Al Mohler cozies up to Doug Wilson

Social media was abuzz this week with reaction to Southern Baptist Convention leader Al Mohler appearing on a podcast with Christian nationalist Doug Wilson. The mere fact of them being in conversation is the most notable thing, because what they...

Analysis Mark Wingfield

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Chairman of Bob Jones University trustees resigns after school’s executive leadership warns of ‘imminent jeopardy’

In a move likely unprecedented in modern American higher education, academic leadership of Bob Jones University demanded the resignation of the school’s trustee chair April 3, leading to his sudden resignation three days later. The independent, fundamentalist university has been…

The Barabbification of America

Across the world, many religious people shall regard this week as holy. Jews shall celebrate Passover, while Christians shall commemorate the Crucifixion. Christians shall soon celebrate the Resurrection, known to many as Easter. I’m watching a familiar phenomenon happening in…

About those C and E people

Perhaps we are the most vulnerable to channeling the Prodigal Son’s older brother right about now. As we anticipate sightings of Christmas and Easter worship attenders this Sunday, we may find ourselves thinking, “Well, there you are, all happy and…

With $2 million gift, Simmons College will create Jesse Jackson Center for Racial Justice

On the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Simmons College of Kentucky announced a new $2 million initiative on racial justice. College President Kevin Cosby announced the gift from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation during a…

On becoming ninnies and brutes

“Without men, women become precious; without women, men become philistines.” In other words, we make ourselves into ninnies and brutes. This footnote by Karl Barth to a section of his Dogmatics has stayed with me for almost half a century….

In the Nashville shooting, talk of gender and mental health interrupt the conversation about guns

Confusion over the gender identity of the Nashville school shooter has allowed some commentators to flip the script and blame mental illness, not guns, for the death of three 9-year-olds and three adults at Covenant Day School last week. U.S….

187 United Methodist churches sue North Georgia Conference to re-start exit process

A group of 186 churches and one individual church have filed separate lawsuits to get the North Georgia regional conference to re-start the process for leaving The United Methodist Church. The lawsuits stem from a December 2022 decision by North…

My new favorite disciple of Jesus

My favorite disciple used to be Peter. I loved how much Jesus loved and trusted him even though Peter often missed the mark, speaking and acting without remembering what Jesus taught him. Peter stepped out of the boat and sank….

Holy Week clean up

This morning, as I was drinking my second cup of hot, caffeine-flavored water on the back porch, Juan Pablo rounded the corner of my house, coming from the front yard with a large, black garden trash-bag. I was not surprised…

Confessions of a female Baptist pastor

I read the letter Pastor Mike Law wrote and it was a waste of my time. I knew it would be, but I just wanted to feel angry all over again because it feels good until it doesn’t. Same stuff,…

Women preaching the gospel? Yes, please

This is the week upon which the entire Christian religion hinges: the death and resurrection of Jesus, the two observances that most fully embody the hope of God’s saving grace to humanity. In the celebration of Easter, the Christian story…

Those who say women cannot be pastors are ‘wrong,’ open letter asserts

Christians who insist God cannot call women to pastoral ministry are “wrong,” according to an open letter drafted by Baptist Women in Ministry and so far signed by 540 women who are pastors and almost 2,000 others. Unlike a letter…