The Merriam-Webster Dictionary identifies “defining moment” as a time that shows very clearly what something is really about. If that definition is taken seriously, the response by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union…
This Galentine’s Day, make new friends but keep the old ones
In February 2010, the writers of Parks and Recreation introduced a new holiday to American pop culture: Galentine’s Day. As this memorable episode opens, the sitcom’s exuberant main character, Leslie Knope, is distributing gift bags to women gathered around a…
Perhaps ‘He Gets Us’ better than we thought
There is great weeping and gnashing of teeth happening on my Facebook feed about the “Jesus commercial” that aired on the Super Bowl broadcast. The ad is the work of an organization that calls itself The Servant Foundation. These folks…
What we know and don’t know about the SBC’s sexual abuse hotline
“I gave her the name of my perp, I sent the scanned felony paperwork, the link to his being on the Texas sex offender list, and still, I do not see his name on the SBC list.” That’s what…
Let’s do the Satanic Panic once again
Sam Smith has poked a very old bear with their performance at the Grammys last Sunday. And I think they knew exactly what they were doing. Sam was leaning into all of the online hatred hurled at LGBTQ and gender…
An interview with Ukrainian Baptist theologian Fyodor Raychynets
Last week, I was in Amsterdam for the annual academic colloquium of the International Baptist Theological Study Center. Among the scholars present there was my friend Fyodor Raychynets, a distinguished Baptist pastor and theologian, and a leader of the Ukrainian…
Dr. Fortune’s vision of educational equality
In 2010, I arrived for my interview with an educator. Brushing raindrops off my tan trench coat, I was directed to a room where several folks were seated. This panel would determine if I’d be a good match as their…
Amid quantum leaps of change, we’re experiencing enlightenment despair
For the past several decades, our world has experienced quantum leaps of change on its perspective of itself and the universe in greater degrees than ever before in human history, and we are reacting with whiplash anxiety. The new James…
Tom Brady may be the NFL’s “GOAT,” but he’s a lousy theologian
Try imagining what it’s like to be Tom Brady, who announced his retirement — for the second time — last week. In the National Football League, the 45-year-old quarterback is the Greatest of All Time. Nobody else has played in…
“What’s the one book I should read on anti-racism?’
I gave a talk for the Alliance of Baptists’ educational emphasis on anti-racism not long ago. Someone in the audience asked me to choose the one book I thought they should read. Immediately, I said, “Audre Lorde’s Sister Outsider.” When…
How a medical emergency during worship showed love in action
We had a medical emergency last Sunday during our gathering at Restore. It was one of those “they don’t teach you this in seminary” moments. I was in the middle of preaching when I looked over and saw that someone…
Three images to remember Tyre Nichols
The video has been released. Seven officers have been terminated and five charged. The Scorpion Unit has been disbanded. Two EMTs have been terminated along with a supervisor. The district attorney says more charges may be forthcoming. The attorney for…