It is both a blessing and a curse to be an American in Amsterdam tonight. On the one hand, it is a blessed escape. On the other hand, people look at you with worry and pity. On the one hand,…
‘Messy White Lady’: Why we must trade fitting in for belonging
Three days after I arrived in Uganda in 2010, I headed to a nearby hotel with friends to play soccer. Since it was going to be a long afternoon, I brought along a container of fruit to share. As I…
How many more signs do you need?
Every week, I get emails from readers accusing us at BNG of being the Devil’s agents for publishing articles critical of Donald Trump. Inevitably, these writers think we just don’t understand the Bible or politics or culture. They know it…
Letter to the Editor: Soldiers should refuse illegal military orders
In the final sermon before his assassination in 1980, Archbishop of El Salvador Oscar Romero told the soldiers in a public broadcast to refuse the orders of the violent, militaristic regime in the country. “I want to make a special…
Letter to the Editor: When Muslims sound more like Jesus than the Christians
I live in Alabama where, apparently, a number of aspirants to political office are operating on the sad assumption that a majority of Alabama voters will reward them for being xenophobic, in general, and Islamophobic, in particular. Last week, in…
Letter to the Editor: End the war in Iran, now
Many Americans and Christians continue to rightfully express concern at the ongoing conflict against Iran, with one poll recently suggesting 60% of the country opposes the usage of military force. While the operation appears to have achieved its military objectives, the civilian carnage has been tragic: One Middle…
Differing perspectives and our dreams of peace
Yaakov Rotblit once wrote a lyric that has taken on a life far beyond its origins as a love song: “You took my hand in yours and said to me, ‘Let’s go down to the garden. … Things we see…
Keeping Easter alive means embracing the Truth
For some reason, we insist on complicating Jesus. The grave could not contain him. Yet we have the audacity to be believe our theology can. Our complicated theological pursuits have led to self-righteous, self-serving endeavors aimed at being “right” and…
Why Easter must reclaim its throne in American faith
There is a quiet contradiction in America, one that lives in our homes, our churches, our calendars and our consumer habits. It is the reality that the most theologically powerful moment in Christianity — the resurrection of Jesus Christ —…
A new generation of ambassadors for the cure to violence
We are living in violent and deeply troubling times. In New York City, a teenager raised in Philadelphia participated in an attempted terrorist attack on Gracie Mansion. According to security experts, the attack is part of a rising tide of…
Faith, captivity and the call to remember the imprisoned
Each spring, the sacred calendars of Judaism, Christianity and Islam draw us into stories of liberation, sacrifice and divine mercy. Passover, Easter and the rhythms of revelation in the Quran all echo a central truth: God is present with the…
When pastors mistake theological maturity for spiritual maturity
A pastor colleague recently told me something I can’t seem to shake: “If I’m not on staff, pastoring or preaching, I don’t go to church on Sundays. I’m just not a pew person.” At first, it sounded like honesty. The…