Why should we avoid apathy about race issues? Is the workplace inferior to the pulpit? How should we talk about refugees? Is religious liberty “hanging by a thread”? And what’s behind all those conspiracy theories you read on Facebook?
Get thoughtful responses to these questions from Trillia Newbell, Tom Nelson, Matthew Hawkins, Bruce Ashford and Samuel James in today’s Weekend Reading.
Race and the Problem with Apathy
Trillia Newbell explores the problem with remaining apathetic about race in a post at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). She writes,
We are a country that has been plagued by division and racism, specifically among blacks and whites. My generation is still fighting the effects of the sin from our past. And I imagine the erroneous and harmful teaching in the past still affects those generations before us. Though we may not teach intentionally the inferiority of blacks today, we still see the subtle—and not so subtle—evidence of that mindset remains. Read More>>
Tent-Making Is Not Second-Class
Tom Nelson explains that workplace vocations are no less important than ministry vocations. He says,
God designed the local church to be a transformed people scattered in various vocational callings throughout the week. One of the highest stewardships for church leaders is to encourage and equip apprentices of Jesus for their work. Sadly, this stewardship rarely gets the attention and commitment it requires. Read More>>
Let’s Demand Honesty in Refugee Rhetoric
When it comes to security concerns, do refugees pose a significant security threat? Matthew Hawkins at the ERLC cuts through the heated rhetoric and honestly examines the issue. He writes,
Americans might disagree on specific policies, politicians have an obligation to correlate their solutions with the problems they identify. And scapegoating vulnerable people with political smoke screens and buzzwords is not the way forward. Read More>>
Is Religious Liberty “Hanging By a Thread”?
“Religious liberties are hanging by a thread.” These comments from a North Carolina Supreme Court justice set of a firestorm of debate. But was he right? Bruce Ashford addressed the controversy in a recent article.
Cut off from the ultimacy of a just and authoritative God, secular societies are more—rather than less—prone to injustice. Religious liberty truly is necessary for the preservation of justice and freedom. Read More>>
Eaten By Lions, Facebook Style
If you’ve used social media for any length of time, you’ve seen somebody share conspiracy theories. What’s the appeal of conspiracy theories, and why are we so easily duped? Samuel D. James addresses these questions in a recent blog post. He writes,
The appeal of conspiracy theories is that they offer a counterintuitive kind of comfort: If the conspiracy is real and if the deck really is stacked against me, then that means that the world is fundamentally not my fault. I am right about the way things should be; in fact, that’s the way things really are! The problem is that these people in power over me are using every waking hour to keep me in the dark. Change is impossible because it’s not in my hands. Life can go on as normal. Read More>>
What are you reading this weekend?
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