To the family and friends of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and to our countless other hard-working, community-building immigrant neighbors, “In the name and Spirit of Christ our Lord, we are deeply sorry for the actions of the United States government.” A…
Farewell, Three Amigos
While I disagreed with Sen. Lindsey Graham on his support of what has been called “endless wars,” I found his presence and usually his comments on television news to be insightful and moving. My wife and I gave money to…
On the death of Lindsey Graham
When South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham died suddenly July 11, it was of immediate interest to me because he’s from my home district and I have met him several times. When then-businessman Donald Trump entered the political scene, Graham was…
I am Nolan
For much of my life, I did not fully grasp the depth of my mother’s anxiety regarding my journey until I witnessed the experiences of those who came after me. I never truly understood the scope of her concern each…
In conversation with Art Wright
Drive into Williamsburg, Va., from the west and you will see it before you see the church. A rainbow-striped banner. Designed by a pastor who cannot fully explain why he made it, only that it needed to say something true…
When leaders know better but choose a different path
The death of Sen. Lindsey Graham closes a remarkable chapter in American political history. For more than 20 years, Graham was one of the most influential voices in Washington. He was a military veteran, a respected member of the Senate,…
Signs, symbols and untimely demise
There are occasions when one is faced with the difficult decision of being quiet or being blunt. For me, Sunday, July 12, was one of those days. I’ve never been one to sugarcoat. I’m just not wired for superficial niceties…
What I learned July 5 at church
Last Sunday, July 5, the small Hispanic church I attend was still decked out for the Fourth of July. When I say “decked out,” I mean red, white and blue everywhere, even the flowers. The American flag was on the…
What Willy Rice once knew
Newly elected Southern Baptist Convention President Willy Rice has characterized the SBC’s clergy sex abuse crisis as a “hoax” and a “snipe hunt.” Talk like that helped get Rice elected. Apparently, it was the message many Southern Baptists wanted to…
The night I saw God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven
Nine years ago, I had nine strokes within the course of a few hours. Nine blood clots to both hemispheres of my brain. My recovery was tough, and in those early months and years of trying to find my new…
All the Marys and women with the power of words
At the 2022 Wild Goose Festival, historian and author Diana Butler Bass said in a sermon titled “All the Marys”: “When the women of the world take on words for themselves, when we seize our sacred texts and search them…
We are a nation of immigrants
God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam, God bless America. My home sweet home….