Ukrainians continue to be blown to bits by Russian bombs. Palestinian children continue to starve amidst a genocide. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” Gasp. In case you’ve been living under a Dwayne Johnson, a controversy…
The Dragonfly: Always reminding me God loves us
“There are dragonflies flying all around — and that matters to me.” I was texting with a new friend, someone who doesn’t know about the dragonflies I wear on my necklace or the ones that decorate my office or the…
Divides
Divides confront us daily. The digital divide, political divides, economic divides, class divides, educational divides. You can probably name some others. I still have cable TV. I’m not into streaming. Cable TV has commercials. Most mornings the Today Show is…
How a tribal religion of a tribal god is in charge in America
I am in a state of theological outrage. It has to do with how Donald Trump’s narrow escape from an assassin’s bullet has been used to claim divine intervention to save his life, a claim that no doubt aided his…
In Kim Davis’ backyard, a Baptist church stays faithful
In 2015, the small Appalachian town of Morehead, Ky., became a national symbol of religious resistance to same-sex marriage. When County Clerk Kim Davis refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, citing her personal religious beliefs, the Rowan County…
The mental health crisis behind our domestic threats
In two separate but eerily similar events, America was again reminded of its two greatest modern failures: Untreated mental illness and racialized responses to violence. One suspect entered a Walmart in Michigan and stabbed 11 people in broad daylight. The…
Another stroke of cruelty
The current administration is preparing to destroy $9.7 million in U.S.-purchased contraceptives destined for women overseas following the dismantling of foreign assistance programs under USAID. There is a callous meanness in this action from a “Christian In Name Only” (CINO)…
Prayer in schools
In 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down government-mandated prayer in public schools. This ruling led many to believe it was forbidden to pray in school. Not so. As one bumper sticker stated, “As long as there are students and…
Bravo to Baton Rouge Library for standing up to evangelical grievance
Seriously. How hard can it be to call someone by the name they want to be called? Is this such a huge imposition? To hear a lot of conservative evangelicals tell it, yeah, such a simple thing goes against their…
Creating welcoming church spaces for families
This is the second in a series on making churches family friendly. Through our research and experience with churches and families, we have come to learn how busy families are. When families attend church, they make an intentional choice…
As one born among us
“When an immigrant resides with you, you shall not oppress the immigrant. The immigrant shall be to you as one who was born among you; you shall love the immigrant as yourself.” Those words from Leviticus 19:33-34 belong to…
Why American Christians are divided
“Is Christ divided?” Paul asks the rhetorical question to the church in Corinth. The answer of course is, “no.” However, the undercurrent of the church in Corinth was that even though Christ is not divided, the Christians were. We must…