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For years, I have sat in dialogue rooms across from people whose politics, experiences, and understanding of the place we both call home were very different from mine.…
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Robotic Christianity
A robot is a useful piece of technology typically used for complicated or dangerous tasks. Robots, often mass-produced, make no decisions on their own and are completely controlled by others.…
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Financial Help and Health Care Aren't "Crack" For Those in Need
When I was a young newlywed and first-time mom, the older women from my church brought me necessary items to fill my home. Although that was 19 years ago, I…
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Remembering Francis
Today (October 4), Christians around the world remember one of the great heroes of our faith, and the Pope’s namesake – Francis of Assisi. But Francesco Bernadone (Francis of Assisi),…
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Why You Should Care About the Reformation Project
By Emily TimbolLast week I flew to Kansas City to meet with 50 other Christians who want to reform the church. The first reformer I met was Matthew Jones. Sitting in the airport…
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Abraham's (Many) Women
By Morf MorfordIt always amazes me to see the Bible held up as a model for contemporary families and relationships. Abraham, the Father of three major world religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam,…
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ACT NOW: October Executions
EXECUTION ALERT October is America’s Deadliest Month of 2013 Unless we pray and work to change things, 8 people are set to be killed in October. Marshall Gore on October…
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Beyond Cyberbullying: How Words Can Kill
By Yaholo HoytThe news this year has brought us a steady stream of stories about cyberbullying leading to suicide. Parents are rightfully growing concerned and seeking answers to how we can protect…
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Love Without Agenda by Jimmy Spencer
By RLC EditorWhy have so many Christians forgotten how to love? Have we missed much of the point of Jesus because of our obsession with Heaven and Hell? We’re forever arguing, theologizing,…
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The theology of government shutdown: Christian dominionism
On the eve of our government shutdown, I wanted to do some research into the theological roots of Senator Ted Cruz, the standard-bearer of the Tea Party Republicans behind the…
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The Government Shutdown – Fairness Over Love
By Alise WrightToday 800, 000 government employees got an unpaid vacation and countless more get the unpaid part while still reporting for work. All under the auspice of fairness. At 12:01AM on…
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Excerpt: The Nature of Religion (Love Without Agenda)
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an excerpt from JimmySpencer’s book, “Love Without Agenda: Moving Our Spiritual Goalposts from…
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Love Without Agenda: Moving our Spiritual Goalposts from Heaven and Hell to Wholeness
By Kurt WillemsEditor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is a review of Jimmy Spencer’s book, “Love Without Agenda: Moving Our Spiritual Goalposts…
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Is Immortality Talk Just “Fear of the Dark?”
Renowned scientist and author of such books as A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking suggested recently that it is conceivable in the future that we may be able to…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Mimi Haddad
Mimi Haddad, the President of Christians for Biblical Equality, has stirred it up here at RLC with posts about the biblical injunction for women to remain silent in the…
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The Gift of Doing a Good Thing Badly
By Ed CyzewskiOne of the most important steps forward I’ve taken in ministry came from a failure that felt like an enormous step backward. I’ve always been excited about gardening, and as…
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Sentenced to Death for Being Black: The Duane Buck Story
By RLC EditorRacial bias has no place in the administration of justice – tell that to Harris County, Texas. Duane Buck, sentenced to death in Harris County in 1997, may soon be…
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Amongst Sex Tourists, Slum-Dwellers, and New Friars: My Trip to Bangkok
By Kent AnnanFor the first time in history, one of every two people lives in a city. Some 860 million of these city-dwellers reside in slums—uncertain, cramped, and frequently cruel. Most are…
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Plant Yourself. Hold Firm and Give Off Light Be A Lighthouse
NOTE: This post is an excerpt from Sarah’s latest book, The Well Balanced World Changer Many of us are taught, starting in childhood, to never, ever give up. It applies…
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Interests of the Wealthy Elite and Myth of Government “Inefficiency”
Among a very large circle of people it is an unquestioned dogma that the government can’t do anything right. This is partnered with the belief that the private sector –i.e.,…
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4 Reasons Jesus was Millennial
1) Jesus avoided labels. In fact, a large part of his ministry was breaking down preconceived titles, trying to bring about a world where there would be no differentiation between…
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We’ll Need More Than Church Signs
By Micah BalesDuring my morning walk today, I must have passed at least half a dozen church buildings, each one with its own sign facing the road. Most of these were the…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Helen Lee
Red Letter Christians are convinced that Jesus-like neighbor-love was never meant to be performed once annually, on the church’s summer mission trip. Helen Lee, author of The Missional Mom,…
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Does Atheism Exist?
