RECENT POSTS
S3 E11 | The Black Church’s Gift to Christianity with Esau McCaulley
The Black church has a gift for American Christianity. Are we all willing to receive it? New Testament scholar Esau McCaulley, author of “Reading While
When Grace Runs Dry
For our family, summer has been a relief. Marilee played softball and William played baseball and Penny went to summer school, in person. We spent
In Her Own Words: Penny on Being a Bridesmaid
Penny and I got to be bridesmaids together last weekend in my sister’s wedding. I’m going to let Penny tell you about it in her
William Recommends: Books About Racial Injustice for Middle Schoolers
Anyone looking for great books for middle schoolers that address issues of racial injustice? I asked William to share a few recommendations for books for
Finding Freedom From the Condemnation of Comparison
A few weeks ago, I found myself in a swirl of self-righteousness and self-condemnation and comparison. It happened like this. I was heading into my
S3 E10 | Anxiety, Affluence, and Identity with Niro Feliciano
In an achievement-oriented culture, how do we risk vulnerability in order to move toward personal and racial healing? Cognitive therapist Niro Feliciano talks with Amy
AJB Recommends: The Best of What I Read, Watched, and Listened To on Vacation
I took 10 days of vacation at the beginning of August, and I had a chance to read and listen and watch a lot. Here
Anxiety and the Peace of God
I spent a few hours awake in the middle of the night. It was the first time in a long time that anxiety pushed aside
Four Spiritual Practices That Help Social Justice Stay Grounded in Love
As individual human beings, the scope of the brokenness in our society is impossible to comprehend, much less to address. It is easy to get
S3 E9 | How Jesus Overcomes the Barrier of Wealth with Marlena Graves
Fear often inhabits both wealth and poverty. How does viewing money and self-sacrifice through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus bring freedom and joy?
Questions About Justice: Talking With Everybody’s Church
What are two practical things I can do this week to respond to racial injustice? What if in trying to say something welcoming I instead
Welcome! Let Me Introduce Myself
Hello friends! I’ve been writing blog posts, teaching, speaking, and writing books for years, but I wanted to pause for a minute and introduce myself
Rectifying Educational Injustice: My Bumbling Journey
In mid-April, the disparity between my kids’ experience of education and the kids in neighboring towns and cities began to feel unconscionable. Yes, the pandemic
S3 E8 | Equality, Equity, and Education with Subira Gordon
What is the difference between equality and equity and how does that affect education? Subira Gordan, executive director of ConnCAN, talks with Amy Julia about
Love for a Thousand Generations
“For a thousand generations…” There’s this phrase that comes up a lot in the Old Testament. It’s a promise, or maybe, even more, a declaration—that
S3 E7 | Conversations About Whiteness with Cara Meredith
How does “color blindness” actually enable blindness to racism and the system of whiteness? Cara Meredith, author of The Color of Life: A Journey Toward
AJB Recommends: Breaking Ground
There’s an embarrassment of riches on the new website Breaking Ground. This site has a threefold purpose: to learn from the past to see what
S3 E6 | Now Is the Time for Justice with Jemar Tisby
How do we find hope, particularly in white American churches, when our history and identity is intertwined with racism? How does knowing who we were—and
