Spoiler: Your average affirming church might be resting on its laurels With every passing moment, it becomes increasingly less revolutionary for a progressive Christian congregation to label itself as some combination of open, affirming or welcoming. Denominational schisms notwithstanding, more and more Christians are saying
Written by Austen Hartke from personal experiences beginning at a very early age, Transforming: The Bible & the Lives of Transgender Christians takes the reader on a deeply heartfelt path of discovery, first by examining the author’s struggle to determine who he is, then by
For starters: ‘Do you want to get well?’ Imagine a story where Jesus comes up to someone who’s been an invalid for 38 years and who’s been waiting for who-knows-how-long at a place known for its healing properties — and the first question Jesus asks
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10 NIV) I can only imagine a
Dear Bro, Hi. You know I am very involved with my church. I am one of the founding members. Part of me serving God is to preach at least once a month and lead a Bible study on Zoom. I also share some thoughts once
We’re far from powerless against the anti-trans wave Part of my daily routine is to post a thought piece and a scripture reading on Facebook, then on Twitter and Post I say “Black Lives Matter” and “Trans Lives Matter.” It’s a routine I’ve observed for
Every culture has them. And we know what ours are. They’re the stereotypes, the popular definitions, the expectations, the images of what a lesbian, gay man, bisexual person, transgender person, queer person, or any of the others in that alphabet are supposed to be. They’ve
Lent is supposed to be a time when Christians engage in reflection, remembrance, and repentance — a practice I wholeheartedly embrace. But just one week into it, I’m already finding it hard to maintain focus amid the now-daily headlines chronicling the mounting societal backlash against
Each year Valentine’s Day encourages a whole season of love, whatever that means in American culture. At least it means that the new year begins with stores overflowing with candy, flowers, cards, stuffed animals, jewelry, and other paraphernalia needed to show how buying proves we’re
Whether it’s National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, World AIDS Day or any other day set aside for us to confront this epidemic, one sad fact remains startlingly true: HIV/ADS remains an overwhelmingly Black disease in the United States. I remember reading a report this time
