Christians Should Be On the Front Lines of Environmentalism-So Why Aren’t We?

Last updated on: April 24, 2019 at 12:04 pm By Shane Phipps

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind” -Job 12:7-10 The Bible has dozens of verses about the environment. They all point to the fact that God was... Read more

Empty Tombs and Empty Shells

Last updated on: April 21, 2019 at 5:33 pm By Shane Phipps

For Christians around the world, Easter is about an empty tomb symbolizing victory over death. Without Christ’s fulfillment of the prophesy of the sacrificial lamb and his ultimate resurrection after three days in the tomb, Christianity would have never emerged. Some reading this are probably thinking the world would be better off without Christianity and, believe me, the way some have represented it throughout history and today, I feel you. But I’ve been reflecting on the concept of life, death,... Read more

Tiger Woods Stands in the Breach of the American Faith and Political Dilemma

Last updated on: April 16, 2019 at 9:06 am By Shane Phipps

You can’t escape the news about Tiger Woods the last few days. He’s trending no matter where you get your news. As I’ve been reflecting on this remarkable athlete’s latest landmark accomplishment–winning his 5th Masters title and his 15th major championship–I’ve begun to realize that Tiger Woods creates a dilemma for the Christians who follow his career, both conservatives and progressives. Tiger Woods stands in the breach of America’s faith and political dilemma. Full disclosure: I am a golf nut.... Read more

My Name is Shane. I’m a Recovering Conservative Christian

Last updated on: April 13, 2019 at 8:33 pm By Shane Phipps

THE TWELVE STEPS FOR RECOVERING CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ONE We admitted we were powerless over the political indoctrination supplied by our conservative churches and news sources in which we immersed ourselves —that our critical thinking had become unmanageable and our capacity for empathy severely weakened. TWO We came to believe that being followers of Christ’s teachings, focusing on loving our neighbors–all of them–and finding empathy for the least of these our brothers and sisters could restore us... Read more

White Privilege: what it is, what it isn’t, and why so many of us don’t want to talk about it.

Last updated on: April 13, 2019 at 3:26 pm By Shane Phipps

Andy and I grew up in a small, all white town in Indiana, smack in the middle of “Sundown Town” country. We moved on to live in big cities. Andy married a black woman and has a mixed race teenager. We decided to sit down and have an in depth discussion about our past as it relates to our present—of how we came to understand that white privilege in which we were enveloped—and of how exposure to others’ experiences has... Read more

Policies vs. People, the Message Lost in the Pence/Buttigieg Squabble

Last updated on: April 12, 2019 at 8:58 pm By Shane Phipps

Pete Buttigieg has cannonballed into the national political pool and made a remarkable splash. I wrote an article endorsing him a couple weeks ago that made a big splash, too. Between the times it was shared on social media platforms and here at my Patheos column, that article sparked a conversation and debate that resulted in thousands of comments. This just shows that Mayor Pete has the “it factor” necessary to move the needle. That’s exactly what the Democratic Party... Read more

They Know Not What They Do

Last updated on: April 12, 2019 at 9:23 am By Shane Phipps

My column here is called Empathy Mining. It’s an important theme that I try to weave into most everything I write. Most often, I try to get people to feel empathy for the downtrodden and marginalized. Too often, that probably comes out in ways that make the folks across the aisle feel marginalized by my words. That fact isn’t lost on me–and if I forget, someone is always quick to remind me in the comment sections. As a Christian–and formerly a... Read more

Twenty Won’t Be Teens (Remembering Newtown)

Last updated on: April 11, 2019 at 10:23 pm By Shane Phipps

This week, as I was watching my 8th grade class take a quiz, I had an article pop up on my screen about the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. As a teacher, that day is one of the most gut-wrenching memories of my career. I couldn’t believe it when it happened and I still can’t get my mind around it. That a madman could stroll into an elementary school and coldly mow down 26 innocent lives–20 of... Read more

Even Though

Last updated on: April 8, 2019 at 8:58 pm By Shane Phipps

Even Though By Shane Phipps You love me even though I don’t deserve you Even though I fall you stay with me I’ve often wronged you even though I never meant to Even though I’m caught in traps you set me free I’m anxious even though you say “be still” Even though you say to trust you I resist You’re patient even though I’m so strong-willed Even though you are the light I walk in mist Even though... Read more

Social Media and the 24-Hour News Cycle is Depressing a Generation

Last updated on: April 8, 2019 at 4:15 pm By Shane Phipps

Although it feels like it’s been around forever, social media is a very new thing, relatively speaking. Facebook has only been around for about 15 years and it’s pretty much the grand daddy. Students in school right now are the first generation to grow up with exposure to social media for their entire lives. This, coupled with the 24-hour news cycle–by which we are all inundated constantly–has created a world where it is very difficult to find peace. It can’t... Read more