Let’s start with a bit of disclosure. I’m not afraid of flying. Really, I’m not. But as the plane I’m on starts to descend, I realize I’m afraid. Not beacuse we’re rapidly losing altitude. There’s been no abrupt change in…
My long farewell to traditional religion (and what remains)
If I had to summarize my religious journey with one Bible verse, I would choose Matthew 28:17, “When they (the early disciples) saw him (the risen Christ), they worshiped him; but some doubted.” For more than 50 years, since my…
Woe to modern-day Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes
I’m sure some Southern Baptist Convention Christians are wolves in sheep’s clothing, but my hunch is 99% of all SBCers want to be good and think they are good. They are not delusional enough to believe they are perfect, but…
Five reasons separation of church and state is essential
The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States confirms that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the…
5 ways to be an ally to those battling chronic illness
One thing the pandemic did for the disability community was to open dialogue and raise awareness for those living with chronic illness or pain. Long COVID symptoms brought conversations to the forefront regarding those who live with debilitating but often…
That’s not even the most interesting thing about me
I’m not usually the person who walks around every day wearing Pride merchandise. In fact, I tend to wear all black clothing the majority of the time, a holdover from the “emo kid” fashion influence of my teens. So standing…
Moderate and progressive Christians must speak up
I have tried numerous times to synthesize my thoughts on the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in 303 Creative vs. Elenis, where a 6-3 majority ruled that a website designer could deny services to a same-sex couple based on her…
What Baptists have in common with pirates (the nice ones)
In light of recent Baptist news, I’ve been doing some reflection about how Baptists are really a lot like pirates, in a good way. (Disclaimer: I’m talking about the pirates of Treasure Island and Errol Flynn and Pirates of the…
A pilgrim in a strange land: How one United Methodist found a home in moderate Baptist life
It is no secret that The United Methodist Church is in chaos. Churches are voting to leave the denomination left and right, once healthy congregations are now divided, longtime relationships are being damaged, and good people are being hurt. Several…
Letter to the Editor: The alternative to a senior pastor
July 11, 2023 Dear Editor: Herewith is my response to the insightful article by Mark Wingfield on the matter of associate pastors. I never wanted to be a senior pastor. Well, that’s not the whole truth. When senior pastors would…
There is no center
Some among us want you to believe they represent the “center” politically or theologically — or both. Which causes me to ask: The center of what? This mythical center is wielded as a means of saying to others: “You’re an…
Find something you’re bad at
When I was a student in Mississippi, my school did not recognize the existence of foreign languages. My lowest grade in college was in Spanish. My lowest grade in seminary was in Greek. After five months in Chile, I could…