Social Justice from the Left and the Right

Within the Church (broadly speaking) there are two groups of people. Not everyone in the Church fits into one of these groups. In fact, many people in the Church are a little weirded out by these two groups. This is largely because the people in these two groups tend to be agitators. They stir things...

Yes to the Culture War

When I say "Culture War," what comes to mind? I think of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Several years ago I was in Cleveland. Did you know a person is legally required to visit the RRHOF if visiting Cleveland? As you walk into one of the exhibits, you are greeted by a bank...

The Impossibility of Empathy

Amanda Gorman is an extremely accomplished poet. She was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate. She published her first book of poetry at the age of 17, and in 2021, she delivered one of her poems at the inauguration of President Biden. At a time when serious poets don't generally become...

critical race theory: empathy and narrative

My son got his driver's license this fall. For a year leading up to that day my son and I spent hours together driving the roads of southwest Missouri. I loved having my son as a captive audience during those drives. We'd talk about sports, school, girls, and God. I'd also coach him on his...

critical race theory: bitter roots?

What is critical race theory and where does it come from? Delgado and Stefancic begin to answer this question in the introduction to their book. A clear and broadly agreeable definition for CRT is sometimes hard to find - especially from those who claim to be favorable to the theory. It's sort of like trying...

why your conservative uncle votes differently than you

I'm not writing this post for everyone. I'm writing it for a very specific kind of person. I'm writing this post for the people in my life who are (typically) young, passionate for their politics, and confused. They are confused because they can't understand why anyone could ever vote differently than they do. In particular,...

abortion and black lives matter

A couple of months ago, as the pandemic was beginning, there was a meme that I saw on social media probably dozens of times. I don't know how you feel about memes. I usually love the ones that try to make me laugh. I usually hate the ones that try to make me think. Memes...

affirmations and questions about social justice

I've had many conversations in the last few weeks about "social justice." Some of these conversations were brought about by the recent Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel. There are things I liked about the statement. There are things I didn't like. I generally wonder about the purpose or effectiveness of such statements. I've...

our “godfather” problem

In the last chapter of his book, Awaiting the King, James K. A. Smith addresses what he calls our "Godfather Problem." ATK is the third book in Smith's Cultural Liturgies series. It is a fine series worth checking out especially if you're a fan of Charles Taylor - the philosopher, not the shoe guy or the African warlord....