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You never know the day your life will change—or the person who will change it. For me, her name was Om Hassan. I was 23, an American soldier…
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Charlottesville Call to Conscience
By RLC EditorEditor’s Note: Read this call to action by local clergy in Charlottesville, VA, inviting faith communities around the country to join them in rejecting the evil ideology of white nationalism.…
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The Moral Imperative to Abolish Nuclear Weapons NOW
By Art LaffinThe recent military crisis between the U.S. and North Korea, with both countries threatening to use nuclear weapons against each other, has demonstrated to the world that the prospect of nuclear war…
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InterVarsity Offers the World a Gay Saint?
By Tim OttoLast October, InterVarsity, a Christian college ministry with chapters on 4,701 campuses, directed staff members to resign if they didn’t believe in their hearts and confess with their lips that…
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Do Good “X” for Change
If this past week of hate and tragedy has taught us anything, it’s the need for Christianity to reach beyond church walls. I see a growing interest among Christian leaders…
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Yesterday, Today, and Forever?
By Claudia MayDedicated to the multitude who live for justice, peace, and love yesterday, today, and forever. On Friday . . . We remember the men, women, and children Who wear their…
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Siding with Jesus & Justice
By Tony CampoloDuring His earthly ministry, Jesus crossed the lines of prejudice. The Apostle Paul later declared that in Christ racial, ethnic, and nationalistic barriers have been destroyed. Over the past week,…
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Salvation for White People
By melissabI grew up in a church where hell-preaching and aisle-walking were a sport. I don’t know why they insisted we wear dresses and suits to church – workout clothes and…
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Will America Pick Up Its Cross?
On Saturday, August 12, in Charlottesville, Va., I was faced with a choice: “Would I pick up my cross?” Jesus warns his disciples: “If any want to become my followers,…
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Sound the Alarm: A Liturgy for Troubling Times
“The only thing strong enough to move you from the first half of life to the second half is faith in the midst of suffering, the ability to bear darkness and…
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Lies from the Pit of Hell: The Dangerous Theology of Rev. Jeffress
Any preacher who sanctions the use of nuclear weapons is from the pit of hell. This isn’t a time to be subtle about it. Saying that God has empowered a…
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August 9th: A Day of Repentance?
August 9th is a tragic day in history. August 9, 2014, Mike Brown was killed in Ferguson. August 9, 1945, the United States dropped the nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, killing…
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The Blessedness of Reclaiming Time
I used to participate in some mommy message boards shortly after my boys Jacob (4) and Josh (1) were born. Sometimes, in the fatigue and stress and anxiety of sleeplessness…
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Repentance in the Face of God’s Reckless Love
It is 2008, and my then boyfriend (now husband) and I are discussing Proposition 8, which is a big deal right now in California. I tell him that if I…
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Red Letter Christians v. Donald Trump’s Evangelicals
By Don GoldenA candidate for president of the United States initiated his candidacy on a racist conspiracy theory designed to undermine the legitimacy of America’s first black president. He announced his presidential…
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A Good Christian Woman…Not That One
According to Google, when searching for “good Christian woman,” the top article link describes her as: Married Defined by her husband (remember, she’s married) White (see the images) Young (see…
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All Means All: Remembering Our Trans Service Members
You know those nice commercials with the service members? You know the ones, with instrumental music in the background, maybe an American flag? Then the camera cuts to the service…
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#Faith4Healthcare: On Being One with the Vulnerable
By Don GoldenYesterday, I joined 26 others in disrupting Congress to voice opposition to the vindictive Republican attempt to dismantle Obamacare – a heartless act that would leave 20-30 million more Americans…
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Keep Standing Up for Health Care: It’s Personal
By Jacqui LewisJust a few minutes ago, it happened again. As my cab speeds to JFK, I think, “Mom will want to know that I am flying. Let me give her a…
