And Mary said: God’s name is Holy, his mercy sure from generation to generation toward those who fear him; the deeds his own right arm has done disclose his might: the arrogant of heart and mind God has routed, He…
Praying with our eyes open
I recently gave a tour of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn to a high school youth choir from Georgia. I ask, “What do Southerners think the South is better at than New York?” They give the answers we would expect. “The…
If you act right … Actually, it takes more than acting
Then the Lord said to Cain: Why are you angry? Why are you dejected? If you act rightly, you will be accepted; but if not, sin lies in wait at the door: its urge is for you, yet (but) you…
ICE, Gaza and the threat of stupid Jesus
“They killed the boy.” That was the explanation a Bible professor once gave me for why Jesus wasn’t a good model of leadership. The Christian scholar had been describing how, many years before, a subordinate had proposed holding a pastor’s…
Dear men who support women in ministry (part 2) …
In 2024, the Survey Center on American Life revealed a significant shift: More Gen Z women are disengaging from the formative religion of their youth than are Gen Z men. This marks a notable reversal from the three previous generations,…
A 34-year game of tag
There are some things we do early in life that probably ought to stick with us more than they do. They could vary from you to me. But I think anything that fosters playfulness, laughter and awe, and that helps…
There are better ways to read the Bible
“Your son is disruptive, disrespectful and dishonoring to God. He asks too many questions during Bible study, and it’s causing the other students to doubt their faith. I’m sorry, but he’s not welcome here anymore.” My youth pastor said this…
Remembering Hulk Hogan: The man, the myth, the mixed legacy
Terry Gene Bollea — known to the world as Hulk Hogan — was more than just a wrestling icon. He was a cultural phenomenon. The man who ripped T-shirts with ease and flexed biceps like bronze statues died Thursday morning…
The timeless journey of ‘Pass It On’
Hundreds of thousands have viewed the short, hand-held video taken by a nurse on a bus carrying the surviving young girls from Camp Mystic the morning after the horrific July 4 floods in Kerr County, Texas, that left at least…
A prayer for the broken-hearted people of the world
We left on vacation July 6, just two days after our national celebration of Independence Day. Typically, I’ve loved our little neighborhood’s quirky annual July Fourth parade, which includes appearances by groups like a Vespa troup, Taiko drumming corps, attachment…
Letter to the Editor: You can’t have it both ways on women’s rights
Dear Editor, I read Jeff Brumley’s article on the Trump administration’s decision to cease consideration of gender-based violence in immigration and was struck by the administration’s blatant inconsistency. In January, President Trump signed Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring…
What the prophets knew that America has forgotten
The U.S. Supreme Court is in summer recess, offering a temporary respite to the millions of Americans whose lives have been made more complicated by the court’s recent rulings. Whether by upholding President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship,…