Since Donald Trump returned to power Jan. 20, I have watched people and institutions cave to demands of the president. Are we witnessing a growing tribe of neo-cowards? Has cowardice become a political necessity? As the Master of Wakefield asked,…
The Chosen’s future appears to shine brighter than Angel Studios’
The lucrative eight-year relationship between The Chosen creator Dallas Jenkins and Angel Studios came to an end last month, but the franchise’s future continues to look bright. Just a few weeks after revealing The Chosen’s contract with Angel Studios was…
The long struggle to balance faith and freedom at Baylor
The latest controversy between Baylor University and the Baptists — rejecting grant funding to study LGBTQ exclusion in the church — has roots that stretch back more than 100 years, far preceding late 20th-century and early 21st-century struggles for control…
With two leadership roles open, will SBC embrace a younger generation?
Wanted: Creative leaders who have a spine but are flexible enough to accommodate diverse opinions and changing political tides. Must be Southern Baptist. Only males need apply. With not-unexpected news of the resignation of Brent Leatherwood as president of the…
Fundamentalism and biblical inerrancy lite in the Global Methodist Church
When, on May 1, 2022, the Global Methodist Church announced itself to the world, more than 2,000 churches already had taken advantage of the disaffiliation process to break with the United Methodist Church. At the time of the announcement, I…
Why Trump’s time is almost up
In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan, a celebrity Democrat turned Republican president, granted an Australian named Rupert Murdoch U.S. citizenship after being in the country for only one year. Reagan then ordered his FCC chairman to scrap the Fairness Doctrine that…
Licensing agency finds religious trauma coach in violation of Code of Ethics
One of the best-known therapists and coaches working with people suffering religious trauma has been sanctioned by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists for violating the group’s Code of Ethics on boundaries. In a letter dated July 25,…
On not getting over fundamentalism
This past week, I received a link to an article on the Christian news satire website, The Babylon Bee. The article was titled “Baptist Conclave to Choose A New John MacArthur.” It was clever and funny. It pictured 12 older…
Mark Driscoll, Chip Gaines and toxic Christian masculinity
“You’re the one who farted in your own elevator, so you’ve gotta smell it,” said Mark Driscoll in a video reacting to a 40-second clip of Joanna and Chip Gaines’ new show, Back to the Frontier. The show aims to…
Evangelicals turning on Chip and Joanna is about disgust, not love
Chip and Joanna Gaines, a beloved Christian couple and reality television celebrities, stand accused by fellow evangelicals of being traitors to the MAGA evangelical understanding of Christian faith. Their act of betrayal: Casting a gay couple with twin boys on…
Might what’s happening at Belmont explain what’s happening at Baylor?
When I read about U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles attacking Belmont University, all I could think about was Baylor University. Both are historically Baptist schools, although Belmont in Nashville, Tenn., has more definitively broken with Baptist control than has Baylor in…
10 Bible verses Christian nationalists take out of context to seize power
Christian nationalists are world-class experts in seizing power by taking Bible verses out of context. Growing up, my independent Baptist high school constantly used Philippians 4:13 as proof we could win the state championship, Jeremiah 29:11 as proof God would…