Religion

The young adult crowd of Baltimore is stepping up in a number of arenas to assert themselves as the next generation of the city’s servant-leaders. As the stalwarts of yesterday assume new roles as mentors and guides, the 30-ish age crowd is straining to speak up and be recognized. Rev. Cortly C.D. Witherspoon is...
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At the September meeting of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Baltimore City State’s Attorney, Patricia Jessamy, made the case for her re-election. Touting her years of experience and multi-faceted approach for engaging crime in Baltimore, Jessamy criticized her challenger in the race, Gregg Bernstein, by saying, “he doesn’t think a prosecutor’s office should have anything...
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Ask most people about the “civil rights” movement and you’re likely to eventually hear the names of men woven into their response. Without proper perspective, one could grow up in this country believing that the fight for “civil rights” was led, organized, and executed solely by men. Deeper study, however, will reveal that in...
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I remember it like it was yesterday. It wasn’t too long ago, but the emotional roller coaster was so terrifying that I’ll not soon forget the experience. I was in my first year of pastoring sitting at a Christian convention meeting at a West Baltimore church. The meeting portion of the mid-day program had...
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This past Sunday in my sermon I couldn’t resist raising for my congregation’s consideration, the public “resignation” of Anne Rice from Christianity. The best-selling author of many vampire tales announced on her Facebook page last week that she was done with the Faith. She said: “Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I...
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Those of you who know me or have been reading my blog for a little while know that I have a heart for “Simple Living” – an alternative Way of life that juts against the grain of popular, consumeristic culture. This affinity for alternative living has engendered in me a deep appreciation for the...
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Casual study of some of the major state-sponsored atrocities of history will reveal that oftentimes there was religious representation somewhere in the mix that attempted to provide theological sanction for the vicious brutality being enacted on others. Somebody who claimed to speak in the name of God, provided “permission” or spiritual cover that would...
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In C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence Mamiya’s classic work on the Black Church, they rightly describe the character and nature of the “Black sacred cosmos.” Much more than just casual weekend activity or flippant denominational recognition; Christianity for practicing African Americans is so interwoven into personal and social identity that it’s hard just to...
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Thanks be to God, I have safely returned to my family and community from my two week trip to Palestine/Israel. As most of you know, I was away with a delegation from a group called Interfaith Peace Builders. I would HIGHLY recommend anyone considering such a trip to go with an organization like this....
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Memorial Day took on a totally new meaning today for me. For the past many years, it has been a day to gather with family at my Aunt Mary’s House for a cookout that has been a staple for 30+ years. We get together to catch up on family news, sing songs that feed...
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