Browse Archives
Check out news and opinion posts across the years
Advent and War
This past Sunday at church we sang the familiar hymn, "Angels, from the Realms of Glory" by Henry Thomas Smart (1867). The words of Verse 3 led me to write this article. "Sages, leave your contemplations, Brighter...
Far as the Curse is Found
My favorite Christmas hymn is "Joy to the World." Written by Isaac Watts in the 18th century, the music of this hymn is lively and triumphant. It captures well the celebratory spirit of the season. But it's the lyrics...
Away in a Manger, and Other Healthcare Disparities
One certainty about the historical Jesus is that he was not born in a hospital birthing center with the aid of obstetricians. One brief Bible story and some nativity carols suggest anything but a skilled and sterile...
Congregational Ethics for Associate Ministers
Congregations mean well when they hire associate ministers. But often they don't do well. Here are some tips for how to do it better: --Establish personnel policies. Often congregations hire their first associate to...
U.N. Report Cites Global Warming
This year will go down as the fourth-hottest year on record, and the last 10 years are among the warmest since record-keeping began in 1861, the United Nation's World Meteorological Organization reported last week. The...
Christmas Came After All
Michael and I gazed through the glass counter at Griner's Jewelry looking for a ring to give to our granddaughter, Jennifer, on her 13th birthday. Michael, my husband of nearly 47 years, had an eye for jewelry. Through...
How Much is Enough?
My daughter recently turned 16. Several weeks later she completed driver's education. After another 10 days, she felt almost ready to take her tests. As her father and I were leaving town for several weeks, she decided...
2004 Brought More Good Documentaries
As box-office analysts contemplate 2004's numbers and trends, one thing will be apparent: It was another good year for documentaries. The genre really picked up box-office steam in 2002, when Michael Moore's "Bowling...
Houston Layman Renews Call for Southern Baptist Exodus from Public Schools
A lawsuit alleging religious discrimination deep in the Bible Belt proves Southern Baptist leaders were wrong to oppose a resolution this summer calling for an exodus from public schools, says the statement's...
Christmas in Australia
There's more to Australia than kangaroos and koalas, Nicole Kidman and the Crocodile Hunter. And there's more to an Australian Christmas than tinsel and trees, Santa and snow. Located in the southern hemisphere,...
Middle-Earth Behind, Narnia Ahead
This year, no "Lord of the Rings" installment awaits moviegoers at the cinema. Next year, however, another literary behemoth will explode onto screens worldwide. "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," the first in...
After Arafat: An Opening for Peace?
A week after U.S. elections, President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair jointly declared their renewed commitment to invigorate the stalled Middle East peace process. The sudden illness and death of...
Welcoming a Child
Our senses work overtime during Advent. Our skin comes alive from the chill in the air. Colors seem brighter and clearer, smells more intense. Our taste buds explode from special treats and festive meals. Our senses...
‘Passion’ Not Cracking Critics’ Lists
"The Passion of the Christ" was a box-office bonanza, but as 2004 ends and critics hand out awards, it's nowhere to be found. Mel Gibson's controversial picture about Jesus' arrest, trial and crucifixion earned roughly...
Conservative Evangelicals Fight Christmas ‘Censorship’
Buoyed by success in bringing traditional moral values to bear in the last election, some conservative evangelicals are now turning to rescuing Christmas from "political correctness." The California-based Committee to...
Wrapped in the Robes of Politics
My Uncle Will called me this week. He was very excited. "Have you heard about Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan down in Covington County?" Unfortunately, I had heard of him. Judge McKathan shocked lawyers and others this...
‘Ocean’s Twelve’
Rewatchability. Some movies have it, some don't. The 2001 remake of the Rat Pack classic "Ocean's Eleven" had—and has—it. Each time you watch it, you see something new. It's got rewatchability. The same crew that made...
Moderate Meeting Envisions ‘New Day’ in Baptist Life
Twenty-five years of denominational strife have changed the landscape for Baptists in the South, spawning a "new day" for ministry and networking in the 21st century, say planners of a February convocation for...
Ten Reasons Why Justice is Essential to the Gospel
Someone asked me recently why justice-seeking figured so strongly in my approach to mission. I think they meant "as distinct from evangelism." We were talking about asylum seekers. I said something about the...
‘Peter Jackson in Perspective: The Power Behind Cinema’s The Lord of the Rings’
As the special extended edition of "The Return of the King" goes on sale today, fans of "The Lord of the Rings" will enjoy scenes that were cut from the theatrical release of the trilogy's final installment. As...
Italian Baptists Call for End to War in Iraq
Italian Baptist leaders for the second time in a month have appealed to Baptists in the United States to join their call for an end to the war in Iraq. The executive board of the Italian Baptist Union on Monday issued...