By Jim Denison Tom Clancy first introduced us to Jack Ryan nearly 30 years ago. Fans have watched as Ryan saved the world from nuclear war, single-handedly defeated Irish terrorists, took down a Colombian drug cartel and eventually became president….
Prestonwood saga shows clergy abuse database is overdue
By Christa Brown Most major faith groups in the United States have denominational processes for assessing reports about clergy sex abuse. The Southern Baptist Convention does not. Instead, the SBC has chosen to denominationally do nothing. That choice makes the…
The freedom of Will
By Bill Leonard Will Campbell turns the gospel of Jesus on its head, at least where standardized, predictable concepts and actions, left-wing and right, are concerned. Preacher, writer, lecturer, farmer, raconteur and soulful iconoclast, Will Campbell is an equal-opportunity prophet….
I apologized to Vicki today
By Gary Cook Gaston Oaks Baptist Church in Dallas is a remnant church of the historic Gaston Avenue Baptist Church. I came out of retirement to be the permanent part-time pastor at Gaston Oaks and am grateful I did. I…
Happy Birthday, Henlee Barnette
By Wesley Spears As a student at Samford University, I find myself in and out of professors’ offices a lot. As a religion major, most often it’s to meet with my faculty adviser, Dr. Jim Barnette. In his office hangs…
Encountering the Palestinians and their plight
By David Gushee This is third in a series of columns reflecting on a summertime trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Last time I discussed powerful evidence that Israel remains a society traumatized by the epochal evil of the…
High anxiety
By Bill Wilson Anyone feeling anxious? A better question: anyone not feeling anxious? God’s people in the 21st century suffer a serious malady. We mouth the words of faithfulness while we live lives dominated by anxiety and frustration. For every…
Female jet pilot? Sure. Preacher? No.
By Susan Sparks One third of the U.S. Supreme Court justices are women; more than 50 female astronauts have traveled into space; and 41 women have won the Nobel Peace Prize. But place a woman in a pulpit and blood…
‘The Help’
By David Wilkinson In her popular debut novel, Kathryn Stockett depicts the working conditions of black domestic servants in the American South during the turbulent civil rights struggle of the 1960s. A film version opened in theaters Aug. 10. The…