In the evangelical subculture I was raised in, we were taught to cover most of our bodies for the sake of modesty. I was told repeatedly, “Your body is a temple.” So you can imagine my shock when, as a…
A generational torch passes at Bubba-Doo’s
Today I sat on the other side of the Bubba-Doo’s restaurant from where I normally do. I suppose more of us are creatures of habit than we care to admit. There’s nothing wrong with the portion that I sat in…
The desire for retaliation is a fool’s errand
Ever since the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists, followed by the horrific obliteration bombing of Gaza in response, there is a passage from the Hebrew Bible that has echoed in my mind. It’s what I consider one…
Knowing what we see and remembering what we know
Israel’s war against Gaza is now into its second month. Israel has killed more than 13,000 men, women and children with bombs and bullets. We do not know how many others have died from other causes or will die from…
Two roads diverged in a cold food court
Ninety percent of my dissertation was written in the food court at the mall. I’m an extreme extrovert. Prolonged silence exhausts me. Plus, the irregular noise of an ant walking greatly distracts me. So, crowded restaurants and coffee shops are…
What are you wearing to Thanksgiving dinner this year?
You’ve heard of Hot Girl Summer. You’ve heard of Christian Girl Autumn. Tis the season for the Thanksgiving Outfit. Back in 2016, as many American women remember well, the brown button-up skirt made its way across stores and into our…
Did Thomas Jefferson say the president should attend church as an example?
Last month, Michael Coulter and I brought out the second edition of our book Getting Jefferson Right: Fact-Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson. The book was first published in 2012 as a feature-length review of David Barton’s book The Jefferson Lies. In response,…
Between Hamas and Boko Haram
I remember reading, long ago, that tragedy brings out the best in human beings in regard to empathy. But it also brings out bias. This has been obvious over the past weeks as the Israeli-Hamas war has unfolded. Since first…
Why the Black church must account for and attend to its own marginalized
When you hear the phrase, “the Black church,” what comes to mind? Who do you think about? Maybe high-spirited songs and impassioned sermons fill your ears as you recall attending a Sunday service where the majority of people in the…