Religion Dispatches
CNN’s Belief Blog has a great rundown of the lavish homes of American archbishops who haven’t gotten the memo from Pope Francis about a “church which is poor and for the poor.” CNN reports that “10 of the 34 active archbishops in the United States live in buildings worth more than $1 million.” The median home value in the U.S. is $174,200. Not surprisingly, that list includes some of the nation’s most outspoken conservative bishops—and allies of…
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…Gaza enters its fourth week, however, we are witnessing a significant rhetorical departure. Yet as reprehensible as remarks from American Jewish leaders have been, the dehumanizing discourse among political and religious leaders in Israel—where I live and work—has for years been moving toward the grotesque. The images that have emerged from the Gaza Strip over the past three weeks of Israel’s assault, and the fact that the vast majority of those k…
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…one)? How prepared are you to challenge the still-standing structure of American imperialism—the enormous military and “intelligence” footprint of this country—which is just as much an expression of white supremacy as is domestic police terrorism and anti-Black repression? (It would surely strike King as odd that the cost of maintaining this footprint hardly enters into today’s political conversation and that nearly everyone seems to be more or le…
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…an author and speaker Jemar Tisby provided an overview of the history of African-American Christianity, holding it up as a model for how Christianity and patriotism can be linked in a way that promotes tolerance and democracy, in contrast to Christian nationalism. “White Christian nationalists,” said Tisby, “have an understanding of religion that leads them to a very racist, xenophobic expression.” Next, Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Wors…
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…abwe, just as overlooked and beleaguered… Big companies have always sought cheaper labor, moving from North to South in the United States, looking for the hungriest, the most desperate, the least organized, the most exploitable. Press coverage of conditions in Apple’s factories in China has been anything but glowing. Yet when Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, says he’ll give his personal wealth to charities of his choice (many of them in Silicon Valley), he…
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I have had the honor of working extensively with the Rev. Dr. William Barber II, beginning when he keynoted the launch of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice in November 2013. It has been a fruitful partnership in all respects. In his new book, Rev. Barber reminds us of the importance of education and history in the long struggle for justice and righteousness. Referring to how those in power kept the poor divided in histor…
Read More…it may prove impossible again at this month’s General Conference. While American Methodists are diverse — both George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton are members — Methodists in Africa tend towards conservative views on sexual ethics, arguing that Scripture prohibits same-sex relationships. The United Methodist Church has about 7 million members in the U.S. and nearly 5 million in Africa, where the faith is reportedly growing fast. Some 40% of the del…
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…ive white evangelicals. Yes, I am bitter. I am tired. I am broken. This battle is for those who have strength, who have hope. I teach the history of American religion and African American religion. I know better than to have hope in this nation to heal its original sin of slavery and racism….
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…r religious activity. In a recent sermon series, “Leviathan Has Come to America,” he warned viewers that Leviathan has become “king of America,” that the government is coming against the Gospel, and that if the wrong person is elected (Clinton), the Constitution will be destroyed by a newly liberal Supreme Court. In a June 2016 episode with Gary Heavin, founder of the fitness chain Curves International, and Mike Norris, son of actor Chuck Norris,…
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…for myself, my family, and colleagues. So I’ve been trying to draft a short 800-word article for Religion Dispatches, as my attempt to make sense of this current moment, not because I chose this as an anthropological project, but here I am. Here I am listening to Trump’s transition team drop words like Muslim registry or that there is a precedent for internment camps in American history. The news that the KKK has been dropping their newsletter off…
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