Posts Tagged ‘Intersectionality’
A Road Map Beyond Black History Month
Black History Month (which kicked off on Feb. 1) became a national annual observance in 1926. The goal of the month is to honor and celebrate the achievements of African-Americans. If Dr. Carter Woodson, the Father of Black History, were alive today, he would be proud of the tenacity of the African American community. It…
Read MoreReflecting God & Rethinking Scripture
Every human being reflects a part of God. God’s divinity is impressed upon our being, regardless of our race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or ability and that invests us all with value. If we are all created in God’s image, we should all be equally valued. That means we as a church need to affirm…
Read MoreSexuality & Faith: A New Course for Religious Leaders
The intersection of faith and sexuality is one that is often traveled with misconceptions and anxiety because the Church has mostly failed to offer thoughtful, helpful information and education. The Church has been more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to the affirmation of our creation as God’s children of flesh and…
Read MoreWhy Racial Justice Matters To Believe Out Loud
On November 24, a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the killing of Michael Brown. Believe Out Loud laments this decision and the continued devaluation of black lives in the United States of America. Unfortunately, our community’s response to two posts we shared about the verdict in Ferguson…
Read MoreFerguson & The Sin Of Racism
America’s original sin of racism is playing out in Ferguson, Missouri, as buildings lie in smoldering ruins and rage at injustice simmers. How did we get here? To understand this moment, we have to understand that Ferguson is yet another unraveled thread in the closely woven fabric of racism that has cloaked this country for…
Read MoreJordan Davis Verdict: United Methodist Coalition Speaks Out
Florida has witnessed yet another innocent, unarmed, young black man killed, and once again no one was held accountable. The very need to use descriptors like innocent and unarmed for a black man, when that is implicit if we were to say a young white man, outlines the racism that infects our communities. Jordan Russell Davis was the victim of…
Read MoreThank You & My Upcoming Departure
Today I write to share with you the news that I will bid farewell to Believe Out Loud at the end of this month. Since serving as director in late 2011, I have collaborated and listened to many of you as my team worked hard to find the best ways to curate and share the…
Read MoreSacred Solidarity: Do Not Squander the Precious Moments
In the immediate aftermath of the September 11th tragedy, there were amazing moments for solidarity between groups and communities rarely experienced. The solidarity was among U.S. citizens across the racial, religious, political, sexual, and economic spectrums. And solidarity within the global community as many nations and peoples were filled with genuine care and compassion for…
Read MoreThis Is Not The Progress We Deserve
The LGBT movement has made a strong case that gays are just the same as everyone else, and furthermore, our same love deserves equal rights. In the meantime, we are watching the clock unwind on racial justice. The same week the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, they struck down Section 4 of…
Read MoreTrans Clergy Building Bridges In Multicultural Ministry
As a child, I was taken to my grandmother’s Baptist church in South Georgia every Christmas and Easter. While I am thankful for those experiences with her and have come to understand just how deeply and beautifully her faith has impacted me, I didn’t feel particularly connected to the church at that time. It wasn’t…
Read More