Drug use is often framed as a personal issue, one of choices and consequences. “Do the crime, do the time.” Supposedly, harsh penalties aim to reduce irresponsible use of drugs. In reality, however, the War on Drugs has not succeeded in “protecting individuals” from their own choices. Instead, it has
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Simmons College of Kentucky hosted “Philanthropic Redlining: The Illusion of Inclusion Part II” on Feb. 6th as part of The West Louisville Forum: Solutions for Urban America. Philanthropy is a loaded word. To understand why, we need to look back at the history of redlining in American cities. The connection
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Christians are called to engage with politics in a way that keeps our nation from abusing its power. When I came to Unbound almost two years ago, I was motivated by a two-part conviction about Christianity and the United States—a conviction that I still hold. Firstly, I believe that our
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We humans suffer enough already, without abandoning one another. The season of Advent holds inherent tension. Torn between a coming Christmas and present waiting, the heart is pulled and stretched between God’s promise and a reality that falls short. We raise our eyes to the hills, expectant of the breaking
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How do Presbyterians see today’s Jerusalem in light of the Bible’s witness? This call for sermons is exerpted from ACSWP’s triannual newsletter, Salt & Light. Sign up here to receive those updates. As part of a study of Jerusalem approved by the 2018 General Assembly, the Advisory Committee on Social
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This Sunday is Children’s Sabbath, a program originally developed by Marian Wright Edelman of the Children’s Defense Fund and now recognized by people of many faith traditions. Gracious God, our creator and our teacher, We bring before you names that you already know, of your beloved children. Each of us
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A Pastoral Response to the Migrant Caravan I’ve been watching reports of the migrant caravan from Central America, awestruck by the grit and determination of those refugees. What is it like to leave your home and walk for weeks to a place you’ve never seen, not knowing if you will
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A Neurosurgeon and a Pastor Work Hand-in-hand for Universal Healthcare Unbound interviewed Dr. Bohmfalk and Rev. Thomas together because they demonstrate that faith and science have intersecting roles in inspiring just outcomes. They are an effective team in advocacy for an issue that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), along with other
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“Governments deriv[e] their just powers from the consent of the governed [and] whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it…” – The Declaration of Independence Although too few Americans were allowed to vote in Jefferson’s day,
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For the past 40 years, the United States and Iran have had a hostile relationship interrupted by brief periods of cooperation. The 2015 nuclear deal was the high point of relations and the product of intense, acknowledged bilateral as well as multilateral diplomacy. That agreement is now in jeopardy because
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