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…
SBC’s 1,000-word resolution covers nine hot topics
A single resolution adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention June 10 rolls together at least nine hot topics in a single statement that was adopted without notable opposition. Resolution No. 5, titled “On Restoring Moral Clarity through God’s Design for…
For evangelical churches left behind, it’s a four-alarm fire; for women leaving, it’s freedom
Young adult women are leaving churches in droves, as recent studies show. If you’re part of the evangelical world, as I was for more than a decade, you can see and feel it happening. If you aren’t, recent articles like Ruth Graham’s…
Proposed SBC resolutions throw red meat to the base, avoid key issues
When the Southern Baptist Convention meets in annual session each summer, few things make as many headlines as the resolutions adopted in those two-day sessions. This year will be no exception as the voting participants — called “messengers” in SBC…
Women in US remain more religious than men, even as Gen Z trend flips
American women remain more likely to be religious than men, according to Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study. The study aligns with other research on gender and religion: Women have consistently been found more likely to be religious than men,…