For Christians all around the world, it feels like Groundhog Day. We wake up to new scandals every day. This kind of betrayal is uniquely suited to creating a mid-faith crisis because it turns saints into cynics almost instantly. When…
Loving is complicated
I love preaching. I love everything about it. I love the prep work — reading the lectionary texts, scouring my spiritual life for some connection, praying my way through the chaos of different threads until a clear picture starts to…
Can an atheist save the American church?
David Brooks once remarked that, when he let it be known he considered himself a religious seeker, he was bombarded with helpful books. He received more than 700 unsolicited volumes from evangelical readers, he says, “and only 500 of them…
A warning: Not just two Americas, two American religions
John Edwards ran for president years ago talking of the “two Americas,” that of the rich and the poor. Now, through the machinations of our current president and his MAGA-oriented church, we are becoming a nation of two religions. One…
Why defunding NPR and PBS hurts every American
Public broadcasting is not just media — it’s a lifeline, especially for millions of Americans who are not wealthy, politically connected or part of elite circles. Right now, that lifeline is under threat. National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting…
In hope of resurrection: The Easter story of Limestone University
Twenty years ago, I was sitting in my dorm room at Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C., skipping classes so I could watch the funeral of Pope John Paul II. As an aspiring church musician from the rural South, I was…
Mr. Trump goes to Rome
Most of the time, when people say, “Just joking,” they’re not joking at all. Often, we use “just joking” as a cover when we’ve trotted out ideas we know will be controversial or hurtful but we want to say them…
Maybe Judge Hannah Dugan followed a higher law
They’ve arrested a judge. Not for corruption. Not for embezzlement. Not for abuse of power. But for what some are calling an act of conscience. On April 25, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was taken into federal custody by…
Letter to the Editor: Second Baptist Houston should be a caution to all churches
Dear Editor: I read the article about Second Baptist Church of Houston with great interest. I am a longtime member of a Baptist church and a professional registered parliamentarian. I have served various churches and religious organizations as a professional parliamentarian…
HUD returns to ‘mission-minded focus’ in first 100 days
As Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, I’m happy to return the Department to its mission-minded focus of helping the most vulnerable and often-forgotten Americans find affordable homes. That’s why, in February, I stopped enforcement of the…
Letter to the Editor: Oklahoma case is a big deal
Dear Editor: In response to the Supreme Court’s argument on religious public schools, April 30: To students of Colonial American history and the Bill of Rights, this is a potential big deal and worthy of attention. Colonial Baptists, Quakers, Presbyterians…
100 days of narcissistic megalomania
Donald Trump’s de facto campaign slogan throughout the 2024 presidential season was, “I am your retribution.” In countless ways during his first 100 days in office as the 47th president, Trump has seemed hell-bent on proving he meant it. Sometimes…