It is not often that people sit down at dinner parties to share their concerns over the state of the church. After some small talk, the conversation quickly went there the other night. He was an older, thoughtful, kind-hearted man, who had been around the Christian block. There was no edge to his remarks, just a dull pain and longing in his heart. Now retired, he had been in the corporate world as an administrator. Among other things, he grieved... Read more
A gay friend shared with me today how delighted he is in the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage; he spoke of how the ruling brought validation to same-sex couples he knows who have waited for years for equal rights. Yesterday a friend on the other side of the issue shared her consternation. Many people with social conservative convictions fear that they and their views will be consigned to the closet, just like gays and lesbians in the past... Read more
The racist massacre in Charleston, South Carolina this past week highlights our need as a nation to overcome white supremacy with solidarity. African American Pastor David Greenidge of Tigard Covenant Church in Tigard, Oregon shared with me Saturday that the media has drawn significant attention to the horror of white supremacy and its victims in this tragedy, but more needs to be said about the need for solidarity in our communities across the nation. We will only be able to... Read more
By Paul Louis Metzger and John W. Morehead Christians in America need to reflect on two recent issues pertaining to Christian citizenship in a multi-faith society. In early May, Pamela Geller, a New York blogger and anti-Muslim activist, sponsored a “Jihad Watch Muhammad Art Exhibit and Cartoon Contest” in Garland, Texas as a way of promoting free speech. In some segments of the Muslim world artistic depictions of the Prophet Muhammad are forbidden and considered blasphemous. In response to Geller’s cartoon... Read more
On Memorial Day, Americans remember those who died in active military service. Regardless of one’s view of war(s), it is important that we pay respects to those who have offered their own lives for others’ freedom. I, for one, live in relative comfort and ease, in part because of their sacrifice. I am reminded of their sacrifice not just on Memorial Day, but also on other days when I encounter veterans undergoing post-traumatic stress. A few have shared with me... Read more
One of the striking features of Acts chapter 2 is that the Spirit’s descent at Pentecost led the people gathered from around the world to speak in different languages: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of... Read more
I used to sit and watch with amazement as basketball superstar Michael Jordan ascended to the rim with the basketball in his outstretched hand. His hang time was unbelievable. It was almost as if he defied gravity, as he made his way to the rim for one of his jaw-dropping dunks or reverse layups as a basketball god. Jesus also has some serious hang time. Jesus defies gravity in his ascension. Sorry Air Jordan and Sir Isaac Newton. And yet, when... Read more
The Pew Research Center recently released “America’s Changing Religious Landscape: Christians Decline Sharply as Share of Population; Unaffiliated and Other Faiths Continue to Grow.” I have witnessed various responses and reactions to it. A few of the responses I have appreciated are “’Cause We Are Living in a Pluralist World…” and “What Are We Talking About When We Talk About Christian Decline In America: A Brief Reflection on the Pew Report.” Should Christians fear America’s changing religious landscape? Should we... Read more
Have you ever felt that no matter how hard you work, it is never enough? Women and people of diverse ethnicities often feel this way. For example, no matter how far African Americans come, many feel that they will never meet with the approval of the dominant society’s expectations. There is a white ceiling, which many people in our society cannot see. The agonizing sense of never being able to ascend and arrive at one’s envisioned destination can even be true for an African... Read more
I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a mom. Child bearing alone is hard to fathom. Moms have to endure kicks in the womb and the pain of pushing the fetus into the world. While the physical umbilical cord is surgically cut at birth, moms often have to experience their children severing the emotional umbilical cord with the equivalent of a figurative dull, rusty knife later on in life. Child rearing is often thankless work, even though it is... Read more
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