<p><a href="http://www.ryanrodrickbeiler.com"></a>Residents of the Lone Star state are known as proud folk, but there are a few startling facts that should make everyone -- not just ...

At a major conference at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Massachusetts recently, 500 evangelicals met to discuss how to "renew the evangelical mission."</p> ...

Just in time for Halloween, Bill Donohue of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is once again spooked about all those "radical secularists" lurking ominously behind ever corner. ...

<p><a href="http://www.justicerevival.org"></a>Earlier this month, I was in Dallas for the official launch of Sojourners' next <a href="http://www.justicerevival.org/&q ...

What is at the core of the immigration issue? What is the driving force of the debate? I say it is fear.</p> What is at the core of the immigration issue? What is the drivin ...

<p><a href="http://www.ryanrodrickbeiler.com"></a>Argentinian singer Mercedes Sosa died yesterday. I don't know much about her life, so you can <a href="http://en.wikip ...

<a href="http://blog.sojo.net/2009/10/01/singing-and-praying-justice-part-1/">[continued from part 1]</a></p> [continued from part 1] How can w ...

<blockquote><p><em>"He who sings prays twice." -- Saint Augustine</em></p> <p><em>"What's going on?" -- Marvin Gaye</em></p> ...

Every dawning day we wake to the news of human violence against humanity. We see images of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan who've traveled a long way from home to fight terrorists. ...

Proverbs 31:8 says "Speak out for those who cannot speak [for themselves]."</p> Proverbs 31:8 says "Speak out for those who cannot speak [for themselves].&quo ...

A recent Center for American Progress report, <a title="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/09/loving_thy_neighbor.html" href="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/09/loving_t ...

<blockquote><p>"If [state officials and the paramilitary groups] knew what we were telling you, we would be riddled with bullets as soon as we walked out that door."</p> ...

Last week the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) pledged to support the program on national healing in Zimbabwe. Last week the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ...

<p>To work is to pray.</p> <p>It's a Latin phrase that the Order of St. Benedict adopted as its motto.</p> <p>St. Benedict, the founder of the order, recognized the sacred va ...

With all of the shouting, the fear, and now what often looks like hatred -- we are in danger of losing the moral "core" of this health-care debate. With all of the shout ...

I recently celebrated the ninth annual Hatch family reunion on Cape Cod, my favorite family gathering. I recently celebrated the ninth annual Hatch family reunion on Cape Cod, my ...

Jim Wallis and other faith leaders from across America kicked off "40 Days for Health Reform" Jim Wallis and other faith leaders from across America kicked off "40 ...

Early next Saturday morning I will board a plane with my daughter to spend a week in Honduras. Early next Saturday morning I will board a plane with my daughter to spend a week in ...

"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do ...

If anyone still doesn't believe in global warming, come to Glacier National Park. My wife Karin and I just spent two days of our vacation here. If anyone still doesn't ...

The visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to Ghana this past weekend was described as his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa. The visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to Ghana this ...

<p><a href="http://www.ryanrodrickbeiler.com/gallery/7664262_f2SVv#494818117_uXdMB"></a>I graduated from a wonderful Christian college about a year ago, and it was a great experienc ...

Throughout the Bible, God's people are instructed to care for those who often cannot thrive on their own, most often widows and orphans. Throughout the Bible, God's peop ...

As I look at where we need to get, pronto -- 350 parts per million or less carbon in the atmosphere, sustainable use of planetary resources, and a world economy consistent with those things -- and ...

Father's Day has always been a bittersweet holiday for me. For most of my life, my father was absent, having abandoned our family when I was in elementary school. Father ...

On the day my father died I was 1,200 miles away.</p> On the day my father died I was 1,200 miles away. I had gone to the hospital the morning before in San Diego to vis ...

"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:31, NRSV)</p> "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:31, NRSV) H ...

I heard a preacher once say, "Don't let facts blind you to the truth." What did he mean? Facts, misunderstood or taken out of context, can take us further away from, rather than closer to, truth ...

"The Bible knows nothing about peace without justice," said that great prophet of joyful restorative justice, Desmond Tutu, when he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.</p> ...

Last month, in an issue of <em>Newsweek</em>, Jon Meacham describes what he perceives to be <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583">"The End of Christian America."< ...

In the upcoming weeks and months, desperate people will knock on the doors of almost every church across the nation to ask for emergency financial assistance. In the upcoming week ...

Historically, the number of individuals who say they have no religious affiliation in America ranges between 5-10%, but a new poll conducted by Robert Putnam (of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/p ...

There were some remarkable outcomes to last week's Mobilization to End Poverty, with nearly 50 <a href="http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=events.M2EP&amp;item=M2EP-host-sponsors">sp ...

Many of you have attended a class at church designed to help you discern your spiritual gifts. Many of you have attended a class at church designed to help you discern your spirit ...

I rarely agree with Mark Driscoll. Yet he points to something when he said:</p> I rarely agree with Mark Driscoll. Yet he points to something when he said: This genera ...

Do you find yourself reluctant to attend women's retreats because they tend to focus on things like fashion, women's emotions, crafts, and new forms of stomach exercises? ...

Ministry has its up and downs. Such is life. Ministry has its up and downs. Such is life. But one of the joys of planting and pastoring Quest Church is that it's one of t ...

I've been asked to comment on churches that are more conservative, predominantly evangelical, and how they are coalescing around poverty reduction. I've been asked to co ...

<p>One of my heroes is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass" target="_blank">Frederick Douglass</a>. I have a list of folks whose stuff I regularly re ...

Many of us were raised in churches that taught that women should be silent in the church because of the teachings of Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:34. Many of us were raised in churche ...

As I write this post, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Eugene, Oregon waiting for the Society for Pentecostal Studies conference to start. It's nice to have a day to myself. ...

Last month, legislators in Hawaii introduced <a href="http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/bills/HB444_HD1_.htm">House Bill 444</a> (HB 444), which would provide rights and privilege ...

The University of Notre Dame recently announced that President Barack Obama will be its spring commencement speaker and that he will also be receiving an honorary doctorate of laws degree. ...

To support and amplify the already pervasive non-religious reputation of Seattle, the atheist bus ads are set to arrive. To support and amplify the already pervasive non-religious ...

For the past several weeks, Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Chicago has been conducting a national tour promoting immigration reform, primarily speaking at Latino evangelical churches around the country. ...

Last week <a href="http://blog.sojo.net/2009/03/19/im-taking-down-all-my-miley-cyrus-and-jonas-brothers-posters/">Eugene Cho posted his thoughts</a> on how it hurt him and his children wh ...

During this Lenten season <a href="http://www.povertyinitiative.org/">The Poverty Initiative</a> is inviting you to join us as we reflect on the last week in the life of Jesus and the las ...

Meet Stephen Bartlett, an urban gardener and educator in Louisville, Kentucky. Meet Stephen Bartlett, an urban gardener and educator in Louisville, Kentucky. His passion isn' ...

The clock is ticking for thousands of Liberian immigrants as the month of March draws to a close. The clock is ticking for thousands of Liberian immigrants as the month of March d ...

The sad news from Zimbabwe continues The sad news from Zimbabwe continues (activist, Africa, Churches, farm invasions, global issues, God's Politics, Grace, Hope, Hum ...