Does your faith need a little more rubato and a little less strictness? All of us—and most all of creation—are designed in such a way that we have a solid framework of something behind us, just like a soft sofa…
Altitude is a key factor in future stories of Christian ministry
For many years I have helped congregations and denominational organizations write their future story of ministry. Generally these stories look a decade into the future to imagine what their ministry might be like. It pulls movements forward rather than pushes…
The culture wars come to Georgia
My home state of Georgia is the setting for the latest battle in America’s never-ending culture wars. The event that ignited this fresh fight was Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s decision to fire Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran for, according to…
The painful inevitability of moral conflict
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee Many factors lead me to reflect these days on the painful inevitability of moral conflict — and what, if anything, we can do about it, especially in Christian life. By “moral conflict” I mean sharp…
I’m a clergy who opposes the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
The British Catholic apologist G.K. Chesterton once said that America is “the only nation founded on a creed.” I wonder if that’s why the great Virginia Baptist John Leland opposed ratifying the United States Constitution, forcing James Madison’s father to…
The city in 2050
By John Chandler One of the leaders in multi-scenario planning and global forecasting in recent decades has been the Shell Corporation. Their economic interest in doing this well is clear: with a predicted global population of nine billion and increased…
I did not get an invitation…
Much to my surprise, no one invited me to a recent gathering in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. According to news stories, hundreds of evangelical pastors attended sessions at the Baton Rouge River Center in order to learn how to run successfully…
Losing Grandma
It is rare that a phone call at 8 am on a Sunday morning is a good one. This past Sunday was no exception. We got the word that Tracy’s grandmother, Marie Berklich, passed away in the night at the…
Have no fear
By Starlette McNeill “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” This seems to be the instant message received every day in our world. Yes, fear is a common experience but now it is a shared automatic response as bad things just keep…
Analog bravery
Recently, I had my internet bona-fides as an internet Christian professional called into internet question. Meaning: folks started blowin’ up my Facebook wall with paragraph length responses heavy on Biblical citations and light on punctuation BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE…
Epiphanies, Martin Luther King, and Roe v. Wade
January has concluded a significant month. On the Church’s ancient calendar, we’ve celebrated Epiphany and on the modern calendar, we’ve celebrated the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. And in the world at large, we’ve observed the 42nd anniversary of Roe…
Mars and beyond—expanding our theology of God’s universe
We now have definitive evidence for organic molecules, both in the atmosphere and in the rocks of Mars. On Earth, organic molecules are the stuff of life. This could mean life—microbial life, that is—exists now on Mars, or it could…