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Donald Trump

As Close as our Very Breath

A Sermon for Those Who Feel Afraid Text: John 20:19-25 Ask a scholar about the word “breathe” and she will tell you that this is the only place in the entire New Testament where this word shows up. Surely they

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As Close as our Very Breath

15 mins read

A Sermon for Those Who Feel Afraid Text: John 20:19-25 Ask a scholar about the word “breathe” and she will tell you that this is the only place in the entire New Testament where this word shows up. Surely they breathed more than once back then, but maybe they didn’t

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The Persistence of Trauma and the Power of Belief

12 mins read

“I believe you.” We should never underestimate the power of these words. What’s more, God calls us, as people of faith, to speak these words in our relationships and our larger communities. Though voiced aloud, the words “I believe you” are not solely a verbal statement. They represent a posture

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The Limits of Binary Politics

12 mins read

Since you are reading Unbound, I suspect you are appalled, as I am, by the prospect of a Trump presidency, and that you are going to vote for Hillary Clinton on November 8. According to the binary logic of American electoral politics, the only way to stop Trump is to

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Shame as a Political Virtue

14 mins read

Back in 2005, I wrote an essay entitled “Shame as a Political Virtue.” [1] It began as follows: I was standing in the checkout line at Blockbuster Video and couldn’t help but notice two young boys running wild near by. One of them ran beside a shelf with toys on

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Who Are the Trump Voters? Are they Not Loved by God?

11 mins read

Part of the fallout from this electoral season, regardless of who wins or loses, is the acrimony that has been generated by the primaries and the general campaigns. Yes, there has been mud-slinging in the past; yes, there has been controversy. But a number of commentators suggest that this election

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Christ, Culture, and a Broken Democracy

27 mins read

We are in the midst of a strange election season, to say the least. I have heard more people say, “I’m just not voting,” or “I don’t have anyone to vote for,” in this election than in any other in my lifetime. In an extremely polarized society, perhaps the one

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Faith in the Public Square – A Time for Choosing

12 mins read

In March 1948, theologian Reinhold Niebuhr graced the cover of Time. His appearance came at the end of two decades in which Niebuhr had risen to cultural prominence not just as a religious thinker, but also as one of the country’s foremost political leaders. Mainline Protestantism was riding high, and

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