I recently found myself in conversation with a fellow believer who asked where I stood on the "non-negotiable" issues that seemed to him definitive for voting Christians. ...

As friends and I met for dinner to enjoy pictures of mutual friends' wedding, their four-year old joined in the fun. As friends and I met for dinner to enjoy pictures of mutu ...

A student once asked me whether in my opinion Mark Twain actually said that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. A student once asked me whether in my o ...

The industrialized world's collective failure to both regulate pollution and curb gross overconsumption has put millions and billions of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people at increase ...

<p>"Jesus Killed Mohammed" was written in Arabic in large red letters on the side of a U.S. Army Special Forces vehicle, armed to kill and rolling through a town in Iraq. It sounds like a bad M ...

I enjoy addressing the contributions of women in history at Christian colleges or universities. I enjoy addressing the contributions of women in history at Christian colleges or u ...

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 ...

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 ...

<a href="http://www.urbanfaith.com/images/HoleinGospelCover121x178.jpg"></a> <p>As the pastor of a church with a deep desire to love others as Christ would, I've recently been ...

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? ...

<p>"Good" Friday was real good this year. We remembered Jesus, and we remembered Jesus disguised in the "least of these" -- those who continue to be tortured, spit on, slapped, insul ...

There is much to be disturbed about in the recent revelation of the Bush administration torture memos. There is much to be disturbed about in the recent revelation of the Bush adm ...

<p><a href="http://www.ryanrodrickbeiler.com"></a>I've written <a href="http://www.brianmclaren.net/cgi-bin/mt3/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=2&amp;search=gaza"&g ...

<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UXJOLM?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=sojo_blog-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B001UXJOLM">&l ...

As we celebrate Easter and Christ's empty tomb, we recognize that Calvary changes everything! As we celebrate Easter and Christ's empty tomb, we recognize that Calvary c ...

Last week, before the budget vote, I talked with several senators on the phone as they were about to cast their vote. The ones I spoke to were friends, and I told them that I was praying for them. ...

In a stunning turnabout, some of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's firmest allies distanced themselves from his hard-line tactics when the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted to postpone accepting $1.6 m ...

Jesus, who was a Palestinian Jew living under Roman occupation, preached a message that was anti-state and religious imperialism. Jesus, who was a Palestinian Jew living under Rom ...

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 ...

<em><em>Bible readings from the Revised Common Lectionary:</em></em><em> Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm107; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21</em></p> ...

<em>Bible readings from the Revised Common Lectionary: Exodus 20:1-17, Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, John 2: 13-22</em></p> Bible readings from the Revised ...

<p><a href="http://blog.sojo.net/tag/economy-special-focus/"></a></p> <p>It's always difficult to find just a few minutes from Pastor Efrem's sermons to highli ...

How many times have we heard that women are more easily deceived than men? How many times have we heard that women are more easily deceived than men? In overt and also subtle ways ...

Each year on March 8 the world takes time to observe <a href="http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp" target="_blank">International Women's Day</a>. ...

<blockquote><p>"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Ev ...

Over brunch with my husband and one of my best guy friends last weekend, conversation turned, as it does, to Major League Baseball, doping and the nature of sin.</p> Over br ...

Look at these astonishing verses from Romans 16.</p> Look at these astonishing verses from Romans 16. I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cen ...

<p>Former President Jimmy Carter just published a new book about the ongoing violent unrest in the Middle East titled, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439140634?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=soj ...

Do you find it curious that some Christians seem entirely focused on gender differences? Have you also noticed that this is rarely the posture of scripture? Do you find it curious ...

<a href="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&amp;pageId=84943">Philis Schlafly, a long time leader of the Religious Right</a> and known for her opposition to the Equal ...

In December an Australian cell phone company refused to sell a phone to a stay-at-home mom because she didn't have a real job. In December an Australian cell phone company re ...

As a former theology and philosophy professor at Asbury Seminary, Sojourners' COO, Chuck Gutenson, is a walking encyclopedia of all things theological As a former theology a ...

Have you ever noticed how scripture celebrates our interdependence, our mutuality, and our oneness as the church? Have you ever noticed how scripture celebrates our interdependenc ...

<em>Here's the video and the transcript of Rick Warren's prayer at the inaugural ceremony, for your reference and comment:</em></p> Here's the v ...

President Obama's inaugural address might not have been one for the ages.</p> <p>But it certainly was the right one for the moment.</p> President Obama' ...

When we think of megachurches, very often we imagine large evangelical congregations-numbering in the thousands, located in the United States. When we think of megachurches, very ...

With the resignation of Richard Cizik as vice president for government affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals, we have one more reason why many of us are calling ourselves Red Letter C ...

I wrote a book recently with a friend of mine that stirred some conversation. In it we try to retell the story of the Bible in the context of the American empire. I wrote a book r ...

How many times have you heard the oft-repeated claim that Christians who advance the shared authority and leadership of men and women in the church and home ignore the authority of scripture? ...

<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061627992?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=sojo_blog-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0061627992">&l ...

<p><a href="http://blog.sojo.net/tag/my-advent-calendar"></a></p> <p>The fourth window of my Advent calendar opened to reveal a deer in the snow, a nostalgic vision of w ...

<p><a href="http://blog.sojo.net/tag/my-advent-calendar"></a></p> I love Advent. I love lighting the candles on the Advent wreath, si ...

Do you wonder why the words and deeds of Christ are not given more attention in the current gender debate? Do you wonder why the words and deeds of Christ are not given more atten ...

<p><a href="http://blog.sojo.net/tag/economy-special-focus/"></a></p> <p>When you are giving thanks this week, why not give thanks for money? Sound crass? It shouldn ...

Do you often find comfort and insight, even direction for your life, through a careful study of scripture? Do you believe that God's truth is found in the pages of the Bible? ...

"I know you know what you're doing," Janice Sevre-Duszynska told Father Roy Bourgeois when he agreed to co-preside and give the homily at her ordination Mass, "but do you know what you' ...

<p>The day after Thanksgiving, thousands of Americans head for the shopping malls for a ritual known as Black Friday, called such as it's a day when many retailers move from the red (losses) into th ...

Christians for Bibilical Equality's statement on "<a title="http://www.cbeinternational.org/new/about/biblical_equality.shtml" href="http://www.cbeinternational.org/new/about/biblic ...

How many of you love listening to people who are retired discuss their life achievements? How many of you love listening to people who are retired discuss their life achievements? ...

I met an extraordinary teenager recently who had come to faith in a small town in Latvia. He was passionate about Jesus and wanted to live his life fully for Christ. I met an extr ...