As we approach Black History Month, I’ve been struggling as a Black pastor to find the right words to share with my predominantly white faith community. What could I say differently this year from the pulpit that I hadn’t already…
God’s art gallery
Carol and I went to the Museum of Modern Art last Friday night, when it stays open until 8:30. When we decided to go, we did not know Friday nights are free for New York residents. The line was longer…
Praying over the president: Risks and rewards
While much attention on cable news and internet chatter has focused on the conclusion to the sermon delivered by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde during a post-inaugural prayer service held at Washington National Cathedral, relatively little has been said or…
MAGA’s accidental argument against school vouchers
Unless you’ve been living under a huge cliché, you’ve heard the raging controversy over Bishop Mariann Budde’s message at the National Cathedral prayer service held in conjunction with the recent inauguration of President Donald Trump. If you missed it, here’s…
What is a woman? We all are, according to Trump’s executive order
Years ago, I was teaching a small group of older children about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. We were discussing Paul’s statement in Galatians, “There is neither male nor female; for you are all one in…
‘My church may not be entered by federal agents, but it is not only my church that concerns me’
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a statement Jan. 21 that attempts to build the framework for federal immigration enforcement agencies to have the right to enter schools and churches to make arrests. This statement overturns previous ICE precedent…
America needs a new sanctuary movement today
As President Donald Trump categorically bans people from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border and cancels flights for incoming refugees, it’s worth recalling this isn’t the first time the federal government has failed the world’s most vulnerable — nor would it be the first time…
I cannot stay silent about erasing the Tuskegee Airmen
As a historian, educator and scholar of the Tuskegee Airmen, I cannot stay silent about the removal of pivotal lessons on American history from U.S. military classrooms. The Trump-era Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy that led to this decision is…
Now the US House wants to censor a preacher?
When politicians act like preachers, we get members of the House of Representatives falling over themselves to sponsor House Resolution 59 condemning Bishop Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, D.C. Imagine the House of Representatives taking time away from…
Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Robert G. Callahan II
Robert G. Callahan II is a writer, attorney, theologian and law professor at Baylor University. In 2020, Callahan was named Lawyer of the Year by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association. His recent book Fire in the Whole: Embracing Our…
Contrasting two second inaugurals
Permit me to begin with a confession. After writing several op-eds for Baptist News Global regarding the presidential contest of 2024, it became clear to me America’s collective decision was to return America’s First Felon to the White House. That…
The American church has betrayed its southern neighbors
The weekend before Donald Trump’s inauguration, I was at a worship service. However, it was not among the privileged of society in one of the numerous American megachurches; it was with a group of asylum seekers on the Mexican side…