The morality of warfare has been in the news recently. This occurs every so often, usually when the United States launches a dubious military action (like the one against Iran) and someone in the administration (like JD Vance) claims the support…
The end of white liberal Christian optimism
When Donald Trump was elected president a second time, something in me broke and has stayed broken. I now realize what broke was the version of white liberal Christian optimism I had unconsciously imbibed from my teachers and milieu. It’s…
In conversation with Logan Morrison
Nearly three years ago, I interviewed Logan Morrison, who had made national headlines for being forced out of a soccer coaching job at an evangelical college for open communication related to sexual orientation. (That interview was reported with a previous…
After Primary Day, where are we?
I want to offer a few propositions for where our country is politically after this week’s round of primary voting, mainly in the South. President Donald Trump continues to destroy the careers of those Republican politicians who demonstrate independent judgment….
The guardrails preserving our democracy
I want to consider some good news today. The good news is that certain cultural, political and legal guardrails are holding against Donald Trump and his government right now. I am not suggesting our democracy is in the clear. I…
A report from the Post-Evangelical Collective meeting in Boston
The momentum is growing. The Post-Evangelical Collective has a bright future, but also key issues to consider. What follows are some observations from my fourth national Post-Evangelical Collective conference. In order, they have been Denver (2023), Raleigh (2024), Nashville (2025)…
Post-evangelical churches are succeeding
There is much handwringing about the “state of the church” these days. I want to suggest that handwringing is a bit exaggerated. I know the statistics. There are certainly many U.S. churches that are struggling and some that are closing….
Pope v. Trump is about the value of a moral tradition
The recent entirely predictable online attack by Donald Trump on Pope Leo XIV has made an argument over values into a personal dispute. But the issue between the two men is not a personal dispute. It is instead a powerful…
5 a.m. musings in Amsterdam
It is both a blessing and a curse to be an American in Amsterdam tonight. On the one hand, it is a blessed escape. On the other hand, people look at you with worry and pity. On the one hand,…
Illiberal America has won many times before
As I write, it is four weeks until the election. The polls on reputable sites like Fivethirtyeight.com are giving the Harris-Walz ticket a very slight advantage, with the results coming down to one or two states. Those of us who…
Apalachee High School: The questions that haunt me at night
I am writing this post very early in the morning of Friday, Sept. 6. It is less than 48 hours after 14-year-old Colt Gray decided to start his freshman year at Apalachee High School, 40 minutes north of me, by…
Regarding election 2024: Eight things I see
After a tumultuous and fascinating two months in American politics, here are some things I see as this election year moves into its final stretch. After the June presidential debate, Joe Biden’s candidacy was doomed. He was right to drop…