It may now seem surprising to many United Methodists, and even more Baptists, that for most of our histories in the United States, all Methodists and Baptists were regularly designated as evangelical denominations. The most important reason is that both...
The Holy Spirit appears next at the fringes of the temple, in the world of widows and old men and peasants from Galilee. Luke describes the old man with unusually lavish language, including three rapid-fire references to the Spirit. Now…
Nearly three weeks after presidents of the six Southern Baptist Convention seminaries issued a controversial statement on systemic racism, other elected leaders within the SBC began to respond to the criticisms — although not with the same clarity with which…
Two faith-based efforts to ban so-called “conversion therapy” for members of the LGBTQ community launched last week, one in the United States and the other a global effort based in the United Kingdom. Conversion therapy is a widely discredited attempt…
The Advent season for the Christian faith community is really important. It’s the season before Christmas that symbolizes a deep sense of longing — a longing for something that is not here yet but is hoped for. Hope that is…
The American legal and political approach to pandemic-era religious gatherings seems to be anything but consistent as Christmas bears down on churches. Challenges to previously approved restrictions on worship attendance are being upheld even as U.S. deaths speed toward 320,000…
The angel’s announcement to Mary follows the same pattern: “And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most…
Marking women as targets of religious discrimination based on clothing is nothing new, but it is on the rise around the world, new research shows. “Women in 56 countries experienced social hostilities — that is, harassment from individuals or groups…
The current pandemic places great challenges on many facets of American religious life, perhaps none greater than small denominationally affiliated colleges and universities, many of which already were struggling financially well before the current crisis. While these challenges are institutionally…
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has in recent weeks attracted global attention for a series of mind-boggling, alarming crimes: At least 76 farmers were beheaded by the terrorist group Boko Haram in a farm in Zabarmari, Borno State, in late…
Columnist Brett Younger didn’t send us a traditional column this month. Instead, he sent us a humorous, yet not-so-humorous example of what an honest Christmas Eve worship order of service might look like. He reported that even the church administrator…
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true…
I’ve heard all the arguments and understand most of the data. Yes, I know there are regional differences and special circumstances from community to community. And I understand that you think your bubble is safe, that you are the exception….
