Note: This post is an excerpt from a chapter titled “Juneteenth” in the author’s forthcoming book, Backslide: Reclaiming a Faith and a Nation After the Christian Turn Against Democracy, which will be published September 8 and is now available for pre-order....
A conservative friend on social media recently admitted that some of the storylines around Donald Trump’s second term have been extreme but concluded this is simply the way the pendulum swings. In one sense, what he said was true. Since…
The American Baptist Churches in the USA and The United Methodist Church are among a host of religious bodies joining Church World Service in issuing an “Ash Wednesday Declaration” in support of refugee resettlement work. The declaration comes as the…
Late last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to the United States to meet with American officials about the ongoing war with Russia. Most significant was a meeting between the heads of state that took place in the Oval Office….
In his Oscar acceptance speech, Palestinian journalist and activist Basel Adra, seemingly holding back tears, mentioned having just become a father and pleading with the world to help stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestine so his daughter will not have…
Democrats and Republicans hold wildly different views on Israel, Ukraine and Mexico, according to new data from Gallup. When asked to rate their views of countries as either negative or positive, Americans diverge the most on views of Israel, with…
This week, Christians around the world begin the observance of Lent — a period of repentance and self-reflection. It is no accident that the Revised Common Lectionary includes the story of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness in the readings for…
The families, teachers and religious leaders already suing to block Oklahoma from buying classroom Bibles are now attempting to prevent the state from purchasing a Scripture-based curriculum for elementary school children. The plaintiffs filed a brief with the Oklahoma Supreme…
As legislators in some states seek to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, a new national survey finds public support for LGBTQ rights differs strongly by state, party and religious tradition. Although marriage equality appears to…
James Talarico was Texas’ youngest statewide elected official when he entered the Texas House in 2019. His mixture of bona fides — Democrat, devout Christian, former school teacher, Presbyterian seminarian — quickly attracted national attention, and many of his speeches…
For too long, we have given deference to those of you who have supported and enabled Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. We have feared losing relationships, losing family, offending friends, dividing churches. We’ve bristled when you’ve accused us of…
The Black church and community must band together to bring ancestral wisdom to bear against white Christian supremacy, said William Lamar, pastor of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., which recently won a court judgment against the Proud…
Last Sunday was Transfiguration Sunday. The Gospel narrative is likely familiar: Jesus takes some disciples and goes up a mountain to pray. While he is praying, “the appearance of his face changes, and his clothes become dazzling white. Suddenly (the…