By John WatsonDo you know any Atheists? I imagine you do. I think about Atheism a fair bit. I have a number of friends and family members who are Atheists. In my…
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What Love Looks Like
Shaheed has one tooth, zero legs and countless stories to tell. He sits in his wheelchair holding a change cup outside of the Rite Aid on my way to work.…
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Five Things that are Holding Christianity Back
I’m often asked about what trends I see within Christianity, both good and bad. So in my ongoing effort to help name trends and offer an alternative way of thinking…
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This Pope is a Sinner
This is significant. From the start, there was an air of excitement surrounding this Pope – the Pontiff’s chosen name, never before used by any pope in the history of…
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Frank Schaeffer was 15 years ahead of us
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is a review of Frank Schaeffer’s new book, “And God Said, Billy!.” When I…
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Random acts of glory – and senseless acts of Grace
By Morf Morford“Random acts of glory – and senseless acts of Grace” would be a good description of the earthly ministry of Jesus – especially as we see it expressed in the…
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A Secularist’s Affirming Take on Evangelicals
Tom Krattenmaker has lived on the margins of religious culture much of his life, and now he finds himself in the center of the evangelical Christian conversation. Tom is taking…
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Do Good Better: One Year of Gravity
You know that feeling that resonates deep within you when you meet someone who helps the world turn a bit better? It could be a simple “hello” or a quick…
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Navy Yard Shooting: More Dead by "Most Wanted Gun in America"
More dead people – by a weapon that’s been called “The most wanted gun in America.” Thirteen are dead following a mass shooting at the Washington (D.C.) Navy Yard. Another…
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And God Said “Billy!” by Frank Schaeffer
By RLC Editoris a darkly comic coming-of-age story written by the master story teller that author Andrew Dubus III hailed as the funniest American writer since Mark Twain. The story, set…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Bruce Reyes-Chow
Bruce Reyes-Chow, the former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA’s 218th General Assembly (#prettybigdeal), is a pastor and writer whose new book, But I Don’t See You as Asian,…
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Review: And God Said, "Billy!"
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is a review of Frank Schaeffer’s new book, “And God Said, Billy!.” Anyone who…
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Excerpt: My Big Break (And God Said, "Billy!")
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an excerpt from Frank Schaeffer’s new book, “And God Said, Billy!.” Sometimes I…
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Emails: Raleigh Leaders Plotted To Criminalize Feeding Poor
An article released last night by News & Observer reporter Colin Campbell revealed that City of Raleigh officials at the highest levels plotted for months to to find “legal” ways to keep people who…
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Miley Cyrus’ Contribution to Feminism
Ever since the most recent Video Music Awards show aired, there has been a breathless competition online to see who can be more offended by Miley Cyrus’ highly sexualized performance.…
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The Future of Evangelicalism in the Millennial Generation
I am an Evangelical. But what does that label even mean anymore? A few days ago I was sitting around chatting with a few new friends at my Bible College.…
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The Cross and the Crucifix
By Morf MorfordWe may not think about it very much, but we identify ourselves, and define others, by symbols. Whether by certain colors or sports teams logos, uniforms, the cars we drive…
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Syria. Why history matters.
My bachelors degree is in History from the University of Colorado. General history. I studied world history, American history, ancient history, any and all kinds of history. I took a…
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Schrödinger's Bible
By John WatsonIs our understanding of the Bible not just limited, but actually flawed? Has our cultural inheritance led us to misapply ancient Greek thinking to the Word of God? As scientists…
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Hating the Poor but Loving Jesus?