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Why Evangelicals Voted for Donald Trump…and Continue to Support Him
By Tony CampoloMore than 81% of white evangelicals in the United States voted for Donald Trump and there were reasons for this. Since most evangelicals are pro-life, many of them found that…
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We Cannot Turn Back Now: Call to Action for Healthcare
Last Tuesday, July 18th, clergy and other moral leaders returned to Senate Majority Leader McConnell’s (R-KY) office to demonstrate our opposition to any legislation that would take healthcare away from…
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#BlackClergyUprising: A ‘Call to Action’ Against the ACA Repeal & Trump Budget
As Rev. Aundreia Alexander, General Secretary for Advocacy and Action for the National Council of Churches, stepped to the stage on the evening of Monday, July 17, at Ebenezer United…
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BREAKING: Christians Unite In Direct Action to Oppose the ‘Better Care Reconciliation Act’
By RLC EditorThis morning, Christians from a range of faith traditions and ethnic backgrounds will descend on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) office to urge Congress not to leave vulnerable people without…
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The Holy Tradition of Going to Jail for Jesus
I’d like to take just a moment to make the case for civil disobedience, especially for my Christian brothers and sisters who may be reluctant to see going to jail…
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Now Is The Time For Prophetic Moral Action
On Thursday, July 13th, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell unveiled the latest version of his last ditch effort to repeal and replace Obamacare, whatever the cost. In obedience to Jeremiah 22,…
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Jesus Calls Us to Be Political, Not Partisan – Keep the Johnson Amendment
“Render unto Caesar what is Caesar, and unto God what is God’s.” – Matthew 22:21 In Matthew 22, the Pharisees ask Jesus whether it is right to pay the imperial…
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Repentance When Taking Bread & Wine
By Tony CampoloThis past Sunday, while sharing The Lord’s Supper with fellow worshippers, I was challenged to repent of my sins. Before eating the bread that symbolized Christ’s broken body or drinking…
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Hate Crime or Not, We Belong to Each Other
When we heard about the tragic killing of 17-year old Nabra Hassanen, we felt compelled to reach out and see how we could help. Through emails and Facebook messages, we…
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‘I’m Not Full American, Because I’m Not White’
By Eugene HungWhat’s more American than corn flakes, the Fourth of July, and Uncle Sam? These lyrics came sweetly from the lips of my seven-year-old daughter as we awaited a ranger program…
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The Pledge of Allegiance to Each Other
It’s time for a different kind of 4th of July. In too many Christian circles, religious nationalism has become an idol — as exemplified most recently by the church choir…
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Putting the Death Penalty on Trial
By Art LaffinEDITOR’S NOTE: Twelve abolitionist defendants were found guilty on June 29, 2017, for recently protesting against the death penalty at the U.S. Supreme Court. Several of the defendants are part…
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Why the ‘Better Care’ Act is NOT Gospel Good News
By Erin DonovanThis morning I sat in my office and was reminiscing about a recent sermon series on the gospel of Luke that I heard. The series looked at Jesus’ interactions with…
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Starvin’ for Justice: Abolishing the Death Penalty through Moral Witness
We might just be witnessing the generation that ends the death penalty in the U.S. Studies show that support for state-sanctioned executions are at an all-time low, thanks in large…
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The Power of Corporate Courage
I’ve been a critic of capitalism — especially the corporate capitalism that leaves masses of people in poverty while a handful of billionaires own the same amount of money as…
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Daring to Lead Differently
By Dori BakerWhen the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) recently brought together Christian innovators in Los Angeles, it became clear that within our individual stories and our collective memories, lie the blueprints for creating…
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Why Are Southern Baptists So Afraid of LGBTQ Inclusion?
Last week, I was kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Why, you might ask? Was I protesting? Causing a scene? Not at all. As…
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What Will It Take to Ban the Bomb?
