In early September, I returned from a visit to Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Led by the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, my visit was part of a multifaith delegation of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Quaker, Buddhist and Hindu clergy,…
The silence of our friends
If you were to survey the most significant decades in human history, the late 1950s to late 1960s undoubtedly would be at the top of the list because of the Civil Rights Movement, better known as the Southern Black Freedom…
Taking down affirmative action only gives the illusion of equality
As it relates to affirmative action, the underlying issue, which I have not heard anyone name, is the pervasive assumption that Black people are not/cannot be better or more qualified than any white person or a model minority. Black people…
Why men should be concerned about the abortion ruling
The Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is a tragedy for the health care and reproductive justice of millions of women in America. But it’s not just women who should be concerned about the ravenous effects…
Who do you say that I am: ‘Jesus’ or ‘Christ’?
“Jesus Christ, Superstar, do you think you’re what they say you are?” A memorable lyric from the 1971 Broadway musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. And also a poignant question for today as American Christians seem to gravitate…
Once more, a knock at midnight
A Knock at Midnight is the title of a sermon Martin Luther King Jr. preached in 1967 on Jesus’ parable of a man who knocks on his neighbor’s door at midnight asking for bread to serve guests in their home…
Joseph, did you know? A reflection on fatherhood during Advent
Three months ago, I became a father to a baby girl — my firstborn. Daily, I am amazed how something so small can draw out of me so much love. I am not underselling it to say that in such…
Juneteenth and the promise of freedom
June 19, 1865, is the day when the last enslaved persons in Galveston, Texas, received news that they had been emancipated. Juneteenth, as this day has been called, commemorates in the hearts and minds of Black folks the official end…
The stars are lining up for Middle Church’s fire rebuilding fundraiser this week
A constellation of stars has been assembled to help guide Middle Collegiate Church in New York City from the ashes of its historic building destroyed by fire Dec. 5. Located in the city’s iconic East Village, the congregation claims numerous…