A few weeks ago the hashtag #IstandwithAhmed didn’t even exist. Now it is the latest viral hashtag to take twitter by storm. The incident in Irving, Texas has drawn attention around the world. Prominent names from a wide range of…
What if Ben Carson was right?
At the BGAV Annual Meeting a few years ago, I attended a breakout session led by the Religious Liberty Committee. Admittedly, I don’t remember what the presentation was about. But I do remember a conversation I had with one of…
Pope Francis is good for Christianity
As Pope Francis visits the United States, Catholics are full of excitement as the Holy Father visits in Washington, Philadelphia, and New York. It is very clear that his leadership will set a very different tone for the Catholic Church….
Reflections on the confluence of Jewish and Islamic holy days
My lectionary imagination jumped the rails, enamored by this month’s confluence of Jewish and Islamic holy days. For Jews the ten “Days of Awe” began with Rosh Hashanah this past Sunday at dusk, stretching through next Wednesday’s Yom Kippur observance.
I’m not tolerant.
It seems progressive Christians are often being attacked by other Christians for our “tolerance.” I don’t know about my fellow clergy, but I don’t recall that I have ever used the word tolerant in a sermon. I haven’t applauded tolerance…
Listening to the Pope
Most of us Protestants, perhaps, have not paid a lot of attention to what the Pope has said and done through the years. But things have changed somewhat since Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected Pope in February 2013.
Spiritual Treasures: An ancient-modern church in a foreign land
The landmarks in Georgia are their historic houses of worship. Traveling east, west, north or south in the country — which is a little smaller than the state of South Carolina — one finds highways littered with signs indicating the…
Where have all the charismatics gone?
In the spirit of Paula Cole, I’ve been asking, “Where have all the charismatics gone?” Its been some twenty years since I found myself at a revival service, praying over a friend who had been “slain in the spirit.” These…
Toward a deeper understanding of Baptist ordination
The first thing I learned walking into a job at a Baptist church in West Jefferson, North Carolina was that the frontier of freedom in the Church is found in Baptist life. I was raised United Methodist and pursued ordination…