HAN - PEOPLE FILES
- Collin Hansen - Lisa Sharon Harper - Fred Harrell - Caroline Harries - Joshua Harris - Alex Harris - Shannon Harris - Matthew Harrison - GI Hart - Chuck Hartman - Stacie Hartman - Brian Hastings - Stanley Hauerwas - J Russell Hawkins - Kevin Hay - Michael AG Haykin - Joshua Haymes - Susie Hayward
==collin hansen======
May 9, 2023: Anxious Bench: The Evangelical Conversion Narrative of Molly Worthen
Earlier today, Tuesday May 9, Collin Hansen released an interview with historian Molly Worthen on his podcast, Gospel Bound. What unfolded in the interview was the surprising narrative of Molly Worthen’s evangelical conversion to Christianity.
Earlier today, Tuesday May 9, Collin Hansen released an interview with historian Molly Worthen on his podcast, Gospel Bound. What unfolded in the interview was the surprising narrative of Molly Worthen’s evangelical conversion to Christianity.
Feb 7, 2023: Religion News: New Tim Keller Center for Apologetics hopes to help churches reach a changing country
“This is the largest and fastest transformation of religion in American history,” said Collin Hansen, vice president for content and editorial director for the Gospel Coalition, an evangelical group that produces resources for churches. “The demographics don’t suggest any positive turn around the corner.”
That reality led Hansen and his colleagues to launch the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, a new initiative designed to help pastors and other Christian leaders adapt to a “post-Christendom culture.” Named for influential evangelical writer the Rev. Tim Keller, founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, the center hopes to support “a new generation of bold evangelists and effective apologists who will communicate the unchanging gospel for a changing world.”
“This is the largest and fastest transformation of religion in American history,” said Collin Hansen, vice president for content and editorial director for the Gospel Coalition, an evangelical group that produces resources for churches. “The demographics don’t suggest any positive turn around the corner.”
That reality led Hansen and his colleagues to launch the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, a new initiative designed to help pastors and other Christian leaders adapt to a “post-Christendom culture.” Named for influential evangelical writer the Rev. Tim Keller, founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, the center hopes to support “a new generation of bold evangelists and effective apologists who will communicate the unchanging gospel for a changing world.”
==lisa sharon harper=========
Lisa Sharon Harper, a former Sojourners columnist, is the founder and president of Freedom Road and author of Fortune and The Very Good Gospel. Her first book, Evangelical Does Not Equal Republican…or Democrat, offers a power-packed look at the roots of evangelical faith, how evangelicals strayed so far from those roots, and what is bringing them back. Her second book, Left, Right & Christ: Evangelical Faith in Politics, was co-written with D.C. Innes (an evangelical Republican who is also a Tea-Partier). Harper and Innes explore their philosophies of government and business, as well as six major issues that the next generation of evangelicals must wrestle with to be faithful witnesses in the public square. Harper co-founded and co-directed the Envision 2008: The Gospel, Politics, and the Future conference on the campus of Princeton University (June 2008) and co-chaired the Envision 2011: Caring for the Community of Creation: Environmental Justice, Climate Change, and Prophetic Witness symposium in New York City (June 2011). She was the recipient of Sojourners’ inaugural Organizers Award and the Harlem “Sisters of Wisdom” Award. She was celebrated on Rick Warren’s website purposedriven.com as one of the inaugural “Take Action Heroes,” and was recently named fifth among the “13 Religious Women to Watch in 2012” by the Center for American Progress. She earned her master’s in human rights from Columbia University in New York City. Harper serves on the board of directors of the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good and is a member of Metro Hope Church in New York City, an Evangelical Covenant Church.
Church at the Crossroads highlights story of Palestinian Christians
Last month, pastors, theologians, thought leaders and Christians gathered in Chicago for a rare and urgent assembly. The event, called Church at the Crossroads, was led by Palestinian Christians and drew together voices across evangelical, Mainline, Catholic and ecumenical traditions. Its premise was stark: The church stands at a defining moment. As violence escalates in Israel and Palestine (and as some Christians continue to use Scripture to justify war, occupation or silence), the church faces a searing question that will mark its witness for generations: “What kind of church will we be in the face of genocide?” Over the course of the three-day conference, 800 attendees (in-person and online) heard from a robust line-up of speakers that included Jemar Tisby, Lisa Sharon Harper, Anton Deik, Fares Abraham, Shane Claiborne, Lamma Mansour, Brian Zahnd, Ruth Padilla DeBorst and Munther Isaac. (Baptist News Global 10/14/25) READ MORE>>>>>
Last month, pastors, theologians, thought leaders and Christians gathered in Chicago for a rare and urgent assembly. The event, called Church at the Crossroads, was led by Palestinian Christians and drew together voices across evangelical, Mainline, Catholic and ecumenical traditions. Its premise was stark: The church stands at a defining moment. As violence escalates in Israel and Palestine (and as some Christians continue to use Scripture to justify war, occupation or silence), the church faces a searing question that will mark its witness for generations: “What kind of church will we be in the face of genocide?” Over the course of the three-day conference, 800 attendees (in-person and online) heard from a robust line-up of speakers that included Jemar Tisby, Lisa Sharon Harper, Anton Deik, Fares Abraham, Shane Claiborne, Lamma Mansour, Brian Zahnd, Ruth Padilla DeBorst and Munther Isaac. (Baptist News Global 10/14/25) READ MORE>>>>>
Jan 6, 2023: Red Letter Christians: January 6 Shows Us the Path to Religious Freedom is Not Christian Nationalism
Political pundits will fine tooth comb the January 6 committee’s highly anticipated report. As faith leaders, that is not our job. Our work is to reach into the moral conscience of our country, into the core values we share. Among those is freedom and among those blessed freedoms, our much-cherished freedom of religion.
