A Holy Week conversation: Christians and Muslims have a lot more in common than most of us think, and we’ll be looking at examples all week. Today’s topic: the struggle to love. (Join my mailing list to receive the whole series, hot off the presses.) As a Christian married to a Muslim, my reading list includes some lesser-known, but fascinating titles. Today I’d like to share some insights from one of them. I recently finished reading a fascinating book called City... Read more
I want to talk today about being honest enough with ourselves to make an occasional paradigm shift. Let me set the stage for you by telling a story from my time living in Saudi Arabia (I spent ten years there, years I wouldn’t trade for anything, years I’ll never forget). My husband, a Palestinian, ended up in Saudi when his family fled/were exiled after the Six-Day War in 1967. He was six years old. Most of his family still lives... Read more
Trans bathrooms, trans athletes can give us Christians panic attacks. We need to let go of our fear and take up compassion. As a conservative-turned-progressive, I’d like to share a bit of my journey to embracing trans people and supporting their rights. My hope is that a conservative reader out there who is contemplating becoming a turncoat (i.e. progressive), might find it reassuring to hear from someone who is just a few steps ahead on the same path (that’s what... Read more
It’s time to end the phenomenon called “Progressive Except Palestine” (PEP), and progressive Christians ought to lead the way. Thousands and thousands of progressive Christians are aware of the 54-year-long, brutal Israeli occupation of Palestine – and they care deeply. But millions more have no idea what’s going on in the birthplace of our Savior – or they have an idea that is inaccurate. The mainstream media has for years demonized the people of Palestine and disguised Israel’s crimes, but... Read more
Beth Moore is conducting her own personal, yet very public exodus from the Southern Baptist Convention. Southern Baptists – and all Christians – should take note of what’s going on here. Hopefully, she will be the first of many who count the cost and follow Christ, not men. Beth grew up in Arkansas and has been a Texan for many years. She was born into the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and served from that base for decades. Her ministry reaches... Read more
Today, there is perhaps no more important topic for Christians to study than inclusion – that’s why I love to write about my journey. This is in part a continuation of my previous post, “Interfaith harmony: the kinship of Christians and Muslims,“ where I began a discussion of the fact that the Bible doesn’t always tie salvation to a specific belief in Jesus. Today’s post adds to that progressive idea that heaven isn’t just for those who have specifically “asked Jesus into... Read more
Is it possible for Christians and Muslims to live side-by-side without trying to convert each other? My marriage is living proof that the answer is Yes. Conservative Christian readers: I challenge you to give this a chance. It is not standard conservative theology, and it took me decades of study and prayer – while I was a conservative – to discover it. I have been married to a Muslim man for 35 years now, and I’ve had the privilege of... Read more
It’s practically a Golden Calf. The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is in full swing, and nothing has caused more buzz than the full-size golden statue of Donald Trump, dressed in American flag shorts and flip-flops. (I’m not allowed to steal a photo of this statue to show you, but you can see it here. It’s quite a sight, and it was made in Mexico.) Honestly, if this statue doesn’t wake conservative Christians up to the idolatry they’re indulging in,... Read more
Conservative Christianity as a whole seems to embrace a type of binary thinking that is counterproductive, simplistic, and judgmental. The Bible describes for us – whether we believe in it as literal or not – that God’s creation of the world began as binary work. In the first two days, God created heavens/earth, light/dark, day/night, water/land. After that, the diversity began. Vegetation of many kinds, fruit-bearing plants and trees; various “lights in the vault of the sky” that marked the... Read more
Just a quick post here to say to evangelicals that Jesus never promised you a rose garden. He never told you that when you don’t get your way, you should throw a fit. He never even said that if you get cheated, you should get aggressive. The person you’ve put your faith in has been terminated, and you’re angry and disappointed. You believe you’ve been cheated, your vote doesn’t count – we get that (half the country might not agree... Read more
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