Keeping children in the dark about Santa, and using the Christmas figure to coerce good behavior from them, can be spiritually and emotionally damaging to youth, says Cassandra Carkuff Williams. It’s a message that hasn’t been all too popular over…
Damaging fundamentalist theologies aside, in Advent we proclaim Christ’s return and re-creation
Now that we have passed the midpoint in the journey of Advent, it’s helpful to remember that Advent is an unfamiliar word for many in our world and in our evolving American culture. It’s a “churchy” word, like Lent or…
Advent: a good time to remember the power of blessing – for the ‘blesser’ and the blessed
Advent is a great time to notice how much of the Good News of Jesus Christ is couched in words of blessing. All week long the people in our churches are brutalized by words which attack them, devalue them and challenge their core worth. These souls are crying out for the healing balm of a blessing.
The Christmas Story is not an invitation to be safe and warm
Joseph is a supporting role in the Christmas story. Luke hardly mentions him, and he doesn’t get a single line of dialogue in the entire New Testament. But he should be the patron saint of taking chances.
Religion Notes: Baptist group offers tools to serve the migrant caravan
– BWA hires communications director
– Advent devotional series launched
The dim hope of Advent
We do our best to illumine this time of year with both artificial and spiritual means. Thankfully, God provides the latter.
People of faith contribute to ongoing ‘season of booze’
Americans may disagree on politics and religion, but many of them are in step when it comes to booze. As in, they like it. And that embrace of alcohol is on obvious display leading in to the New Year.
Secular Americans not alone in doubting Christmas story
Many Church of Christ members have historically drawn a sharp distinction between Christmas and the birth of Christ, usually dismissing the former as a commercial, even pagan, observance. Nowhere in the New Testament, preachers and Sunday school teachers have counseled,…
Churches should drop Easter, Christmas extravaganzas and get out more, experts urge
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,…