As my piece today at Current suggests, I see a lot of continuity between the Obama and Biden presidencies. Obama inherited the 2008 recession. Biden inherited COVID-19, an economic recession, racial tensions, and the Trump-induced threats to American democracy. Both […]
human dignity
Michelle Obama’s DNC convention speech was deeply Christian
After the first night of the Democratic National Convention I tuned into Fox News. Laura Ingraham was on the air and, as might be expected, she was trashing the convention. I stopped watching after about forty minutes of analysis from […]
When the *imago Dei* gets politicized
I have noticed a lot of conversation of late about the Judeo-Christian idea that human beings are created in the “image of God” (imago Dei). In his speech at Mount Rushmore last weekend, Donald Trump said “Every child, of every […]
Evangelicals Urge Trump to Release People From Immigration Detention Facilities
Here is the Associated Press: NEW YORK – Nine leaders at evangelical Christian organizations are urging the Trump administration to release people from immigration detention facilities “who do not pose a threat to public safety” during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly […]
Remember the Elderly
This is an important reminder from Shai Held, president, dean, and chair in Jewish Thought at Hadar. Here is a taste of his recent piece at The Atlantic: Why do I say “the elderly”? In its biblical context, the obligation to […]
Teaching MLK’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
After a couple weeks focusing on “creation” in my Created Called for Community (CCC) course at Messiah College, we have shifted gears slightly to focus on the meaning of “community.” Our first reading on this front was Martin Luther King […]
Joe Biden on Faith and Politics
Over at Religion News Service, thee former Vice-President and current Democratic candidate for President reflects on the ways his Catholic faith informs his politics. Here is a taste: Today’s politics are too toxic, mean and divisive. People are too quick […]
National Cathedral: “Mr. Trump’s words are dangerous”
The spiritual leaders of the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. have had enough. Here is their recent press release titled “Have We No Decency?: A Response to President Trump: The escalation of racialized rhetoric from the President of the United States […]
Michael Gerson: Christians Are In "Grave Spiritual Danger" Under Trump
Michael Gerson continues his full-blown frontal assault on Donald Trump from the pages of The Washington Post. In yesterday’s column Gerson admits that evangelical Christians may have it easier under Trump. For example, today Trump reinstated a ban on using U.S. funds […]
My Piece on The Kasich Way at Religion News Service
Blog readers are familiar with my take on the presidential candidacy of John Kasich. I develop these ideas (and contextualize them) in my latest piece at Religion News Service. Here is a taste: (RNS) Republican Party leaders want John Kasich […]
The Origin of Christian Human Rights
Check out Lilian Calles Barger interview with Samuel Moyn, history professor at Harvard and author of Christian Human Rights. Here is Barger’s summary of Moyn’s book: Samuel Moyn is Professor of Law and History at Harvard University. InChristian Human Rights (University of […]
Quote of the Day
…the real poor are revealed as those who refuse to see themselves as such. They consider themselves rich, but they are actually the poorest of the poor. This is because they are slaves to sin, which leads them to use […]
Michael Gerson on What Evangelicals Can Learn From the Pope
Gerson is an evangelical, but he also wants to seek common ground with the message of Pope Francis. He has hard words for the Christian Right and looks to Francis as a model for evangelical public engagement because the Pope […]
Why Have Progressives Been Silent on the Planned Parenthood Video?
Very few progressives seem to be speaking out against what a Planned Parenthood doctor is saying in this video: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxwVuozMnU] The progressives on my Facebook and Twitter feeds have said almost nothing. The only person of the religious left […]
Lessons from the Chick-fil-A–Shane Windmeyer Friendship
From Elizabeth Tenety at The Washington Post: Shane Windmeyer, executive director of the LGBT group Campus Pride, wrote a hugely viral blogpost for the Huffington Post this week in which he explained how he became friends with Dan Cathy, the […]
Why Are Americans Becoming More Pro Life?
According to a very recent Gallup Poll, the number of “pro-choice” Americans has reached a record low at 41%. Ashley McGuire, the editor of altcatholicah, a website that is devoted to “exploring faith and gender,” offers some reasons why Americans […]
Catholic Leaders Slam Santorum and Gingrich for Their Remarks on Race and Poverty
The U.S. Catholic bishops oppose racism and support government programs such as food stamps and unemployment benefits. As you may know, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have said some very harsh things on the campaign trail about “black people,” food […]