Pope Francis may have authorized non-liturgical blessings for same-sex couples, but not everyone in the Catholic hierarchy is going along. Traditionalist bishops, particularly in Africa and Asia, already are revolting and defying the pope’s supposedly unquestionable authority. In a recent…
Letter to the Editor: Donald Trump is no Christian
December 21, 2023 Dear Editor: On numerous occasions, Donald Trump has disparaged our military. Concerning prisoners of war, Trump said about John McCain, “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” Concerning those…
As Trump stokes more fear, immigration advocates plead with Biden administration not to succumb
Human rights advocates are pleading with the Biden administration to take legal action to block new Texas laws designed to counter illegal border crossings and to give state law enforcement officers the right to arrest undocumented immigrants. Gov. Greg Abbott…
This Christmas, remembering Sam Sharpe and the Baptist War in Jamaica
“I would rather die upon yonder gallows than to live in slavery.” Sam Sharpe wrote these words in a letter to the British Parliament from his jail cell in Jamaica. Sharpe, a Baptist deacon and lay preacher, faced execution for…
Diaspora communities improve lives in Africa with remittances, but sometimes that comes at great personal cost
In this season of giving, some African expatriates are weary of being asked for financial assistance from people who assume they’ve got money to spare. One such person is Asisat Oshoala, a Nigerian soccer star based in Barcelona, Spain. In…
More details emerging of Little Rock church’s abuse problem
The saga of how a prominent Southern Baptist church in Little Rock, Ark., mishandled knowledge of child sex abuse continues to reverberate through a denomination already at odds with itself over how to respond to abuse claims. What makes the…
The root of the problem? Christian nationalism, panelists say
Christian nationalism is the root of the racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia gripping the nation, said Teresa Hord Owens, president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). “I’m very concerned as a Christian leader about its resurgence. It’s the same Christian…
Sex scandal raises questions for Moms for Liberty and Florida GOP
Bridget Ziegler and her husband, Christian, like to have three-party sex with another woman. Threesomes are not illegal, but some people consider them immoral, which has raised problems for the Florida power couple. Both have promoted so-called “Don’t Say Gay”…
Vatican’s new stance on blessing same-sex couples draws praise and ire
This week’s bombshell announcement from the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that Catholic priests may now use their discretion to bless individuals in same-sex relationships and others in “irregular situations” has sparked intense debate and varied reactions…