Thanks to Taylor Swift, Super Bowl 58 was the most-watched telecast ever. This is good news for advertisers like “He Gets Us,” who paid $17 million for two commercials totaling 75 seconds of airtime. However, despite the record number of…
All in the Family set the stage for Rob Reiner to understand Christian nationalism
It was easy for television viewers to forget the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights struggle and women’s liberation when immersed in the gauzy nostalgia of The Andy Griffith Show or The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Then, in 1971, producer…
The two men behind the possible schism in the Church of England
At the start of each year in the United Kingdom, the monarch doles out “honors” to citizens who’ve contributed to the betterment of British society. This year, both Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, and his longtime friend, Nicky Gumbel,…
What Greta Gerwig’s Oscars snub means for Hollywood and the church
The Academy Awards are not the final word in film, but like any institution they reflect the power dynamics of American society, including those in the church. That’s why the Academy denying Greta Gerwig a nomination for best director for…
Guns turned in at buybacks often end up back on the street
Concerned about rising gun violence, St. David’s Episcopal Church outside Detroit hosted a gun buyback in December so residents could trade firearms for gift cards. “We’re trying to help build a safer community,” explained Chris Yaw, the church’s rector. “Guns…
This Christmas, remembering Sam Sharpe and the Baptist War in Jamaica
“I would rather die upon yonder gallows than to live in slavery.” Sam Sharpe wrote these words in a letter to the British Parliament from his jail cell in Jamaica. Sharpe, a Baptist deacon and lay preacher, faced execution for…
What you’re really giving to when you respond to a ‘Bible shortage’ in prisons
’Tis the season for giving — and making year-end contributions to charity. No doubt your mailbox and inbox are inundated with requests for donations this time of year. One such appeal from Prison Fellowship Ministries alerts recipients that Bibles are…
How churches can participate in the Indigenous Land Back movement and why they should
In 1777, Cherokee statesman Kaiyahtehee, also known as “Old Tassel,” arrived at Fort Henry near the Long Island in the Holston River to negotiate a treaty with commissioners from the state of North Carolina. The treaty would give America land…
What would happen if clergy unionized?
From the successful unionization of Starbucks baristas in Buffalo to striking actors and writers in Hollywood, support for labor unions is on the rise in a post-pandemic world. A Gallup poll from August reported 67% of Americans approve of unions…