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May 6, 2020

Volume 137, Issue #10
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Features

First Person

My theological wake-up call at Walmart

We’re too often blind to what God sees.

by D. L. Mayfield

Readers Write

Plate: Essays by readers

We gave our readers a one-word writing prompt: “Plate.”
Critical Essay

Are we really “at war” with the coronavirus?

The language of war garners collective resolve. But that’s not all it does.

by Jason A. Mahn

First Person

How do we remember people killed by police?

Call their names. Tell their stories. Confess our role.

by Emily M. D. Scott

First Person

In this Easter season, words fail

After the resurrection, the disciples’ words failed too.

by Ruth Everhart

Books

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An invitation to walk with poetry

Two books offer entrance points for the intimidated.

by Jeffrey L. Johnson
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Discord on Plymouth Rock

TaraShea Nesbit’s novel about the Mayflower pilgrims and their conflicts

by Katherine Willis Pershey
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How dying churches abuse pastors

Gene Fowler examines why traumatized congregations so often attack their leaders.

by Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner
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Nice and normal in the heartland

Phil Christman explores the idea of the Midwest.

by Amy Frykholm

Departments

Faith Matters

How do we keep time during a pandemic?

When all days seem alike, maybe the best unit of measure is love.

by Stephanie Paulsell

Is Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle really “the Asian Francis”?

The media portrays him as a progressive. It’s not that simple.

by Philip Jenkins

First Words

The coronavirus pandemic is nurturing neighborliness

We seem to be relearning the social benefits of building community with our not-so-close neighbors.

by Peter W. Marty

On Art

Back Window and Welcome Home, by Leslie Williams

Artist and color theorist Josef Albers influenced generations of artists. Among them is Leslie Williams. She describes the impact of his thought as the beginning of “a love affair with color . . ....

art selection and comment by Lil Copan

From the Editors

Wisconsin’s voting problems began long before the pandemic

Those in power have been working for years to prevent votes from counting.

News

Black churches, others face hate on Zoom

With their eyes closed in prayer, asking God to help the country’s overburdened health-care workers, members of the Impact Movement ministry group never saw the attack coming....

by Aysha Khan

Larger churches urged to help smaller ones survive COVID-19 pandemic

National Christian groups are urging larger and more stable churches to financially help small churches that could potentially close in their communities due to a steep decline in offerings in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic....

by Alejandra Molina

What sobriety looks like in a time of crisis

On March 14, six days before New York governor Andrew Cuomo implemented a shelter-in-place order for the state, effectively shutting down all nonessential services, Reagan Reed was notified that 50 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings had been canceled a...

by Will Peischel

Shunning online services, some churches preach ‘abstinence’ from gathered worship

For weeks, churches have been rushing to use the internet in new ways, live streaming and video conferencing to keep the faithful together for weekend worship....

by Adelle M. Banks

California, New York provide hotel rooms to people who are homeless and released from jail 

Two hotels near the airport in Oakland, California, are receiving unusual guests now that coronavirus has eviscerated tourism: people who are homeless after being released from jail....

by Abbie VanSickle

People

Muslim magazine editor Amani al-Khatahtbeh announces Congress run

Amani al-Khatahtbeh, founder of Muslim Girl, has become the first Mus­lim woman to run for Congress in New Jersey....

by Aysha Khan

People

Cardinal George Pell released from prison, assault charges dropped

Cardinal George Pell, who was sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted in late 2018 of the sexual assault of an underage choirboy in the late 1990s, was re­leased April 7 in Australia and all charges were dropped....

by Claire Giangravé

People

UMC pastor Kirbyjon Cald­well resumes preaching following guilty wire fraud plea

Kirbyjon Cald­well, the former senior pastor of Hou­ston’s Wind­sor Village United Meth­odist Church—the de­nomination’s largest in membership—surrendered his clergy credentials weeks before pleading guilty on March 11 to conspiracy to commit wire...

by Sam Hodges

Lectionary

May 17, Easter 6 (John 14:15–21; Psalm 66:8–20)

The Spirit is present. The Spirit is working.

by Andre E. Johnson

May 10, Easter 5 (Acts 7:55–60; Psalm 31:1–5, 15–16)

Are we guilty of throwing stones or of watching coats?

by Andre E. Johnson

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