I am sick to death of decades of our ceaseless inability to avoid personal, spiritual and communal schism in our churches and ourselves. Truth to tell, however, 2,000 years of Christian history illustrate that the same Jesus Story that unites all Christ’s church often drives it apart. I’ve often teased that “Baptists multiply by dividing.” It’s not funny anymore. Never was.
Separation of church and state? (yes, sort of)
“Religious liberty and its constitutional guardrail, the separation of church and state, are in trouble today.” My late, great friend and Wake Forest colleague James Dunn wrote those words in 1991. As a consummate analyst of Baptists and religious liberty,…
Out of Africa: White supremacy and the Church’s silence
At this moment in history, how can American Christians, themselves deeply divided over scripture, doctrine, sexuality, abortion, and other culture war accoutrements, foster a common compulsion to speak out against white supremacist fiction before it gains an even stronger implicit or explicit influence?
For 2018: A fervent and frightened prayer
When I think how we Christians have contributed to our own current dilemma, that’s when my prayers turn from frightened to fervent, invoking Divine assistance in “meeting Jesus again, for the first time,” to paraphrase the late Marcus Borg.
Advent 2017: Bad news to the poor
To parody low income, impoverished people politically, ecclesiastically, theologically or pragmatically is to undermine or downright ignore the almost relentless concern offered them by the purported Good News of Christ’s gospel, especially at the season of Advent.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph! American Christianity’s shattered witness
This Advent, the Jesus Story has been sordidly deployed in defense of a political candidate beset by shameful accusations and ineffectual self-righteousness.
Paying for the Second Amendment
Firearm obsession exemplifies our national identity, and we should all own that reality. Indeed, firearm violence has become so routine that barring an immediate political or spiritual Great Awakening, these events demand some form of national triage responding to the consequences of weaponized carnage.
‘Out of love for the truth:’ The Reformation at 500
After addressing Reformation history in sermons, print and lectures every October of my life for the last 46 years, here are a few things I’ve learned from Luther’s 95 theses.
A Bonhoeffer moment?
Is this “a Bonhoeffer moment” in American political, cultural and spiritual life? A lot of people, across the theological spectrum, seem to think as much, or at least find the question worth pursuing.