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Christmas Junkie
Christmas advertising used to be a big emotional trigger for me, reminding me of the seemingly endless expectations of the Christmas season. Like others, I noticed that every year the advertising began...
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When “Merry Christmas” Offends Me…
It may be most wonderful time of the year, but unfortunately, it’s also that time of the year when arguments arise about whether we ought to say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy holidays” to one another. As...
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The “Untied” Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ and the United Church of Canada celebrated a new relationship in worship in October. Both denominations have been in full communion since the summer. The United Church of...
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Theology of Stuff
When we moved last fall, we rented a storage unit to store most of our stuff while we lived temporarily in a tiny apartment. It was a difficult transition, and I missed my stuff. Our storage rental...
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The Manger and the Menorah
Our Menorah and our crèche stand side by side every December. When we go into our basement to unpack our holiday treasures, our family prepares to celebrate Roger’s Jewish traditions as well as my...
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Saying Sorry Like Adele
It doesn’t have jingle bells or sleigh rides. It doesn’t have any references to the Christ Child. It contains not a mention of Santa and his reindeer. It doesn’t have any overt references to Christmas...
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Christmas Isn’t a Fairytale
We are in the second week of Advent. We celebrate the gift of peace. Only there doesn’t seem to be much peace in the world right now, does there? Sometimes I think people regard Christians as...
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The Guide to Ending Gun Violence
#PictureAdvent is one of those clever social media campaigns. I think some Methodists in Florida started it. Each day in Advent has a theme and a scripture passage. You take a picture that reflects the...
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When People Say Stop Praying
Maybe you saw it too. Maybe you felt the same shame and horror when you saw the December 3 cover of the NY Daily News appear all over social media proclaiming “God isn’t going to fix this.” Because...
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Let’s Change Our “Conversations on Race!” Try This Instead…
In a country built with racism as its foundation, nothing causes more anxiety than to ask people to talk about race. And yet, we progressive Christians believe that until we are able to talk about...
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Small Towns and Marriage Equality
“Will your church do a wedding for a lesbian couple?” asked the voice filled with tears. The woman at the other end of the phone line was calling from a small town 100 miles away from my church in...
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Peace and Goodwill Toward All (Even You)
It’s almost Christmas now, and the final flurry is upon us. The final flurry of shopping, gift buying, planning, preparing, entertaining, wrapping, decorating, cleaning, partying, concert and...
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Making Room for the Newness of God
My wife and I affectionately call the baby in my womb “Little Tar Heel.” I’m a UNC-Chapel Hill alum, who as a little, very tomboy-ish, kid wore Tar Heel tattoos on my face to school on big game days...
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The Story of Jesus and the Gift of Black Children
The holiday season for Christians is a time for us to remember the ultimate gift God gave to the world in the birth of God’s only son Jesus. This was no ordinary birth under ordinary circumstances....
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Right Belief or Right Action? Or None of the Above?
We’ve tended to turn the debate about right belief or right action into an either/or. Either it is all about having the right beliefs (orthodoxy) or it is about having the right actions (orthopraxis)....
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Standing in the Need of Prayer
Three years ago during this time of year, I sat shivering in an urgent psychiatric care ward in Columbus, Ohio. They had confiscated my shoes, wallet, and cellphone. I instinctively worked my thumbs...
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The PTSD of My Blackness
The PTSD of my blackness keeps me up at night: sweating, crying, and wondering when America will stop killing Us. It’s triggered every time I hear another “not guilty” or “decision not to indict,”...
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Facebook Stole Our Brand
Corporations are fierce about protecting their brands. The formula to make Coca-Cola, Hoy Fong Sriracha Sauce, or even the recipe for a great dish at any restaurant is protected like nuclear bomb...
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The 10 Commandments for Supporting Your Pastor
From time to time, you may hear of clergy behaving badly. There’s a reason for this: clergy are as human as anyone else. It’s easy to see someone standing at the front of the church and think this...
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The Muslim Who Came to Church
A few months back, a young man wearing a leather jacket and a tentative but luminous smile walked into our church. He introduced himself as Mohammed and shared in accented English that he had recently...
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