Category Archives: Faith
Immediately after the Nov 6, 2020 election, many well meaning, but naive, predominantly white progressive religious leaders were advocating for “unity.” But Black and brown people knew better. We understood that unless Trump and his most ardent supporters were held accountable for the pain and suffering they caused, that things would only get worse. Most of … Continue reading I Refuse a Naive Unity with Christian White Supremacists.
Our Church Refused to Pay Reparations, So We Did It Ourselves
The idea was simple. We asked our church to set up a reparations fund in Reverend Jehu Jones’ name. Rev. Jehu Jones was a Black Lutheran Preacher from 1832-1851 who was never paid. We asked for $32K in reparations annually: the amount of the salary he was denied, adjusted for inflation. We considered this to … Continue reading Our Church Refused to Pay Reparations, So We Did It Ourselves
Pastors are Exhausted…Give them a Sabbath
It’s a radical idea, I know. Every time I pose the question to a harried, sleep-deprived pastor, the answer is the same: “Cancel church!?” The requite gasps of alarm end the discussion as quickly as they start. But I think the question is worth asking. Especially during a worldwide pandemic. Church leaders are saddled with … Continue reading Pastors are Exhausted…Give them a Sabbath
Leviticus, Social Distancing, & The Plague: A Short Story
This story is a fictional re-imagining of a heroic doctor who wrote the rules in the Biblical book of Leviticus. Public health, disease transmission, social distancing, and community health were questions they really did wrestled with in the Hebrew Bible. Leviticus 14:8–9 “The person to be cleansed must wash their clothes, shave off all their … Continue reading Leviticus, Social Distancing, & The Plague: A Short Story
God is In Control is Not an Excuse for Inaction
Throughout the hellish week that was Election Week, some Christians relied on numerous platitudes to help navigate the various emotions and tensions they struggled with. One common platitude, mentioned by Christians across the political and theological spectrum, focused on God’s sovereignty. I saw numerous Facebook posts, Instagram memes, and tweets expressing a variation of “No … Continue reading God is In Control is Not an Excuse for Inaction
Why White Evangelicals Are Uniquely Susceptible to Personality Cults
For many progressives, it is tempting to dismiss white Evangelicals as racist, homophobic, and selfish hypocrites. And some of them are. But I must always remind myself that they were trained to be that way. They were trained by their white Evangelical religious leaders who have three major goals. Protect their church from outside threats … Continue reading Why White Evangelicals Are Uniquely Susceptible to Personality Cults