The pattern emerged in the biblical text when the prophet Nathan confronted the king of Israel and said, “Thou art the man.” And in the United States, that very same pattern now has become crystal clear. The pattern is contempt…
‘Woke’ T-shirt gets off to a sassy start
I own an indecent number of social-justice T-shirts. Name a cause and I bet I have a T-shirt to match. At last count, I had at least two dozen shirts with a theme or motto. There’s my indigenous shirt with…
Here’s how faith leaders should address a new era of division in US politics
Since delivering a sermon at the inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde has faced a firestorm of backlash from far-right forces. Pointing to her calls for mercy — especially for LGBTQ people and immigrants —…
A ‘Hallmark Holiday’ might be exactly what we need
I haven’t sent a greeting card in at least a decade. A couple of weeks ago, however, a friend from back home contacted me to ask if I would be willing to help out her neighbor’s child with a class…
Todos somos inmigrantes
“Porque toda la tierra del mundo pertenece a Dios, a los ojos de Dios, todos somos inmigrantes.” (Levítico 25:23) “Because all the land in the world belongs to God, in the eyes of God we are all immigrants.” (Leviticus 25:23)…
Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Jonathan Eig
Jonathan Eig is the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Ali: A Life, Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson’s First Season, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning King: A Life. His biography of King is thought of by…
Theology of the smirk
Three weeks into Trump 2.0, and I’m still haunted by JD Vance’s condescending smirk at the National Prayer Service. He wasn’t he only one. The entire Trump team was smirking and squirming. But since, once upon a time, I also…
Manipulating Christian worship for political gain
The inauguration of Donald Trump to a second term as president of the United States was another example of how religion and politics are being blended in America today. This merger challenges the idea that the government should not interfere…
‘Think of your entire financial picture as a giant love letter to God’
The church is bursting at the seams with a fresh vigor for aligning our faith with how we use money — especially how we invest money. New organizations are springing up and thriving, many books are being written, podcasts are…
Super Bowl halftime DEI show: The Greatest Protest on Turf
No matter how far we’ve come, the needle on social progress and race relations often feels stuck. The Super Bowl, America’s biggest stage, only amplifies this reality. Despite the grand spectacle, the message is clear: Black Americans are largely showcased…
What happened to Saddleback’s PEACE Plan?
Rick and Kay Warren gave an excellent interview to Krista Tippett, on the On Being radio show almost 20 years ago, on Dec. 6, 2007. In it, Pastor Rick says this: The reason there are hungry people in the world,…
Does God obsess about gender?
A few hours ago, I received a text from a friend who is concerned about their transgender child. It’s been easy to miss the exacting details of the barrage of executive orders flying across our new president’s desk these last…