In Sisters and Saints: Women in American Religion, Harvard religion professor Ann Braude writes: An old saying among members of African American churches can be applied to most religious groups in the United States: “Women are the backbone of the…
The Big White Lie: Racist propaganda dishonors the image of God
Sir Winston Churchill famously said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” This could be applied to propaganda, as it is often based on blatant lies or embellishments. The…
I just left The United Methodist Church for an Alliance of Baptists congregation
Those of us in the Mainline Protestant traditions who still find community in church settings often feel an allegiance to whichever denomination we were raised in. In my case, I was baptized and confirmed in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and…
My journey from fear to a whole new way of seeing grace
Grace is amazing — or can be. It depends on the God giving it. The grace that is truly amazing flows from a vulnerable God of love, expressing that love by showering grace freely toward all in an ever-widening flood….
Remembering Jann Aldredge-Clanton
Jann Aldredge-Clanton was one of the most complex and compassionate people I’ve ever met. Her combination of Southern charm and progressive theology could be both disarming and alarming to those she encountered. She was a trailblazer for sure, setting plenty…
A politician’s worst enemy and a leader’s greatest ally
A well-informed electorate is a politician’s worst enemy and a leader’s greatest ally. This proves consistent in every race from a city council to the presidency. Politicians thrive in areas where constituents take them solely at their word. But as…
I’m eager to talk about the whole gospel and all the good news at Lausanne Congress
This week, the fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, “Let the Church Declare and Display Christ Together,” is happening in Seoul, South Korea, where thousands of international Christians have come together from diverse backgrounds to consider “gaps and opportunities” in…
What they are not saying: JD Vance and Project 2025
A few days ago, an Ohio Sheriff, Bruce Zuchowski, called Vice President Kamala Harris “a laughing hyena.” This type of disrespect — along with lies about Haitians eating stolen pets, comments about liberals not being victims of assassination attempts and…
Africa: The gold medal avoidance
The Olympic Games, often celebrated as the epitome of global unity and athletic excellence, have a darker legacy that is rarely discussed — a legacy that traces back to the 1904 St. Louis, Mo., Olympics, marred by overt racism, exploitation…
‘Who is my neighbor?’
Over the past two weeks, the Trump/Vance campaign has spoken often about an influx of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, and proffered the outrageous claim that these immigrants are stealing and eating the pets of white Springfield citizens. Despite a…
Two ideas for living with death
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…