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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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Remembering the Amiriyah Shelter Massacre in Iraq
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the U.S. bombing of the Amiriyah Shelter in Iraq.There is no indication that the U.S. government and military will ever repent for this unspeakable…
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#NekNomination: An Online Drinking Game turned into A Random Acts of Kindness Generator
It started with a #neknomination (well, let’s be honest – it likely started with a drunk Australian feeling like this was something he thought was a good idea for more people…
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When do you know something is a calling from God?
(Following is from a column called “Christian’s Queries” that I’m doing for our church newsletter at Portland First Christian Church. My focus is to try and take on questions that many…
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The Three Phases of Church Engagement
“Without a vision the people perish” so goes the oft quoted biblical proverb. In our church experience it has been used by leaders to suggest that ‘the’ vision of the…
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A Response to the Life and Death of Philip Seymour Hoffman
By T.C. RyanLike so many others I was deeply touched and troubled by the recent death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. A supremely talented actor, he displayed a fascinating ability to reach…
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"Alone Yet Not Alone" by Joni Eareckson Tada Needs to Be Heard
When the nominations for the upcoming Academy Awards were announced, there was a surprise in the Best Original Song category, “Alone Yet Not Alone.” The song is the creation of…
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The Best Way to Be a Christian is to Not Seek Success
In 2012, a book came out called Quiet by Susan Cain and it quickly skyrocketed the New York Times Bestsellers list. The book talked about how quiet and introverted people…
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Michael Sam: I Got Your Back
I heard his voice before I saw him. I knew exactly who it was. “Well, that’s it Spencer! Your last race as a Mizzou Tiger. One hell of a ride,…
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“First of all, let’s not call them inmates…” An Interview with Kim Brown
Kim Brown was in the first graduating class of Project Turn—a course, in partnership with Duke Divinity School, offering seminary-style writing classes inside of North Carolina prisons. Today Kim…
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Does Jesus heal drug addicts?
I almost gave up on my drug-addict mother. But then I discovered that God never gives up. In memory of Dorothy Molex (my mom), Philip Seymour Hoffman, and the countless…
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Why This Year’s Super Bowl Ads Were Less Sexist
If you’re a regular Super Bowl watcher, you probably noticed that this year’s commercials were different from those of past years–they were notably less sexist. While a few ads still sank to…
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Let the Games Begin: Brief Thoughts on Sochi and Russia's Anti-Gay Legislation
Tonight, the Opening Ceremony for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia will air here in America – but the action has already started. Due to an increase in Olympic events this winter,…
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#SelfieNation
I did something last night I’m not at all proud of. I took a ‘Selfie’. I trust my public confession absolves me of my sin, though I’m far from alone…
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Creationism vs. Evolution: The Worst of Both Worlds
By Yaholo HoytWhen I was in middle school, I heard my first Ken Ham seminar. It made a lot of sense to me back then, but then again, I was in middle…
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Why Dual Citizenship = Treason
In my county, there’s a massive Hispanic population and many of the churches have risen to meet this need in spite of the behavior of local cops. One of them…
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Marriage Sucks
My wife, the beautiful Val [tbV] left for a week’s conference in Atlanta today. As is my tradition when I am away from her I wrote her a letter to…
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Ken Ham Does Not Speak For Me…
I am an Evangelical Christian. I believe the Bible is God’s inspired word. I believe that Jesus is God in the flesh who died for the sins of the world…
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Ken Ham v. Bill Nye: If Only Christians Were This Passionate About Helping the Poor…
As you’ve probably already heard, churches all over the United States are going to be simulcasting and broadcasting the Ken Ham vs. Bill Nye debate. They’re catering food, converting their…
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Do You Know Him?
By Greg DillThere is a passage in the Bible that REALLY scares me. For years it has raised a bit of fear and worry from within. The text is haunting and I…
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Don't Read The Comments…Especially From Christians
By Emily TimbolThere are few things as universally understood and expected to be horrible, as the internet comments section. When I say universal, I mean it – this applies to comment sections…
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Can you be Pro-Life and Pro-Woman? Bob Lenz Thinks So
Bob Lenz, who speaks to thousands of teenagers every year, thinks the pro-life movement has been hijacked, and he begs Christians who call themselves “prolife” to find new ways…
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Philip Seymour Hoffman. Beautiful, Flawed Humanity.
