(ANALYSIS) Extraordinary. That’s the word for “Second-Class Saints: Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial Equality,” a 2024 book-of-the-year candidate written by Colorado State University historian Matthew L. Harris. He analyzes the restrictions that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints imposed upon members of Black African ancestry between 1852 and 1978, an issue that extended into the 21st century.
Read More(REVIEW) What “white savior” and “white guilt” movies both do is create a fantasy about Christian history that makes us comfortable. In reality, Western Christian history is far more complicated. Filmmakers like Tamahori simply replace one fantasy with another. And, ironically, miss out on a much better movie. “The Convert” has enjoyable pacing and individual performances, but its shallow treatment of its well-worn cliches will make few believers.
Read MoreIn 1914 Louisville, when Blacks and whites lived in communities segregated by a city ordinance signed May 11 of that year, Black and white Baptists formed a community partnership that survives to this day. Only five decades since the Civil War and 46 years after the passage of the 14th Amendment, the partnership was born amid exacerbated racial disparities.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Thoughtful Christians do need to speak up. During the late 20th century Marxist-Christian syncretism was a major problem, but Christian nationalism has much more influence within the evangelical world now and is, right now, the greater danger. In “Untangling Critical Race Theory,” Ed Uszynski writes, “Too often Christian commentary denounces CRT while making light of the real problems it seeks to address.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) The son of an Italian father and a Black mother, Mazzulla is an outspoken Catholic whose pregame routine includes pacing through an empty arena, praying with a rosary made with wood from the court of the original Boston Garden. While his faith has drawn many cheers across social media, it also attracted some criticism.
Read More(REVIEW) The documentary “Gothix” tells the story of popular Twitch streamer Vanessa Rosa (known online as “Gothix”) who, having achieved her dream of being a full-time internet personality, loses it all when she states a controversial opinion that makes her the target of a concentrated harassment and boycott campaign by her friends and peers. “Gothix” is a timely documentary about the universality of cancel culture and how faith may hold the answer to navigating it.
Read More(ANALYSIS) About one-fifth of current French prisoners were convicted for drug offenses, according to the French Ministry of Justice — a rate comparable to that of the United States. Nearly all of them are men. There is no demographic breakdown of this population, because the French credo of “absolute equality” among citizens has made it illegal since 1978 to collect statistics based on race, ethnicity or religion.
Read More(OPINION) A recent poll showed that American Mainline Protestantism is rising, but virtually all other data shows it is rapidly decreasing. Here’s what the media should pay attention to.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Concerned over the direction that some leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have recently taken, a number of pastors in the denomination have formed the “Conservative Baptist Network” while others have left the denomination altogether. A history of the “Baptist battles” provides context for the SBC’s recent infighting along race, gender and ideology.
Read MoreAt the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, pastors in Oklahoma’s second-largest city have issued a joint statement against racism. It’s part of a special prayer room at the First Baptist Church of Tulsa.
Read MoreJohn Lewis, who died on Friday, played a large role in faith communities in Atlanta—such as with the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition formed in 1982. Jews in Atlanta remember his legacy.
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