Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals has been one of the prominent topics in my circles. As a survivor of the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement, the religious group the documentary focuses on, I was very happy to see these…
Here’s why Americans are so obsessed with getting ‘tough on crime’
Americans have consistently lacked confidence in the United States criminal justice system and, once again, a majority views it as not tough enough. A national debate, ongoing for at least a century, attempts to solve the problem of crime. Ironically, we…
I grew up in the church-cult from Let Us Prey; here’s why abuse runs rampant in the IFB
Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandal was released just a few days ago, exposing decades of coverup and abuse in the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement. If you haven’t watched it, understand that it’s gritty, raw and tear jerking. For…
SBC Executive Committee files amicus brief supporting NAMB against Will McRaney
The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention has weighed in with a legal brief defending the SBC North American Mission Board in a defamation lawsuit brought against NAMB by Will McRaney, former leader of the Baptist Convention of Maryland…
A call for immoderate mediators: David Gushee defends democracy from its Christian enemies
Like just about everybody these days, David Gushee is worried about the survival of democracy. His latest book, Defending Democracy from its Christian Enemies, addresses the problem of democratic “backsliding” or “deconsolidation.” As his title suggests, he calls out Christians…
The horror of Let Us Prey may not be as far from home as you think
“Every IFB church is a powder keg ready to explode,” says Eric Skwarczynski on Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals, which released last weekend on HBO Max and Investigation Discovery. The four-part docuseries follows the stories of sexual abuse survivors…
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…
On the SBC, Alliance and CBF and lost causes
The histories we tell ourselves about our churches and denominations are important. They shape organizational identities and give greater meaning to the work churches and denominations conduct in the wider world. When those histories become deeply engrained, they can morph…
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…