By Marv Knox Hailed by conservative Christians as a victory for religious liberty, the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision provides points to ponder, as well as occasion for both celebration and concern: • Since the court previously ruled corporations may…
Counting the cost of government funding
By Aaron Weaver The White House recently announced that President Obama would make good on a 2008 campaign promise and sign an executive order banning workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. According to a White…
Reckoning with the children on our doorstep
By Alan Bean What do we do with the unaccompanied children, some say as many as 100,000, who have surrendered to American border officials in the last few months? Barack Obama speaks of a humanitarian crisis, but thinks fast-track deportation…
Counting the cost of government funding
The White House recently announced that President Obama would make good on a 2008 campaign promise and sign an executive order banning workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. According to a White House Official, the…
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship: An alternative Christian model in a polarized era
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee Though I am serving this year as theologian-in-residence for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, this reflection on the annual CBF General Assembly this past week represents my independent, unvetted opinion. I write on the day…
The rearview mirror
By Bill Wilson These were hard conversations. This minister had been dismissed from his church many months ago, but the wounds had refused to heal. Hurtful things were said, friendships were broken, trust was betrayed and he walked away wounded…
Justice blundered
By Eileen Campbell-Reed Yesterday the Supreme Court handed down a decision on the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby case that allows family businesses as “closely held corporations” to deny coverage for the reproductive health of their employees. As a Baptist minister…
New South demographics
By John Chandler I grew up in Greensboro, N.C., in a neighborhood that occasionally welcomed “exotic” newcomers. Our city was home to several large corporations, and middle management job transfers sometimes brought families from faraway places to our neighborhood. On…
Will you be known when you die?
By Mark Wingfield Years ago, there was a national ad campaign aimed at helping Americans understand the importance of going to church. One of my favorite ads in the series showed pallbearers carrying a casket in the front door of…
I fought the law, and the law was unfair
By Joe Phelps In January I was ticketed for failing to follow directions at the scene of an accident. I was innocent, I tell you. I know. Everyone says that. But righteous indignation compelled me to have my day in…
Life isn’t fair
By Amy Butler I grew up in a family with five children, so I don’t really recall life ever being very fair. There was always somebody who got more ice cream or less consequences than I did. Much of the…
Age segregation in worship
In the last 30 years, age-segmented worship was an unforeseen effect of the contemporary worship movement within Christianity. What has developed in many (not all) churches are two worship services. A traditional service with older adults and a commentary service…