Latest Articles
Why Sarah Palin is right about baptism by waterboarding
In a speech now heard ’round the Christian world, Sarah Palin said at an NRA rally that “waterboarding is how we’d baptize terrorists” if she were president.
Christians were up in arms about the apparent blasphemy of the statement, shocked that she would sacrilegiously connect waterboarding with the Christian sacrament of baptism.
Guidelines for hosting a speaker
I used to roll my eyes at the conference speaker divas who had a whole list of demands, until I needed to develop a few of my own guidelines....
Book of Hours, by Kevin Young
The sudden death of a parent and years of smoldering grief that follow, the breathless anticipation of the birth of a child and years of awkward wonder that follow—these experiences are among the s...
Historic Riverside Church to vote on woman as senior minister
Amy Butler is poised to become the seventh senior minister and the first woman to lead the famed Riverside Church in Manhattan....
UCC sues state over gay marriage ban
The United Church of Christ has sued the state of North Carolina over its constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, saying the 2012 amendment violates the religious freedom of its clergy....
Rwanda and after
On the international scene, Rwanda has become a synonym for doing nothing in the face of genocide. After 20 years, what's changed?
Seen and unseen at Emmaus
The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus is a favorite of mine. I love the image of pilgrims traveling together, struggling to understand tragedy and loss. I love that Jesus enters the story as a pushy traveling companion who sidles up beside them and talks their ears off for the rest of the trip.
And I love that it's not Jesus' incisive exegesis of the promises in scripture that open the disciples' eyes to his identity. It is his presence with them at a shared meal
Essential books: Spring books
Our fall books issue includes annotated lists of essential titles on evolution and human origins, religion in the American South, and Jewish thought.
Papal indulgence
The Borgias series has a human, believable Pope Alexander VI. But it misses opportunities to make more of holiness as well as of sin.
Getting ready to age out
It’s one of the most discouraging realities in our society: foster kids who “age out” or leave the foster system and have to fend for themselves....
How to make the most of Twitter without getting lost in an endless stream of tweets
A few months ago, a Twitter friend deleted her account in favour of Facebook, then signed on again because she missed the interaction with her Twitter friends....
Bible survey: Many Americans scramble their Scripture
c. 2014 Religion News Service
(RNS) The Bible encourages the “repression of women,” and it’s silent on such fraught topics as war or slavery....
Losing my religion: Clergy who no longer believe gather online
c. 2014 Religion News Service...
Pope asks forgiveness for clergy sexual abuse scandal
In his strongest personal remarks yet on the clergy sexual abuse scandal, Pope Francis asked forgiveness “for the damage” that abusive priests have inflicted on children and pledged that the Cathol...
Muslims cheer shutdown of NYPD spying unit
Muslim and civil rights groups welcomed the news that the New York City Police Department’s Demographics Unit will disband but said they still fear they may be targets of warrantless surveillance.<...