When I was a young teenager, I would venture down to the basement where my father had his desk. He’d be plugging away at letter writing, or working on a…
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A Legacy Worth Passing On: Tony Campolo’s ‘Divine Dissatisfaction’
By RLC EditorFilm director Greg Fromholz has done it again. After first producing short-form, legacy documentaries about Christian luminaries Eugene Peterson and Phyllis Tickle, he recently finished another film featuring Tony Campolo.…
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Standing in Wonder Woman’s Boots
At age 10, my son asked me to name my favorite superhero. I told him without hesitation, Wonder Woman. He wanted to know why, which of course in his universe…
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A University for Red Letter Christians
By Tony CampoloThere are several Christian universities that hold to many of the socially progressive beliefs that are embodied in the Red Letter Christians movement — but few embody them better than…
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Our Daily Bread: The Myths of Scarcity & Abundance
In common usage, the word “myth” means something that isn’t true — a false belief or idea. However, among theologians and historians, the meaning is different. To theologians and historians,…
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Justice and Mercy for the Poor (Including Us)
Once you meet people in deep and extreme poverty, you understand the fury of the prophets. It was in a slum in Bihar, India, where my heart first cried out…
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Millennials + Minimalism…Hold on, It’s Not What You Think
By Eric MintonOne of the surrealist effects of a flood is when the waters finally recede, leaving boats once used to navigate flooded streets now overturned in the middle of a dry,…
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A Palestinian Christian Perspective on Pentecost & Hillsong’s Heart
By Shadia QubtiDear Joel Houston and new Hillsong friends, The past few weeks since I wrote about my experience at a Hillsong concert in Caesarea and then another follow-up interview, I have learned…
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Big Trouble Comin’: An Interview with Walter Brueggemann
By Don GoldenDon Golden interviews Red Letter Christian friend and renown Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann, on his book, God, Neighbor, Empire: The Excess of Divine Fidelity and the Command of Common Good (Baylor…
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Why We Must Never Forget the Plight of Refugees
There is so much hurt and anguish in the world that the suffering of an individual is often forgotten. When the news broke recently that there were talks in South…
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Dear Hillsong…Palestinians Do Exist
By Shadia QubtiI recently had lunch with my family when my sister-in-law told me that Hillsong would be performing in Israel. I’ve always enjoyed their music and performance, which enables me to…
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Redeeming the Soul of America with ‘Reverend Resistance’
In a recent Rose Garden ceremony made for television, President Trump welcomed religious leaders who blessed his campaign to celebrate “religious liberty.” With a flurry of prayer and contemporary Christian…
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The Power & Privilege of White Women
Dear White Women, A couple days ago, my two young sons stood in the kitchen, fighting over a toy from a McDonald’s Happy Meal. I have a strong desire to…
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Isolation Won’t Save Us
In the days following the 2016 presidential election, while Americans yelled at each other over Facebook and attacks against Muslims and immigrants spiked, a group of faith leaders sat down…
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HIV/AIDS: The Fight Continues
By Erin DonovanProphetic voices move mountains. I could rattle off great movement leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Gandhi, and you would shake your head in agreement with me…
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A Prayer to ‘Save Us From the Unmerciful and Un-American Health Care Act’
EDITOR’S NOTE: This prayer was issued by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, President and Sr. Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, during the National Day of Prayer on May…
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Jesus (Not Trump) Speaks at Liberty Graduation
Last night I had the strangest dream… It was graduation day at Liberty University. Donald Trump was the speaker. Jerry Falwell Jr. introduced Mr. Trump to an enthusiastic crowd… or…
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It’s Time to Detoxify Christianity
A collective of justice-seeking Christians recently recorded eight powerful discussion videos called Detoxify Christianity. In this series, we sought to center people of color and queer voices. Many of the presenters…
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Reassessing Religion through ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’
As my boyfriend and I rode the elevated train through the Chicago neighborhoods, he held a thrift store copy of The Handmaid’s Tale which he could not bear to set…
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Does God Hear the Sacred Cry of Rape Survivors?
Editor’s Note: As Sexual Assault Awareness Month draws to a close, we offer this reflection with the hope that our churches and communities will break the silence around sexual and gender-based…
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Silent No More: Marching for Truth and Science
Over the weekend, I joined over one thousand people in Long Beach, Calif., for a March for Science. Similar marches took place all across America and the world, drawing hundreds…
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From Lament to Healing: Why ‘#ThingsOnlyChristianWomenHear’ Matters
In case you’ve missed it, Twitter has been aflame this week with the #ThingsOnlyChristianWomenHear hashtag conversation about women’s experiences in the church and everyday life. Red Letter practitioner Sarah Bessey — a Christian author…
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Blessed are the Blessed in Spirit?
