THE BLACK CHURCH
Available both as a book and as a PBS Documentary, THE BLACK CHURCH by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the central role that the church played and plays in the lives of African American people.
Free Methodist Conversations
Discussions that transform! These conversations are not statements of our doctrine as expressed in the Book of Discipline, nor are they guidance provided by the Study Commission on Doctrine (SCOD), but they are intended to be open and respectful discussions on various present-day topics. Our intention is not to limit discussion but to elevate it by assuring that God’s love and respect is always expressed. For more information click ABOUT in the menu above.
TRANSGENDERED IDENTITIES
Preston Sprinkle, Embodied: Transgendered Identities, The Church and What the Bibles Has to Say, (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2021)
David W. Kendall, Ph.D. Bishop Emeritus, Free Methodist Church-USA, provides this review of the book by Preston Sprinkle, Embodied: Transgendered Identities,
Critical [G]race Theory: The Promise & Perils of CRT
We often have a misunderstanding of scholarly work because of the way it is spun, often divisively, in the various media outlets. Additionally, our perspective as Christians often takes truth as it is discovered by scholars and gives it a larger reframe and corrective such that we recognize the way God is preveniently at work in the world.
TRANSGENDER EXPLOSION IN YOUNG GIRLS NEVER SEEN BEFORE
It is difficult to measure the impact of culture on identity, especially sexual identity. This review by Neil Shevni covering Abigail Shier’s 2020 book, Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing our Daughters, explores the impact social media is having on very young women and sounding an alarm.
Government Restriction on Religious Practice Increases
In this November 10, 2020 article by Pew Research Center, the world is experiencing an increase in government restrictions on religious practices. The article is based on research done in 2018 and says in part:
“The increase in government restrictions reflects a wide variety of events around the world,
PREVENIENT GRACE and SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK
One of the most important Wesleyan theological concepts is that of Prevenient Grace. In this paper by David N. Field, a research associate in the Institute for Theology and Religion, at the University of South Africa,
RACIAL BARRIERS OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
In a compelling move by the Business Roundtable, leaders in major corporations are recognizing, accepting, and taking action to bring justice into the lives of all people, particularly those who have been hindered from economic growth.
Graphically exploring the reality between People of Color and those who are white the evidence speaks volumes for the underlying injustice of the economic systems of the United States:
“Despite some significant strides over the generations,
CHURCH AND STATE and the STATE of the CHURCH
In this short work, Dr. Kang-Yup Na provides thoughts on the state of the US election with ecclesial insights.
Kang-Yup Na is an associate professor of religion at Westminster College (New Wilmington, Pa.). An ordained minister and the son of first-generation Christian parents,
SHIPHRAH AND PUAH: Defying the State
When a State official, whether a Pharaoh, Emperor or President, uses the State’s power to harm, it is the Church’s responsibility to stand in protection. This protection can be as simple as a protest or as active as a disobedience. In this study by the Rev.
It’s Bias That Hobbles People of Color, Not Lack of a Leadership Pipeline
In the Chronicle of Philanthropy, researchers Frances Kunreuther and Sean Thomas-Breitfeld, discovered that it is not the lack of training that is limiting people of color from top positions in the non-profit world, but rather racial bias.