We join with Christians worldwide remembering the town of Moore Oklahoma, and would ask those reading these words to pray for them. As President Obama said, “Our prayers are with the people of Oklahoma today. And we will back up those prayers with deeds for as long as it takes.” [...]

When I heard about the Boston marathon bombings — it happened via TV in a North Dakota seniors’ residence my wife’s parents live in — tears lept to my eyes and that terrible, familiar taste of 9/11 rage rose up inside. This time there was no creepy Osama bin Laden [...]

I have known Hoda Elsharkawi for some time, introduced to her via my cousin Karen who herself converted to Islam just 3 months before the horrors of 9/11/01. Hoda, her husband, and their children live near Boston. As someone who is Muslim, American, and a Bostonian, I believe Hoda offers [...]

There’s a man going through your dust bin Only this time he’s looking for food There’s a tear in his eye, you don’t know him Oh but you know what he’s going through Ain’t it funny that you can’t seem to help him Bein’ sick as he staggers away Is [...]

It might seem an odd moment to look back at the Iraq War, and at a speech given by Chris Hedges in 2004. Our President, inaugurated for the second time just yesterday, has drawn that war to a close. Further, he spoke in his Second Inaugural of reaching out in [...]

Every teen has his idols; Alexandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), famous author who was imprisoned for years under the Soviet regime, was one of mine. I bought volume one of his grim, great Gulag Archipelago (Prison Islands) trilogy, and it spent the summer of 1974 with me. I sat in our old [...]

Thinking a whole lot these days about Christian identity. No, no. Not the racist group calling itself Christian Identity… that sort of illustrates the problem… but the problem of having one. A Christian identity, that is. It seems to me that we’re getting whacked right now as Christians with a [...]

Some fun in Charlotte North Carolina today… super-serious Nazis and KKK members gather together for anti-immigration rally, but are met by clown posse of sorts. One can guess who got the last laugh.

A group of pastors and members of North Carolina’s NAACP released the following letter in response to anti-Obama advertisements and other actions by the BGEA (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association) headed by Franklin Graham. We believe this letter is an important counterpoint to many voices in this political season. As background, [...]

Evangelicals for Social Action is a group Jesus People USA has allied with for decades…. from ESA’s beginnings, actually. The Voter’s Guide (PDF download) ESA just released mentions no candidates or political parties. Nor is there any easily-discerned “slant” to what they offer. No matter who you plan to vote [...]