Before there was Barbie, there was Lilli. Lilli originated in 1952 Germany, just a few years after the end of World War II. The doll was introduced as a call girl, a comic-strip character in Bild-Zeitung, the newspaper in Hamburg,…
White reflections on racism: An interview with Frederick Allen
I sometimes tell the story about how back during the pandemic, at the height of the Black Lives Matter marches, my friend Kelly Brown Douglas schooled me on racial reconciliation. That’s the sort of thing she does. Until then, I…
A theology of ‘girl dinner’
Have you ever eaten “girl dinner” before? Chances are, you have, even if you are a boy. But according to TikTok, where the #GirlDinner trend originated, the meal is less about gender and more about how the food on a…
The Medieval Crusades, Billy Graham and American evangelicals
My earliest encounter with the term “religious crusade” probably goes back to junior high history. Still, I don’t remember the term being used much other than when Billy Graham came to town. He went from city to city, holding “crusades.”…
The voice of Sinead O’Connor
It was announced July 26 that Sinead O’Connor has died. An artist who journeyed in her own faith, struggles and personal growth right alongside us. Her 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got was the first CD…
In defense of travel
If you’re still thinking about a quickie vacation trip to Europe this summer, don’t. The COVID pandemic seems to be over (we hope), so tourists catching up on pleasure travel have descended upon the usual spots in their millions. Coastal…
I was thirsty and you made me work in the heat without water
This morning, I took my dogs for a walk because it was the coolest time of the day when their paws wouldn’t be scorched on pavement in our multiple days of temperatures that feel like it’s 100+ degrees. Living in…
The transgender obsession
A large segment of American Christianity is obsessed with transgender people. Anti-trans sermons, articles, videos, study guides, billboards, podcasts and social media messages, along with massive political efforts to harass transgender people, are rampant. For example, more than 700 legislative…
Letter to the Editor: ‘The unforced rhythms of grace’
July 26, 2023 Dear Editor: In yesterday’s BNG, Mark Wingfield and Amber Wylde wrote: “The church needs a better story than living in fear” and one of them uses the phrase “the unforced rhythms of living in grace.” “Church” is…
The Tim Scott problem
A couple of years ago, in response to President Biden’s 2021 State of the Union speech, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott gave an eloquent speech that earned him the admiration and support of many conservatives while catapulting him to serious…
The church needs a better story than living in fear
The following opinion piece is a dialogue between Mark Wingfield and Amber Wylde. Mark I just returned from a dinner conversation with some other minister friends where we talked about how the fear of God’s judgment sneaks up on those…
Can Barbie help us create justice?
I remember the moment I got my first Barbie. It was 1993, I was about to turn 4, and I was waking up from my third ear tube surgery. My reward for such bravery was a Bedtime Barbie whose eyes…