Since delivering a sermon at the inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde has faced a firestorm of backlash from far-right forces. Pointing to her calls for mercy — especially for LGBTQ people and immigrants —…
Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Jonathan Eig
Jonathan Eig is the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Ali: A Life, Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson’s First Season, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning King: A Life. His biography of King is thought of by…
This is not Christianity
“How can people who claim to be Christians do these things?” That’s among a set of recurring questions people the world over keep asking about the Trump administration and its MAGA mafia in America. While too many have danced around…
A benediction gone bad
As sociologist Orrin Klapp observed in his 1962 book Heroes, Villains, and Fools: The Changing American Character, “The celebrity cult celebrates the triumph of ordinariness — charm without character, showmanship without ability, bodies without minds, information without wisdom.” The critique…
In new podcast episode, Mark and Ben try to talk about Trump
Baptist News Global’s podcast series “Stuck in the Middle with You” is back with two special episodes that introduce a second season of the show. Co-hosts Mark Wingfield and Benjamin Cole intend to devote most of season two to interviews…
The Religion and Politics of Students Who Were Homeschooled
I went to a fairy conservative Southern Baptist Church in rural Illinois as a kid. It was a big congregation – I bet we had 300 in worship on an average Sunday when I was a teenager.
‘Cloistering’ is not the answer to America’s great divide, Burge says
U.S. society will continue to fragment into ever-shrinking political and religious clusters as long as Americans continue to shun those with different perspectives, sociologist of religion Ryan Burge said in a Denver Seminary podcast. The trend has been highly visible…
Andy Stanley warns of religious leaders who prioritize politics over mission
North Point Church’s groundbreaking efforts to create churches across Georgia not designed for church people are being undermined by evangelicals who have prioritized politics over mission, Pastor Andy Stanley told his congregation Dec. 29. In a nearly hour-long sermon that…
Why we should know better about political idolatry
Beyond the campaigning that constantly exposed me to innumerable unsolicited ads in the mail and on television, what has bothered me most this election season is the bipartisan gullibility of Christians. We should, and many of us do, know better,…
A divinity student’s post-election playlist: Hymn-singing through times of tension
Amid all the feelings this past political week has drawn out, several of my friends and colleagues lack words. Or have too many words to make sense of. Or fear their words have been ignored or will be silenced as…
How to preach about the election
Only one Sunday remains until Election Day. With a candidate on the ballot who promises to be a dictator on day one, the stakes could not be higher — for the church or for democracy. The truth is the vast…
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…