I love Thanksgiving. It is by far my favorite holiday. Christmas can take a hike – I want to eat Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce – give me Thanksgiving! Plus you have the great story of the Pilgrims and Native Americans sharing a meal in peace. It seems that it’s the perfect holiday. However, the last couple of decades have brought doubt on the actual story of Thanksgiving. The brutal nature of the Settlers is contrasted with kindness of the American... Read more
If you ask a White Conservative Christian in America if they’re under attack, you might hear “yes!” Much of this subset feels that they are being forced out of their beliefs. Ultra conservative and fundamentalist preachers spout on about the secularization of America. They have started to become more active politically, focusing on school boards and local elections to further their beliefs in government. Even still, there is a lack of what Frederick Douglas called ‘praying with your legs’. “I... Read more
Christian theology has a long history of apologetics. While we might think of apologetics today as someone proving a literal 6-day creation or historical credibility of the Bible, the legacy of apologetics is rooted in philosophy. Christianity sprouted in the midst of Greek philosophy and has its fingerprint throughout the New Testament and the Early Church Fathers. Philosophy has tried to define and prove that God exists. Different philosophers in different eras have put together arguments for the existence of... Read more
Halloween is the time to think all things creepy. There is one town in America that may be synonymous with the devil – Salem, Massachusetts. The witch trials of Salem have been speculated by historians and enjoyed by our modern-day horror fans. However, Salem wasn’t the only witch scare and trials in the Colonies. Almost fifty years before the witch trials in Salem, there was a problem in Connecticut. The Connecticut Witch Trials The Connecticut Witch Trials began in 1647... Read more
Spooky season rolls on and we have another interesting topic to explore. I’ve already talked about the history of the origins of Friday the 13th. We will continue our celebration of the Halloween season with the next eerie image – the black cat. My wife loves black cats – she grew up with a pair of them. Even though we have a ginger cat now, she is constantly looking out for a black cat to adopt. While some people love... Read more
I grew up in a Christian tradition that was completely anti-Halloween. We were not allowed to Trick-or-Treat, and the church took the idea of the Devil’s Day very seriously. Halloween was not a holiday to play around with. This was a dangerous day for Christians because Satan had free reign over the earth. In fact, Christian mythology and superstition have played a large part in the spooky ideas that haunt the month of October. This year, October will include two... Read more
It has been a wild year for labor. Starting in February, CNBC reports about 362,000 workers have been on strike this year alone. That’s over double the amount in 2021 and 2022 combined. From bus drivers in Alaska, teachers in Los Angeles, writers and actors in Hollywood, and the United Auto Workers, labor has shown itself to be a force. Can a Christian, in good conscience, support or join a striking labor union? It depends on who you ask. Conservative Christian thought... Read more
The Universal Church is in a major period of change. The Church is finding healthy roots in the Global South and the Mainline denominations are having trouble keeping up. In America, Baptists hold a majority of power – both in the Church and in government. The Church is struggling to find itself in the new century. It seems that the Church has been here before. Each time, the Church at the crossroads has found a way forward. The last major... Read more
Fall is fast approaching and it’s a beautiful time in New England. The leaves are changing colors and there is a nip in the air. I work on a university campus which has seen the arrival of students for the fall semester. Everything is pointing towards autumn. Depending on your personal preference, fall can be the start of pumpkin spice, horror movies, or maybe both. In much of the liturgical Church calendar, we’re in a period called ‘Time After Pentecost’.... Read more
There seems to be a trend that people aren’t going to church anymore. According to some, this is a new phenomenon. H0wever, the American Church has seemingly had this fear for decades. The secularization of the country has created panic for the conservative denominations. Looking back to the Scopes Monkey trial, Fundamentalism has been concerned with the religious life of Americans. Lifeway put out an article in June of this year about the lack of church attendance. They note that... Read more
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