The sociologist Peter Berger once said the power of religion rests, ultimately, upon the credibility of the banners it puts in our hands as we walk toward death. A recent brush with death awakened me to the surprising fact that,…
Learning from the ‘Wise One’
For the past few weeks, I have been enjoying the second season of one of my favorite shows available to stream. There are some Tolkien purists who do not care for the show, but I will not quibble with some…
Letter to the Editor: A vote for Harris is a vote for hope
Dear Editor: Not since Barack Obama became our 44th president have I been filled with such unbounded hope regarding our nation’s future. Former President Donald Trump’s deadly insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and delayed attempts to hold him accountable had…
Putting Christian political participation in proper place
“Christian nationalist” (or its synonym “MAGA Christians”) has, at times, been applied to any Christian who expresses a political opinion or votes Republican. Yet not every Christian who votes or is otherwise involved in politics is a Christian nationalist. Such…
Calling Donald Trump a ‘good businessman’ illustrates the problem of bowing down to ‘business’
Driving down the road last week, I (Mark) heard a radio journalist interview Hispanic immigrant voters (legal ones, for all you who worry about this) about how they’ll vote in this fall’s presidential election. One made the case that he…
Is stigma in the church hindering the path to addiction recovery?
While many are turning to alcohol and drugs at alarming rates, it’s time for our churches to reconsider their understanding and approach to recovery Matthew T. DuVall serves as director of development for McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University…
Preaching to pain
One of the sayings attributed to Buddha and others is, “Life is suffering.” Jesus put his own spin on that universal truth when he asserted, “It rains on the just and the unjust.” No one escapes this life without having…
Dissent and resistance
In my last column, I held up as a worthy example for us all, a textile worker in a small North Carolina town — the one in the floral shirt and white scarf, who chose to follow the urging of…
Pastoral empathy and prophetic discord against the backdrop of the war in Gaza
“For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, the trees in applause.” —Isaiah 55:12 § § § Prelude. “I don’t know how my mother walked…
Letter to the Editor: A vote for Trump is a vote for a rapist
Dear Editor: Rape is a crime against a person’s body and soul. And to condone a rape you are condoning and accepting the rapist. Throughout the United States, many men are sitting on Death Row who murdered to cover up…
Dear crusading evangelicals, ain’t you tired yet?
Inspired by Mark Wingfield’s recent description of a poignant movie scene, I recently watched the 2011 award-winning film The Help. The movie highlighted a top-tier cast including Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Cisely Tyson, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburg, Jessica Chastain…
Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Nancy French
I’ve known Nancy French for some years now, if by “know” we count social media connection, which I do. I’ve gotten out of the habit of talking about disagreements with people; I look for places of connection and ask whether…