By Eric MintonAs I inch dangerously close to my mid-30s with nothing but two overpriced masters degrees I rub together to keep my family warm in the middle of the night, I…
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A Native Perspective on War, Terrorism, and the MOAB Bomb
By Mark CharlesLast Friday, the hosts of Fox and Friends celebrated Thursday’s dropping of the MOAB bomb by the United States military against ISIS in Afghanistan. This was the largest non-nuclear bomb…
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Gospel Rewrite: The Holy Family Becomes Refugees
A reading from the gospel according to Matthew. 2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east…
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My Journey from Standing Rock to The Lancaster Stand
By Austin SachsOn October 31, 2016, Standing Rock tipped. The protest that began in small fashion earlier last year, became a national movement as thousands across the country checked in at the…
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No Dignity on Death Row: Stop Ivan’s Execution
Unless Governor McAuliffe intervenes, Virginia will execute Ivan Teleguz on April 25th—despite evidence showing that his conviction and death sentence were based on false testimony. I have known Ivan for…
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Easter Special: Free Chapter from “Executing Grace”
By RLC EditorIn honor of Holy Week, we are making a chapter from Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It’s Killing Us, by Shane Claiborne, available for FREE.…
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Lights for Gaza & the Darkness of Lent
Considered a time of repentance, sacrifice, and deep spiritual growth, Lent embodies the dichotomy of dark and light. As we focus for 40 days on atonement, we must not forget…
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Easter in Arkansas
Arkansas is set to execute eight people over a stunning pace of 11 days. Why the rush? State officials discovered that the lethal injection drugs will expire soon. As Christians…
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Not Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, but “Pro-Voice”
The abortion debate is back in the news cycle and, once again, men are calling all the shots. As the mainstream media covers the confirmation hearings of Neil Gorsuch —…
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“A Theology of Race and Place” by Andrew T. Draper
By RLC EditorIn an era of racial profiling and exclusion of the “other,” Draper presents a critical yet hopeful vision for the joining work of the gospel.
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REVIEW: “A Theology of Race and Place”
By Tony CampoloDear Readers, I want to recommend a book which has some unique insights about race relations. A Theology of Race and Place was born out of Andrew T. Draper’s experiences in the…
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In Honor of Persistent Women
As Women’s History Month draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to honor the women—past and present—who shape every corner of our lives. With incredible grace, righteous…
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1300 Clergy Speak Out Against Discrimination in the Name of Religion
By RLC EditorAround the nation, clergy are rising up in opposition to a leaked copy of a “religious freedom” executive order drafted by the Trump administration that would undermine protections for LGBTQ…
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A Dangerous Precedent: The Death Penalty in the Hands of Gov. Rick Scott
President Trump isn’t the only one issuing unprecedented executive orders these days. Florida Governor Rick Scott recently made waves when he pulled State Attorney Aramis D. Ayala off a high-profile…
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Did We Worship Our Way to Trump?
How did we get here? No, not just how did Americans manage to elect to the presidency someone so astonishingly arrogant, persistently dishonest, brashly ignorant, fundamentally disrespectful, proudly profligate, clearly…
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REVIEW: “Better: Waking Up to Who We Could Be” by Melvin Bray
We can do a better job of waking up to the realities of the marginalized and the oppressed.
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Following Jesus in a Gilded Age
From a plan to take away healthcare from millions of Americans to a budget that proposes reorganizing government to serve corporate interests over the common good, President Trump and Speaker Ryan have made clear this…
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Jim Wallis For President
By Tony CampoloWith President Trump’s disapproval rating at an historic 54%, it’s not too early for Americans to begin working on behalf of a viable alternative for 2020. It is not a crazy idea…
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We Will Meet TrumpCare With #MoralResistance
Dear Speaker Ryan, I’m writing today on behalf of America’s Moral Movement to say that the TrumpCare you are advocating is wrong. If it passes Congress and is signed…
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Why Christian Missionaries Oppose Trump’s Muslim Ban
Recently I interviewed many missionaries on the muslim ban. They unanimously denounced it. These Christian missionaries work in Muslim countries and contexts and spoke under the condition of anonymity. After the…
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Why I Quit Church For Lent
I’m giving up church for Lent. To be truthful, I gave up church two months ago. At the beginning of January, I notified my pastor that I would be resigning…
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Bloody Sunday & the Lie of “Voter Fraud”
On the first Sunday in March, 1965, TV networks interrupted their regularly scheduled programming to show law officers on horseback chasing and beating unarmed Americans on the Edmund Pettus Bridge…
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The Death Penalty on Trial
Last month, I was arrested, along with 17 other people, as we held a banner on the steps of the Supreme Court that said: “STOP EXECUTIONS.” We were not…
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How Not To Be Evangelical This Ash Wednesday
By Eric MintonWhether or not I care to admit it, growing up Caucasian, Middle Class, and Baptist in East Tennessee has shaped the way I see and understand the world. Much of…
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Can A Juror Be Disqualified For Following Jesus?
