A few years back — 10 or 15 or so — a small church in Southern California noticed its big holiday productions were feeling a bit stale, especially to younger people. “The old guard was putting on a show for the new people,…
Is the future bright for women in ministry? Survey says some think so.
Attitudes about the role of women in the workplace, in politics and church seem to have made some advances in recent years, new research suggests. In a study released Tuesday, the Barna Group said it found that 94 percent of…
From the marches: Women’s voices continue in days following historic events
Tens of thousands participated in women’s marches in Washington D.C. and around the nation over the weekend. Social media alone testifies that tens of thousands returned emboldened and inspired the experience. “The women’s marches were a phenomenal success and an…
Modern — and ancient — Christian identity crisis drives decline of American church
Europeans, it seems, are wondering if American Christianity has pretty much gone off the rails. A recent editorial in Great Britain’s The Guardian newspaper raised the question after describing the role faith has had in the “social and political convulsions”…
Working for justice is path to peace in 2017, spiritual leaders say
Scrolling through the list of celebrities who died in 2016 seems to take, depressingly, forever. There also were the personal losses and, for many, a political and cultural landscape that seems upside-down. And those are just the personal and domestic…
Our most-read articles of 2016
Here are most-read opinion and news headlines from 2016, as reported by Google Analytics. Seven things I’m learning about transgender persons In a May 15 article and follow-up, Mark Wingfield shared his perspective as a straight male trying to understand…
Prayerful waiting can endure long lines, traffic jams and even Trump, minister says
Alaina Kleinbeck offers a very simple and practical solution for Americans yearning for a speedy end to the next presidential term — before it’s even begun. Just wait. Kleinbeck said she doesn’t mean the twiddling your thumbs or flipping through a…
Hoping for cessation of ‘war on Christmas’ rhetoric? Don’t, historians say
Another season of the so-called “war on Christmas,” especially in the wake of Donald Trump’s election, may be just enough to drive some people over the edge. And all indications are it isn’t going to go away. “There is no…
Trump election may signal death — and rebirth — of American Christianity
John Jay Alvaro is one of those thoughtful ministers. He frequently pauses when asked tough questions — especially when it’s about matters of faith and culture. And he chooses his words carefully. That’s precisely what he did Tuesday morning when asked…