Ten years ago, American prophet and all-time dean of church consultants Lyle Schaller wrote one of my favorite of his 96 books. From Geography to Affinity: How Congregations Can Learn From One Another was a prescient look at the fundamental…
OPINION: On questioning God
I’ve often heard folks — good, churchgoing folk s— say something like, “I know we’re not supposed to question God, but ….” And then they unload a perplexing theological question or a life situation for which they have been unable…
OPINION: Returning to Schleitheim
In February 1527, an Anabaptist group known as the Swiss Brethren gathered together at Schleitheim, Switzerland, to help solidify and establish this small movement on the brink of disintegration. The movement had begun less than two years earlier one night…
OPINION: Creating contexts for conversion, part 2
How do we create communities which form the likeliest context for an unchurched person to embrace Jesus and his movement? While churches today often get tied up in many different things, this should be the question that drives them harder than…
EDITORIAL: What’s this talk about a merger?
The Religious Herald is more accustomed to reporting news than making it, so the story about a potential merger between the Herald and Associated Baptist Press makes me a bit uneasy. In some respects the news is premature. Before an…
OLD EDITORIAL: What’s this talk about a merger?
EDITORIAL: What’s this talk about a merger? The Religious Herald is more accustomed to reporting news than making it, so the story about a potential merger between the Herald and Associated Baptist Press makes me a bit uneasy. In some…
HERITAGE: What’s in a name?
One of the disturbing stories out of the American slavery saga is the question of a person’s name. The idea of being labeled and identified with a personal name is a rudimentary part of the human experience. It is the…
VITAL SIGNS: There’s no excuse
Are you an excuse maker? When someone makes a compelling case for action or movement, are you prone to start your response with the phrase “Yes, but …”? Do you see yourself as an exception to most rules? Making excuses…
OPINION: A ragamuffin homecoming
Life is full of events which remind us how far we are, at times, from the peaceful kingdom promised to us by Jesus. For the last week, so many of us have been saddened by the bombing of the Boston…
OPINION: Living and deadly worship
In Living Theatre, we would each day approach the rehearsal putting yesterday’s discoveries to the test, ready to believe that the true play has once again escaped us. But the Deadly Theatre approaches the classics from the viewpoint that somewhere,…
British faith groups reclaim St. George
By Bob Allen The Baptist Union of Great Britain joined other faith groups in a letter reclaiming St. George’s Day, celebrated April 23, from right-wing group’s using England’s patron saint to promote Islamophobia and hatred. “We want to promote a…
Author proposes end to interfaith hostility
By Bob Allen In his 2012 book, Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?, emergent church author Brian McLaren purposely evokes an old joke about, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” But instead of introducing…