For a Valentine’s Day episode of This American Life, they told love stories, but not the usual kind. One was a quirky little tale about a couple, Richard and Linda, who had been married nine years and had two kids….
Lessons from a Hindu wedding: What if the point of evangelism is friendship?
I just got back from my third trip to Tamil Nadu, India. My academic program has a decade-long collaboration with two schools there, and their faculty have traveled to Oregon three times for shared projects. Over the years, I’ve built…
We don’t need more ‘context’ to understand Josh Butler’s article on sex and the church
In the wake of The Gospel Coalition publishing a male-centric sexual fantasy about Christ penetrating the church, we are getting a clearer picture of how their alliance is characterized by carelessness and control in an attempt to build author platforms…
Four ways to be in helpful relationship with those living with infertility
I’m not sure who started the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” but I’d like a word with them. Most of us who have been through the experience of middle school know…
How viewing sex as an icon leads to the pornification of Christian women and the church as Christ’s bride
Editor’s note: The controversial article mentioned here was removed from The Gospel Coalition website sometime March 2, after generating a swirl of protest online. It is still available, however, in a excerpt of Josh Butler’s new book, Beautiful Union. The…
Jacksonville church isn’t the only SBC congregation requiring members to affirm statements on sexuality
When First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Fla., announced all members would have to sign a statement on “biblical sexuality” or be kicked out, the idea sounded novel to most Baptists. Baptists in America are not accustomed to being required to…
Tom Brady may be the NFL’s “GOAT,” but he’s a lousy theologian
Try imagining what it’s like to be Tom Brady, who announced his retirement — for the second time — last week. In the National Football League, the 45-year-old quarterback is the Greatest of All Time. Nobody else has played in…
What did Pope Francis say, and what did he mean, in AP interview on homosexuality?
What did Pope Francis actually say about homosexuality last week? And what did he mean by what he said? On the surface, the pontiff condemned laws that criminalize homosexuality, urging Catholic bishops who support these laws to be more welcoming…
Members of Florida church required to sign ‘biblical sexuality’ statement or be removed from membership
Members of a Jacksonville, Fla., Baptist church have until March 19 to sign a statement on “biblical sexuality” or be removed from membership. All members of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville are required to sign a form that indicates their…
Dear Dr. Gushee: Can sexual orientation ever be considered grounds for divorce?
I get lots of messages that follow up on my 2014 book, Changing Our Mind. That book, aiming to reach evangelical Christians, argued for an end to Christian stigma and rejection of LGBTQ people and an incorporation of same-sex relationships…
With gratitude for the Respect for Marriage Act, we’ve still got Advent work to do
Last Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act, providing federal protection for same-sex and interracial marriages. Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi beamed on the House floor as she emphasized the importance of this legislation, the culmination…
Mary, Our Mother (for Baptists): I don’t think that word means what you think it means
This is the third in a four-part series BNG will publish every Monday during Advent. I, like many of you, was in at least one Christmas pageant as a child growing up in the Baptist church. Sadly, I can distinctly…