Why do we wonder? That is an important question for God-folk like us. It is probably a question we ask regularly, or at least one we should ask frequently. After our first reactions of lament, anger and frustration at the…
What if Thanksgiving were a time to celebrate the natural creation?
Christian churches in the United States often take advantage of national holidays to communicate particular theological points. For example, Memorial Day and Veterans Day provide opportunities to celebrate the idea of Jesus sacrificing his life on the Cross for spiritual…
Mitch Albom: ‘God can answer your prayers sometimes with something that breaks your heart’
This Thanksgiving, broaden your view on thankfulness. I love Thanksgiving. In fact, next to Christmas, it’s my favorite holiday. I love everything about it — the sounds, the smells, and, of course, the food. Would it even be Thanksgiving without…
Dear white people like me, this is what it means to accuse Black people of causing the very crimes committed against them
If you want to understand what our Black brothers and sisters have been saying for years about always getting the blame for the sins white people commit against them, look no further than a courtroom in Brunswick, Ga., today for…
Rethinking the Thanksgiving story with truth and gratitude
Thanksgiving is a holiday nearly every American can celebrate in some way. In the spirit of gratitude, one, 10 or more can gather at the table and acknowledge their many blessings. But after a closer look at its history, we’re…
Jesus and deconstruction
I shared a meme recently on Facebook to a page dedicated to discussion about house churches. It’s a site with lively discussion on issues broader than church and religion, but usually, the Christian faith comes through. I have no idea…
Deconstruction is not a disease, and trying harder is not the cure
What do a broken heart, a brain, a serpent and a thumbs-up emoji have in common? Any guesses? No? Good. Because these images are not the set up for a bad joke. They’re the artwork for a bad article. In…
Kyle Rittenhouse, whiteness, and a divinely ordained license to kill
Friday, the news broke that Kyle Rittenhouse had been “acquitted on all charges in the shooting deaths of two men and wounding of a third at a Wisconsin protest against racial injustice last year,” as AP put it. I don’t say this…
In Wisconsin, the NRA won
While its business operations lie in bankrupt shambles, the National Rifle Association won the day in a Wisconsin courtroom this week. The acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse on all charges related to the murder of two men and injury of a…
What’s wrong with saying you ‘don’t see color’?
In an effort to prove that they are not part of the American pandemic of racism, I’ve had quite a number of well-meaning people tell me they “don’t see color.” As much as I appreciate what they are trying to…
What I learned when I got lifted up on high
At “dark thirty,” too early for a vacation morning, we waited in the chilly pre-dawn air just outside our cave hotel room in Cappadocia, Turkey. Long before the sunrise, a nondescript white van eventually would come to pick us up…
Remember, once there were multitudes of people who were willing to give themselves for something larger than themselves
“Never forget that the purpose for which we live is our improvement, so that we may go out of this world having, in a great sphere or a small one, done some little good for our fellow creatures and labored…