Their conversation began around the dinner table, a gay married couple in ministry pondering the mysteries of faith and life. Now their conversations have gone public in a podcast they hope will inspire United Methodists and other spiritual seekers to…
United Methodist author’s novels top Amazon’s Christian fiction list
United Methodist novelist Jessica Brodie always starts her stories with the characters. Her strategy has proved successful, since her third novel recently topped Amazon’s bestseller list for new releases in Christian fiction books. “I write redemption stories about people who…
Theologian says UMC needs new scholarship for new era
Living into its new identity, The United Methodist Church has a prime opportunity to liberate Wesleyan theology from past conflicts to become a vital framework for today’s world, says one of Methodism’s most noted theologians. Joerg Rieger hopes two of…
United Methodist leaders speak out on voting rights decision
United Methodist bishops, social justice leaders and a racial-ethnic caucus have spoken out against the April 29 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In a release titled “UMC Bishops Express Deep Concern Over Supreme Court…
Democracy’s decline tests new United Methodist Church
No United Methodist who knows anything about the denomination’s history can feel anything but profound sadness at what’s happening to the American democratic republic. Good and bad, The United Methodist Church and its predecessors have shaped and been shaped by…
Remaking the UMC brings ‘aura of hope’
When The United Methodist Church was formed in 1968, eminent theologian Albert C. Outler preached an opening sermon in which he extolled “an aura of hope” for the new denomination despite its challenges. Facing new challenges today, United Methodist leaders…
Confessions of a cancer caregiver
After a lifetime of trying to follow Jesus, the enormity of his teachings becomes tangibly real when cancer comes into your life. It’s one o’clock in the afternoon, and my husband, John, is asleep. He’s no slacker; he’s recovering from…
United Methodists denounce Trump’s Easter threats
United Methodists this week joined a growing chorus of faith and civic leaders denouncing President Donald Trump’s threats against Iran posted on social media. On Easter Sunday, Trump posted on his social media platform: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day,…
United Methodist Church to close cherished mission site
The United Methodist Committee on Relief announced it will close a regional depot where thousands of disaster relief kits have been assembled and shipped for nearly 30 years. Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La., will be closed in January 2027…
What to make of Adam Hamilton’s possible Senate run?
Adam Hamilton, founder and senior pastor of the largest congregation in The United Methodist Church, announced in an email and video Feb. 27 he is exploring a possible candidacy for the U.S. Senate as an independent. He said he is…
Statement urges US Christians to ‘resistance’ and ‘repentance’
More than 400 U.S. Christians of multiple denominations have signed an ecumenical statement urging Christians to stand up for their neighbors, protect vulnerable people and defend democracy as faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Drafted by an ad hoc coalition of prominent…
By Trump’s definition, Jesus ‘engaged in domestic terrorism’
There’s a lie that’s been rattling around my mind since federal agents murdered Alex Pretti Jan. 24. It’s the lie that Pretti, an intensive-care nurse at a Veterans’ Administration hospital, was “engaged in domestic terrorism.” Realistically, dozens of videos have…