By Jeff Brumley The Baptist World Alliance has issued a call for Baptists and other Christians to provide funds to help Iraqi Christians displaced by war, and the global organization has sent an initial donation of $20,000 for that cause. The funds…
Protecting Christians and Yazidis: Elusive religious freedom
By Bill Leonard When the storm troopers of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took Mosul, they marked the homes of Christians with a red Arabic “N” for “Nazarene,” targeting those families for “extermination or expropriation.” That’s what…
SBC leader joins call for military action in Iraq
By Bob Allen The Southern Baptist Convention’s top public-policy expert joined Princeton University professor Robert George and numerous other intellectuals in urging the use of military force against a militant group seeking to set up an Islamic state across Sunni…
Christians, war and neighbor love
By David Gushee Follow David on Twitter: @dpgushee As I write, this is the lede on the main New York Times Iraq story: “Wielding the threat of sectarian slaughter, Sunni Islamist militants claimed on Sunday that they had massacred hundreds of…
Reflections of Easter
I sit in expectation of the horror of good Friday and in hopeful expectation of the work of Easter Sunday. This time of year is always the most contemplative for me, perhaps because it offers the fullest range of emotion…
Forever Changed #18: the journey home
This is my last writing to you as I will be replaced this week and begin to transition home. I have been trying to figure out what to write on this last report. So here goes… As I reflect on…
Forever Changed #17: How to pray during mortar attacks
As of Monday I took over Patriot Details for the next week. No sooner did I take over responsibility than I was called. After I got back from that Patriot Detail, I was told there will be more coming up…
Forever Changed #16: Religion v. spirituality in the war zone
One thing I have learned in Iraq is maybe another rendition of the age old adage – there are no atheists in foxholes. Or it could just be the way chaplains try to negotiate the pluralistic world we live in….
Forever Changed #15: We serve so you never fear an IED at the park
Right now we are under attack! Of course when you get this the attack will be history because I am starting this email a little early to get a jump on things I usually do on Monday. I am starting…
Forever Changed #14: Praying as they are sent in harms way
One of my favorite quotes is from C.T. Studd. He says, Some prefer to live within the sounds of chapel bells, I prefer to set up a rescue shop within a yard of hell or as is the case here,…
Forever Changed #13: flying our flags together
What a week! I know I say that every week. But it’s is true. How many of you aren’t happy unless you are running your life at 100 mph with your hair on fire? Most of you know that pretty…
Forever Changed #12: Big Bob’s Truck Stop
Sometimes I think as much as I hold back that still I am being a little heavy in my emails to you all and not informational enough about what these guys do out here. So this week I want to…