Twenty-five years ago today, our nation experienced one of the darkest days in American history. On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in a series of terrorist attacks that changed our nation and, in many ways, changed...
Every so often, I hear a character in a movie or a television series attempt to solve a complex problem by merely stating, “Occam’s razor!” This usually occurs without context, but like the wave of a magic wand, problem solved!…
Most American megachurches have rebounded well from the COVID-19 pandemic as more than 80% reported they are flourishing, according to a new report by Hartford Institute for Religion Research. The study examined responses from 331 mostly Protestant congregations with 2,000…
Old North dorm, built sometime in the 1890s, sat on a high point overlooking the scenic Ouachita River. As rumor had it, Old North probably would collapse once the termites stopped holding hands. If you didn’t know better, you’d be…
This is the 11th in a BNG series of articles on Christianity and democracy related to the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The series has been curated by Carol McEntyre, senior minister at First Baptist Church of Greenville, S.C. One…
Note: This article discusses suicide, child sexual abuse and domestic violence. It may be distressing for some readers. On June 30, child liberation theologian and abuse survivor advocate Ryan Stollar died by suicide, following a lengthy struggle with his…
During the lead-up to the Civil War, the Underground Railroad was formed. Many former enslaved individuals, abolitionists and faith communities helped people escape the South to freedom, often in Canada. Of course, this happened against the law created by the…
Legal challenges to the Trump administration’s immigrant deportation practices are providing new — and sometimes competing — court rulings every week. On June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Green Card holders can be denied reentry into the United…
When Ethan was sitting across from me, I heard something soft in his face, something that does not match the weight he carries. His voice had the calm of a man who has known both love and loss and still…
It happened before Sunday school, the way the most interesting conversations often do — not inside the carefully prepared lesson, but earlier, during chit chat, before anyone officially called the class to order. Someone mentioned Elon Musk had become, or…
My wife, Bobbie, died of Alzheimer’s disease earlier this year. While I have been a pastor more than 45 years and have conducted more than 500 funerals, I was not prepared for the grief that overwhelmed me when she died….
According to the U.S. Parks Service, 7,000 fireworks are typically used for pyrotechnics displays in our nation’s capital. For the MAGA-aligned “Freedom 250” Independence Day celebration, Trump insisted on 850,000 fireworks — 120 times the normal amount. Ahead of the…
The president has spread abroad a kind of patriotism that is foreign to this great nation. His actions have mimicked King George III of England, for whom patriotism was obedience. In the Declaration of Independence, we (mainly white males) claimed…
