Pope Francis, the “People’s Pope” and one of the Roman Catholic Church’s most beloved pontiffs, who was laid to rest today after passing into the arms of God on Easter Monday at age 88, nonetheless left behind a complicated legacy on LGBTQ+ inclusion in the
A modern-day profile in courage The nation watched with surprised shock back on January 21st at the sight of a national religious leader actually standing up for those she understands her Bible says to treat with mercy in a public rebuke to Donald Trump while
That one time when I made friends with a Christian Nationalist Preached at the Unitarian Church in Charleston, S.C. Just over a decade ago, I taught religion classes at Midlands Technical College in Columbia as an adjunct professor. One year, in my comparative religion class,
If only we could embrace diversity the way Nature does Don’t get me wrong: I like all the letters that could be added to become LGBTQI+. In fact, I think there should be more — the more, the merrier. Now, that will drive copy editors
How we have misunderstood this great commandment Many pixels have been spilled over the fact that the reaction from those who oppose Donald Trump’s mind-boggling reascent to the U.S. presidency is very different now than it was in 2016. In fact, the resistance seems to
Is leaving really an option when we number in the millions? Not long after the new U.S. president spent his first day back in office signing a raft of executive orders that were designed to inspire shock and awe, I had first-hand evidence that he’d
Remarks prepared for a Transgender Day of Remembrance service in Atlanta, Ga. Ladies, gentlemen, and nonbinary 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
Elections always bring out the crazies, but this U.S. election cycle has been especially intense and filled with awful crazy stuff, including harmful and dangerous rhetoric. As I’m sure you’ve seen by now, especially if you live in one of the handful of battleground states,
What are you up to this election season? Are you paying any attention? Are you working for your favorite candidates? Are you planning to vote and maybe even bring someone with you to the polls? Or have you given up on politics? Have you fallen
How to stop indulging the bigots in our midst If there’s anything that’s traditional, even a part of many historically “traditional family values,” it’s prejudices and the accompanying bigotry. Of course, bigots are really, really offended when someone points out their bigotry. And their hope