Screenshot of cover graphic of RNS essay
RNS | Why do I still go to church?
READ THE RNS ESSAY: Why do I still go to church? For many Americans, going to church has become outdated, impractical, and in some cases even a sign of oppression.…
There Are Good Reasons for Leaving Church. Why Do I Stay?
There are good reasons for leaving church: scandals, abuse, hypocrisy, patriarchal structures, intolerance. Nearly 40 million American adults were once churchgoers but aren't any longer, according to Jim Davis, Michael…
3 Ways to Find an Ordinary Church
We need to go back to church. I feel like a little old lady wagging a scolding finger when I write that, and the last thing I want to do…
Hillsong was extraordinary. That’s the problem. | RNS
I watched the FX documentary, The Secrets of Hillsong last week, and it struck me that the allure of Hillsong was also the cause of its downfall. If you aren’t…
I’m a Denominational Mutt
When it comes to Christianity, I am a denominational mutt. I was baptized as an infant in an Episcopal church. I was confirmed as a tween in a Presbyterian one.…
The Blessings of a Small Church
One Sunday morning, I walked in late to church, looking for our family. I spotted Peter’s head and joined him and Marilee in the pew. They weren’t hard to locate.…
Small Talk Is 8!
We’re celebrating the eight-year birthday/anniversary of my book Small Talk: Learning from My Children About What Matters Most. I hope you’ll join me in enjoying these words! (You can watch…
S5 E20 | Disability Belongs in Church with Dr. Amy Kenny
While Jesus welcomed the disabled, the poor, and the outcast, Christian communities are often spaces of exclusion. Dr. Amy Kenny is a disabled scholar, a Shakespeare Lecturer, and the author…
To Be Made Well for Your Church
I just got the most encouraging news. My pastor called and told me that she and our associate pastor had talked about what they wanted to do for our summer…
S5 E14 | The Beauty and Wounding of This Here Flesh with Cole Arthur Riley
The effects of trauma often surface in our embodied existence. What about hope? Cole Arthur Riley, author of This Here Flesh and creator of Black Liturgies, talks with Amy Julia…