It makes no sense that I am so upset about the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman. It’s not like I live in New York where I might have seen him…
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Why I am Not a Football Fan
By Morf MorfordI know it sounds like the ultimate American heresy, but I’m just not a football fan. And it has taken me many years to figure out why. First of all,…
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In Christianity, There's More to Being a Man
Today, as I was holding my two year old son in my arms, I was wondering what kind of man I aspired him to be. Do I want him to…
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The God Proof: 2 Problems with the Creationism vs. Science Debate
By John WatsonScience is good at working things out. Science starts with an observation: “Look. We found an X!” It moves from there to a hypothesis: “I wonder if X is because…
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The Trouble with Angels
Can a belief in angels heal us? That was the question posed on the January 17th episode of the Dr. Oz show, and spiritual medium Rebecca Rosen had an answer.…
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Why the Grammys' Macklemore Weddings Were a Good Thing
Lots of folks have been chattering about the mass wedding that took place in the middle of Macklemore’s “Same Love” performance at the Grammys this past week. The lighting-quick ceremony…
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The Early Church on Killing by Ron Sider
By RLC EditorRon Sider’s newest publication, The Early Church on Killing, is, as the subtitle suggests, a fairly comprehensive source book for anyone who is investigating what early Christians had to…
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Reflections on Ron Sider's Newest Book, The Church on Killing
By Tony CampoloRon Sider’s newest publication, The Early Church on Killing, is, as the subtitle suggests, a fairly comprehensive source book for anyone who is investigating what early Christians had to say…
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Theological Reflections on Thailand and Prevention
By Brian WhiteIt’s my second night in Bangkok and I find myself with a few of my friends having a drink at a bar in Soi Cowboy. I have found myself in…
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Creation Care Literally Stinks
By Ed CyzewskiOur house rabbits play a significant role in one of our contributions to creation care. In fact, their contribution is tied my second least favorite chore: cleaning out the rabbits’…
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Kill or Be Killed? The Cost of Nonviolent Resistance
“He who says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.” – John 2:6 I honestly cannot remember ever hearing a sermon preached…
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Human Trafficking and the Super Bowl: "It’s a Huge Problem"
Today I’m asking Shayne Moore & Kimberly Yim, authors of Refuse to Do Nothing: Finding Your Power to Abolish Modern Day Slavery, how Christians can respond when human trafficking…
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War is the Ultimate Guy-Fun
By Morf MorfordIt is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it. When I was a kid, my favorite activity, by far, was playing war. On rainy…
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Boundary Issues
By Micah BalesWhat is the basic message of the gospel? Is there a core essence that can be extracted from all the stories, traditions, rituals, and writings of our faith? To ask…
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… You've Done It Unto Me: What if the eyes of the naked were the eyes of Jesus?
By Tony KrizI recently taught a class on a Theology of Evangelism at a local conservative seminary. It was a most enjoyable class (and one of my favorite topics) full of significant…
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Jesus, Class Warrior?
