In short, I will preach it, teach it, write it, but I will constrain no one by force, for faith must come freely without compulsion. Take myself as an example. I opposed indulgences … but never with force. I simply…
On Halloween, thoughts about passing from darkness into light
Oct. 31 marks a holiday where many religious homes clash over how to view the relationship between material and spiritual reality. As a young child in a church affiliated with the General Association of Regular Baptists, I experienced Oct. 31…
What is Halloween, anyway?
Halloween. The season of costumes, pumpkin carving and candy. And let’s not forget, articles telling Christians not to let their children trick or treat because this holiday derives from cult traditions. And because cults are inherently satanic, Christians should steer…
On All Saints Day and Thanksgiving: ‘Hey, … me too!’
“Hey, me too.” That’s what a beloved church member said to me as we were leaving the sanctuary last Sunday after our All Saints Sunday observance. Having him say those words stopped me in my tracks. They made me feel…
I’m adopting a patron sinner for All Saints Day
Recently, my spouse, daughter and I spent some time with a family in our small village. It was long overdue. A visit we wanted to happen back in early 2020, but you know, the world sort of shut down and…
Where can we find saints today?
When he traveled, Martin Luther King Jr. often carried with him Jesus and the Disinherited, a small book by Howard Thurman, one of the spiritual guides of the Civil Rights Movement. In it, Thurman teaches that as a poor Jewish…
Thoughts on Halloween, saints and souls
In my quiet suburban cul-de-sac in Atlanta, our neighbors are competing with one another to mark Halloween in the oddly incoherent American way that has become our “normal.” We have our Harvest Festival types — friendly looking scarecrows, straw hats,…
‘All Survivors Day’ piggybacks on All Saints’ Day to raise awareness about sexual abuse
While kids celebrate Halloween and liturgical churches observe All Saints’ Day, several advocacy organizations are combining efforts to recognize survivors of sexual abuse. All Survivors Day, Nov. 3, is an international day to share survivor stories, raise awareness and seek…
All Saints Day and every day: the ‘dangerous, restless speech’ and revolutionary act of lament
The nature of lament is profoundly spiritual and political. Lament ensures that questions of justice are asked and makes clear that things are not OK. But it doesn’t stop there. Lament suggests that what is wrong can be changed.