Ben Carson was asked the “simple” question of whether he believed the Bible has authority over the Constitution. Carson squirmed and contorted his way out of giving an answer. But his non-answer spoke as loudly as any response he could have offered. Either Carson does not understand how our faith fits in American society or he is too afraid to admit it. Many Christians have a fundamental misunderstanding of America. America is not a Christian nation. We are not governed... Read more
Maybe somewhere in an alternate universe there is headline catching the attention of the masses: “FOX News Caught Intentionally Lying to Viewers. Shock Around the Nation as CEO Resigns in Shame.” But in this universe, no one bats an eye when we’re told that Fox News outright lies to their viewers. As a matter of fact, it has become an accepted and expected reality of our daily news consumption. And I’m sure someone will respond to this post with, “Well,... Read more
Editors’ Note: This article is part of the Patheos Public Square on the Future of Progressive Christianity in America. Read other perspectives beginning this evening here. “…I saw also the Lord…high and lifted up, and His train filled the Temple.” When you’ve seen God from the perspective of Isaiah in the year King Uzziah died, you realize that God is high and lifted up far above the confines of the temple. And while His train may fill the temple,... Read more
There are so many questions surrounding the death of 28-year-old Sandra Bland. The story in itself is heart wrenching. There are so many thoughts that I want to express and conversations I want to start with regard to her life, her faith, and what happened from the time those officers stopped her for a minor traffic violation and her death. But I need time to digest things further. But what I couldn’t wait for was the opportunity to share what... Read more
It amazes me how intellectually nimble people can be with regard to one issue while simultaneously being obtuse with regard to another. The mental gymnastics in which many Evangelicals and Catholics engage in order to convince themselves that they are the real victims of persecution in America are worthy of a gold medal. There is no issue too grim, too new, or too heartbreaking that they will not wholly co-opt for the purposes of convincing themselves that they are, in America, the... Read more
It would appear that many of our pastors have a flair for the dramatics. Several of you have promised to burn yourselves alive in opposition to the Supreme Court’s impending decision on gay marriage. Before just you guys “catch on fire,” I think there are a few things you should know. First, your protests are going under the guise that the decision on gay marriage will inextricably violate your rights as Christians and as clergy. Neither of these is true and you are... Read more
My father was a pastor for over forty-years. My mother served beside him the entire time. One thing they taught me growing up was to be careful of who you let pray for you. “Everyone isn’t praying in your favor.” I have noticed in this past week many Christians “praying” for South Carolina in one breath and then refusing to confront the glaringly obvious problem of racism that led that devil to murder nine innocent people. For many, the race-driven... Read more
What happens when the devil comes to church? What does he find? I can imagine exactly what the churchgoers thought when the devil first entered Emanuel AME. They saw an unfamiliar face and were taken aback, yet pleasantly surprised. Here was a newcomer– a “first-time” visitor. It didn’t matter that this young man was white; they welcomed and embraced him. And for an hour before they were murdered, they loved him unconditionally. “As it is written, For thy sake we are killed... Read more
I wanted to wait until I heard Rachel Dolezal speak on her own behalf before I offered any written commentary on the issue. I wanted to hear from her own mouth why she self-identifies as a black woman. So, I listened intently to every word Rachel said in her Today Show interview — waiting, anticipating, and looking for her to say what every black person birthed from the struggle of the black experience in America has declared: “I love being black!”... Read more
One of the pillars of the Evangelical marriage to the Republican Party is the Pro-Life movement. By far, this movement is one of the most passionate and mobilized groups in America. But I wonder have they ever taken a moment to ask themselves the question of why, according to the Guttmacher Institute, 65 percent of all abortions are performed on Christian patients (37 percent Protestant and 28 percent Catholic). Sometimes I wonder if they even know this statistic. And if... Read more
God is Not a Republican
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