Was Jesus a class warrior? The very question will no doubt cause many to answer with an instinctive and emphatic, “No!” Clearly that was the answer given recently by Bill…
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Richard Sherman and Black Male Achievement
On Sunday after the Seattle Seahawks beat the 49ers advancing to the Super Bowl, you could not scroll through your Twitter feed or Facebook or any other form of social…
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Shane Claiborne reflects on the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
On January 22, 1973, the US Supreme Court decided in Roe v. Wade that a mother has the legal right to end her pregnancy up until the point at which…
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The Death of a Dynasty
A couple of weeks ago, at the height of the Duck Dynasty controversy, as conservative evangelicals sparred with both progressive Christians and the secular Left regarding Phil Robertson’s cherry picked…
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Dr. King and Our Children: How to talk about and model his dream
As we celebrate the impact of Dr. King, I’ve seen many links to posts about how to talk to kids about Dr. King. I’ve seen resources to books and movies…
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What Folks Who Live Outside Do Not Need: Hugh Hollowell is on the Red Carpet
In Raleigh, North Carolina, Love Wins Ministries tackles the problems of homelessness by focusing on relationships. Today I ask founder and director Hugh Hollowell about engaging with folks who…
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Stop Celebrating Martin Luther King
By Matt RindgeToday, America engages in its annual ritual of misremembering Martin Luther King, Jr. Although Rev. Dr. King often indicted what he called the “triple evils of racism, economic exploitation and…
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Smoking What We’re Growing: 8 Things That Happen When We Live (or Don’t Live) What We Talk About
By Jon HuckinsI was down in Mexico a few years ago for a gathering of peers who are leading faith communities around the world. It was a rich time of conversation, encouragement…
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Dear Christians, Before You Attack Someone’s Beliefs, Think About This…
In an individualistic society that thrives upon creating conflict, voicing opinions, and being obsessed with moral superiority, there are plenty of platforms that allow us to attack other people’s beliefs.…
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Walmart Joins the Fair Food Program with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Above photo: Walmart representatives John Amaya (left), Tom Leech (center) and CIW’s Lucas Benitez look on as CIW’s Gerardo Reyes Chavez (far right) signs historic agreement at a Lipman Produce…
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God and Country? Or A King and A Kingdom
Story is the currency of human contact. We tell stories about ourselves that reveal a great deal about what we as a people believe and value. If you want to understand…
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What We Should Learn From the LGBT Struggle
By Yaholo HoytThe world is often a mirror to the individual. What we see and react to in the world is often the best way to see our own soul reflected back…
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One Look at American Christians and I Figure Jesus Must Have Hated Women– Right?
My friend’s attitude pissed me off. I shouted, “Are you kidding me? Taking care of my grandchildren is the only thing I’ve ever done I feel entirely happy about! Anyway, Jesus liked…
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Tony Campolo to Close Mission Organization, EAPE
By RLC EditorToday, Tony Campolo announced that his missionary organization, the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education (EAPE), will close on June 30, 2014, after nearly 40 years of ministry. In…
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What Violence Should Feel Like
By John WatsonOn the morning of 2 December, armed police went to an apartment on the east side of the city. A man had been reported shooting a shotgun in his apartment,…
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What to Do with Smart-but-Poor Students (Who Mistakenly Believe They Deserve a Good College Education)
Should the poor have a right to a college education in the United States? “Many people in our country no longer believe that college is a privilege to attend, but…
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The Jesus Lens: Can a Red Letter Christian question the "red letters"?
By Derek FloodMany people have proposed the need to interpret Scripture through a Jesus-shaped lens. In many ways this is a parallel to the idea of being a “red letter Christian” which…
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Alexia Salvatierra Dishes on “The Big Lie” and Peter Heltzel Sings Songs of Freedom
As a Christian who, for decades, has loved Jesus and loved justice, it struck me as odd that Faith-Rooted Organizing—a new book by Alexia Salvatierra and Peter Heltzel—was my…
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What If God is Pragmatic?
By Yaholo HoytIf there is anything we resent God for more, it is being outside of our understanding. We want God to be a like an omnipotent train conductor; completely in control…
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The Inexcusable Freedom of Irresponsible Gun Owners
Photo above: The chilling picture released as part of the final police report into the Sandy Hook massacre Where I live in South Florida we don’t see snow. I had…
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Root for Humanity! Why our Messy, Recalcitrant Lives are Better than Robots, Drones, and other Human-replacing Technologies
One of the most fun films I saw this year was World’s End—the final installment of the trilogy that included Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. While the first…
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Tamayo's Execution puts Missionaries Everywhere in Danger
By RLC EditorEdgar Tamayo Arias is set to be executed by the state of Texas on Wednesday, January 22. Here’s the background from Heather Beaudoin at Equal Justice USA: Tamayo, a Mexican…
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God Beyond the Crisis
By Micah BalesI’ve heard it said that there are no atheists in foxholes. Whether or not that expression is literally true, I take this to mean that, in the face of imminent death,…
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Three Things I Love (and Hate) About Christians
Christianity is about 2, 000 years old and there are now two billion Christians in the world. We have a track record of doing some very good things, and also…
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Why Hearing, "I'm Gay" Changed My Straight, Christian Life
By Emily TimbolWhile driving back from a long, intense weekend retreat with my church, I got a call from my friend Marie. “We need to see you tonight.” “We who?” I didn’t…
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Priming the Pump: Why do we eliminate those unlike us?
