When the AIDS epidemic descended upon cities on America’s West and East Coast (but not in the American South just yet), religious “authorities” such as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham declared it to be God’s judgment for sin….
An agnostic teaches us about Jesus
Nearly a decade ago, I had a pleasant surprise. I received an email from a friend I had not seen or heard from since the late 1960s. Charles lived two doors down from us, and we spent many hours playing…
Nostalgia for idealized past and toxic fear of the future fuel Christian nationalism, scholars say
Nostalgia for an idealized American past combined with a toxic fear of the future is driving Christian nationalist claims that the coming midterm and 2024 presidential elections are battles between God and Satan in which Democrats are allied with the…
Three Catholic governors shipping migrants for political points are practicing ‘fake religion,’ Wallis says
Claiming to be faithful Catholics while shipping bewildered refugees by plane and bus to other states is a case of “fake religion” for the governors of Arizona, Florida and Texas, Sojourners magazine founder Jim Wallis said during a virtual press…
Religious groups step up as DeSantis and Abbott make immigrants pawns for publicity
Religious groups are teaming with migrant advocacy networks and government agencies to serve asylum seekers recently sent by bus to Washington, D.C., and by plane to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., by the governors of Arizona, Texas and Florida to protest White…
Americans United says Florida is inserting white Christian nationalism in the classroom
Americans United for Separation of Church and State is investigating allegations that the state of Florida is promoting white Christian nationalism through new public school curriculum standards. Concerns stem from a new Civics Literacy Excellence Initiative promoted by Gov. Ron…
Gov. DeSantis should learn a lesson from Southern Baptists about taking on Disney
Offering advice to politicians and preachers may be a disappointing way to make a living. This didn’t stop Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne from warning, “Religious people should always be wary of the ways in which political power is wielded…
The politics of nothing and the enabling church
There’s a politics loose in our democracy that is all about nothing. The evangelical church serves as the incubator and enabler of the politics of nothing. This is not a sermon, but it suggests a biblical text: “The grass withers,…
It’s now a war of LGBTQ labels: ‘Don’t Say Gay’ versus ‘Grooming’
As the nation turns its attention to the controversial Florida bill critics have labeled “Don’t Say Gay,” two competing ideas are being amplified in the debate over LGBTQ rights. Gallup reports that the percentage of U.S. adults who self-identify within…
DeSantis and Abbott working hard to see who can be more cruel to immigrants, faith leaders contend
The governors of Florida and Texas seem to be vying for the title of who can be the cruelest to immigrants, some faith leaders say. Whether motivated by their 2022 re-election campaigns or a desire to gain a VP nod…
Closed minds are behind the open border myth, and immigrants are not the source of COVID either
Last month, I was puzzled by a friend’s post that popped up in my Facebook feed. “Guess the pandemic is over now since we have open borders. No?” Having just returned to the United States after five years living in…
With a school voucher case already teed up at the Supreme Court, Florida adds a twist under the cover of COVID
The political fight over COVID-19 restrictions now has found its way into the debate over taxpayer funded vouchers for private religious schools. ABC News reported Aug. 6 that the Florida State Board of Education will offer private school vouchers to…