theology – Red Letter Christians

Beyoncé invites church girls to celebrate their freedom

August 2, 2022

“Lord, place me … I want to be centered in thy will.” Mixed with the sounds of the iconic pioneer of New Orleans bounce music, DJ Jimi, these words, written by Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark of the famed gospel grou...

Can Theology Be an Idol?

Jonathan D'Elia

November 29, 2021

Church Life, General, Theology

One of my favorite classes in seminary was Christology. It was the systematic biblical study of the person of Jesus Christ (that’s a mouthful!). By collecting and summarizing passages of the Bible, we learned a...

Deconstruction’s Critics Are Those With Much to Lose

Meagan Ruby Wagner

November 17, 2021

Church Life, Practical Justice, Theology

I do not take deconstruction lightly, nor do I wish for churches to die. I want the church to flourish, and flourishing requires weeding out that which is harmful.

The Mark of Cain: On Who Deserves to Live

Morf Morford

November 10, 2021

Global, Peace & Nonviolence, Theology

Killing in the name of God should be the ultimate oxymoron – the most extreme self-canceling, obvious-to-all contradiction.

Seeking Wholeness: Moving Beyond the Abortion Debate

Vanessa Stricker

September 28, 2021

Family and Parenting, Practical Justice, Theology

Maybe when we stop arguing over legality, we’ll be able to see the women and the children who are caught between the battle lines.

Jesus, Justice, and the Suffering of the Marginalized

David Piorek

July 28, 2021

Practical Justice, Race, Women

Yet, where we see suffering, we often see Jesus. Jesus’ arrival in the Gerasenes shows us how he breaks into the marginalized areas of our societies where those who are suffering have been left to languish.

Violence & Victory

Gena Thomas

July 11, 2021

General, Peace & Nonviolence, Theology

Violence is a byproduct of victory in the prosperity-scarcity framework, as people are subconsciously taught to seek prosperity at all costs. But seeking justice requires us to lay down our idol of victory.

Propositional Church in a Wounded World

Morf Morford

June 21, 2021

Church Life, General, Practical Justice

What were those “statements of faith” in the light of tragedy? Social upheaval? Personal challenges? Difficult relationships? Crisis? Or even encounters with wonder and discovery?

Struggle is Faithfulness: Thoughts from Inside Chronic Illness

Jenna Wysong Filbrun

May 25, 2021

General, Theology

However, is God directly responsible for one person’s healing while another suffers or dies? When God gets credit for the first outcome but not the second, it leaves the second person (and/or their loved ones) invisible, insignificant, and clearly excluded from God’s circle of care.

Tired of Looking for the Exit

Jonathan D'Elia

May 11, 2021

Church Life, LGBTQ+, Theology

There are kids, teens, and adults at your church that are LGBTQ+. They’re wondering if there’s a place for them. And more will be coming. Or maybe they won’t. Not because they aren’t seeking Christ, community, and Biblical truth, but because they’re tired of being rejected. They're tired of looking for the exit.