By Morf MorfordVirtually every generation in human history – until this one apparently – has understood the principle of priming the pump. It’s very simple, but if you have never experienced it,…
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Epiphany’s Counter-Cultural Breakthrough: From Wise Men to Prostitutes
By Tony CampoloJanuary 6 has long been celebrated as the traditional day of Epiphany, the day the wise men came to worship Jesus. Need I say more? We all know the story,…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Rachel Goble
In recognition of this Saturday, January 11, being National Human Trafficking Day, I’m talking to Rachel Goble, President of , an international organization dedicated to providing education to children…
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6 Bad Prayer Habits We're All (Mostly) Guilty Of
Many people are afraid to pray and assume it’s a complicated science. But trying to pray is better than not praying at all. The following is meant to encourage and…
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Sex, Pills and the Image of God
I grew up along the beaches of Florida and couldn’t get enough of the pounding waves on the sand. I swam against the tide and rolled with the force of…
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Some New Year's Resolutions are only 12 Steps Away
Three years ago I walked into my first 12 Step meeting to deal with my drinking. I was terrified, and ashamed, but I believed they may have something to offer…
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Why I Finally Wear TOMS Shoes
By Peter GreerFor years, I’ve resisted the TOMS Shoes craze. It wasn’t just because the early shoes look like slippers, but because it seemed to perpetuate an out-of-style paradigm of charity. But today, the…
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14 Hopes for 2014
Each year (2012 and 2013) I remix some of my hopes and dreams for the New Year, bringing some of last year along, and adding a few new ones… I…
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5 Things You Don't Want to Miss from 2013
By RLC Editor2013 was a record year for Red Letter Christians! We received over 2.1 million pageviews (nearly double 2012: 1.08 million pageviews). Included over 75 authors from 7 different countries on…
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Bono, Kensington, and the Caroling Angels
In case you missed it… For the 5th consecutive year, Bono hit the streets of Dublin singing Christmas carols (on Christmas Eve). Don’t miss the magical rendition of “O Come Let Us…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Leroy Barber
Because the incarnational ministry of Word Made Flesh is one worth learning from, I’m chatting today with Leroy Barber, Global Executive Director of this international organization that works among…
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Oh Popularity, I Love Being Loved
By Mimi HaddadI love seeing my name in headlines. I suppose that makes me well, decidedly human. I love being loved. I relish being included, mentioned, cited, and most of all, seeing me everywhere!…
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The Power to Forgive
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” These are the words of Jesus as he asks God to forgive the people who are killing Him. This is…
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Let's Stop Empowering and Start Inspiring
By Rachel GobleI’ve been using the word ’empower’ for years. It’s a great word – one that implies giving dignity to others; the whole ‘give a man a fish and he eats…
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The Nativity, The Incarnate God, and Why I Am A Christian
By Yaholo HoytAnd the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born…
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Five Ways to De-Commercialize Christmas
We’ve created a Christmas monster: a grotesque assemblage of pagan, Christian and capitalist symbolism into something that resembles something we’re both attracted to and repulsed by at the same time.…
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Peace for the Little Town of Bethlehem
By Jim HookerAs Christmas nears and I hear all the traditional music, I think back to this past August when my wife, Susan, and I ventured off to Bethlehem on the West…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Jack Heller
When Jesus said that those who visit prisoners are actually visiting him, he made no mention of how to get behind bars. Jack Heller, who teaches at Huntington University,…
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My One (and Only) Duck Dynasty Post
I’ve never watched Duck Dynasty. I didn’t even know Phil Robertson’s name until the whole media melodrama unfolded recently. The most I knew about him was that he bore a…
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Six Things I Wish Christians Would Stop Doing
Christians have some annoying habits. Here are six things I wish they would stop doing: Arguing: Instead of having a reputation as being peacemakers, promoting reconciliation, and working towards unity,…
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Schaefer and Robertson, A Tale of Two Men: An Invitation to Dialogue
By Neely BaughIn a day’s time, two men have been turned out of institutions they have long been a part of. The star of A&E’s Duck Dynasty was suspended indefinitely after making a…
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Quack, Quack.
