“They stole $77,000. And that was all of my savings.” Her voice was so soft I (Doug) had to lean in to hear her. “I’ve talked with the local police, the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission. The money is...
The top 10% wealthiest share of the global population reportedly holds 50% of total wealth, and the recent actions of the Trump administration could make that disparity increase. As reported by Statista data journalist Katharina Buchholz, the United States currently…
By the sweat of your face you’ll eat your bread, up to the point of turning back toward the dirt. From the dirt you were conceived (taken, received), indeed to the dirt you will depart. Genesis 3:19, based on the…
The noose sways, awaits its fresh kill. The neck destined for its grip is soon to hang from it, but an aura of calmness, even dignity, surrounds its owner, as she prepares to meet her fate. It is July 19,…
This is the last in a five-part series on the newly adopted Social Principles of The United Methodist Church. “Politics” often gets a bad rap in American churches, not least because it’s confused with “partisanship.” For United Methodists, politics…
This Friday is Jumaa’ al Hazeeneh (Arabic for Good Friday), and to Palestinian Christians this phrase is pregnant with connotative nuances that commemorate the Passion of Christ. Sorrowful, grief-stricken, distressing, troubling, excruciatingly painful, agonizing, harrowing, laborious are just a few of…
Each year, Christians around the world walk through the sacred rhythms of Holy Week, revisiting the final days of Jesus’ earthly journey before the Cross and the resurrection. Why is observing Holy Week important to our preparation for Easter? The…
My heart, like many of yours, is heavy, weighed down by the unrelenting attacks on the foundations of a pluralistic democracy and American values coming out of the Donald Trump administration. The weight has felt even heavier during this time…
After years of opposition from rural Republicans and urban Democrats, the Texas Legislature passed a school voucher bill April 17. Texas now joins at least 15 other states with some form of taxpayer-funded vouchers for private education that critics say…
As we move through the sacred calendar of spring — when Jews celebrate Passover and Christians observe Easter — we are reminded of profound spiritual truths: Liberation from bondage, triumph over death, the sacredness of life. These holy days invite…
Death penalty executions in the U.S. and worldwide increased in 2024 over the previous year and reached the highest overall level in a decade, according to a new Amnesty International report. The human rights group said 1,518 state executions were…
For Christians all over the world, this week is Holy Week, not just because of what God did in antiquity. It is holy because of what God is doing today. By divine providence, there is a consecrated convergence of Holy…
The Congressional attempt to censure Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde for her homily at the Washington National Cathedral appears to be going exactly nowhere. Three months after the service tied to Donald Trump’s inauguration as president, the proposed resolution remains stuck…
