One of the most notable differences since leaving conservative evangelicalism has been my body’s reaction to justice-themed events on the calendar. If the day or month had something to do with LGBTQ people, my immediate reaction would be one of…
Hope roots in truth-telling and grows with action
“People speak of hope as if it is this delicate, ephemeral thing. … It’s not. Hope has dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, the grit of the cobblestones in her hair, and just spat out a tooth as…
Consider the martyrs, then and now
The announcement of the death of Russian dissident Alexei A. Navalny on Feb. 16 sent me running to the iconic work, THE BLOODY THEATER OR MARTYRS MIRROR OF THE DEFENSELESS CHRISTIANS … COMPILED FROM VARIOUS AUTHENTIC CHRONICLES, MEMORIALS, AND TESTIMONIES,…
Artificial intelligence spells the end of church as we know it
The advent of artificial intelligence marks the end of human endeavor in church and society. Maybe not now, and maybe not in 10 years (if humanity lives that long), but sooner than we’re prepared to cope with it. There’s small…
Pressler’s power ensnares an unlikely victim, Al Mohler
Poor Al Mohler. He’s Paul Pressler’s latest victim. “How can that be?” you ask. “Nobody has enjoyed Southern Baptist Convention prominence as famously and magnificently as Al Mohler.” That’s true, of course. Mohler came along at just the right time…
Churches that support women in ministry should leave the SBC preemptively
Once again, the SBC Executive Committee has decided that a church who called a woman as their senior pastor should be disfellowshipped. This time, the church is Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah, Ky., where Katie McKown was called to become…
Jesus gets us, but almost none of us get him
After several days reflection, I’m going to weigh in on the “He Gets Us” Super Bowl ad debate. And I’m going to turn this debate slightly, and suggest the following insight: If you want to understand what it’s like to…
A geezer Valentine for Lent
It’s Valentine’s Day, and Ash Wednesday. I’m sitting in the waiting room of my urologist, watching an endless procession of old men come and go. I’m one of them: the brotherhood of enlarged prostates and the thousand other natural shocks…
‘Bless your heart; you don’t get worship’
Here is a helpful phrase for ministers to think, but not say, “Bless your heart; you don’t get worship.” For instance, when someone says, “I’m making the announcement about the party. I’m using ventriloquist puppets.” A kind minister thinks, “Bless…