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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Senator Mikulski, Senator Cardin, Congressman Cummings I am in Palestine/Israel right now with a delegation from Interfaith Peace Builders to learn more about the conflict here. We have been here for a week and have been meeting with people on all sides of this issue. We have visited the Gaza Strip and Palestinian refugee...
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What if a military force came to your neighborhood built walls all around your block and refused to allow you to go and come as you please. How would you feel about that? What if they decided to attack your walled-in neighborhood from the sky and sent troops in to kill people too. How...
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Today, the morning started with a call home…as it does most mornings. While I’m so thankful for this wonderful experience being in Palestine/Israel; I must confess that I miss home. I miss my wife, sons, and extended family members the most. There’s nothing in particular that I miss as it is the rhythm of...
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Today was an extremely full day that started bright and early at 8AM. Well, for me the day started at 5:00AM. After going to bed at about 11PM the night before, I found myself lying in bed staring at the ceiling at 5. I tried to force myself back to sleep, but I couldn’t...
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As I type this, I’m sitting on the roof of a hostel in the breeze of a cool Jerusalem night. My group has recently retired for the evening after a long two days of travel. I’m here in East Jerusalem with a delegation from Interfaith Peace Builders - an organization that focuses on education...
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By now many of you have heard about this Christian Militia out of Michigan that allegedly was planning to incite a violent attack on police officers – hoping to spark a larger militaristic confrontation. These types of stories pop up from time to time so while I’m dismayed by it, I’m not necessarily shocked...
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One of my new gigs this year is that I’m a book reviewer for InterVarsity Press. Thanks to this blog, someone from the publishing company contacted me and wondered if I would be interested in reading and writing reviews of their publications. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. I LOVE books! I understand...
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