The jokes about what is not taught in seminary usually write themselves. How often during the past few years have you heard wisecracks about having not learned Zoom, YouTube or how to edit worship videos on iMovie? Or the jokes…
What should we think of celebrities for Jesus?
When I accepted Jesus into my heart in 1998, in response to a gospel message at a youth rally at a local church, I had no idea what that event meant or the history it ushered me into. I just…
Dealing with the truth: An interview with Sarah Churchwell on Gone with the Wind, the Lost Cause and Donald Trump
Those of you who read this column are aware that I study culture, religion and political life to explore the myths by which Americans shape their lives, and that I’m particularly focused on questions of race and injustice. Knowing that,…
No, BJC has not become a leftist mouthpiece
Last week I heard someone suggest that Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has moved to the left politically and abandoned its historic Baptist tradition. There’s an agricultural word to describe the fallacy of that argument, but I won’t use…
Traveling through life with the Scenario Family
When, upon life’s freeways, backroads and typical streets, we are called upon to travel, we never are alone. Beyond the actual passengers who travel with us, the three members of the Scenario Family always jump in the car, train, plane,…
After Roe, we’ve got to stop scaring women and children
I first learned the news from two female co-workers. One clapped her hands, while the other one practically jumped up and down. The Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade. My response surprised me. I did not experience the same…
Institutional betrayal, institutional courage and the church
Betrayal by trusted people, like pastors, teachers, supervisors and coaches can inflict devastating consequences on victims. According to psychologists who study trauma, betrayal trauma affects the brain differently than any other trauma, particularly when the victim depends upon the perpetrator….
January 6 Committee hearings expose Trump for who he always has been
Hearings televised by the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol have made some things abundantly clear. The attack on the U.S. Capitol that occurred Jan. 6, 2021, and viewed live by people across the…
The troubled waters of sexual diversity: ‘God don’t make no junk!’
Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in a series of articles on sexual diversity. The following story represents many individuals and families who seek answers to gender and sexuality questions. Details have been changed to protect privacy. The man waiting…
What can we learn from January 6? Look to Socrates
The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and, more importantly, on our democracy, has provided a revealing and damning glimpse into former president Donald Trump’s role in that horrible event. What might we learn…
Will Campbell’s legacy: Ministers of disruption and holy agitators
Gazing around the auditorium, I knew I was out of place. A lot of indicators pointed to this fact, but none more so than the observation I was several inches taller than those who filled the seats around me. This…
Abuse will continue if freedom is repressed
Growing up, I yearned for freedom. Freedom to make my own decisions. Freedom from my parents. Freedom to be myself in a world that didn’t really like headstrong girls or women. When I questioned Sunday School teachers or offered a…