Most of us think of “the disabled” as someone other than ourselves. But that is unrealistic, according to a New Testament scholar who focuses on the issues of gender, disability, eschatology and suffering. Meghan Henning, author of Hell Hath No…
Many powerful women have been airbrushed out of biblical history, but this one is especially curious
In an article published by the Liberty University student newspaper titled “Women Should Not Serve As Church Elders,” writer Jesse Hughes states plainly, “Women are able to assist the church in a wide variety of ways, but they should not…
Four reasons saying grace is important
As we enter October, the holiday season is coming up quickly. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Most of these holidays entail some sort of celebration that involves food. Even if you are not celebrating a specific holiday, this is the time of…
The importance of making virginity a personal choice within Christianity
John Chrysostom in his Major Treatises on Virginity argued that the first human beings were “adorned by virginity,” as they lived in a perfect and non-sexual state before the fall of humankind. Once the first sin occurred, this adornment ended,…
Sing a song unto the Lord of anger and confusion
Do you think God must hate you? You’re not alone. Anger toward God can occur for a multitude of reasons and is usually experienced after suffering a setback a person perceives is unfair, most often when that suffering is very…
The cause of a scene: Why gay Christians are afraid to come out to their pastors
In his song “Cause of a Scene,” Jake Wesley Rogers laments the struggle between wanting to come out to his community and fearing the social consequences of being publicly gay. He sings: “I wish I could be like a baby…
These Christians are leaving behind the church, but not their faith
In their 2015 book Church Refugees, Josh Packard and Ashleigh Hope discuss a demographic of people they call the “dechurched” or the “dones.” This group of Christians consists of people of faith who want to maintain their spiritual lives but…
Why Bathsheba is not an adulteress
Growing up in the church, I have heard the 2 Samuel narrative of Bathsheba and David many times. Often, I have heard this narrative retold by preachers who believe Bathsheba is a dangerous woman and who utilize this narrative as…
What transactional sexuality could teach us about Matt Chandler’s odd leave of absence and confession
Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church north of Dallas, has recently taken an indefinite leave of absence after exchanging direct messages on Instagram with a woman who is not his wife. Although he states that the messages were not…