By Tony CampoloThe constitution of our nation specifically states that our governing bodies must not utilize religious tests in determining who can and who cannot serve in government posts. Unless, I am…
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Trump, Like George Wallace, Can’t Beat #MoralResistance
On Saturday, February 11th, tens of thousands of people joined the Moral March on Raleigh to demonstrate our commitment to resist extremism in America at both the state and…
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Donald Trump Is Not My President
Presidents’ Day is the perfect day to declare that Jesus – not Donald Trump — is the hope of the world. It was the early Christians who were…
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Practical Hope In Face of Uncertainty
Many of us have been searching for a meaningful response over the last several months, when so many vulnerable people in our nation—and around the world—have felt threatened. Admittedly,…
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Red Letters Are For White Working Men Too
By Tony CampoloOlder white working class men have been hurt and are angry—and for good reason. They have suffered three-quarters of the eight million job losses caused by the 2008 financial crisis.…
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Small Things: What You Can Do Today To Resist Hate
“Then is Donald Trump still president?” my 6-year-old asked. Our family was passing around the morning’s newspaper the day after the Women’s March. I had just pinpointed where I…
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Share This: How Jesus Saves From The Facebook Wars
A post circulated amongst my Facebook friends as America swelled with opinions on President Trump’s travel ban and a federal judges decision to block it. Not taking in Syrian refugees and closing…
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Amidst Public Outrage, A Strategy for Moral Resistance
From the historic Women’s March to #NoBanNoWall protests at airports to the Senators who have committed to filibuster the richest cabinet in US history, Americans are learning how to…
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8 Things You Can Do To Welcome the Refugee Christ
With the news of President Trump’s EO and subsequent talk of refugees, Muslims, safety and security (not to mention the recent hate crimes and terrorism against Muslims), America has once again…
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To Our Critics: Jesus is Our Lens
By Tony CampoloFrom time to time, we Red Letter Christians are confronted with the critique that our most serious error is that we discount the black letters of the Bible. Nothing could…
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An Alt-Inaugural Sermon for President Trump
President Trump signed executive orders this week to build a border wall and punish sanctuary cities. In keeping with campaign promises, his administration has also announced plans to restrict travel…
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Terry Edwards & Unequal Justice in America
They removed all the black folks from the pool of potential jurors. In the trial of a black man convicted of killing two white folks. Not in…
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#NoDAPL is My Story Too
By Jon HuckinsOn his second business day in the White House, President Donald Trump signed an executive action greenlighting the Dakota Access Pipeline, which had been halted to seek alternative routes. The…
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Learning to Love: The Gospel I Saw at the Women’s March
I joined my diverse sisters and brothers in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Saturday for our local Women’s March. I recognized so many familiar faces, people I knew well because we have…
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Come to the Table in Trump’s First 100 Days
In the wake of an election that has left some angry, others confused and still others tentatively hopeful, people are hungrier than ever for spaces to break bread with,…
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Shackles & Jail for Protesting the Death Penalty
By John DearOn Tuesday, Jan. 17th, 18 of us climbed the steps of the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. to protest the death penalty. We unfurled a huge thirty-foot long…
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Ending the Death Penalty Before It Kills Us
On Tuesday, after celebrating the MLK holiday, I engaged in my last act of resistance in the Obama era. For over 30 hours, I and 17 other faith leaders…
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Going to Jail for Jesus and Justice
I just got home from jail. We were shackled with chains on our hands, feet, and waist in the DC jail. I was chained to families of the murdered and…