We have succumbed to a culture of violence, manifested in so many other ways, such as: 10 years of continuous war for our nation; 40 years of legalized abortion which ends the life of the unborn; the scandal of child sexual abuse, even within our churches; many video games which mesmerize our youth with violence. [...]

What should we – individually and collectively – be doing differently about hunger issues in our community? First and foremost, it’s a call of justice — not charity alone — that children, and all the hungry, have “food security.” That’s clear for people of faith. As far as responsibility for this crisis, there are many who [...]

How do you define dying well? Many years ago I had lunch with a faith-filled woman in her 90s. At one point she told me and another person, “My past years have been beautiful, and I believe my future will be just as beautiful.” That’s Christian hope! Once one’s life is anchored in that hope, then [...]

What is your favorite verse of holy scripture and why? My favorite verse is from the Last Supper, the night before Jesus died for us all. He taught, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love” (John 15:9). Very often I have prayed with this verse. In the flesh [...]

Memphis is the second most generous city in the country, according to a new survey by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. According to the publication: “Religion plays a major role in how much money Americans give to charity. The parts of the country that tend to be more religious are also more generous.” Why is this true? [...]

What should Memphis City Council do? Are sexual orientation and gender identity an employment issue, a civil rights issue or a faith issue? I was present at the City Council meeting this past Tuesday in order to show my support for the amended ordinance that includes prohibiting job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The [...]

What are your views of the food-stamp program and the proposed cuts to it? Nearly 17 million Americans suffered “very low food security” last year which means they had to miss meals or not eat for a day due to lack of money (from the Department of Agriculture). People of faith hold that we are called [...]

What is your reaction to the Freedom from Religion Foundation suing the Memphis City Council? Clearly government leaders, as a body, should ask for God’s blessing and needed assistance. It’s a traditional part of our nation’s heritage, and it should be continued. However, because of our religious diversity, any prayer in the public arena should be [...]

Are you concerned about new voter ID laws? Are we doing enough to prevent fraud and other problems? How can we make voting as accessible as possible while still safeguarding the democratic process? Especially in the South, we have a sad history–and it wasn’t too long ago–of repression of voters, especially people of color. If in [...]

Who/what is an American? What does America mean to you and your faith?all.”

Let’s start with two controversial quotes. “Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs.” “When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works [...]

Should our suburbs form their own school systems? How might this help or hurt the community at large? All of us want the best for our children and that includes the quality of education. I suggest that, as part of our community’s deliberations, we re-phrase the way Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., preached the night before [...]

If an entire community could make a New Year’s Resolution, what should ours be for 2012? We resolve to live as a people of peace and reconciliation. For people of faith who profess discipleship to Christ, then we have not only his teaching but his witness against lethal violence. Before the suffering of the cross, Jesus [...]

When someone we know is nearing death, how do we help them die with dignity? How do we help the family navigate the medical desire to preserve life at all cost? How can we prepare to die with dignity? Those close to one who is dying can be with that person and pray with and for [...]

What’s your view of public prayer at public school and other government sponsored or funded or organized events? What should and should not be allowed and why? Going back to the early 17th century and prevalent by the mid-1800s, Catholic schools were founded in our nation in order to have that opportunity for freedom of prayer [...]

These are fretful times. The economy seems to be in another tailspin. We’re witnessing gridlock in Washington, panic on Wall Street, riots in London, high unemployment and budget cuts all around. Are these difficulties strictly economic and political, or are there moral, ethical and spiritual dimensions to our economic woes? How are these…[Read more]

The bombing in downtown Oslo and the shooting massacre at a youth camp outside the capital were intended to start a revolution to inspire Norwegians to retake their country from Muslims and other immigrants, the suspect said. What was your reaction, and given the heated rhetoric on Muslims and multiculturalism in this country, what are your [...]

On Monday, the Shelby County Commission restored funding for the Office of Early Childhood and Youth this week after first voting to cut the program, which works to reduce infant deaths and teen pregnancies. Commissioners Wyatt Bunker and Terry Roland spoke against funding the program, arguing that churches and civic organizations — not…[Read more]

Are government budgets moral documents? How should our morals and values guide our political decisions about budget cuts and deficits? In the past 40 years our nation has become the most economically unequal nation in the advanced world.  The chasm between the very rich and the rest of society has become scandalous.  In light of this, [...]

Last week, the Tennessee Senate passed a bill that would forbid public school teachers and students in grades K-8 from discussing the fact that some people are gay. What’s your reaction? How should our schools public and private deal with the subject of human sexuality, and in particular homosexuality? In Tennessee’s history, sadly there have been [...]