The quest for racial justice in the United States needs more white people who hear the concerns of their Black neighbors and respond with concrete actions, a Black church scholar wrote in a New York newspaper. In an op-ed published…
Trayvon and Ahmaud: If schools can’t tell their stories, churches must
“I recall a Sunday morning in the spring of 1968 when the pastor of the Southern Baptist Convention-related church in Mesquite, Texas, where I was youth minister, offered his sermonic response to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. It…
Most young people are unsettled in the new year but few plan to turn to the church for help
Young people in the United States are fearful about the new year but are not turning to churches or other faith communities for solace or guidance, according to a research group that tracks the spiritual lives and perspectives of Generation…
87 steps toward becoming an ideal team player on the quest for social justice
One of the most insightful books on business management and human resources that I’ve read in the last five years is Patrick Lencioni’s The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues. Lencioni makes compelling arguments…
COVID wars: Lament over a broken, divided nation
I was talking with a senior Mercer University colleague yesterday about the divisions engulfing our nation over COVID vaccines and masks. Carl has served as a pastor, professor and politician. He’s a very wise man. I said: “Carl, two years…
De La Torre calls for ‘badass believers’ to decolonize Christianity
Miguel De La Torre is no stranger to hate mail as the author of dozens of books, articles and blog posts challenging the theological foundations and racial assumptions of white political and religious power. “It’s ranged from being called the…
Final vote sounds the death knell for capital punishment in Virginia
Legislation abolishing Virginia’s death penalty received final approval from legislators Feb. 22 and is on its way to Gov. Ralph Northam, who has pledged to sign it. When he does, the Commonwealth will become the 23rd state to end capital…
A letter to the white church in America
On April 12, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in Birmingham, Ala., for leading a nonviolent demonstration for human rights. While he was being detained, he was given a newspaper that contained a statement written by eight white preachers….
More churches defined as racially diverse but that doesn’t lead to racial justice work
Evidence that American churches have become more racially diverse doesn’t mean they have become increasingly active in promoting racial justice causes, according to a new sociological study. “We do see this slow-but-steady rise in the percentage of congregations in the…