How faith shaped his life and public service We always remember our first experiences. My first experience to cast a ballot for the president of the United States was in 1976. James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr. — an engineer, a former naval officer, a humble
As I was getting ready to close up the church office for the Thanksgiving holiday, the usual raft of pre-holiday, pre-Advent thoughts were running through my mind — mostly centered around the perennial fistful of loose ends that never seem to get tied up in
Remarks prepared for a Transgender Day of Remembrance service in Atlanta, Ga. Ladies, gentlemen, and non-binary siblings: Today, we gather with a shared purpose, unified in spirit and heart, as we mark Trans Day of Remembrance. It’s a day to honor the lives lost, to
Cultivating loving awareness in a world gone mad Spiritual speaker and author Mirabai Starr lost her 14-year-old daughter in a car accident in 2001. Starr describes it as a profound, shattering loss, and anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one — maybe
Even my minister dad could change Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 NIV) Recently I responded to a post about the Black Church experience with LGBTQ+ condemnation and the use of the Bible as a weapon
Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, holds profound significance for our nation and should be honored and celebrated by everyone, including LGBTQ+ people — and in particular, by LGBTQ+ Christians. Here’s why. For starters, Juneteenth for me as a Christian is
In life’s complex tapestry, where prejudice, -isms and misunderstanding can still cast long shadows, the LGBTQ+ community has navigated through storms of discrimination and rejection. And within that struggle lies an opportunity — a clarion call to embody the deepest teachings of love, compassion and
Christian nationalism won’t ever show itself out, so we need to help it find the door LGBTQ+ people are far from alone in knowing the personal and collective impact of the seeping poison of Christian nationalism in our society, as it has steadily and significantly
I was a painfully awkward kid. Truth be told, I’m still a painfully awkward adult. Laughing too loud, in the wrong places, at the wrong times. Trying to fit in with the cool kids and failing miserably. Now, though, being older, I don’t really give
Badlands, you gotta live it everyday Let the broken hearts stand As the price you’ve gotta pay| We’ll keep pushin’ till it’s understood And these badlands start treating us good — ”Badlands,” Bruce Springsteen “Badlands” has long been one of my favorite Bruce Springsteen songs.