I am not surprised by the fierce defense of the confederate flag by those who see it as a symbol of a proud heritage. I am not talking about those like Klansman Roy Pemberton, who while demonstrating in Columbia, South Carolina, chastised a man for not joining in the demonstration with other Klansmen. As Pemberton…

I am wrestling with questions revisited at the Black Church Studies conference held at Princeton Theological Seminary in the early part of May, 2015. I come again to my second question, what is justice? As I come, I am aware that I know so little about it, or better to say, I have little understanding…

It was around 1990. I was teaching in America at a seminary and Bible college. During a monthly time of staff prayer, our school’s difficult financial problems and damage from a recent storm were mentioned. When other prayer requests were solicited, Bill (a person on staff) mentioned that there was a group of witches that…

What is the black church? As I mentioned in my previous post, “The Church as Channel of Jubilee,” this question was formulated while at the Black Church Studies conference convened at Princeton Theological Seminary earlier this month. Admittedly, this question (and two others to be pursued in future weeks) was not new for me, but the discussions…

The Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate provider and dispenser of grace, whether it be dispensed in such a way as to provide salvation particularly, or equipping, generally. Jubilee is a powerful symbol of restoration and facilitation of human flourishing carried out in such a way that prioritizes (at least for the truly faithful) the…

Recounting the long history of mistreatment experienced by Alaskan Eskimos and other indigenous peoples in this country, Curtis Ivanoff stressed that Jesus Christ is the only hope for reconciliation in the long journey of righting past wrongs, mending broken relationships, and bringing healing amidst deep pain and struggle. In the final installment of the Timothy Series, the…

What if the Gospels didn’t include Jesus weeping at Lazarus’ death? What if the story of Christ’s life simply did not include his crucifixion and those who wept with him along the way to Golgotha? What if the word suffering was removed from the Gospels and the epistles? What if the Psalms’ laments were omitted?…