The demand for strict work requirements to avoid being kicked off of Medicaid and food assistance programs is immoral and unChristian.  It is built on the false philosophy, recently articulated by Dr. Mehmet Oz, that you need to “prove that you matter” by working.  To God, every person matters.

These 3 churches have different missions, ranging from transformation and renewal to sanctuary. St. Paul's Cathedral finds a way to be true to its mission amid the bustle of tourists, encouraging people to encounter the transforming presence of Jesus. Christ Church London uses worship music to support its focus on mission. The Catholic Church of St. James sees itself as a haven from modernity. Although the Body of Christ is not united, God is at work.

The apostle Paul shows how to pray for others: that they may abound in love for all and that God may strengthen them to live a life devoted to God’s purposes (1 Thess. 3:12-13). Could you pray that prayer for someone?

In Proverbs 31:8-9, God calls us to speak out for those who have no voice. Who needs our voice? To whom shall we speak? What shall we say? How can we put this Bible passage about justice into action?

The Bible uses images of God as a mother, in addition to images of God as a father, to help us understand how great God’s love is for us. Many people have anxiety-producing images of God as a stern disciplinarian. In the Bible, God uses images of being like a mother to express God’s intimate love and tenderness toward us.

In his first official speech, the new Pope Leo XIV reinforced some themes we heard from Pope Francis. But why did he choose the name Leo? Inspired by Pope Leo XIII, he is connecting to the beginning of modern Catholic social teaching, which began with a concern for marginalized workers. What can we learn from Pope Leo XIII?

This is the hardest article I have ever had to write. The second conclusion from my Civil Rights trip is that the treatment of Black people in American history was much uglier than most people know. From slavery to Jim Crow and beyond, the textbooks mostly downplay our ugly truths with language that misses the suffering behind the words.  We cannot hide from the past any more than Adam and Eve could hide from God in the Garden. What was done must be acknowledged.

Pope Francis is rightfully praised for how he focused the attention of the Catholic Church and the whole world on people who are marginalized and left out. He was also a practical teacher with simple wisdom about how to live our everyday lives. He taught that continued discernment is needed after you make a decision, to evaluate whether it was a good decision or not. Is there gratitude to God, renewed energy, and freedom to let it go?

Take this 5-question quiz to see if you know what the Bible says about Jesus’s resurrection. Image by Pisit Hing, provided by Unsplash...

The Bible includes evidence for the resurrection of Jesus that was obtained from eyewitnesses, and today’s Christians experience his living presence now. Writing around 25 years after Jesus died and rose, Paul identifies a large number of people who saw the resurrected Jesus, some of whom he had talked with. It’s roughly the same as believing a book published today about events in the year 2000 (25 years ago) that includes eyewitness reports from people the author interviewed

Everywhere you turn in American history, African American history is embedded in the story. Black History Month is not enough; we need to learn how Black history is intertwined with all of American history.

How to nurture a deep relationship and continual conversation with God while serving others, as you talk with God throughout your day.

Literacy champion Frank Laubach showed how working to help others and praying constantly in a personal relationship with God go together.

Our society sees through the eyes of billionaires and influencers. God sees from the perspective of the people at the bottom. A comparison.

Actually, the first Christian documents – Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians – used language indicating that Jesus is God 275 years before the Council of Nicaea.

Betty Boynton was a 15-year-old "foot soldier" for voting rights in Selma. Every movement for justice needs foot soldiers. Are you one?

This Black businessman was a quiet leader in the Civil Rights era. His philosophy – find a need and fill it – is useful in difficult times.

Suppose we celebrated our individual and group acts of faith, justice, and love with the enthusiasm of sports fans. Would people want to jo

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul calls for gentleness, affection, purpose, and the care of a mother or father for their children.

Cardinal Robert McElroy champions justice and calls us to protect the powerless, the homeless, workers, the poor, and refugees.