Tributes to the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. took place on Monday across the country and included a mix of politics, faith and community service. This year’s observance — the 38th since its was made a federal holiday in 1986 — commemorated the Baptist preacher and Civil Rights Movement icon's importance to American history.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights religion angles at the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) On Aug. 16, 1967, in Atlanta during his annual report to the 11th Convention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Martin Luther King Jr. entitled his speech “Where Do We Go From Here?” and thus the question I have for ministers, Black and White today.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In an age of polarization, it is worth remembering that one of the pillars of King’s philosophy was pluralism: the idea of multiple communities engaging one another, acknowledging their differences and shared bonds, and striving to create what King called a “Beloved Community.”
Read More(OPINION) Since the media and the internet are crazy over lists (is this David Letterman’s doing?), how about a well-reported article — not about our American era’s top 10 religious celebrities but which ones exercise the most influence, seen or unseen?
Read More(OPINION) We’d prefer saints come wrapped in pure polished gold (or at least carved from alabaster), ready for mounting on a church shelf or a plinth in a public square. Sadly for us — and for our religious and civic saints, too — nobody, not even the greatest among us, navigates life on Earth without amassing dings, tarnish and cracks.
Read MoreSoul food, dancing and laughter are the makings of any memorable Black get-together. But this weekend, African Americans around the nation are gathering for more than just another fun summer cookout — it’s Juneteenth. This vibrant celebration, considered the longest-running African American holiday, honors the liberation of enslaved ancestors.
Read More(OPINION) Years after Martin Luther King Jr., Southern Baptists are still divided based on skin color within the church. The Rev. Fred Luter says, "This is spiritual warfare of the enemy. ... As blood-washed, born-again, baptized believers in Jesus Christ, (we must) come together, realizing that the separation we have because of our skin color is an attack of the enemy."
Read MoreIn advance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this week’s Weekend Plug-in looks at a fascinating piece on the last full year of the Baptist pastor’s life. Plus, catch up, as always, on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreFred Gray, a 90-year-old civil rights lawyer and longtime Church of Christ elder, represented Rosa Parks when he was only 24 years old and serving as an attorney for Martin Luther King Jr. Now, the Alabama city where Parks famously refused to give up her bus seat to a White male passenger in 1955 — Montgomery — is naming a street after him.
Read MoreRep. John DeBerry Jr., running for his 14th two-year term in the Tennessee General Assembly, has been voted off the Democratic primary for his conservative positions on issues such as abortion, gay rights and school choice. He says these positions are a result of his faith, not his politics.
Read MoreWhile the Black Lives Matter movement has caused controversy in religious circles because of its support for non-traditional families and Marxist philosophy, researchers who study the movement say it is spiritual even with an antipathy for organized religion. Many activists want to explore their ancestors’ African spirituality, and Black churches and mainline Protestants are also influencing the movement.
Read MoreA group of black ministers from Churches of Christ across the country penned a letter calling for justice in the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Dreasjon Reed, Breonna Taylor and Floyd. The letter has been signed by a diverse group of more than 300 Christians.
Read More(COMMENTARY) We often hear discussion about whether religion causes violence or makes the world more violent. But maybe we should discuss if, in the absence of true religion, violence can become a religion?
Read More(COMMENTARY) The Religion Guy answers whether evangelical and charismatic Christians can worship together.
Read More