I’m from Knoxville, Tenn. You probably haven’t thought much about the mid-sized Southern city I call home for the same reasons you don’t often find yourself imaginatively drifting off in the middle of a busy work day with thoughts of…
Why we must not turn away from the Derek Chauvin trial
I may have too harshly judged the disciples because they did not show up at the Crucifixion. But now — watching the Derek Chauvin trial, looking on with horror and looking away with disgust — I understand. It is difficult…
Ways of seeing racism
We have encountered many people struggling to answer this call, laboring daily to see the truth about American racism and the way it shapes both our individual and common lives. This is not true of everyone, of course. In every…
America 2021: Got church and steeple but where are the people?
Growing up in Texas during the Southern Baptist Iron Age, I learned this bit of gospel doggerel somewhere between Sunday School, Vacation Bible School or Romper Room (Google it) and the hand-signals that accompanied it: Here is the church, Here…
Finding sabbath in a hammock
As a pastor, the practice of sabbath is especially challenging. Sunday (the day most Protestants observe a Sabbath of sorts) is full of work-related service opportunities as a pastor. Preaching and teaching the Bible, leading in prayer, committee meetings, ensuring…
When politics becomes religion
Politics sometimes becomes religion for people. This is a fact. It is dangerous when politics becomes religion for people. This is my conviction. This phenomenon seems most likely to happen when a culturally established religion fades to become merely politics,…
‘The Bible says’: Sermons then and now
Like many of you, I have a vivid memory of watching Billy Graham’s charismatic oratory, particularly his crusade in Australia in April 1979. His platform catch phrase, “The Bible says,” still rings true even now. Some 50 years ago, I…
It’s up to the Senate now to fix our democracy
Everywhere I go, I meet people of all ages and backgrounds who wonder whether their votes count, whether they can really make a difference. Many of them, sadly but understandably, believe our government no longer works for them. I get…
Here’s something to try on for size: Talk about things that are ‘more-than-human’
In our world of ecological precarity, I’ve been exploring what it would mean to move beyond doing environmental justice, to living in a different relationship with beings beyond the human. I think about this relationship both with those beings we…
Would Jesus wear $800 sandals?
A couple of decades ago, when I was working as a church consultant, I had an interesting conversation with a young pastor. He was probably 20 or so years younger than me, and it was obvious from our conversation that…
Where is Mike Huckabee?
I knew Mike Huckabee before. Before he was governor of Arkansas. Before he was a presidential candidate. Before he was a Fox News personality. Before he was a multimillionaire. Before he was pitching racial slurs. Back then he was a…
We cannot now close our border to those fleeing the horror we helped create
Why should we open our border to poor people from Central America? What if they are really terrorists? What if they have COVID, or something even more contagious? How can we afford to take care of “their” children when we…