June 2011
13 posts
“The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference.”
– Elie Wiesel, author of Night
This quote appeared at the end of Beyond the Gates, a fictional movie about Rwanda that we watched in study abroad class today. I am left wondering why so many humans failed to feel empathy for the victims of this genocide. Many hard questions.
Churches Against 'Jim Crow' →
Happy Juneteenth! Here’s my UrbanFaith piece on what churches are doing to end the new Jim Crow in the spirit of Juneteenth:
Since attorney Michelle Alexander wrote The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, a network of churches has joined her in the fight against a criminal justice system that targets poor minority communities and locks up a disproportionate...
Confronting 'The New Jim Crow →
My UrbanFaith Q&A with Michelle Alexander, author of “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness”:
Forty years ago today, the United States government declared its legendary “War on Drugs,” and our nation has not been the same since—especially if you happen to be an urban male with dark skin.
The Jim Crow laws may have been officially struck down years...
“Love is the most durable power in the world. This creative force, so beautifully...”
– the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love
“Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its...”
– -Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet
I ran across this quote the other day and was reminded of when I first read it, as a sophomore in high school reading Madeleine L’Engle’s Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art. I was getting rejection after rejection for my writing,...
“Doubt is not the opposite of faith: fear is. Fear will not risk that even if I...”
– Verna Dozier, theologian, The Dream of God
Unanswered Questions →
Many Christians are speaking out about Bishop Eddie Long’s out-of-court settlement. Here’s an overview of what they’re saying on my UrbanFaith blog post.
When Bishop Eddie Long settled out of court with the young men who accused him of sexual misconduct, he left the door wide open for continued speculation. How will it affect his ministry moving forward? After Bishop Eddie...
Sojourners: "Why Do Christians Think It's... →
So glad to see others writing about this issue, and the author brought up so many beautiful points. Makes me think: How can we grow as Christians through the journey of questioning and doubting? Can doubts lead us closer to God?
The idea that questioning is the equivalent of blasphemy is a damaging one, because it leads the church to exclude people who are questioning. People like my friends who...
Why Did Police Kill Jose Guerena? →
Police killed this former U.S. Marine and Iraq War veteran in a SWAT raid and refused him medical attention. How are Christians called to respond to this tragic story? Read my blog post for UrbanFaith.com and join the discussion.
After an Arizona SWAT team opened fire on the former Marine, many troubling questions were left unanswered, including why officers refused to let paramedics help...
Black Women Are Less Attractive? →
My second piece for UrbanFaith.com concerned a Psychology Today post that claimed black women are less attractive than other women. Very absurd and disturbing.
Psychology Today apologizes for a blogger’s racist pseudoscience, but the story raises ongoing questions about societal standards of beauty. The writer of “The Scientific Fundamentalist” blog for Psychology Today apparently thinks...
My First Blog Post for UrbanFaith.com: Chicago's... →
While I’m not off exploring Rwanda this summer, I’m blogging for UrbanFaith.com, a website that shares Christian commentary on race and culture issues. I love the mission behind UrbanFaith and the diverse voices they publish, so it’s an honor to be a part of their work.
A battle of wills ensued over the leadership of an inner-city Chicago parish when Father Michael Pfleger...
Christians vs. The Big Questions →
I wrote this piece for Relevant a while back about how doubt is handled in the church, after watching a couple of close friends struggle with or turn away from faith because of the way they were treated by Christians. So, this is an issue that’s really close to my heart. I would love to hear your thoughts on what we can do to change this. How can Christians become a community that welcomes...
