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Faith Explored Posts


Welcoming Immigrants is Not Political, It’s Christian
People who oppose immigration accuse Christians of being “political.” Their argument is with God, not with us. Jesus told us to “welcome the stranger.” We are just following his teachings. National Migration Week is a good time to recall that Catholics have celebrated World Day for Migrants and Refugees for 111 years and Christians have supported migrants from the earliest days of the faith. It's not new, and it's not political.
Tom Faletti
Sep 225 min read


What Trees Tell Us About God and Ourselves (Lessons from Muir Woods)
My family spent a day in Muir Woods National Monument, the home of giant redwood trees that are spectacular not just because they are tall, but also because of their variety and character, which tell us something about God and ourselves. The bark of each tree is unique, as is each tree's roots. Each human is also different on the surface and below. Every tree and human is designed to honor the glory of God. Can we delight in the bark of every tree, and the skin of every perso
Tom Faletti
Sep 125 min read


Courage, Grace, and Diversity: Black Role Models for All People
Black people have provided lessons in fortitude, character, and excellence that all Americans can benefit from. Attacks on diversity and inclusion discourage access to these stories. Here are some of the role models we can learn from, including Diane Nash and Medgar Evers.
Tom Faletti
Jul 237 min read


You Don’t Have to Prove That You Matter to God
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.
Tom Faletti
Jun 116 min read


Pope Leo XIV: What’s in a Name?
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?
Tom Faletti
May 84 min read


Ugly Truths Our History Books Don’t Teach Us
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.
Tom Faletti
May 37 min read


We Need to Know African American History to Know American History
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.
Tom Faletti
Apr 127 min read


God’s Downside-Up View of the World
Our society sees through the eyes of billionaires and influencers. God sees from the perspective of the people at the bottom. A comparison.
Tom Faletti
Mar 224 min read


Foot Soldiers for Justice
Betty Boynton was a 15-year-old "foot soldier" for voting rights in Selma. Every movement for justice needs foot soldiers. Are you one?
Tom Faletti
Mar 75 min read


A New Voice for Justice Comes to Washington
Cardinal Robert McElroy champions justice and calls us to protect the powerless, the homeless, workers, the poor, and refugees.
Tom Faletti
Jan 205 min read


Jimmy Carter, Role Model of Faith in Action
Jimmy Carter never lost his empathy for people in small towns. He showed us how to practice solidarity, which is the call of all Christians.
Tom Faletti
Jan 124 min read


The Battle Over Dietrich Bonhoeffer
A recent movie and Christian nationalists have misused the legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer rather than learning from it.
Tom Faletti
Jan 32 min read


Treat Your Family the Way You Would Treat a Stranger
In family relationships, choose respect rather than harsh words. When I was a teacher, I sometimes saw the verbal boxing matches that go...
Tom Faletti
Sep 16, 20246 min read


Nonviolence – Effective Methods Inspired by Christ
Civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson was a masterful teacher who showed us how to practice nonviolence and love others as Jesus taught.
Tom Faletti
Jun 13, 20246 min read


Jesus, the Woman Caught in Adultery, and Capital Punishment
Let the one who is without sin do what? The story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery is really about the death penalty.
Tom Faletti
Apr 23, 20245 min read
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