Modern medicine has a massive array of capabilities and technological wonders to treat illness and sometime extend life. I don’t like the term in medicine that we “save lives” because we don’t. The best we do is help folks occasionally…
Half-truths and the Six Commandments
“The Ten Commandments are displayed in the Supreme Court of the United States.” “There are more trees in the United States today than when the pilgrims first landed.” What do these two claims have in common and so what? It’s…
Letter to the Editor: Southwestern’s Music School endowments?
Dear Editor: The School of Church Music and Worship at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary had, by the time I stepped down as dean of the school, five endowed professorships as well as a $10 million endowment for the ongoing operation…
We have a moral obligation not to move on
A few weeks ago, a candidate for elected office said the wrong thing. In fact, they took a giant swing and missed by a yard. Their campaign went into damage control mode. Meetings were held, community groups vied for their…
Love can call us back
“Fear can make us hide, love can call us back, and sometimes the person who saves us is the one who has known and loved us all along.” — Jamie Gienapp’s review of Frozen at www.theatrecenter.com I remember the…
Anthony Fauci is MAGA’s devil du jour
Republican attempts to interrogate and denigrate Anthony Fauci are but the latest attempt to identify a devil other than the one they’ve taken up residence with. This week, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and other Republicans subpoenaed the former head of…
Three Americas and the coalition we need
Not long ago, I was sitting with a friend who is building his own business. He works long days, serves people well and is doing what Americans always have been told to do: Work hard, take responsibility and keep pushing…
What are we to do with church voter guides?
Recently, a reader sent me a message expressing her displeasure at a situation that transpired in her Catholic parish. Her message read in part: “I’m livid. Our newly assigned priest used his sermon to tell us — by name —…
Philadelphia pushes back against whitewashing history
Philadelphia never has been a city known for backing down from a fight. This is the city of Joe Frazier, Bernard Hopkins, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and Benjamin Franklin. It is the city where some of the most important documents…
There is no such thing as ‘the Baptist position’
Last week, The Advocate published a helpful survey of LGBTQ inclusion across Christian denominations. I was grateful for the article’s intent. Resources like these matter for LGBTQ people and their families as they search for communities of faith where they can…
What Revelation teaches about ‘us’ and ‘them’
“Who will I be surprised to see in heaven?” That’s one question that has been stirred up during the final stretch of our church’s Bible studies in the book of Revelation. As we reflected on what we look forward to…
Hegseth’s testosterone testing plays into MAGA mythology
In a two-and-a-half-minute-long video posted on X, self-styled Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced all United States soldiers age 30 and over will undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency. Those with lower levels of testosterone will be given the option…