At the moment, words are hard to come by. As I sat in Palmetto Patriots VA Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Home listening to one of my congregants share his experience of baptizing a soldier in a pool deep in…
How to read the Bible in a time of biblical authoritarianism
Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has created a stir with his proposed amendment to the Southern Baptist Convention’s constitution. He claims anyone who takes issue with the amendment is opposing biblical authority. The issue is not biblical…
We ordain women because we baptize girls
“In those days,” God declares, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. … I will pour out my Spirit on both men and women, and they shall prophesy.” — Acts…
Is God binary?
This topic has gained much attention recently because James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Texas, made the statement, “God is nonbinary.” Is that true? Is God binary? Republican politicians are using Talrico’s comment as a hammer…
Who taught us to march?
Today, under a North Carolina sun pushing well past 90 degrees, hundreds gathered in downtown Chapel Hill for Pride. We assembled outside the town’s historic post office. Under tents, information about local LGBTQ organizations and resources was offered. Vendors handed…
Why I will boycott the UFC pay-per-view from the White House
A nation’s birthday should reveal what it values most. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, I find myself reflecting less on fireworks and celebrations and more on the meaning of freedom itself. That reflection has led me to a personal…
How can you afford not to? A Southern Baptist timeshare presentation
The first time I ever went to a Busch Gardens theme park, I was made to sit through a timeshare pitch. I still wasn’t old enough to sample the swill of the park’s namesake, so I admit to you I…
The church as school for democracy
This is the second in a BNG series of articles on Christianity and democracy that will lead toward the July 4 celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The series has been curated by Carol McEntyre, senior minister at First Baptist Church…
Those who would ‘own the libs’ need to own this president’s actions
We’ve been told over and over that many of those who laugh at Donald Trump’s outrageous behavior and overlook his perpetual lying and callous cruelty do so because they love how angry it makes “liberals” like me. They will do…
Praying for my Southern Baptist siblings about women in ministry
Baptists are a big part of my life story. If you are scratching your head about why this third generation, Methodist-all-her-life pastor would say such a thing, keep reading. Baptists are a big part of my story because I live…
Speak on behalf of SBC women who have no voice
Every summer when the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting rolls around, my husband and I find ourselves once again discussing why we’ve chosen to stay affiliated with such a troubled and troubling organization. Why are we still here? Both of…
What Pope Leo’s encyclical demands of Louisiana
On May 25, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” warning about the growing influence of artificial intelligence. He informs us that AI requires an increasing use of “energy and water, significantly influencing carbon dioxide emissions, and place(s)…