Corey Fields “We pray and walk through our community, looking for persons of peace with whom we can connect.” “Persons of peace.” That’s a term I’ve heard multiple times during my summer sabbatical study of how churches are engaging in…
Exploring RFRA in light of Hobby Lobby’s narrow victory
By Holly Hollman and Brent Walker The U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in the consolidated cases of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Burwell has generated more interest in religious-liberty law than any other…
Jesus and brain science agree
By Alan Bean Although you would never know it from listening to American preaching, Jesus linked poverty with the kingdom of God and affluence with sin. The text of the first sermon Jesus preached was taken from Isaiah 61: The…
The death of Mrs. Doubtfire
By Bob Setzer The death of Robin Williams hit me hard. While on sabbatical, Bambi and I have sought to insulate ourselves from the bad news that is a staple of the modern diet. Given spotty Internet connections and unfamiliar…
Robin Williams and the church
By Alan Rudnick As most everyone has heard, Robin Williams died on Tuesday from an apparent suicide. The reaction on Facebook and Twitter was one of shock. How could someone who brought so much joy and humor to the world…
Time for the church to respond to the mental health crisis
By Rob Lee This week, with the loss of comedic genius Robin Williams to apparent suicide, our nation has turned to a conversation of mental health. You can’t turn anywhere on the news or social media and not see conversations…
Standing up for religious liberty in Burma
In December of 2013, something remarkable happened. More than 30,000 people — including many Baptist leaders from around the world — gathered in Burma to celebrate the life and legacy of a man and woman they’d never met.
God is (still) waiting
By Eileen R. Campbell-Reed This coming Sunday, Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham, N.C., will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first ordination of a woman in a Southern Baptist church. On Aug. 9, 1964, Watts Street ordained Addie Davis to…
Loving the person in front of you
By Adam McDuffie Christians are traditionally characterized by a desire to live a Christ-like life. While that can take a variety of forms, we often see this expressed in a desire to be as close to Jesus as possible. We…