Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Life Lessons from Sonny the Shoeshine
By John Pierce “Sing it, Aretha!” said Sonny as he swiped the first layer of wax across the toe of my shoe. The Queen of Soul was bellowing from his portable radio next to a box filled with polish, brushes...
More than blessing needed
I just read through an appealing little book called Bless Her Heart: Life as a Young Clergy Woman (Chalice Press, 2011). It's written by Ashley-Anne Masters and Stacy Smith, both of whom are ministers in the...
Truth beyond the literal
By John Pierce “I literally laughed my head off.” No, you didn’t. “I literally died laughing.” No, you didn’t. No decapitation, nor death in any form by cachinnation. But,...
Muslims Call for NYPD Chief to Resign over Video
(RNS) Muslim American groups are calling for the resignation of New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly after the NYPD showed a documentary, "The Third Jihad," to more than 1,489 police officers and detectives...
After Minor Turbulence, Alaska Airlines Suspends Prayer Cards
(RNS) After causing a bit of turbulence with some passengers, Alaska Airlines will no longer serve prayer cards with in-flight meals, the company announced Wednesday (Jan. 25). The cards, which take a line or two from...
Praying for New Orleans, One Block at a Time
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) Millie Campbell slipped the transmission into reverse and backed her blue Chevrolet away from her spotless brick home. "Oh God," she said, "we thank you for the blood of Jesus." Then the 76-year-old...
States Look to Expand Gambling for Revenue
As state legislatures around the country consider expanding or introducing gambling in their respective states, speculation abounds that Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will soon introduce federal legislation allowing for...
Possessed Man Sees What Tame Crowd Overlooks
It took a wild and crazy guy – someone out of his mind – to recognize who Jesus was. It happened early in the ministry of Jesus at a synagogue in Capernaum where he was teaching with great effectiveness (Mark 1:21-28)....
Harsh Political Partisanship Feeds off Division
This past Tuesday, President Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address. As many presidents before him, the president called upon Americans to unite around our higher angels and lay aside partisan bickering...
No Ordinary Relationships: Ambition, Control, and Greatness
A sermon delivered by Joel Snider, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Rome, Ga., on January 22, 2012. Mark 10:35-45 Meditation Text: Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking more of God and of others. ...
Not Even Death
A sermon delivered by Howard Batson, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Amarillo, Tx., on January 22, 2012. Luke 7:11-17 Sometimes it is the numbness of silence. Sometimes it is the throbbing pressure of a heart that feels...
Repent and Believe
A sermon delivered by Michael Cheuk, Pastor, Farmville Baptist Church, Farmville, Va., on January 22, 2012 Third Sunday after Epiphany Mark 1:14-20 On a balmy spring afternoon at the University of Virginia, I was...
No Ordinary Relationships: It’s Who We Are
A sermon delivered by Joel Snider, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Rome, Ga., on January 15, 2012. Luke 6:27-36 Morning Prayer: We give praise to you, our good and kind loving Father. We give praise to you because you...
After Angering Catholics, White House Honors Teachers
WASHINGTON (RNS) Following days of tension between the Obama administration and the U.S. hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, the White House on Wednesday (Jan. 25) heralded nine Catholic educators as "Champions of...
Top Catholic Bishop Feels Betrayed by Obama
NEW YORK (RNS) In the wake of President Obama's controversial decision to mandate that religious groups pay for contraceptives for their employees, much of the coverage focused on how the president had disappointed...
Why That “Jeopardy!” Computer Isn’t That Smart
Last February, the IBM supercomputer, Watson, won an exhibition game of the TV show "Jeopardy!" against two of its best contestants. This was a significant advance on Deep Blue, another IBM supercomputer, which had...
Documentary Screening, Panel Highlight Need for Congregational Focus on Immigration
More than 100 Middle Tennessee clergy attended the premier screening on Jan. 24 of a new documentary on faith and immigration and engaged in dialogue with a panel of bishops about the issue. "Gospel Without Borders,"...
This Immigrant First-Grader Knows Her Neighbor
January is Poverty Awareness Month in the United States. When I walk into Paola's first-grade classroom, I'm aware of her poverty. Nine out of 10 of the students at our school meet the federal poverty level guidelines....
Beware unlimited certainty
Walter B. (Buddy) Shurden spoke twice at Campbell University this week. Both addresses were perceptive and challenging, worthy of a wider audience. I want to hit a few of the high spots from the Monday evening service...
Shhh! Pope Praises Value of Short Tweets, Silence
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI praised new communications technologies like Twitter on Tuesday (Jan. 24), saying that even "concise phrases, often no longer than a verse from the Bible," can convey "profound...
A Miniature Christian Bookstore in the Palm of Your Hand
(RNS) God may hold the whole world in his hand, but persecuted Christians can now hold an entire seminary library on a fingertip. Bible League International is working with the Digital Bible Society to carry the...