors and church leaders. Colleagues: Sunday found us waking to the confluence of so many streams of hatred and vitriol in our society — homophobia, islamophobia, fear of the other in any form. “Here…
Baylor can go further in addressing sexual assault
The world of college football was rocked last week — at least that’s what they tell me — when Baylor University demoted president Ken Starr and fired football coach Art Briles after the university’s board of regents received the results…
At Baylor, the real story isn’t hypocrisy. It’s the victims of sexual assault.
Hypocrisy always makes for a sexy story. Perhaps it’s the justice of seeing the self-righteous get a taste of their own medicine, or maybe it’s like a bad car crash: we can’t bring ourselves to look away. Whatever the reason,…
It’s messy, it’s chaotic, it’s out of control — it’s Pentecost
Pentecost always seems like such a celebration at church. At our church everyone wears red, a sea of commonality for a change. Often we hear different languages and dissonant music; we celebrate baptism and hear the voices of our children….
Sermon making — a peek behind the curtain
In my free time I’ve recently begun watching the PBS series Grantchester, a television show about a village priest who solves murders in his free time. Since my free time doesn’t seem to be as generous as Mr. Chambers’, the…
When religious liberty demands cease to be legitimate
I think most Americans, even non-religious Americans, are on board with the idea of religious liberty — in the abstract. But like so many of the things we hold dear, what sounds great in theory becomes deeply complicated when the…
Engaging Easter’s light after Holy Week’s darkness
You know what they say on Easter afternoon in my line of work: “Christ is risen; the pastor is dead.” It sounds funny and perhaps it was, 19 years ago when I was first ordained. It might be age that…
Getting political in the pulpit
The responsibility of the church in this current political climate should be clear. There’s no violation of separation of church and state to say from the pulpit that hitting people who disagree with us is wrong. Or excluding people who believe different things than we do should stop. Or accumulating wealth while many struggle to make a living wage cannot continue.