Resilience rarely announces itself. Sometimes it shows up quietly — in the form of an 18-year-old freshman named CoMarion, standing outside Arkansas Baptist College without a car, without certainty, but with a deep desire to learn beyond the classroom. His…
A massive catechesis failure
A few days ago, I was listening to an audiobook while I drove my 5-year-old grandson, Micah, home from kindergarten. The narrator was talking about A. Philip Randolf, Bayard Rustin and the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom…
Letter to the Editor: How Baylor taught me to love my (LGBTQ) neighbor
Dear Editor: Baylor University has had quite the summer! A steady cavalcade of news has emanated from Waco regarding the awarding of, then rescission of, and now damage control of, an academic grant from the Baugh Foundation to the Baylor…
These teachers taught me how to do nothing
My undergraduate Baptist college adviser was looking over his glasses at me as I prattled on and on about all I was doing. In my final semester, I was taking 18 hours in an attempt to pull a final-semester 4.0…
3 things I learned from discussing politics in the church
I have heard many Christians say, “I don’t want to hear politics in the church!” Churchgoers who make such a statement might not want to hear partisan politics in the church. Partisan politics is political activity that advocates for or…
We have a teachable moment, and we’re blowing it
We haven’t seen protests on college campuses like this since the 1960s. As a professor, I’m thrilled to see a deep level of engagement by students on an important issue. I’m also horrified at the responses of many institutions to…
On sitting in the shade of another’s tree
One of the most notable differences since leaving conservative evangelicalism has been my body’s reaction to justice-themed events on the calendar. If the day or month had something to do with LGBTQ people, my immediate reaction would be one of…
Find something you’re bad at
When I was a student in Mississippi, my school did not recognize the existence of foreign languages. My lowest grade in college was in Spanish. My lowest grade in seminary was in Greek. After five months in Chile, I could…
Travel as a theological practice
Three countries. Four trips. Twelve flights. And more hours in vehicles than I can count (seriously, I tried on my phone calculator and gave up). This summer has been filled with my favorite pastime: traveling. Exploring foreign places and embracing…
How a seminary education causes a pastor to struggle with Comforting Lies versus Unpleasant Truths
Imagine going to medical school or law school and finding out once you graduate and enter your practice that you must forget at least 25% of what you learned or lose your job. Yeah, that is what it’s like for…
A doorway to the sacred: Encountering God in the theater
In one of my oldest memories, my little hand is held firmly in my mother’s as we climb a long, wide staircase. We are dressed in our finest shoes and dresses, matching the elegance of the great chandeliers, plush carpeting…
Listen for a change
White guys sporting ball caps and goatees, driving loud pickup trucks. You know the type. They’re everywhere, especially in the South. They get on my nerves, bigtime. Lately, I’ve found myself assuming they’re all obnoxious Trumpers — and probably racist…