The Christian faith includes both personal and public ramifications. However, most churches in America overemphasize personal faith and underemphasize public faith. For example, all churches care deeply about individual moral behavior, which is obviously important. But Scripture teaches us God…
Colorado high court challenges RFK Jr on transgender care
The Colorado Supreme Court has issued a ruling siding with transgender patients who sued a hospital that stopped providing gender-affirming care due to fear of retaliation by the Trump administration. The May 18 opinion reversed a trial court’s denial of…
10 takeaways from CPAC 2026
Last week, the annual conference of the Conservative Political Action Conference was held in my back yard in Texas. So of course I attended. This isn’t my first time venturing into MAGA territory. I attended the National Rifle Association’s annual…
Our tax system should benefit kids and families
Last week, it was reported that corporations will reap $16 billion in new, retroactive tax breaks this year under just one provision of the Trump-GOP tax law enacted in July. This provision of HR-1, otherwise known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill…
Russell Vought’s war on birth control
The health policy nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation has released the results of its most recent Women’s Health Survey and the data show a 4% decrease in the use of oral contraceptives, down from 33% in 2022 to 29% in 2024….
The injustice of normalizing pain in reproductive health care
Unproved medical claims, like tying autism to the use of Tylenol during pregnancy, set a dangerous precedent in pain management during pregnancy and in overall reproductive health care. “Toughing it out” isn’t an option when systemic inequities continue to contribute to higher rates of maternal…
Pregnancy as probable cause: Policing pregnant bodies
This past summer, two federal actions sent a similar menacing message. In Washington, D.C., the National Guard was deployed to remove unhoused people under the guise of “public safety.” Additionally, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced it will end abortion care for…
Hold your breath for health care
I’m sitting in a quiet waiting room, the kind that hums with fluorescent lights and faint disinfectant. No one else is here, but the TV is blasting an old episode of Chopped on The Food Network. The chefs are racing…
JD Vance would deny immigrants emergency care
JD Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019 and went on to be critiqued by the last two popes on his stance of immigration. Vance, it seems, does not let the disapproval of the pope keep him from still claiming his…
Here’s why DEI is good medicine for training doctors
I’m a DEI educator at an academic medical center. Pull up a chair. “This is Dr. Black — she’s a physician and does a lot of DEI work,” my colleague said, introducing me to a friend. “Oops,” she said almost…
Oklahoma and Utah consider far-reaching ‘conscientious objection’ bill for medical providers
Oklahoma and Utah are among the latest states with proposed legislation that would allow health care providers to refuse specific procedures, care or medication based on vaguely defined moral, religious or conscientious beliefs. So-called “conscientious objection” laws are not entirely…
Roe v. Wade revisited
“At least six Texas children under 12 got abortions out of state in 2023,” according to an article by Taylor Goldenstein of the Houston Chronicle. “The number, possibly an undercount, underscores the effect of blocking the procedures for one of…