Kamala Harris mainly evaded the Israeli-Gaza conflict during her presidential campaign, largely because anything she said would invite harsh criticism from one segment of the diverse Democratic coalition. Now that Donald Trump is headed back to the Oval Office, how…
America makes a hard right turn with Trump as ‘good old boy’
After decades of progressive influence, America made a hard right turn on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Donald Trump won a decisive Electoral College vote as well as the popular vote. I resist the notion that the nation was voting against having…
People are dying in Africa, but the world doesn’t notice
There’s a perception that numbers matter, and so, the more problems there are in a place, the more interest they arouse. Not so in the case of disasters in Africa in the last year compared to what’s seen of the…
Voters must choose between two religious visions
The 2024 presidential election is a head-scratcher. Donald Trump is intentionally violating every canon of American political etiquette. His interminable campaign speeches are aimed at no one outside the MAGA base. Outside of a few washed-up celebrities like Kid Rock…
How conservatives misuse Bonhoeffer, King and Reagan
Recent letters published by descendants of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and members of the International Bonhoeffer Society denouncing misuse of the German theologian’s legacy illustrate a much bigger problem: The false conversion of iconic people to suit the needs of modern-day conservatives….
Of worship warfare, theocracy and a weekend with Sean Feucht
Is the United States on the verge of becoming a theocracy? After covering Sean Feucht’s “Kingdom to the Capitol” event in Raleigh two weeks ago — during which Feucht embraced the term “Christian nationalism” and another pastor admitted, “We deny the right…
Separated, again
Filmmaker Errol Morris is known for his probing documentaries. His breakout film The Thin Blue Line (1988) investigated the framing of an innocent man by a corrupt police force. In 2003, Morris won the Oscar for his film The Fog…
What good is a law that’s not enforced?
If your pastor were to stand in the pulpit this Sunday and explicitly tell you to vote for either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris for president, would your church be in legal jeopardy? Technically, yes. Realistically, no. The potential peril…
Understanding the David Platt story
Two weeks ago, I received a press release from a PR firm inquiring about my interest in interviewing pastor and New York Times bestselling author David Platt. The request struck me as unusual, as Platt typically only grants interviews coinciding…
100 years after the Immigration Act, we’re reaping what we’ve sown
This year is the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Immigration Act, which limited the number of immigrants allowed entry into the United States through a national origin quotas. The quotas provided immigration visas to 2% of the total number of…
You’ll recognize these buildings all across America
Drive through any city or rural village in the American South and you’ll recognize the buildings. They carry a distinctive appearance even though they may wear slightly different facades like tract housing. But as sure as you can recognize an…
How Mainline Protestant churches are addressing Christian nationalism
In this politically fraught time, communities of faith have a unique opportunity to speak truth into the chaos. This necessarily means addressing the religious nationalism that burst from the shadows into public view on January 6, 2021. Regardless the outcome…