“Mama said” ranks next to “Jesus says” for a country boy who grew up among honeysuckle and high-pitched Southern voices. These days, I sense “Mama said” and “Jesus says” are losing credibility. “Mama said” once provided social stability (good manners,…
What does this mean?
Last night, America witnessed a political tremor that may very well be a preview of a historic electoral tsunami in 2026. From Virginia to New York, from Boston to Cincinnati, and across the statehouses and city halls of this nation,…
Women are the problem?
Really? Women are the problem? I read with incredulity and some humor the words of Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson as they pontificated in a recent interview about how women are the reason young people aren’t getting married. Rick Pidcock…
How I found hope for today in a coffee shop
I had just left my corporate job — no backup plan, no security blanket, no savings plan that made sense on paper. Just a tug in my spirit I couldn’t ignore any longer. I was tired of running from God’s…
SNAP and my family
I was ordained in 2019 in what is called the CCCC (Conservative Congregational Christian Conference) after spending time as pastor of an American Baptist church in Kansas. Because of the political upheaval in the part of the country we were…
The hypocrisy of Christian nationalists not feeding the hungry
So let me see if I’ve got this right: According to Christian nationalists, the evangelical church ought to have control over America and run the government strictly by Christian principles. Why, then, are these same people unwilling to follow the…
How far does our care go?
As the director of a community center in one of the smallest neighborhoods in New Orleans, I often heard residents call Hollygrove-Dixon “the forgotten neighborhood.” Just a mile from Celebration Church’s main campus, it was largely unnoticed — until our…
Remembering Phyllis Trible
Phyllis Trible died in a hospital in Manhattan Oct. 17 at the age of 92, as confirmed by Union Theological Seminary, with whom the renowned scholar had a longstanding relationship. She leaves behind a sister, Barbara Pickrel, and two niblings,…
The spirit of revenge
The crusade to Make America Great Again is now dominated by the spirit of revenge. Longtime journalist Jonathan Karl has released his fourth book on Donald Trump: Retribution. Nobody needs to read the book to witness Trump’s public campaign of retaliation. Trump…
JD Vance has an odd way with words
In a video podcast with a crucifix-wearing host, Vice President JD Vance discusses his faith and views on immigration policy. Along the way, this happens: VANCE: “So, I would talk to constituents in Springfield, Ohio. This was when I was…
Is it time to get a divorce from institutional religion?
Last summer I ate lunch with a long-term kindred spirit friend who, like me, is a retired minister. We spoke about our vocations in the church, both the good and the bad. We also expressed deep disappointments with organized religion,…
The arthritic giraffe
It always troubles me when I hear people say, “I don’t even keep up with the news anymore.” They might be referring to cancelling their hometown newspaper subscription. Newspapers have been hurting for decades, most of their advertising (car dealerships…