President Obama Honors the Indian Prime Minister at First State Dinner

This picture captures what will hopefully be a more globally diverse future for American foreign policy, in which we are strengthening America’s relationships around the world. At the least, it’s a new look for the White House.

Brain McLaren

Going to be at a retreat this weekend with this guy as the speaker…

Freestyle with me, what do you think?

The Perpetuation of Racial Inequality

One more from Divided by Faith, it says “The logic is straightforward. (1) In the United States there is racial inequality in access to valued resources (see Chapter One). (2) Access to valued resources–such as jobs, prestige, wealth, and power–is gained in significant part through social ties. (3) As we have previously discussed, for reasons such as social categorization and comparison, people have positive bias for their ingroups and negative bias for outgroups. These three facts suggest that other factors being equal, any social structure or process that both increases the saliency of group boundaries and reduces interracial ties necessarily reproduces racial inequality.

Because the organization of religion in the United States does heigten the salience of racial boundaries and reduce interracial ties, it necessarily reproduces racial inequality.”

To understand the full logic here you really gotta read the book, but I thought that this portion did a fair job at explaining some of the problem. As they demonstrate throughout the book, it is primarily the evangelical church that most (however not exclusively) perpetuates a racialized society, while often done unintentionally. Vibe with me on this one, what are ya thinking?

Racialized Society

Here is a quote from the book Divided By Faith by Michael Emerson and Christian Smith.

‘The racialized society is one in which intermarriage rates are low, residential separation and socioeconomic inequality are the norm, our definitions of personal identity and our choices of intimate associations reveal racial distinctiveness, and where “we are never unaware of the race of a person with whom we interact.”

In short, and this is its unchanging essence, a racialized society is a society wherein race matters profoundly for differences in life experiences, life opportunities, and social relationships.

A racialized society can also be said to be “a society that allocates differential economic, political, social, and even psychological rewards to groups along racial lines; lines that are socially constructed.”

They go on to show throughout the book, how white evangelicals and black evangelicals although they share a common faith are actually more racially divided in all those categories defined above than the rest of society.

Why is this so? Freestyle with me…

Bowing

I really liked what my blogging friend had to say about this photo, in which Pres. Obama has recieved a lot of critique for bowing to a foreign leader. Check it out here.

A Prayer of Blessing from the Wilderness

In the midst of confusion, famine, drought, and struggle, while located in what seemed to be the most unfruitful place one could find themselves God commanded the Levites to pray this prayer of blessing over the Israelites. If you are in your own wilderness right now, this might be a timely blessing from God.

Be Blessed!!!

“The Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

“The Lord bless you and protect you;

The Lord make his face to shine upon you,

and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you

and give you peace.”’

So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

(NET Bible® – Numbers 6:22-27)

 

Go head and read it over slowly a few times and let the words settle. If you so desire, freestyle with me on God’s blessings in the midst of the wilderness.

Tom Skinner’s “If Christ is the Answer, What are the questions?

 

Sometimes in order to move forward, you have to look back. I am really excited after finding an old copy of Tom Skinner’s book “If Christ is the Answer, What are the Questions?” on Amazon.  Skinner has always been a hero of mine, and was also a family friend. While he is no longer with us, the insight and truth he spoke when it was not popular still has relevance today. In fact as I looked over the table of contents of his book (which was written in 1974) I noticed how many topics are still not easily discussed even now in our time.  It is upon the shoulder’s of people like Tom Skinner that I stand. It is crazy to think that much of what I say now has been said before. It is important to take note of those who have come before us.

Are you familiar with Tom Skinner?

Phillies Love

Even though we lost the World Series to the best players money can buy… We still love our Phillies and will be excited for next year!!!

Who goes to heaven?

I got a text from a friend of mine today who was strugglin, and wanted to hear my thoughts.  This is what he wrote…

Hey bro. I am struggling with something. Could u email me your thoughts on: does the person who never hears the gospel go 2 heaven?email me

I typed up a quick yet lengthy response on google documents. Check it out here if your interested, be sure to get back and freestyle with me.

Talib Kweli – I try

Do you try…