AUTHOR_ARCHIVES
As Political Violence Rises, We Need Peacemakers at the Polls
(RNS) — Over the past five years, the U.S. has seen a marked increase in political violence — from an uptick in hate crimes nationally to the attempted assassinations of leading political figures to threats of violence against female politicians (from both parties), such as the recently discovered plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Political violence has been […]
Exodus 13:20-22 in photos
After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor […]
Masks Keep Churches from being Superspreaders. But They Make Sermons Tough
(RNS) — Timothy Filston, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Thomasville, Georgia, had a request for his mask-wearing congregation during a recent sermon. “Give me all you can through your eyebrows,” said Filston. The church has begun meeting again in person for worship, and congregation members are required to wear masks during services. That’s great […]
Voices: Christians should resist partisanship in politics
Jack Goodyear In 2020, there is little need to convince someone American politics increasingly are hyperpartisan. As Paul Taylor wrote in The Next America, hyperpartisanship is “arguably the most powerful force in twenty-first-century American politics.” He continues: “These days, Republicans and Democrats don’t stop at disagreeing with each other’s ideas. Increasingly, they deny each other’s facts, […]
Christians urged to view society and Scripture from the margins
No Need Among You conference speakers challenged online participants to interpret societal systems and Scripture from the perspective of the marginalized. The annual conference, sponsored by the Texas Christian Community Development Network, originally was scheduled as a three-day event in Fort Worth but transitioned to a virtual experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemic offered ‘unveiling’ […]
Black Churches Mobilizing Voters Despite Virus Challenges
AARON MORRISON, AP NEW YORK (AP) — For Jimmy Gates Sr., the 2008 presidential election year was one to remember — and not just because it yielded a historic result as the nation elected its first Black president. The pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church in Cleveland recalls how, on the last Sunday of early […]
Stop Being Political
Moses told Pharaoh, “Let my people go.” Hey, Moses, stop being political. Samuel rebukes King Saul, “You have done a foolish thing.” Hey, Samuel, stop being political. Nathan confronts King David, saying “You are that man.” Hey, Nathan, stop being political. Elijah condemned King Ahab, declaring, “You have sold yourself to do evil in the […]
Editorial: Pay attention to declining trust, and work to rebuild it
OCTOBER 7, 2020 Eric Black / Editor Among my grandparents’ generation, trust was high. People trusted societal institutions and each other. Since my parents reached adulthood, trust has been trending down in each successive generation to the point where trust no longer can be said to be our default position. We can’t assume trust; it’s no […]
Liberal congregations more politically active, study reveals
Yonat Shimron / Religion News Service WASHINGTON (RNS) — White evangelicals who comprise President Trump’s base have attracted attention for their political clout, but a new study of 1,262 congregations across the United States shows liberal/progressive congregations—particularly Black churches—have become substantially more engaged in political activity compared to their conservative counterparts. “Overall, it seems that, since […]
Link noted between daily spiritual experiences and well-being
WACO—Using smartphone check-ins twice a day for two weeks, Baylor University and Harvard University researchers have found a link between individuals’ daily spiritual experiences and overall well-being. While other studies have found such a connection between spirituality and positive emotions, the new study is significant because frequent texting made it easier to capture respondents’ moment-to-moment […]
