Biblical interpretations that don’t take into account historical and contextual realities can be used to further oppression. To simply take a Bible verse and apply it to any given situation can at worst, contribute to harm and violence. For instance, police officers love to quote Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be … Continue reading Blessed are the Peacemakers is not a Justification for Police Brutality →

The Diversity at Our Rural Christian Camp Gives Us Hope

by Nathan Roberts

This summer I was on a beach at a Christian camp and I heard a lifeguard say to a group of swimming children, “Okay, guys and gals and non-binary pals!” My heart smiled to hear the college age lifeguard casually insert a new gender identity, like it was perfectly normal to affirm queer people at … Continue reading The Diversity at Our Rural Christian Camp Gives Us Hope →

For My Immigrant Husband & Refugee Friends, the Damage is Already Done

by Beth Watkins

With high summer comes canning season – a season I love, because it involves getting my hands messy and into the earth and its bounty. My husband and I had an extremely limited budget for gifts last Christmas as we had just arrived in America, he as a new immigrant, and me after years overseas. … Continue reading For My Immigrant Husband & Refugee Friends, the Damage is Already Done →

My Sister & I Navigated American Blackness Very Differently

by Patrice Gopo

Years after my sister and I had established our adult lives, we dipped french fries in ketchup and ate hamburgers in a restaurant with orange walls and laminate tabletops—a place that felt so American. My sister asked if I’d read a particular essay about our country’s first black president—a man with a white mother from … Continue reading My Sister & I Navigated American Blackness Very Differently →

How Weekly Lunches Taught Me Gay Clergy & The Religious Right Can Work Together

by Karen Oliveto

Unity is possible, even where there are deep theological divides. When the Religious Right ascended to power through the latter part of the twentieth century, it was impacting San Francisco politics, particularly around civil rights for LGBTQ people. The Human Rights Commission of the city invited me to present a talk on the history of … Continue reading How Weekly Lunches Taught Me Gay Clergy & The Religious Right Can Work Together →

Loving Like Jesus in the Time of White Supremacy

by Ruthie Johnson

I do not have the luxury of waiting. I cannot count how many times leading up to the election of #45 I was told “We’ll wait and see” by individuals who refused to see and acknowledge the white supremacy latent in his rhetoric. What surprised me most is that I heard this response consistently from … Continue reading Loving Like Jesus in the Time of White Supremacy →