By now, we’ve seen photos of the accused assassin of Rev. Clem Pinckney and eight others at “Mother Emanuel” AME Church, in Charleston, S.C. (I refuse to write his name.) We’ve seen the photos of him holding a racist flag. I’ve read what are believed to be examples of his hate-filled writing. My question is – who took his pictures? Is there an equally angry, equally racist friend of his out there? Read more
The facts of the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina are unfolding. But the deeper causes are like the rotted roots of an abscessed and infected tooth. In the moments after hearing the news, my thoughts went to another racist attack in a church that left four little girls dead and nearly two dozen injured. It’s been 52 years since the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. But we again have innocent people dead at the... Read more
This is awkward. In a June 5 Facebook post, Franklin Graham suggested it’s time to “fight the tide of moral decay that is being crammed down our throats by big business, the media, and the gay & lesbian community.” Because Wells Fargo uses a same-sex couple in its advertising, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association moved their accounts to another bank. “This is one way we as Christians can speak out— we have the power of choice,” Franklin wrote on Facebook.... Read more
Have you heard about this, from the Guardian? Let God be a ‘she,’ says Church of England women’s group “A group within the Church of England is calling for God to be referred to as female following the selection of the first female bishops. “The group wants the church to recognise the equal status of women by overhauling official liturgy, which is made up almost exclusively of male language and imagery to describe God. “Rev Jody Stowell, a member of... Read more
MEMO TO: Denny Burk, Professor of Biblical Studies at Boyce College, the undergraduate arm of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. FROM: The Faith on the Fringe SUBJECT: Christian messages like yours contribute to the decline of Christianity and the increase of non-believers. Denny, I intend this in the broadest sense of Christian love and charity, but as a former non-believer, I feel God calling me to try to help you understand what non-believers see when you write... Read more
This thought gives me great comfort. How does this make you feel? What thoughts do you have when you are reminded that God loves you? Read more
Look at the United States, and according to the U.S. Census, here’s what you’ll see. The average American is a woman. More than 75 percent of the country is white. More than 20 percent of the households speak a language other than English. The median household income is $53,000 and around 14 percent live in poverty. When the conversation turns to faith, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center, 70 percent of the country remains Christian, but... Read more
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