In today’s world of white supremacist politics, white evangelical worship is the sugar that helps the poison of power go down. And perhaps no event has put this more clearly on display than the Charlie Kirk memorial service. When many…
‘This is not an idol. This is a sculpture’
In just four years, we’ve gone from Trump supporters erecting a gallows in front of the U.S. Capitol building to a 12-foot-tall golden Trump statue holding out a Bitcoin. The official story is that this golden Trump statue was built…
The making of a martyr
The gunshot that killed Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University Sept. 10 changed everything. The conservative activist’s assassination tornadoed through America’s Christian nationalist movement, which reeled at the loss of one of its greatest warriors in a battle for the soul…
Here’s the real context for understanding Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk supporters have spent the better part of a week lambasting writers like me for allegedly quoting him “out of context,” so I’m giddy at the prospect of discussing context. The No. 1 criticism received at BNG over the…
New BNG podcast tells the stories of Kanakuk abuse survivors
A child is sexually assaulted every 9 minutes in the United States, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. Over the past two decades, there have been more than 60,000 documented cases of child sexual abuse. Three out…
Online ads touch hearts, but do you know where your gift goes?
As life has moved online, so has fundraising for ministries. But often, online ads don’t give donors the full story on where their money goes. If you plan to donate online during the busy year-end giving period, be aware of…
Wrestling with Is It God’s Will? through Palestinian Christian eyes
When I first opened Brandon Ambrosino’s chapter “Getting Comfortable in the Basement” from his book Is It God’s Will?, I was struck by the image he uses. He contrasts the “living room,” where faith feels tidy and safe, with the…
Two AI videos depict Charlie Kirk in heaven as a martyr
Charlie Kirk’s death has sparked a national conversation about his words. As evangelicals hail him as a martyr, others point to the harm he caused through the racist, sexist, homophobic, violence-celebrating remarks he made during his life. Pastor Howard John…
Donald Trump is the epitome of violent speech
After the murder of Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump said rhetoric from “the radical left” is “directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.” Trump wasted no time fanning the flames of violence: “My administration will…
These are the helpful conversations about religion we need
The assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University is undoubtedly going to lead to a lot of conversation about our identity as a nation, the nature of our problems and how we pursue justice. One of the contexts for…
Can employers fire employees for their Charlie Kirk posts?
In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, public employees across the nation are being suspended, investigated and even fired due to their social media posts about Kirk and his death. This backlash is part of a larger conservative movement to…
Will Charlie Kirk’s legacy really live on?
Jerry Falwell Sr. was a fundamentalist pastor who became engaged in politics. Charlie Kirk was a political activist who wrapped his speech in evangelical garb. There is a big difference between the two. Falwell, the legendary pastor of Thomas Road…