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March 23, 2022

Volume 139, Issue #6
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Features

Amara Ifeji works at the intersection of climate and racial justice

The Nigerian-born activist grew up in Maine playing with the dirt—and experiencing environmental racism.

by Khristi Lauren Adams

It’s time to reimagine the church parking lot

What if it functioned more like a bridge than a wall?

by G. Travis Norvell

Is Russia’s war on Ukraine about religion?

The history of Russian and Ukrainian Orthodoxy suggests the answer is complicated.

by John P. Burgess

Books

On the path to holiness with Dostoevsky

Paul Contino offers a hope-filled reading of The Brothers Karamazov.

by Jeannine Marie Pitas

The frightening side of baptism

Peter Leithart argues that the sacrament’s violence is surprisingly good news.

by Annelisa Burns

Obery Hendricks condemns the sins of right-wing evangelicalism

If his book were a trial, the verdict would be clear: guilty.

by Martin Thielen

Freeing Philemon from the “fugitive slave” theory

Stephen Young lets Paul’s letter speak for itself.

by Nijay K. Gupta

Departments

Faith Matters

My spouse is also my pastor

During the pandemic, I’ve realized how much I rely on her as a proxy for my faith.

by Brian Bantum

On Art

Vertical churches, by Richard Silver

Photographer Richard Silver began his unique practice of capturing church interiors in a vertical panoramic format in New York City in 2012....

art selection and comment by Daniel C. Richardson

First Words

The receptive, reflective act of paying attention

For Simone Weil, paying attention means asking, ”What are you going through?”

by Peter W. Marty

From the Editors

The price of gas in a global economy

Our dependence on fossil fuels is filling Vladimir Putin’s war chest.
Screen Time

The exuberant absurdity of Don’t Look Up and Moonfall

Watching the destruction of the world we were warned was coming is a staple of American entertainment.

by Kathryn Reklis

News

People

Renowned physcian, global health care activist Paul Farmer dies at 62

World-renowned physician and medi­cal anthropologist Paul Farmer died of an acute cardiac event in his sleep on February 21. He was 62....

by Dawn Araujo-Hawkins

People

Rabbi from synagogue hostage situation accepts new position

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who drew international acclaim for his handling of a hostage situation at his Colleyville, Texas, synagogue in January, has accepted an of­fer to lead a Reform synagogue in North Carolina....

by Yonat Shimron

People

After cerebral bleed, bishop-elect Paula Clark returns to work

Paula Clark returned to work on March 7 in the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, following a cerebral bleed in April 2021....

by Dawn Araujo-Hawkins

Ukrainian-American Jews pray, wait for news

Following news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been scary in a personal way for Rabbi Menachem Shemtov and his wife, Racheli. Racheli grew up in Kyiv, where her father, Rabbi Jonathan Markovitch, is referred to as chief rabbi....

by Menachem Wecker

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks about faith

Immediately after President Joe Biden introduced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to the US Supreme Court on February 25, the federal appeals court judge stepped up to the podium and appealed to the divine....

by Jack Jenkins

Texas’ new attack on transgender care called ‘political ploy’

One week before statewide primary elections, Texas governor Greg Abbott and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton launched an attack on the state’s transgender children and their families, threatening to charge parents, teachers, and medical professio...

by Mark Wingfield

Help for Korean pastors in cross-racial ministry

In 2015, Grace Pak was serving as president of the National Association of Korean-American United Methodist Pastors Serving Cross-Racial/Cultural Appointment....

by Thomas E. Kim

Lectionary

April 10, Passion Sunday C (Luke 22:14-23:56)

We betray Jesus for far less than was offered to Judas.

by Stephanie Perdew

April 10, Palm Sunday C (Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Luke 19:28-40)

Even if we think we don’t need a savior, we seek one.

by Stephanie Perdew

April 3, Lent 5C (John 12:1-8)

Were Mary and Martha at the Last Supper? It’s possible.

by Stephanie Perdew

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