A popular praise song – among my favorites – pleads, “Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord. I want to see you.” Do we really? Apparently the hearts of many…
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On respect, responsibility, and Mrs. Hall’s open letter to teenaged girls
Last week I saw dozens of people linking to a post written as an open letter to teen girls from the mom of several boys. Almost as quickly as that…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Nancy Ortberg
Today we’re chatting with Nancy Ortberg —author, speaker, consultant, wife and mother—about justice, a new generation of Christians and using our spending power to do good. Nancy, you’re one…
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Syria: The Stuff No One Wants To Talk About
By Jon HuckinsI have read countless articles from political, religious and ethical perspectives on why or why not the U.S. should militarily intervene against the Syrian regime. Most do a decent job…
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Blessed are the Retweeters …
Blessed are the Retweeters … …for they will inherit good feelings about themselves and a ‘job well done.’ At first there were hints and murmers. A share here. A ‘forward…
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Looking for someone to bomb ….
Does it ever seem to you that there are some unknown group of folks in and around the US White House who are just looking for someone to bomb? It…
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Happy Birthday Publix!
Sept. 6, 1930 Publix corporation was born. I can’t imagine a better way for Publix to celebrate its birthday than by committing to end modern day slavery by joining the…
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No One Would Vote for Jesus
“Mixing religion and politics is like mixing ice cream and manure. It doesn’t do much to the manure but it sure does ruin the ice cream”, my friend Tony Campolo…
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Shane Claiborne's Statement on Syria
Right after 9/11, I asked a kid in my neighborhood what we should do in response. His answer: “Those people did something very wrong…” He thought pensively and continued, “But…
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Christian Pacifism: Relevant Beyond Syria
As the United States prepares to “officially” become involved in the Syrian war, Christian Pacifism has re-emerged as a much-discussed and relevant topic. Unfortunately, the concept has been somewhat misrepresented,…
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Choose Your Own Adventure
By Shayne MooreEditor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Margot Starbuck’s book, “Small Things With Great Love.” I grew up solidly planted in…
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Criminalizing Christ: The Love Wins Incident and the Nationwide Targeting of Homeless
There is no longer a war on hunger in this country. There is no longer a war on poverty. There is a war on the hungry. There is a war…
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Ten Things Christians Should Say More Often
I had a series a while back about the , and since then I’ve had people ask what they should be saying instead. So here’s a list of handy phrases to…
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Two Prayers for Labor Day
On Sunday, our church led the congregation in two prayers for Labor Day. I will be honest – I have never given a lot of thought to Labor Day, and I’ve…
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Now on the Red Carpet: John Perkins (part 2)
Last Monday we spoke with John Perkins about reconciliation, inherited dignity and why, at 83 years of age, he doesn’t get a lot of sleep. Today he shares more… Last…
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Small Things with Great Love by Margot Starbuck
By RLC EditorIn thirty brief chapters, Margot Starbuck invites you to choose the adventure that fits who you are in authentically loving those around you. Yes, she knows: just the thought…
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The Plan: Biggest Loser Wins
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an excerpt from Margot Starbuck’s book, “Small Things With Great Love.” Biggest loser wins. That’s the…
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On Hating President Obama
By Morf MorfordI know many people who not only hate President Obama, but are proud of doing so. It is a strange thing to hate one’s leader in a Democracy – especially…
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Take the ‘A’ Train
By Mal GreenRecently, I met up with a follower of Jesus who has undergone medical transition from one gender to another. We talked about a range of issues facing transgender people in…
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Listen to London: Don’t Bomb Syria
By Tony JonesI want to add my voice to the chorus that is urging President Obama not to bomb Syria. Yesterday the British Parliament issued a sharp rebuke to PM David Cameron’s…
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Children of the New Jim Crow
Every Saturday morning, youth from the west side of Chicago are provided a safe place to reflect, create, and express themselves through drums. Started as a ministry of support for…
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More than Hope: Working to Avoid a Post-Christian Middle East
In a recent post, CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen asked if the world is heading toward a “Post-Christian Middle East.” Bergen highlighted the plight of Christians in Syria caught…
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8 Good Reasons to Change Modern Church Service
By Yaholo HoytRecently, I have been in a career transition that has allowed me some time to catch my breath. During this time, I made a decision to prioritize church and community…
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Have you been 'born again'?
