Richard Land, the man who became the public face of the Southern Baptist Convention on ethical and political issues for nearly 25 years, has announced plans to retire in 2013 after a rough-and-tumble spring. The decision comes months after Land, president of the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, made controversial comments about the Trayvon Martin case that resulted in a reprimand and the loss of his radio talk show for the racial tension they caused. Land, 65, said in... Read more

Coexistence and the values of sectarian tolerance differ between the Zaidi Shiite sect and the Sunni Muslims. Political speeches have been lined with doctrinal instructions as an attempt to spark off sectarian conflicts and disputes. Wadhah Abdu Al-Bari Taher, a researcher at the Yemeni Center for Studies, said that many religious figures at all levels incite violence, hate and dogmatism. “We are now in a very complicated phase due to bad curricula. If this problem is not seriously addressed, the... Read more

A group of conservative black pastors are responding to President Barack Obama’s support of same-sex marriage with what they say will be a national campaign aimed at rallying black Americans to rethink their overwhelming support of the President, though the group’s leader is offering few specifics about the effort. The Rev. Williams Owens, who is president and founder of the Coalition of African-Americans Pastors and the leader of the campaign, has highlighted opposition to same-sex marriage among African-Americans. He calls... Read more

by Reggie WhiteR3 Contributor I have very fond memories of my father. From him, I learned the values of hard work and diligence. He taught and continues to teach the treasures found in maximizing the moments, and providing myself the opportunities to achieve and flourish, using my talents and God’s grace. A vivid memory is when he taught me to tie a necktie. Through a series of folds and twists, he transformed a piece of fabric into a masterpiece. “The... Read more

I guess one could say that there has been a conversation (some may even say a set of monologues with people talking past each other, and that’s fine), about the nature of race relations, Evangelical Protestantism, and the Confederacy. It’s a conversation that needs to start happening in our pulpits and pews. Last week, Anthony Bradley talked about the veneration of the Ole South (not the Pancake house….ummmmmm delicious) as idol worshipAdventures in Missing the Point: The Idolatry of the... Read more

by Ebony UtleyR3 Contributor and Author of Rap and Religion: Understanding the Gangsta’s God Well, I do, but Rick Ross doesn’t in the God Forgives, I Don’t album that officially drops on July 31, but leaked on the web as early as July 25. Ross claims that the album balances a grace-giving God and a ruthless gangsta. MTV asked Ross for a five-word description of the album. He replied,“Classic, untouchable, boss, success, revenge. If you doubted us being here three... Read more

The Journal for Hip Hop Studies (JHHS) is committed to publishing critically engaged, culturally relevant, and astute analyses of Hip Hop. Submissions should emphasize Hip Hop’s relationship to race, ethnicity, nationalism, class, gender, sexuality, justice and equality, politics, communication, religion, and popular culture. JHHS also explores the intersections of the sacred and profane for a better understanding of spirituality and religious discourses within the Hip Hop community.JHHS has five broad aims, each of which adds a new and distinctive dimension... Read more

by Andre E. JohnsonR3 EditorThe tragedy that hit Aurora, Colorado has brought with it many responses that examine the gruesome shooting from a religious lens. We have collected many of them for the blog here. While many of these responses have been consoling, comforting, asking for pray and to mourn with the victims and their families, there have been others who, by adopting “prophetic personas,” would proclaim for us the real reason behind this massacre. In short, in their version... Read more

Many people upon first meeting me are surprise to find out that I am both a professor and pastor. This surprise comes from the belief many hold that says pastors (read black and for that matter the black church) are somehow lacking in intellectual rigor. Pastors (read black) are behind the times, slow to change, steep in dogmatic tradition. Many take for example the HIV/AIDS epidemic ravishing our community as proof pastors (read black) and churches (read black) are ill... Read more

One year after the fall of Arab dictators, Islamist political parties have emerged victorious in the first democratic elections in both Tunisia and Egypt. With this success, the question “what is the prospect of democratic change in Muslim countries after the Arab Spring?” is more pertinent than ever. One of the main concerns regarding the future of democracy in these countries is centered on the ambiguous role that religion, particularly the sharia, will play in both national politics and newly... Read more