If I were to look around at the most powerful people and movements in American society right now, the clearest trait I could ascribe to them would be “shamelessness,” particularly in the face of cruelty. Poisonous and vitriolic words fly freely in ways that would have made leaders and diplomats of a previous generation blush.
From its title alone, Michael Sarnoski’s The Death of Robin Hood telegraphs its ending early on, but as with most of the director’s films, the joy in watching comes from the journey of bearing witness to the unexpected ways his characters arrive at their endings.
In the spring, on a day when the weather was just right, the conservation team at the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, N.Y., set part of their meadow on fire. The “prescribed burn” is a land management technique that helps control invasive species and reduce the risk of wildfires.
Following credible accusations of rape and sexual assault, former Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner withdrew from the race. The Maine Democratic Party has until July 27 to choose a replacement.
Many people, including me, believed that Democrats should have figured out long ago that Platner was unfit for office. Yet Platner was buoyed through numerous scandals thanks to his claims that he had changed, and his insistence that his past words and actions did not define him. Platner was a veteran who discussed past struggles with PTSD and addiction. He catered to people’s love of a redemption arc.
And while he’s an atheist himself, Platner also leveraged America’s very Protestant belief that the internal experience of transformation or goodness is more important than what one has done, or even than what one is doing.
Citing dangers to LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church voted last month to move next year's annual conference out of Idaho.
At this year’s annual conference — a meeting where representatives from Oregon and southern Idaho United Methodist churches gather to vote on and make decisions — held at the Cathedral of the Rockies in Boise, Idaho, the Rev. Heather Riggs of Montavilla United Methodist in Portland brought a motion to the floor to change the location of next year’s conference.
Dozens of clergy and laity gave public comment, arguing why they believed the event should remain in Idaho or move to Oregon in 2027. The vote was close, but the end result was that the conference would either move to Oregon or be held virtually.
Where do you think Ye keeps his Dove Award?
Oh, you forgot Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has a Dove Award—the Christian music industry award—alongside other illustrious winners like Kirk Franklin, Michael W. Smith, and Amy Grant? Fear not, the rap duo of Andy Mineo and John “Wordsplayed” Itiola are here with witty one-liners to remind you.
As long-time staples in Christian hip-hop, each has left a distinctive mark on the misfit subgenre.
Mineo spends a ruthless amount of time honing his craft, and it shows. He has helped lead CHH past cheap musical imitations of “secular hip-hop,” and past cheap lyrical imitations of Reformed sermons. Over trap beats, Latin drums, or the occasional electric guitar, he’s written the fullness of his life—from doubting God and deconstructing to his relationships with his parents.
Wordsplayed has consistently infused CHH with some much-needed levity. He toes the line with witty lyricism, mocking everything from the music industry to Creflo Dollar, internet pornography, and himself—all with a wink. Through lo-fi beats, infomercials for his Patreon, and stand-up comedy sets, he’s given every too-serious fan of CHH the type of laughter that provokes introspection.
These days, it's rare for a political speech to capture my imagination. But a few months ago, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke at the World Economic Forum declaring with moral clarity and candor that there’s been a “rupture in the global order” tied to a “brutal reality” where the strong can act without constraints and the weak must endure the consequences.
I remember the first time I heard the term “empire.” It was when I read anti-imperial literature written by revolutionaries who defended my home, the Philippines, from Western domination. I learned from their witness that empire is a structure of sin. I also learned from fellow Filipino Christians that if one calls themselves a “disciple of Jesus,” imperial power must be concretely challenged and resisted, as it does not cohere with the way of Jesus.
A shorthand for “imperial power” among social justice Christians is the term “empire.” When Christians use this term, we are not just describing a historical structure of domination, but we are comparing and contrasting the politics of empire with the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:3-12; 20:25-26).
My wife is a novelist, and she’ll tell you that the best surprise ending should feel initially shocking but inevitable in hindsight. That’s an apt descriptor of this horrible Graham Platner arc.
Editor’s note: This story includes reference to suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org
Ryan “R.L.” Stollar, a theologian and advocate whose work focused on children, abuse survivors, and homeschooling, died by suicide this week, leaving behind a legacy of tenacious and occasionally combustive activism. He was 41.
Stollar co-founded the blog “Homeschoolers Anonymous,” which garnered scores of media attention in the 2010s as more homeschool alumni began sharing stories of their experiences. He later helped found the organizations Homeschool Alumni Reaching Out and the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, both dedicated to resources and advocacy around safer homeschooling in the U.S. In 2023, Stollar published The Kingdom of Children: A Liberation Theology with Eerdmans.
“We [adults] need to give children the freedom to be their own theologians — to discover and love who God is and what God values on their own terms,” Stollar wrote.