By Morf Morford“Have you been ‘born again’?” was a popular question a generation ago. This question bothered me then, and bothers me even more as I consider the multiple theological, social, even…
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Have Progressive Christians Abandoned Too Much?
By Kathy VestalThe progressive Christianity movement arose in response to the fundamentalist movement that has in the last 30 or 40 years knitted itself closely to conservative politics. Seemingly debunking anything academic…
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A Better Story: How Our Understanding of Justice is Radically Re-defined by the Gospel
By Derek FloodGo to see an action film this weekend, and in addition to the spectacle of epic visual effects, you will likely encounter a very familiar storyline where in the end…
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Feeding Homeless Apparently Illegal in Raleigh, NC
What Happened On the morning of Saturday, August, 24, Love Wins showed up at Moore Square at 9:00 a.m., just like we have done virtually every Saturday and Sunday for the last…
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Now on the Red Carpet: John Perkins
Today we have the privilege of chatting with John Perkins, one of the leading evangelical voices to emerge from the civil rights movement and a tireless advocate for justice…
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Western Christianity's Biggest Problem: the Bible?!
Much of Westernized Christianity’s recent decline has been blamed on the failure of churches and denominations to adapt to modern times, becoming irrelevant, or contrarily, becoming too commercialized and “fake,…
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Gag Me
Yesterday, there was a bit of an online uproar on this post from The Gospel Coalition in which contributor Thabiti Anyabwile used the argument that Christians and society should be grossed out by homosexuality and…
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What Are You Working For?
By Micah BalesWhy do you work? Whether you are a school teacher, an electrician, or a volunteer at an animal shelter, what motivates you to give your time, energy and attention to…
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Our Obsession With Violence & The Stories You’re Not Supposed to Hear
By Jon HuckinsUpon my recent return from the Middle East (with The Global Immersion Project), I was struck more than ever before at our Western infatuation around military aggression, violence and division.…
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Why I Didn't Leave the Church: Thoughts from a Real, Live Millennial
By Neely BaughThere seems to be a lot of talk about “millennials leaving the church” these days. And while I have my own theories on why many of my peers want nothing…
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Tribalism, Religion, and Violence
By Yaholo HoytReligion is often the scapegoat for violence. Indeed, it is also so often the excused used by those committing violence. The recent violence in Egypt is a fresh reminder to…
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What I Saw in a Prison Inmate’s Eyes
By Ed CyzewskiWhat chance would you give a middle-aged African American man who has been imprisoned five times and is about to be released again? I used to write this type of…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Penny and Amy Julia Becker
Today we’re chatting with 7 ½ year-old Penny Becker and her mom, Amy Julia Becker. In Becker’s memoir, Good and Perfect Gift—selected by Publisher’s Weekly as one of the…
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Fight: A Christian Case for Nonviolence by Preston Sprinkle
By RLC EditorPreston Sprinkle, co-author of Erasing Hell (with Francis Chan), has written a book that ought to be exciting the progressive end of the evangelical world – Fight: A Christian Case…
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Fight: “Erasing Hell” co-author defends nonviolence in a new book!
By Kurt WillemsPreston Sprinkle, co-author of Erasing Hell (with Francis Chan), has written a book that ought to be exciting the progressive end of the evangelical world – Fight: A Christian Case for…
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When Worship SUCKS!
