Should Politically Active Churches Lose Their Tax-exemption?

Last updated on: April 22, 2023 at 2:27 pm By Ginny Baxter

Many should – but there’s a problem While millions of Americans scramble to file their 2022 federal income returns by April 18, one group can relax. Faith organizations and charities don’t pay federal, state or local taxes on donations, gifts and other unearned income unless they become overtly political. Unfortunately, many churches bend federal tax law to the breaking point, which begs the question: should they lose their tax-exempt status? Without question, I believe many of them should. What Does... Read more

Has the Christian Flag Become Too Politicized?

Last updated on: April 7, 2023 at 7:23 pm By Ginny Baxter

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Yes — We Need to Rid Ourselves of It & Christian Nationalism Red, White and Very Blue Christianity and the Christian flag have become politicized by the growth of Christian nationalism, which begs the question: Should churches remove the Christian flag from their sanctuaries altogether or leave it and associate themselves with dangerous right-wing ideology? Sadly, very sadly, my answer is to remove it — unless the church supports extreme right-wing politics. Vista La Mesa Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)... Read more

As Antisemitism Reaches Crisis Level, Christians Must Fight. Here’s How….

Last updated on: April 8, 2023 at 10:17 am By Ginny Baxter

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My most recent post, “Antisemitism Is a Problem for Everyone, Including Christians,” looked at how antisemitism is gaining ground in the United States. The post contained data from the Anti-Defamation League, talked about how the rise of antisemitism parallels the rise of Christian nationalism, described what antisemitism looked like in the 20th century and showed how it can happen again. Today, we’ll see how Christians should respond. A Groundbreaking Call to Action “The United States is facing the greatest crisis... Read more

Antisemitism Is a Problem for Everyone, Including Christians

Last updated on: April 2, 2023 at 6:07 pm By Ginny Baxter

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Antisemitism never dies, and sadly, the number of hate crimes against Jewish people in the U.S. is rising once again. As more and more people are assaulted, Christians need to remember that antisemitism is everyone’s problem. We cannot sit silently and idly on the sidelines if we truly embrace Christ’s message of love and inclusion. Doing nothing in the face of hatred is unacceptable. And it’s unchristian. Hatred in Their Hearts Right-wing “Christian” extremists claim that they follow Christ. Some... Read more

Why Does the Easter Bunny Bring Eggs? And How Did Other Fanciful Easter Traditions Begin?

Last updated on: March 29, 2023 at 6:59 pm By Ginny Baxter

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My plans for Patheos posts have taken a small detour as we approach Easter. The two most recent posts are factual rather than fanciful: (1) Lent as a time to spring clean your home as well as your soul and (2) joyful Easter traditions of various cultures around the world. The next article, which is half-written, concerns the irony of virulent antisemitism within a religion – that is, Christianity – which worships a Jewish man as the Son of God.... Read more

Christ the Lord is Risen! And Worldwide, Methodists Observe Easter with A Mixture of Hope & Fear

Last updated on: March 26, 2023 at 4:36 pm By Ginny Baxter

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Easter is the most sacred day of the year for Christians. It recalls the joyous day 2,000 years ago when Mary Magdalene discovered Christ’s empty tomb, as described in John 20. And while millions of Methodists and other Christians celebrate Easter with a high-spirited greeting — Christ the Lord is risen! — millions of others face ongoing persecution and deadly violence as they attempt to practice their faith. As we approach this holy day, let me share some of... Read more

Lent: A Deep Spring Cleaning of the Soul

Last updated on: March 16, 2023 at 8:16 pm By Ginny Baxter

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Spring has been deceptive this year with warm weather coming and going, teasing us along, and all the while the calendar telling us that it’s still winter. And Lent has begun. It’s appropriately timed for another ritual of spring — spring cleaning. For Christians who observe the Lenten season, it also means spring cleaning of the soul. It’s a time when we wipe away every bit of dust in our homes, metaphorically speaking, wash the curtains and rugs, take down... Read more

St. Patrick: How Pirates, a Druid Chieftain & Catholics Shaped the Man Behind the Legend

Last updated on: March 17, 2023 at 9:27 am By Ginny Baxter

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Leprechauns, snakes and shamrocks may come to mind when you think of St. Patrick, but the real man never met a leprechaun, nor did he encounter any snakes — at least in 5th century Ireland. What St. Patrick did encounter were pirates and slavery, Druids and Christianity, and they all influenced his life. So, let’s meet the man behind the legend. Let’s meet the real St. Patrick. Who Was He? The man we know as St. Patrick was born in... Read more

Selling Christ: Can ‘He Gets Us’ Get Results?

Last updated on: February 14, 2024 at 8:32 am By Ginny Baxter

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Christ apparently needs a new image. A small group of wealthy conservative Christians has decided to market Christ as relatable, inclusive and loving in a three-year $1 billion marketing campaign called He Gets Us. The campaign launched in certain markets last year and went nationwide during this year’s Super Bowl. Can He Gets Us get results? Christianity has a tangled history that has often seen Christians behaving in very un-Christian ways. Non-Christians see the anger, hatred and self-righteous attitudes, and... Read more

The Faith of a Mustard Seed

Last updated on: February 27, 2023 at 12:41 am By Ginny Baxter

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…and the extraordinary evangelism of a woman named Agnes and a man named Mitsuo. The Bible tells us we can move mountains when we have faith the size of a tiny mustard seed. That’s surely an exaggeration — or is it? As we live our Christian lives, remember the mustard seed. When I think about faith and a mustard seed, I think about the remarkable faith-driven lives of the biblical Ruth and the Apostle Paul, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,... Read more