I suppose it’s easier to focus on the “goodness” and “preservation” of institutions when they have historically been built for people who look a lot like you. For various reasons, my questions about institutions have mostly revolved around issues of inclusion and incorporation. How do I inhabit institutions that were never constructed with people like me in mind? What does it mean to honor a tradition and simultaneously work to extend it beyond itself? There are times when I’m surprised... Read more

At this point, you’re married to the Lord, and your father is your boyfriend.” So says Pastor Ron Johnson to his 12-year-old daughter Caroline, before placing a ring on her left finger. Johnson and his family are the subject of a recent Nightline Prime investigation of Purity Balls, a “full-fledged national phenomenon” that has reportedly spread across 48 states and 17 countries. Despite the thought that first popped into my head, these balls are not some ironic term for Ben... Read more

by Alaenor LondonR3 Contributor Dear Fellow Christian Faith Leaders in Tennessee: Yesterday, TN Governor Bill Haslam became the first governor ever to sign a bill into law that has the power to criminalize a woman for pregnancy. SB 1391—an amendment to TN Code 39, Chapter 13, entitled “Offenses Against Persons” makes the “the illegal use of a narcotic drug while pregnant,” an “assaultive offense…if [a woman’s] child is born addicted to or harmed by the narcotic drugs or for criminal homicide... Read more

Alaenor London is a native of Memphis, TN. After completing undergraduate studies at the University of Memphis, she accepted a call to ministry and enrolled in Vanderbilt Divinity School where she focused on Gender and Sexual Ethics. In 2012, she was ordained by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Tennessee Region. Since accepting her call Rev. London has focused on Reproductive Justice as an integral part of her ministry. Follow her on Twitter @RevLanaFayeAlaenor’s Contributions:1. What Now? Pregnancy Criminalization and Christian... Read more

by Andre E. Johnson R3 Editor In what would become his last public speech, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, in Memphis, Tennessee, told the audience in Mason Temple that night: Now the other thing we’ll have to do is this: Always anchor our external direct action with the power of economic withdrawal…..We don’t have to argue with anybody. We don’t have to curse and go around acting bad with our words. We don’t need any bricks and bottles. We don’t... Read more

My son, Jess Rainer, and I conducted an extensive study of the Millennials, those persons born between 1980 and 2000. We specifically surveyed 1,200 of the older Millennials, those who were born between 1980 and 1991. The results of the study were fascinating on a number of levels. But, probably to the surprise of few, we found that views on sexuality among these young adults are dramatically different from previous generations. As a Boomer, I thought I was part of... Read more

It’s among the hottest of the hot button issues in American culture, but increasingly same-sex marriage is also a matter of dispute within Christian churches. This week, the temperature rose once again with the release of “God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships” by Matthew Vines. The book, written by a former Harvard University student whose “The Bible and Homosexuality” lecture went viral on YouTube two years ago, was met with swift criticism from conservative Christians... Read more

by Peter GathjeR3 Contributor This morning brought thunderstorms with heavy rain, thunder, and lightening. We opened Manna House early to let guests in from the pouring rain. Several had been huddled across the street, seeking shelter at the front of a building that has a small overhang. We were all wet by the time I got the front gate and front door of Manna House open. As others straggled in they were more than just wet, they were thoroughly soaked.I... Read more

The famed Riverside Church in Manhattan has recommended the Rev. Amy Butler as its seventh senior minister, the first woman to lead the congregation in its 83-year-old history. Butler has been senior minister of Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., for 11 years. The church has about 300 members with an estimated 150 people in attendance on Sunday mornings. When she arrived at Calvary, she inherited a church that had dwindled from 5,000 parishioners to about 70 on a Sunday. As pastor,... Read more

When I was in undergrad, one of the first courses I took in religious studies was Introduction to the Bible 101. It was taught by a Hebrew Bible scholar who also identified as a second-wave feminist. Throughout the semester, we learned how to examine the Old Testament using the scientific method. While many of my white, more conservative evangelical classmates left the class in unspoken rage because of the questions the professor raised, I began to learn how to read... Read more