On Faith and Culture Archives - Religion News Service https://religionnews.com/category/opinion/columns/jonathan-merritt/ Driving essential conversation about how religion and beliefs shape us and our world. Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:56:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://religionnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Favicon-100x100.png On Faith and Culture Archives - Religion News Service https://religionnews.com/category/opinion/columns/jonathan-merritt/ 32 32 Conservative Christians just lost their scholarly trump card on same-sex relationships https://religionnews.com/2024/04/08/conservative-christians-just-lost-their-scholarly-trump-card-on-same-sex-relationships/ https://religionnews.com/2024/04/08/conservative-christians-just-lost-their-scholarly-trump-card-on-same-sex-relationships/#respond Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:46:28 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=4142009 (RNS) — Theologian Richard Hays' reversal comes at a bad time for those who oppose accepting LGBTQ Christians.

The post Conservative Christians just lost their scholarly trump card on same-sex relationships appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2024/04/08/conservative-christians-just-lost-their-scholarly-trump-card-on-same-sex-relationships/feed/ 0
Faith does not live by answers alone https://religionnews.com/2023/11/14/catholic-faith-does-not-live-by-answers-alone-synod-de-souza/ https://religionnews.com/2023/11/14/catholic-faith-does-not-live-by-answers-alone-synod-de-souza/#respond Tue, 14 Nov 2023 18:17:44 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=4119200 (RNS) — Christians should not fear the theological discernment of the Catholic Church’s synod.

The post Faith does not live by answers alone appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2023/11/14/catholic-faith-does-not-live-by-answers-alone-synod-de-souza/feed/ 0
Southern Baptists rid themselves of women pastors, their latest self-inflicted wound https://religionnews.com/2023/06/15/the-southern-baptists-rid-themselves-of-women-pastors-their-latest-self-inflicted-wound/ https://religionnews.com/2023/06/15/the-southern-baptists-rid-themselves-of-women-pastors-their-latest-self-inflicted-wound/#respond Thu, 15 Jun 2023 21:55:11 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=4098567 (RNS) — The fundamentalists have won yet again, but theirs is a Pyrrhic victory.

The post Southern Baptists rid themselves of women pastors, their latest self-inflicted wound appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2023/06/15/the-southern-baptists-rid-themselves-of-women-pastors-their-latest-self-inflicted-wound/feed/ 0
Can evangelicalism survive its white, straight, conservative victory? https://religionnews.com/2023/05/02/can-evangelicalism-survive-its-white-straight-conservative-victory/ https://religionnews.com/2023/05/02/can-evangelicalism-survive-its-white-straight-conservative-victory/#respond Tue, 02 May 2023 17:21:09 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=4091772 (RNS) — A new history of evangelicalism recounts the damage of the movement’s repeated purges.

The post Can evangelicalism survive its white, straight, conservative victory? appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2023/05/02/can-evangelicalism-survive-its-white-straight-conservative-victory/feed/ 0
Southern governors sending migrants north face a crisis of faith https://religionnews.com/2022/09/16/southern-governors-sending-migrants-north-face-a-crisis-of-faith/ https://religionnews.com/2022/09/16/southern-governors-sending-migrants-north-face-a-crisis-of-faith/#respond Fri, 16 Sep 2022 22:11:56 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=3992918 (RNS) — It’s getting harder for a politician to adhere to Christian morals and get elected president.

The post Southern governors sending migrants north face a crisis of faith appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2022/09/16/southern-governors-sending-migrants-north-face-a-crisis-of-faith/feed/ 0
John MacArthur and the dangers of biblical literalism https://religionnews.com/2022/07/19/john-macarthur-and-the-dangers-of-biblical-literalism/ https://religionnews.com/2022/07/19/john-macarthur-and-the-dangers-of-biblical-literalism/#respond Tue, 19 Jul 2022 19:39:50 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=3983007 (RNS) — Christians must accept that the only way to take the Bible seriously is to stop taking every word literally.

The post John MacArthur and the dangers of biblical literalism appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2022/07/19/john-macarthur-and-the-dangers-of-biblical-literalism/feed/ 0
Southern Baptists’ abuse report is no call for reform. It’s a repudiation of the past 40 years. https://religionnews.com/2022/05/23/southern-baptists-abuse-report-is-no-call-for-reform-its-a-repudiation-of-the-past-40-years-the-humiliation-of-the-southern-baptist-convention/ https://religionnews.com/2022/05/23/southern-baptists-abuse-report-is-no-call-for-reform-its-a-repudiation-of-the-past-40-years-the-humiliation-of-the-southern-baptist-convention/#respond Mon, 23 May 2022 17:37:49 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=3972977 (RNS) — Scapegoating a handful of leaders won’t bring the transformation the SBC needs.

The post Southern Baptists’ abuse report is no call for reform. It’s a repudiation of the past 40 years. appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2022/05/23/southern-baptists-abuse-report-is-no-call-for-reform-its-a-repudiation-of-the-past-40-years-the-humiliation-of-the-southern-baptist-convention/feed/ 0
My own personal Jesus: Can he be trusted? https://religionnews.com/2021/06/24/my-own-personal-jesus-can-he-be-trusted/ https://religionnews.com/2021/06/24/my-own-personal-jesus-can-he-be-trusted/#respond Thu, 24 Jun 2021 14:01:48 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=3909553 (RNS) — In a new book, Diana Butler Bass says our understanding of Jesus needs to be informed by personal experience.

The post My own personal Jesus: Can he be trusted? appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2021/06/24/my-own-personal-jesus-can-he-be-trusted/feed/ 0
Albert Mohler’s darkest hour https://religionnews.com/2021/06/18/albert-mohlers-darkest-hour/ https://religionnews.com/2021/06/18/albert-mohlers-darkest-hour/#respond Fri, 18 Jun 2021 15:21:40 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=3908539 (RNS) — In his bid to lead America’s largest denomination, he was his own worst enemy.

The post Albert Mohler’s darkest hour appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2021/06/18/albert-mohlers-darkest-hour/feed/ 0
Eugene Peterson authorized biography backs up that ‘yes’ on LGBTQ inclusion https://religionnews.com/2021/03/15/eugene-peterson-biography-backs-up-that-yes-on-lgbtq-inclusion/ https://religionnews.com/2021/03/15/eugene-peterson-biography-backs-up-that-yes-on-lgbtq-inclusion/#respond Mon, 15 Mar 2021 18:04:19 +0000 https://religionnews.com/?p=3887148 (RNS) — When Peterson died in 2018, many wondered what he actually thought about same-sex relationships.

The post Eugene Peterson authorized biography backs up that ‘yes’ on LGBTQ inclusion appeared first on Religion News Service.

]]>
https://religionnews.com/2021/03/15/eugene-peterson-biography-backs-up-that-yes-on-lgbtq-inclusion/feed/ 0