The internet is ablaze with the news that Greta Gerwig has cast Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan in the upcoming adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew. It’s a decision that has been met with an overwhelming evangelical…
Responding to those who are different
It puzzles me that there are Christians who are unwilling to accept people who, for one reason or another, are inherently different from themselves. I have been a Christian for more than seven decades and an ordained minister, missionary, professor…
Let’s define our terms on ‘sex’ and ‘gender’
On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which directed government agencies to replace the term “gender” with “sex” in all federal documents…
Why homophobia is really about women
Alex and I are treated differently. That’s not a complaint, and it isn’t something either of us spends much time dwelling on, (I’m not sure he’s even noticed) but it’s simply true. We’re both gay men. We’re now married to…
Fact checking three things James Talarico said
James Talarico was a child when I was on the pastoral staff of his church for a year. We attended the same seminary, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. I want to look at three of the things he has said that…
How a college assignment became the latest battle in the culture wars
In 2014, psychologists Jennifer Jewell and Christia Spears Brown published a study in social development titled “Relations Among Gender Typicality, Peer Relations, and Mental Health During Early Adolescence.” Eleven years later, OU psychology student Samantha Fulnecky penned a two-page assignment…
Efforts to combat global poverty unchanged due to US withdrawal
Efforts to combat global poverty remain unchanged for the second consecutive year in part because of severe cutbacks in American international aid, according to the director of the newly released “2025 Fordham Pope Francis Poverty Report.” “Something has shifted, and…
Are women leading or leaving the church?
Having spent some time earlier this year meeting potential romantic partners through the popular Christian dating app Upward, I’ve been consistently confused by the state of Christianity among my generation. The Millennial and Zoomer profiles around my age, which I…
The political state of Generation Z
Key to Donald Trump’s victory last fall was his ability to make inroads with voters who traditionally supported Democratic presidential candidates, including voters of color and younger voters — particularly men. As journalists, activists and politicians all attempt to understand…
AWAB lecture explores art’s role in gender, sexuality and spirituality
The visual arts can connect gender, sexuality and spirituality and reshape attitudes about LGBTQ life and religion, scholar Justin Sabia-Tanis said during a lecture presented by the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. “And this can in turn offer us…
Iorg compares SBC’s diverse giving to gender dysphoria
Selective giving to the Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program budget is like believing children can choose their gender, Jeff Iorg told members of the SBC Executive Committee Sept. 22. Iorg, president of the Executive Committee, addressed the gathering on the…
Our increasingly gendered politics
To say gender has become far more performative in today’s politics is hardly an understatement. While last year’s presidential election saw the Trump campaign double down on masculine tropes, his administration in 2025 is seeking public policies that reinforce gender…