AI-enhanced perfection, whether by fashion magazines or Hollywood, is perpetuating unattainable standards for what it means to be a person, but this new model isn’t new. For generations, marginalized people have been subject to the myth of the perfect victim….
Empathy for enemies is the heart of the gospel
Recently, in some evangelical circles, a contingent of folks has begun talking about the so-called “sin” of empathy. Joe Rigney brought this discussion into the limelight in 2019 with a series of blog posts at Desiring God written in the…
Here’s why DEI is good medicine for training doctors
I’m a DEI educator at an academic medical center. Pull up a chair. “This is Dr. Black — she’s a physician and does a lot of DEI work,” my colleague said, introducing me to a friend. “Oops,” she said almost…
Letter to the Editor: How Baylor taught me to love my (LGBTQ) neighbor
Dear Editor: Baylor University has had quite the summer! A steady cavalcade of news has emanated from Waco regarding the awarding of, then rescission of, and now damage control of, an academic grant from the Baugh Foundation to the Baylor…
Who gets to be a Baptist?
You can’t tell a Baptist anything. This is one of the highest praises and damning criticisms of the group. They are a contrarian type of people. Willing at times to bite their noses off to spite their faces and bite…
How will your grandchildren view your role in the present struggle?
After the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, there has been a lot of discussion in the nation about whether he was a positive or negative character. I think like most people he was a mixture. He was not the epitome…
Then they came for the comedians
These days, you’ve got to stand in line to quote the late German pastor Martin Niemöller, referencing (and repenting for) his early support for Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich. Remember how it ends? Then they came for me — and there…
7 things to do to oppose MAGA authoritarianism
“Time heals all wounds.” That’s the most galactically stupid saying in the English language. It’s like saying, “Time hits all baseballs.” While it takes time for a baseball to get from mound to plate, time doesn’t hit the ball. We…
Why I’m glad DEI is being dismantled
I am glad DEI is being dismantled. I hope all the attempts to soft-pedal systemic racism in this country without calling its name will be dismantled. Many people have found ways to water down this work, which is a part…
A Baptist boy’s journey toward faith, freedom and authenticity
When I was 5 years old, I believed I could be nothing but a Southern Baptist. My friends were Southern Baptists, my family was Southern Baptist, and my Appalachian community likewise was Southern Baptist. We worshiped in a small brick…
Yes, violence is not the answer
Three days ago, as I arrived at the Nashville airport, I watched ICE agents detain a well-dressed Hispanic young man and disappear him through a side door as masses of travelers streamed by, no one stopping to notice what was…
A timely new podcast episode with Jodi Chapman
When Ben Cole and I sat down with Jodi Chapman in Nashville two days ago, we did not realize the incredible timing of what was about to take place. We were recording a new episode of our “Stuck in the…