Baptists Need to Know Jack
We celebrate many early Baptist giants. Thomas Helwys. Roger Williams. John Leland. Adoniram and Anne Judson. Luther Rice. But there’s one we generally don’t know: Jack.
How the US Military Has Embraced Growing Religious Diversity
In 1917, when the United States entered the World War I, chaplaincy was a majority white and fully Christian organization. No law specifically stated the acceptable religious backgrounds of military chaplains, but only mainline Protestant ministers and Catholic priests wore the insignia of the military’s
The Rise of Fundamentalist Catholicism
(RNS) — It is normal and customary to identify Pope Francis's conservative critics as "traditionalists." But much of what they say is a far cry from Catholic tradition — not least their criticism of the pope itself. We need a new way to identify them.
In the Sacred Stillness of Arlington National Cemetery
(RNS) — While many Americans perceive Veterans Day as just another holiday that features special sales at countless shopping malls, that is not my view of November 11th. It has always been a solemn season of remembrance.
Homeless
“You did what?” my wife asked. “I sold our house.” It was then that it hit me: For the first time in 37 years, we did not have a house to call our own.
Returning to Our Litigious Vomit
Throughout much of the book of Judges a consistent pattern emerges: the Israelites disobey God, find themselves oppressed for many years, a judge arises to bring peace for a few decades, and then they start the cycle all over.
Crying for Justice
Over the weekend, U.S. Special Operations forces trapped terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who then killed himself with a suicide blast. The world is safer with al-Baghdadi no longer planning terrorist activities. But that doesn’t mean we should cheer his death.
For Our Own Sake, No One Should ‘Die Like a Dog’
(RNS) — Sometimes, it is necessary to kill. But, you should never be happy about it. That was precisely my feeling in the aftermath of the assassination of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Facing Distractions in Everyday Life
(WW) -- There are multiple truths that we all will learn as we seek to become faithful followers of God. One of those truths is that at some point we all will face distractions that intend to get us to trust in someone other than
Justice vs. Authority
(WW) — A recent CNN piece explored how contemporary Christian music largely ignores contemporary moral concerns. But one line in the piece particularly caught my eye — and not in a good way.