By Bill Leonard Tonight I am ashamed to be a Baptist. Born into Baptist “cradle role” in the First Baptist Church of Decatur, Texas, and baptized on profession of faith in that congregation when I was 8 years old, I’ve…
I do not identify with race
By Starlette McNeill I am not recognized in, by or through race, and I do not want to be associated with others based on the social coloring of my skin. Instead I want to be identified by my Christian confession…
Resurrection: Past, future and present
By Molly Marshall In this fresh season of the empty tomb, Eastertide, I am thinking about a more comprehensive understanding of resurrection. Of course we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus as the “first fruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians…
What’s wrong with gay marriage?
By Jim Denison President Obama made history with his recent endorsement of same-sex marriage. Several prominent evangelicals were quick to disagree. Why? What’s wrong with gay marriage? Space does not permit exploring such controversy in detail, but we can survey…
Obama and two types of marriage
By Melissa Rogers In the wake of President Obama’s declaration of his personal support for the right of same-sex couples to marry under civil law, the nation is understandably focused on debating the merits of this position. Three related points…
There’s a new world coming
By Amy Butler Since I learned this catchy tune at the Children, Youth, and a New Kind of Christianity conference held in D.C. last week, I can’t seem to get it out of my head. There’s a new world coming,…
The sin of heterosexism
By Miguel De La Torre I met Tommy (not his real name) back in the 1980s at our local church where I served as deacon and Sunday school teacher. We became close friends and talked about many things. Both of us…
The staffing dilemma
By Bill Wilson There is a revolution taking place in the way traditional congregations hire, manage and compensate their staff. Some of it is healthy and overdue, some of it is painful and short-sighted. As traditional congregations entered the 21st…
No news, bad news
By David Gushee Thinking it’s been a while since I wrote about public policy, I remembered why: no one in Washington is actually making public policy right now. A more precise way to say it is the legislative branch of…
‘The Avengers’ works for critics, fans
By Noel Manning It is rare when a superhero film can appeal to critics and comic-book fans alike, but The Avengers finds a way to do it. Some films transcend genre and are true art. Yet others take audiences into…
For cause of conscience
By Bill Leonard In 1611, as they prepared to leave Amsterdam and return to England, members of the earliest Baptist congregation wrote a confession of faith, asserting that when members of the Body of Christ “come together” they “may and…
Remember infertility on Mother’s Day
By Erica Cooper Teenagers will yield to sitting with their families during the church service, instead of in the balcony. Pastors will lead congregations in special litanies and deliver sermons with exceptional titles such as “The Ideal Woman” or “Parenting…