Faithful Exchange Book Review

Last updated on: January 24, 2026 at 4:05 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

This book instantly grabbed me, both by its title and its author. Faithful Exchange is written by David W. Opderbeck, a Law Professor and Co-Director of the Gibbons Institute of Law, Science & Technology at Seton Hall University Law School. The book has received high praise from theologians and law professors alike, including one of my favorite theologians Walter Bruggemann. Opderbeck lays out the conundrum of Christians in modern society. “There is no escaping some form of economy, with requirements... Read more

Wesleyan Vile-Tality Book Review

Last updated on: November 5, 2025 at 11:30 am By Brad Thibodeaux

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I have to admit, I am not part of the UMC, but this book caught my eye. As I’m sure it did for you, the idea of ‘vile’ Christianity did not sound like something that was worth reclaiming. However, Ashley Boggan, the current UMC General Secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History, puts forth a great argument for the United Methodist Church to become ‘vile’ again. This book is well written, even with the historical focus. It... Read more

Psychedelics and Christian Faith

Last updated on: August 17, 2025 at 2:51 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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I love talking about drugs and Christianity. Typically, my discussions revolve around how the Church ought to engage those who struggle with dependency and addiction, but this is a nice side-step. In Psychedelics and Christian Faith, author Ron Cole-Turner looks at the history of psychedelic use throughout cultures, the emerging science around how psychedelics can be used in medical settings to treat mental illness, and how the Church can think about spiritual experiences from use of psychedelics. You can find the book... Read more

When God and Country Collide

Last updated on: March 8, 2025 at 6:26 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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In front of 20,000 people, devoted Nazi Dr. Reinhold Krause gave a speech in Berlin. Its purpose was to fully unite the new German Church with the new Nazi Party. As Mary M Solberg notes in her book A Church Undone, “The stenographers who transcribed the speech noted in parentheses the audience’s frequent and enthusiastic responses to Krause’s performance.” (p. 249). God and Country were uniting under the banner of “the People’s Church”. This was a huge moment in the story of... Read more

White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to the Church

Last updated on: March 6, 2025 at 5:38 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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The Church is in a Precarious Place If you’re reading this, this probably isn’t new for you. I am worried about the state of the American Church. Well, I guess I should specify. I am afraid of the state of the White American Christian Church. The Church is in a precarious place right now, and it’s under threat from White Christian Nationalism. There is a lot of support for Trump from the Religious Right. This support comes not in spite... Read more

Give Unto Caesar is the Lost Parable

Last updated on: February 12, 2025 at 11:34 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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I love this conversation! I’ve often said that we misinterpret Jesus’ remark to ‘give unto Caesar what is his, and give to God what is God’s’. I’ve heard it growing up that we are to pay our taxes and be good citizens. After all, that’s literally what the verse says. However, it seems to me that this is another parable that we have missed. Not only a parable, I would say this falls into the paradox category. Fun! Let’s Define Some Terms First off,... Read more

John Rawls and Justice: A Christian Perspective

Last updated on: February 10, 2025 at 11:14 am By Brad Thibodeaux

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I’ve talked about justice before, but it always help to revisit ideas. Especially as we consider what justice is in our current unjust society. While I write on the action of justice in an earlier article, let’s talk about John Rawls’ Theory of Justice. Rawls – Philosopher and Ethicist Perhaps John Rawls’ greatest contribution to the field of ethics is his 1971 book A Theory of Justice. While he wrote up until his death in 2002, this really kicked off the conversation. There... Read more

The Heart of the Nation is Good, but our Soul is Rotten

Last updated on: November 7, 2024 at 9:02 am By Brad Thibodeaux

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In her concession speech, Harris claimed that the ideals of this country are at the heart and that they are “the ideals that reflect America at our best”. Unfortunately, our soul is rotten to the core. Jesus said in Matt 7:17 that a good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor a bad tree good fruit. Our tradition, through Paul, uses the fruit of the spirit to remind us what good fruit is. And the apostle John tells us that there... Read more

Book Review: Trump and the MAGA Movement as Anit-Christ

Last updated on: November 4, 2024 at 4:39 pm By Brad Thibodeaux

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With the 2024 election only hours away, there is a lot of rhetoric about what a Christian ought to do. American Christians have a power that is not clearly articulated in Scripture. We have the power of make a choice – electio in Latin. So what are we going to do with our vote? Matthew Fox is a spiritual theologian, an Episcopal priest and an activist for gender justice and eco-justice. While his writing is prolific, this newest book focuses on the... Read more

What is the shortest book in the New Testament?