What a dynasty. You’ve probably heard by now that the fully-bearded Duck Commander Phil Robertson had some choice things to say about his personal views regarding faith and sexuality –…
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Duck Dynasty, first amendment rights, and Christian values
My feed has been lit up with people responding to the suspension of Phil, the patriarch of A&E’s popular Duck Dynasty reality show. For full disclosure . . . I watch…
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Duck Hunting, Defrocking a Minister, and Other Gay Tidings
By Kathy VestalAll in the same day, New Mexico became the 17th state to legalize gay marriage, Olympic figure skating gold medalist Brian Boitano came out as gay, the United Methodist Church…
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Wanna Save Marriage? Stop Patronizing Women
By Yaholo Hoyt“Getting married? Just learn to say ‘I’m sorry’ a lot.” That line sums up what most young men hear as they are preparing to get married, throughout their reception, and…
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Is It Possible to Celebrate Christmas and the Birth of Jesus on the Same Day?
By Jon HuckinsThere is certainly a warm, nostalgic feeling about the Christmas season. Social media fills up with pictures of Starbucks holiday cups and we get the play-by-play of Christmas trees being…
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Missing the Message
By Kathy Vestal“I hope you’re well. Any chance I’ll see you during the holidays?” That was all the email said. Really? During the holidays? I have a semester to close, I thought, exams…
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The Slow Motion Lynching of President Barack Obama
I’ve watched liberal and right wing commentators alike blame the president for being lynched. They say “he’s not reaching out enough” or “he’s too cold.” It’s the equivalent of assuming that the black…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Nikole Lim
You’re on a mission trip and you want to snap some good pictures for a slideshow at church. Or, if you’re being honest, to post to facebook. But pointing…
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Mandela Is Dead
By Morf MorfordMandela is dead, and I don’t know about anyone else, but I feel a cold, dark shadow saturating the space he filled. I see a blundering, incoherent, and yes, blatantly…
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5 Reasons We Should Personally Help the Poor
Tis the Season for charity, where every non-profit organization is seeking donations in order to help a variety of wonderful causes. But this year, try cutting out the middleman and…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Alberto Vega
Alberto Vega was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey, one of the most dangerous cities in America. Some would call Al’s journey, graduating from Eastern University, a “success…
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After 3 Years Here are the Most Read and Discussed Articles
Three years ago today, Red Letter Christians went live! As I’ve written the past two days (Friday and Saturday), many individuals and articles have led to our success and we…
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Three Years of Red Letter Christians: the Authors Who Made it Happen
By RLC EditorAs you read yesterday, this weekend marks three years since Red Letter Christians went live on the World Wide Web. Tomorrow, December 8 is the specific date back in…
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Come Celebrate: Red Letter Christians' 3 Year Anniversary
This weekend marks the three-year anniversary of the beginning of Red Letter Christians. To be exact we went live on December 8, 2010 with five pieces, all of which were…
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Frank Schaeffer on Why He is Not an Atheist
Is atheism a belief system in itself? Frank Schaeffer, author most recently of And God Said, Billy!, says yes indeed! In fact, Frank says it is one of the great world…
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Love Isn’t Enough: some things you need to know about adoption
By Ben CoreyAdoption is a hot issue in American Evangelicalism, and while rates of international adoption have drastically declined recently, I don’t think a culture of adoption is going anywhere, anytime soon.…
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Now on the Red Carpet: David Montague
A few weeks ago a friend was raving about the impact the Memphis Teacher Residency was having in Memphis schools by recruiting, training and supporting effective teachers. Wanting to…
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The Fantasy of the Ideal
By Micah BalesMore often than I would care to admit, I have allowed my personal fantasies about the perfect community to distract me from the beautiful, real-life community that is right in front…