A quarter of a century ago I moved to South Carolina in response to the call of the largest Baptist body in that state. Baptists of various tribes in South Carolina lacked a commitment to starting new congregations. I was…
Running on fumes
By Jimmy Gawne Every weekend millions of Americans gather together in homes, sports bars, community centers and even houses of worship. They set aside differences of politics, religion, gender and sexuality. Joined by a bond high speed, each proclaims his…
Running on fumes
By Jimmy Gawne Every weekend millions of Americans gather together in homes, sports bars, community centers and even houses of worship. They set aside differences of politics, religion, gender and sexuality. Joined by a high speed bond, each proclaims his…
Stones in my pocket
I have an affinity for stones. Not gem stones, although they are quite lovely, but rather stones that remind me of the rock of the Earth from which they came. I like that rocks and stones were on Earth long…
Reflections on a summer away
By David P. Gushee I am grateful to the editors of Associated Baptist Press for holding a place for me while I took a break from opinion writing this summer. Perhaps I will get broken in again by simply offering…
Do we really care about senior adults?
First, a disclaimer: I’ve never experienced life as an “old” person. Like many of my fellow young Americans, I do not ponder what life will be like at 80. Though firsthand experience of old age escapes me, startling statistics around…
Life, assault weapons and consistency
By Marv Knox Why do so many people who take a pro-life position on abortion take an anti-life position on possession of firearms designed to execute multiple victims in mere seconds? The profile overlaps: Many Americans who oppose abortion also…
Did you support Chick-fil-A day?
I did not eat a Chick-fil-A sandwich on Aug. 1 in a Chick-fil-A restaurant. Why? Is the nearest Chick-fil-A two hours away from me? Yes. Am I supporting gay marriage by boycotting Chick-fil-A? No. The comments from Chick-fil-A’s president Dan Cathy supporting…
Great answers to tough questions
Helms and I recently had an occasion to speak to a congregation for a Wednesday evening church gathering. This occasion was different than our normal speaking opportunities in that we had several of the young people from our neighborhood youth…
‘Different than other cultures’
By Bill Leonard It happened again. Barely a year after six people were killed and a U.S. congresswoman and 13 others wounded in Tucson, Ariz., yet another deeply troubled shooter brought death to 12 individuals, wounding 58 others at a…
‘Different than other cultures’
By Bill Leonard It happened again. Barely a year after six people were killed and a U.S. congresswoman and 13 others wounded in Tucson, Ariz., yet another deeply troubled shooter brought death to 12 individuals, wounding 58 others at a…
How spaces become places
Have you ever thought about the difference between places and spaces? A place (as I would define it) is a location with determined boundaries. A space is the opposite; it is a location with undetermined boundaries. Examples may help here….