The principal strength from which the forces of despotism operate comes not from their accomplices in infamy but from the silence of those who turn a blind eye, who have been cowed into silence, saved (they think) by means of…
Trump is who he is; who are you?
America must stop pretending this is about Donald J. Trump. Trump is Trump. Historically, socially, morally, financially and ethically, he already has revealed himself to the nation and the world. Without exaggeration, he stands as the most socially corrosive president…
When activists need to be silent
To everything there is a season, Ecclesiastes says, including a time to be silent and a time to speak. That’s sage advice in our present moment, as recent conversations with two friends illustrate. I’m one of the lucky ones who…
I was sworn to silence after female genital mutilation
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act. God will not hold us guiltless. — Dietrich Bonhoeffer I was sworn to silence after being a victim of…
Here’s one way to do something and not remain silent
“Engage in speaking the truth, so that we do not mislead anyone by our silence.” — Book of Common Prayer During the presidential prayer service at Washington National Cathedral for the beginning of Donald Trump’s new term, Bishop Mariann Budde…
The silence is too loud!
On a cold day in January 1983, I sat on a bus in Beirut, Lebanon, stunned by my inability to speak. I was with a handful of my fellow Americans who had been invited by Americans for Middle East Understanding…
‘See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’
As Christians in America, we are called to be salt and light in a world that desperately needs guidance, truth and justice. However, there seems to be a growing trend within the Christian community to adopt the posture of “see…
Silence is a dangerous thing
The year was 1967. The United States was in the middle of the Vietnam War. Many citizens wondered why troops were sent there and exactly why they were fighting. In this year, many Black and brown individuals raised their voices,…
A Christian call to confront the silence of the Gaza genocide
In our age of advanced technology, where global connections are just a click away, a desperate cry echoes from the Gaza Strip — a cry from a land enduring the weight of more than 57 years of Israeli occupation and…
Silence is not an option for the church on January 6
The church should not remain silent when January 6 rolls around. It was an insurrection. It was incited. It was planned. It was intended. It was a response to a dastardly lie. Trump did lose. Biden did win. People did…
Why is Lifeway silent on sexual abuse amicus brief?
Here’s a sure way to know Southern Baptist institutions and some Baptist universities don’t think they’re accountable to anyone outside their inner circle: The perpetual refusal to comment on, or even acknowledge, questions from media. A year ago this fall,…
Ain’t no tellin’
I know it’s not correct grammar. I know it’s a double negative. I know it calls into service that most criticized of English juxtapositions. I know it betrays me and surfaces my semi-hidden blue-collar origins. I was taught better, but…