The insidious and chronic nature of church sexual abuse is an outgrowth of patriarchal concepts of the divine that provide theological cover for abusers and shame for their victims, said the authors of a new book on theologies of abuse….
Southern Baptist theology set me up for sexual abuse
I grew up in a fundamentalist Southern Baptist church in Georgia. I was on the “cradle roll” from the time I was six weeks old, and I was at church “every time the doors were open,” as the saying goes….
In defense of DEI: 10 benefits of DEI in higher education
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in higher education are under attack around the country. Conservatives see these programs as purveyors of “wokeism” that limit free speech and teach discrimination, hate and divisiveness. I’ve spent my 37-year-career in higher education in…
Things I would tell my younger self
Sometimes when I’m watching the news, there’ll be a story about an older woman being mugged or a grandma being held hostage. “A 63-old grandmother was severely injured today,” the newscaster will intone with all the gravity due the harming…
These were a few of my favorite things from 2023
So 2023 was an interesting year, wasn’t it? Baptist News Global wrote and edited 1,800 news, opinion and analysis pieces that addressed some of the most pressing concerns for life in America, and even in our world, today. Not everyone…
Six New Year’s resolutions to move us ‘closer to fine’ in 2024
I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. After all, we mostly don’t keep them. Given what we’re facing in 2024, however, it might be a good idea for us to think about how we can avoid a repeat of the…
Big ideas at human size: An interview with Carrie Newcomer
Carrie Newcomer may be the holiest person I’ve ever met. The Quaker singer-songwriter embodies the peace and universal love that characterize Quakerism, and it comes across clearly in her songs, which are peopled with characters who are flawed, searching, quirky,…
Are we all guilty of mass shootings?
Here we are again. Another mass shooting. Another set of grieving families and friends. More calls for sensible gun control. More fist-shaking about Second Amendment rights. More inaction. In the 2016 movie The Limehouse Golem, the catchphrase of entertainer Dan Leno…
Nature is queer
How often do we hear from the pulpit and from lawmakers that diverse sexualities and genders are unnatural? This year, the United States already has set records for anti-LGBTQ legislative bills, and violence against queer people, especially trans and nonbinary…