Eighth grade social studies class in North Carolina, in my school years, covered the history, geography and economy of our fair state. Mrs. Spivey was my very fine instructor, and I am confident she would confirm that I was an…
Christian citizenship means somebody’s calling my name
What does it mean to be a Christian citizen? The question should challenge every breath in our bodies in the way George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and many other Black Christian citizens died daring to breathe. There is no dodging…
Why I don’t believe #AllLivesMatter
Of course, every life is significant — uniquely created by God and irreplaceable — and while I do believe every life matters, I don’t believe in #AllLivesMatter. I don’t believe in it because it is a cop-out, an attempt to…
Amid a pandemic and a fractured nation, how do we live ‘in the meantime’?
What’s going on with your feelings these days? In an old comic strip, Shoe, the curmudgeonly newspaper editor, is sitting at his desk. He declares, “There are mood swings and there are mood bungee jumps!” Some days are like that…
What I’ve learned from race conversations with refugees and immigrants
“Racism.” The word evokes feelings, emotions, strong opinions, even questions. It should. Apart from the COVID-19 crisis, nothing else has so galvanized our nation in recent months and forced us to contend with a sin that is pushing our nation…
Baylor names 26-member commission on race and history
Baylor University has named a 26-member Commission on Historic Campus Representations to follow up on a board of regents resolution adopted in late June. The July 6 announcement from regents’ Chairman Mark Rountree and university President Linda Livingstone outlined four…
The Ethiopian Regiment and the work of redeeming America
“Liberty to Slaves.” Those were the words that were emblazoned on their uniforms as they went into battle as members of the Ethiopian Regiment. The regiment had gathered in response to the proclamation issued by Lord John, the Earl of…
There’s a double standard on pastors and politics
Imagine a prominent white Baptist pastor taking to cable news to make a case for Joe Biden and then appearing at rallies to campaign for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. All hell would break loose. And that pastor would soon…
What kind of witness will the white Christian church give?
Recently I posted about re-encountering my white privilege on Facebook. I told a story about a meeting with a fellow dad from my daughter’s school and about my recognition that our lives were similar yet markedly different because of the…
Tearing down statues doesn’t erase history
Three years ago, I wrestled with the news that my great-grandmother’s statue memorializing “Uncle Jeff” had been removed by the City of New Orleans from the site where it had stood on Canal Street since 1911. I know it really…
When I’m honest, I know racism is real
This week I took the unusual step of posting a direct appeal to Facebook. This message has been welling up inside of me for several weeks, and as a preacher, I was compelled to tell it. I asked my congregation…
Alumni applaud Baylor University’s pledge to explore racist roots
“I commend the Board of Regents for stepping forward with a truthful acknowledgment of the University’s past, including its connections to slavery and the Confederacy.”