It’s been said that all a worship leader needs to have is a pure and righteous heart, and if they have that quality of holiness, things will magically turn out…
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The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good by Peter Greer
By RLC EditorMost Christians today are interested in more than just preaching the gospel with words; they also want to serve others. But what happens when Christian service and social justice…
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When Ministry Becomes Your Mistress
By Peter GreerEditor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an excerpt from Peter Greer’s latest book, “The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good.” “Peter, I met…
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Interview with Peter Greer
By RLC EditorEditor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club. It is an interview with Peter Greer, author of, “The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good.” As the president…
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Good Intentions and Naive Behavior Aren’t Enough to do Good in this World
By Yaholo HoytEditor’s Note: This post is part of the Red Letter Book Club, featuring Peter Greer’s latest book, “The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good.” The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good by…
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We Don’t Get To Sit Back Just Because The System Is F@!#$D: Part 4 Of How I Became A Bleeding-Heart Liberal
By Joy BennettIt may seem like I’ve been rambling for the past three posts (part 1, part 2, part 3), but I took time to cover all that territory to make a…
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A Tale of Two Churches
The Christian Church is made up of over 30, 000 denominations and millions of congregations, all with their own unique ways of worshiping God. This is what I learned about…
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Poverty, Power, And Misplaced Trust: Part 3 Of How I Became A Bleeding Heart Liberal
By Joy BennettI’ve written two posts now focused on my own story and the things I’ve seen. I think it’s pretty clear how passionate and compassionate I am about helping those in need. However, lest…
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Beating AK47s into Shovels
It doesn’t get much cooler than beating an AK47 into a shovel. We are starting to make a habit of it. Our first weapon-conversion was on the 10th anniversary of September…
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Beyond Trayvon Martin and Racism
It continues even now. The group emails and facebook posts spotlighting incidents of black on white violence and the cries, “Where’s the outrage now like there was over Trayvon Martin’s…
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The Dark Side Of Help: Receiving It (Part 2 Of How I Became A Bleeding-Heart Liberal)
By Joy BennettThis is part 2 of a series on exploring fiscal responsibility, generosity, and social good. Read part 1 here. Read Part 3 here. Look for the final part, tomorrow. I despise needing help.…
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Gandhi-Style Evangelism
E. Stanley Jones, an American missionary to India, asked Gandhi what missionaries could do to make Christianity more accepted in India. He asked, “How can we make Christianity more naturalized in…
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How a Conservative Christian Home-School Graduate Became a Bleeding-Heart Liberal (Part 1)
By Joy BennettLabels are helpful, to a point, but they fall short when it comes to teasing out the nuances of an individual person’s positions. Labels depend in large part on context.…
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Now on the Red Carpet: Rachel Held Evans
Named one of Christianity Today’s “50 Women to Watch, ” Rachel Held Evans — the author of and A Year of Biblical Womanhood — is a popular blogger who devoted a…
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If God had my body
By Morf MorfordIf God had my body I would have no burden of fear or regret Or shame or disgrace. If God had my body I would know, Really know Forgiveness and…
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Understanding Trauma – How We Treat the Broken Among Us
By Yaholo HoytUntil the about the time of the Vietnam War, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was not widely understood. Through WWI and the majority of WWII, symptoms of PTSD were largely…
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Syria is Complicated, War is Not
By John WatsonWar is a beast that we are far too eager to feed. The word complicated, in polite and diplomatic society, has come to mean let’s not do anything. It has…
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In God We (Don’t) Trust
We trust in our churches. We trust that the nurseries will carefully and tenderly watch our babies. We trust that the Sunday Schools will lovingly teach our children. We trust…
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Rethinking the $3, 000 Missions Trip
Painfully thin for his age, Martin shivered uncontrollably by the side of the city swimming pool. He held his sides in a futile effort to keep warm. I was puzzled.…
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"God is Innocent" : Rwamasirabo on the Genocide in the Church at Nyange, Rwanda
During Rwanda’s 100-day genocide in 1994, Roman Catholic priest, Father Athanase Seromba savagely sacrificed nearly 3, 000 members of his church in Nyange (a parish in the Kibuye province of western…
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Hiroshima Witness in DC
THIS JUST IN… Dozens of folks gathered in DC on the memorial of the Hiroshima bombing, with nonviolent demonstrations at the Pentagon and at the Enola Gay Museum (which dropped…