A quarter of the world’s teenagers say the church has “definitely” lost its effectiveness as a force against injustice, poverty and environmental challenges, new research shows. But in the United States, Generation Z is more optimistic about organized religion’s role…
The gospel of universal compassion
A hybrid God An 82-year-old man is attacked by a hammer-wielding fanatic and political celebrities snicker and sneer. Nancy Pelosi has been demonized by the conservative movement so viciously, and for so long, that hyper-partisans like Donald Trump Jr., Kari…
Finding justice for both Maureen Faulkner and Mumia Abu-Jamal
Mumia Abu-Jamal, a Black American political activist and journalist, has been incarcerated since he was convicted in 1982 and sentenced to death for the 1981 murder of Daniel Faulkner, a Philadelphia police officer. When a federal judge overturned the 1982…
Our obsession with true crime dramas and what ‘Dahmer’ teaches us about heaven and hell
One of the biggest trends in entertainment today is true crime dramas about serial killers. Forbes reported in 2020 that it was a “great year for fictional serial killers.” And now, two years later, our fascination with mass murder is continuing, but…
Black religion and reparation questions
How many times have you heard Black religious leaders preach, teach and advocate about reparation for racial injustice? I have pondered that question a lot, especially since the murder of George Floyd. I have wondered why Black religious leaders are…
Progressive National Convention joins with AFL-CIO to advance racial and economic justice
Combating racism is pointless unless the economic injustice that underlies it is also dealt with, activist and attorney Jennifer Jones-Austin said. She spoke during the recent town hall segment of the Progressive National Baptist Convention’s 61st annual session in Orlando,…
A risky experiment: Justice, freedom and compassion in America
Now the only way to avoid this shipwreck, and to provide for our posterity, is to follow the counsel of Micah, to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God. For this end, we must be knit…
In our dystopian world, I’m leaning into the Korean concept of han
What are we to feel and to think in these dystopian times when our nation is moving backward on so many issues of human dignity, equity and justice? I feel defeated. Exhausted. Grieved. Aggrieved. Or, as one friend put it,…
Why I still consider myself an evangelical
Have you noticed that some Christians behave as if they are against Christianity? I wonder if the people around us see our brand of Christianity as something they don’t need or want in their lives. For example, in 2018 and…