by Darcy Metcalfe “We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies.” This is a recent controversial tweet from Republican Congressman Steve King from Iowa. As someone in the field of bioethics, an Iowa resident, and as a white woman who recently adopted a black son, King’s quote is particularly disturbing. Recent genomic studies have found that all human beings actually share 99.9% of the same DNA. We are coming to understand so late in the game that race is... Read more
By Dan Haseltine and Jenny Eaton Dyer, PhD I stopped to wipe the sweat from my eyes when I noticed the giggling. I’d been hunched over, deep in concentration, replacing bolts in a metal form that would soon be filled with concrete. I had chosen this “low-impact” job because I had nearly fainted while mixing cement in the African heat. I was making Bio-sand filters, which are not easy to make, especially for an out-of-shape musician from the U.S. I... Read more
Living and Leading Change for Good: Meet the Disruptors The Forum for Theological Exploration series, Living and Leading Change for Good, invites you to meet the disruptors – theological explorers and visionary architects inspired by their Christian faith and fueled by courage. These leaders are actively addressing civil and human rights issues and the anxiety about the rising tide of color in the U.S., along with creating social entrepreneurial ventures that respond to issues our communities face today.... Read more
For the first time ever, a President of the United States has proposed the total slashing of funds for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This action would also eliminate funds for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR). Thus, the President, in his young administration, has advocated the simultaneous banning of Muslims and Big Bird. The National Endowment for the Arts represents less than 1/100 of 1%... Read more
by Brianne Donaldson We grieve our dead because they are gone. They are gone, and there are no words or promises that will bring them back. Yet, this mortal truth does not stop people from offering words and promises to one who mourns, as though to somehow protect themselves as spectators from even a peripheral encounter with the seeming unbearableness of grief. In Donald Trump’s first address to Congress, he offered this veneer of comfort to Carryn Owens, the widow of... Read more
Despite the push-back I have received against my sermons that tackle controversial issues, here’s one thing I know: I will not allow my prophetic preaching voice to be silenced. Read more
Living and Leading Change for Good: Meet the Disruptors The Forum for Theological Exploration series, Living and Leading Change for Good, invites you to meet the disruptors – theological explorers and visionary architects inspired by their Christian faith and fueled by courage. These leaders are actively addressing civil and human rights issues and the anxiety about the rising tide of color in the U.S., along with creating social entrepreneurial ventures that respond to issues our communities face today. Our hope... Read more
“Where would you turn for help if you, or someone you know, was a victim of teen dating violence?” the moderator asked an adult and a teen who were standing on opposite sides of a table, waiting to ring a bell when they had an answer. The teen struck the bell and shouted, “your best friend!” The moderator hit a button that made a buzz signifying a “wrong” answer. “Telling your best friend,” the moderator commented, “might result in gossip.... Read more
I struggle to understand how those who claim to embrace the radical ethic of the Christian faith—the gospel ethic of caring for the disenfranchised, marginalized, and oppressed “others” of society—can claim to have voted for Trump out of Christian values when there were other Republican and Democratic candidates from whom to pick. Voters are used to choosing between “the lesser of evils,” but there is no serious Christian standard by which Trump can be argued to be that choice. Read more
Hidden from the Learned, Revealed to the Simple: How Donald Trump’s Opponents Missed what was Right in Front of Them The age of Rule by Amateur is upon us. When the singularly inexperienced Donald Trump defied the commentariat and dethroned the political professionals last year, he did so with resounding support from people without college degrees. Like any coastal snob, I’m discomfited by this triumph of the inexpert over the specialists. But it also occurred to me recently that the... Read more
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