In a recent Atlantic essay titled “The True Cost of the Churchgoing Bust,” columnist Derek Thompson writes that “more Americans today have ‘converted’ out of religion than have converted to all forms of Christianity, Judaism and Islam combined. No faith’s…
No one ever talks about how hard it is to come back from sabbatical
“You should go on sabbatical more often,” said Marijane on her way out of church last Sunday. She noticed what others had too. I was preaching with more energy, like back when I was first called to Northside six years…
An asset map shows how churches are meeting the needs of older adults in rural areas
In recent years, there has been a growing concern about social isolation and loneliness among older adults, particularly in rural communities. Adults older than 65 make up one-sixth of the population of the United States, and that population is projected…
The dangers of minority rule
America is a nation being held hostage by fundamentalism. In our recent BNG webinar with Robert P. Jones and Greg Garrett and Timothy Peoples, the single thing that stuck with me most is a comment by Jones, who is among…
Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Randolph Hollerith
Randolph “Randy” Marshall Hollerith was named the 11th dean of Washington National Cathedral in 2016. Under Dean Hollerith, the “nation’s church” has shed a decades-long reputation as an unfriendly place for people of color and has leaned into its call…
The Sunday I was transfigured
Every pastor has certain Sundays they like more than others. Christ the King Sunday is my least favorite Sunday. But I love Transfiguration Sunday. That’s the Sunday that falls right before the season of Lent. It’s the Sunday that concludes…
‘You forgive us, we’ll forgive you,’ the theology of John Prine
April 7 marked the four-year anniversary of the death of John Prine. A beloved American singer-songwriter, Prine was one of the first victims of COVID-19 when the disease took his last breath in the spring of 2020. The multi-Grammy-winning storyteller…
The antidote to mean Christianity
A Doubter’s Parish reader recently wrote, “How did Christianity become so mean? How did we get from Jesus’ message of love to relentless condemnations against gays, transgender persons, women preachers, immigrants, scientists, educators, journalists and public-school librarians?” She said, “When…
A musical playlist for commemorating Martin Luther King
As I write, the fifth day of Eastertide (which began on Easter eve and ending 50 days later on Pentecost Sunday) draws close. As does the moment in 1968 when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while standing just outside…
Dear Pastor Search Committee
Dear Pastor Search Committee, I appreciate the time and effort you are devoting to this process. Your church has entrusted you with an exciting and daunting task, to find your next pastor. Most churches will only host a few pastor…
Democracy dies in darkness?
Democracy dies in darkness. Sure enough: in the absence of a free press to throw light on the actions and decisions of our political leaders, we the people are left in the dark. We don’t know what they decided, what…
The truth about lying
Somebody is lying. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin examined 116,366 lies told by 632 participants over 91 days. Participants self-reported their lies, which raises the question, “Wouldn’t liars lie about lying?” Maybe that’s why the statistics around lying are…