You’ve heard of Hot Girl Summer. You’ve heard of Christian Girl Autumn. Tis the season for the Thanksgiving Outfit. Back in 2016, as many American women remember well, the brown button-up skirt made its way across stores and into our…
Arizona judge rules church leaders are not responsible for reporting sexual abuse
Should religious leaders be held responsible for disclosing to law enforcement knowledge that church members are committing acts of sexual abuse? On Friday, Arizona Judge Timothy Dickerson answered no. Dickerson’s end-of-week ruling dismissed a high-profile child sexual abuse lawsuit against…
The spiritual practice of friendship
I was at a friend’s birthday dinner when news broke that Matthew Perry, famously known for his role on the TV show “Friends,” died at 54. The person sitting beside me saw the news first. I heard her gasp, but…
In the name of the Lord’s Ranch: The exposure of an Arkansas residential facility’s elaborate ruse of child abuse
Prior to its closure in 2016, the Lord’s Ranch was known for decades as a place where children ages 7 to 17 would receive “unparalleled” treatment in a “uniquely beautiful, peaceful and safe environment.” Staff would foster their psychological, emotional,…
Kanakuk Kamps sues ACE American Insurance Co. amid sexual abuse lawsuit
Kanakuk Kamps is suing ACE American Insurance Co. for “breach of contract and fiduciary duty” and “bad faith refusal” to defend the company in the lawsuit brought against Kanakuk by Logan Yandell last November. Kanakuk alleges ACE withheld pertinent information…
‘The Prayers of Both Could Not Be Answered’: The history of slavery at Wake Forest University and the Baptist church
On Oct. 23, faculty at Wake Forest University gathered to offer a film screening and panel discussion hosted by the institution’s Slavery, Race and Memory Project, an academic committee dedicated to the “examination of the history of slavery and its…
This school shooter is going viral for telling his story, but does it help or hurt?
Note: This article discusses attempted suicide, suicidal ideation and gun violence. In the life of a school shooter, what happens almost 20 years after the crime? On Feb. 9, 2004, 16-year-old Jon Romano left a suicide note at home before…
What my apartment’s visitor spot has to do with biblical interpretation
I live in an apartment. At my apartment, my roommate and I each have a designated parking spot, painted with our address number to indicate who should park there. There is also a “visitor” spot, not specifically assigned to our…
Why, in a time like this: The importance of engaging today’s youth in world missions
This summer, a team of nine high school students and four adults from Providence Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., traveled on a mission trip to Važec, Slovakia. Ours was the last missions team hosted in Slovakia by former CBF Field…