Steve Carell starred as The 40-Year-Old Virgin. If someone made a movie of my life this year, they could call it The 40-Year-Old Seminarian. After 23 years in public ministry, 17 of them as pastor, and 10 as the lead…
On religious liberty: an open letter to Franklin Graham
Dear Mr Graham, This week someone who has put himself forward as a candidate for the presidency of your great nation made a number of hate-filled and inaccurate comments about Muslims, and proposed some extreme policies on the back of…
Here’s one Dallas voice that tackled hate head-on
It’s tempting to wonder sometimes where in the world good sense and decency have gone. Why does panicky anti-Muslim hatred seem to command center stage so often? Why do people let hatred fill up their heads and infect their hearts?…
Is politics trumping mercy?
In this age of the demise of many magazines because of the great growth of information on the Internet, a small Christian community in New York known as the Bruderhof has bravely begun to publish the Plough Quarterly , an…
“Undo the folded lie”
“I believe the light that shines on you will shine on you forever . . . though I can’t guarantee there’s nothing scary hiding under your bed.” -Paul Simon, lyrics in “Father and Daughter” This Advent I feel more like…
Jerry Falwell Jr., Franklin Graham and the sad effects of terrorism on Christianity
The goal of terrorism is far more complex and far more sinister than just the taking of human life, as painful and devastating as that is. It is to instill a fear — a terror — in those who bear…
Are we finally witnessing the death of Christianity in America?
Several months ago a Pew Research study sparked what almost seem like shouts of glee from those who were eager to declare the impending death of Christianity in America. According to the report, Millennials are leaving the Church in droves…
Responding to Ashley Ray’s comments on the “Feminist Rebellion”: Why I am a Baptist Feminist
This post has been edited. When I usually come across articles like the one describing Dr. Ashley Ray’s lament on the “feminist rebellion,” I usually ignore them. However, I am reminded of how comments like this reflect embedded beliefs and…
Five keys to thriving in seminary
By Eileen R. Campbell-Reed What does it take to succeed in the Women’s Leadership Initiative – or most any other MDiv program? Recently I was talking over tea with a prospective seminary student when she asked, “What will it take…