Freedom of religion thrives in a strong and vibrant democracy and ours is currently under assault by an authoritarian faction that claims to value freedom of religion—as long it’s theirs. Cloaked in the cross, white Christian Nationalists were visible and violent during the January 6 Capitol Hill insurgency against the peaceful transfer of power. They have made it abundantly clear that they are willing to take away a breathtaking range of rights in the name of their faith. That is neither religion nor is it freedom.
Lisa Sharon Harper, President and Founder, Freedom Road
Author of Fortune: How Race Broke My Family And The World—And How To Repair It All
Political pundits will fine tooth comb the January 6 committee’s highly anticipated report. As faith leaders, that is not our job. Our work is to reach into the moral conscience of our country, into the core values we share. Among those is freedom and among those blessed freedoms, our much-cherished freedom of religion.
Freedom of religion thrives in a strong and vibrant democracy and ours is currently under assault by an authoritarian faction that claims to value freedom of religion—as long it’s theirs. Cloaked in the cross, white Christian Nationalists were visible and violent during the January 6 Capitol Hill insurgency against the peaceful transfer of power. They have made it abundantly clear that they are willing to take away a breathtaking range of rights in the name of their faith. That is neither religion nor is it freedom.
Lisa Sharon Harper, President and Founder, Freedom Road
Author of Fortune: How Race Broke My Family And The World—And How To Repair It All
Sept 19, 2021: Brethren Newsline: Lisa Sharon Harper takes NOAC along on a journey wrestling with identity
n 2003, Lisa Sharon Harper undertook a journey to wrestle with her identity. The journey took her along the Trail of Tears as well as into the heart of slavery in the American South.
Mar 20, 2015: Lisa Sharon Harper: Christian Post: Progressive Christian Leaders Pen Open Letter to Franklin Graham Over Racial Reconciliation
Mar 19, 2015: Lisa Sharon Harper: Sojourners: An Open Letter to Franklin Graham
Aug 25, 2014: Lisa Sharon Harper: Christianity Today: It's Time to Listen: "The Lie," a guest post by Lisa Sharon Harper
n 2003, Lisa Sharon Harper undertook a journey to wrestle with her identity. The journey took her along the Trail of Tears as well as into the heart of slavery in the American South.
Mar 20, 2015: Lisa Sharon Harper: Christian Post: Progressive Christian Leaders Pen Open Letter to Franklin Graham Over Racial Reconciliation
Mar 19, 2015: Lisa Sharon Harper: Sojourners: An Open Letter to Franklin Graham
Aug 25, 2014: Lisa Sharon Harper: Christianity Today: It's Time to Listen: "The Lie," a guest post by Lisa Sharon Harper
==Fred Harrell======== |
Rev. Fred Harrell founded City Church San Francisco in 1996 andserves as the faith community’s senior pastor. In this role, Rev. Fred Harrell preaches the Christian gospel, visits members, and oversees the church’s staff.
The Rev. Fred O. Harrell is a native of Central Florida and is a graduate of the University of Florida (degree in economics) and Reformed Theological Seminary (graduate degree in theology and pastoral care). Before coming to San Francisco, he founded and led a university-based ministry designed to answer the questions of thoughtful seekers and to equip Christians for transformational ministries in and through the church. He and his wife, Terely, have been married since 1986, and they have four children.
The Rev. Fred O. Harrell is a native of Central Florida and is a graduate of the University of Florida (degree in economics) and Reformed Theological Seminary (graduate degree in theology and pastoral care). Before coming to San Francisco, he founded and led a university-based ministry designed to answer the questions of thoughtful seekers and to equip Christians for transformational ministries in and through the church. He and his wife, Terely, have been married since 1986, and they have four children.
Al Mohler’s Disingenuous Distancing from His “Dear Friend” Joshua Harris
One of the unlikely people heavily influenced by Keller’s passion for urban church planting is Fred Harrell, founding pastor of City Church in San Francisco. “It is widely documented that Tim and I had fundamental disagreements on two crucial issues: the inclusion of women in ministry and the affirmation of LGBTQ persons. I have plenty to say about that for another time. Today I’m remembering and honoring his impact on me and the church I founded,” Harrell wrote in an online post. “His vision to see the importance of bringing gospel ministry to cities was not a popular idea in the late ’80s. His concept of ‘applying the gospel,’ while problematic in some respects, is dynamic in others and has shaped an entire generation of male pastors. His philosophy of ‘preaching to the empty seats,’ which revolutionized how I and countless others communicated, motivated people to invite their friends to church. His concept of ‘a contextualized communication of the gospel’ was made more mainstream and that is still sorely needed in all expressions of Christian faith today.
“His commitment to social justice, while not prophetic enough for many, was still at the tip of the spear in his own tribe, and predictably got him scapegoated by the ultra-right in the PCA.” Harrell explained: “I was shaped profoundly by Tim Keller. The first time I ever heard him preach was like lightning. I’ve often thought of that day as my ‘vocational conversion’. I never preached another sermon the same way after that one day. It was at the Church of the Advent Hope in 1992. The sermon was on Genesis 3. From that moment, it was evident that I was witnessing the emergence of a preacher who would go on to be regarded as one of the greatest in conservative Christianity. The Chrysostom of his era. (Baptist News Global 5/22/23) READ MORE>>>>>
One of the unlikely people heavily influenced by Keller’s passion for urban church planting is Fred Harrell, founding pastor of City Church in San Francisco. “It is widely documented that Tim and I had fundamental disagreements on two crucial issues: the inclusion of women in ministry and the affirmation of LGBTQ persons. I have plenty to say about that for another time. Today I’m remembering and honoring his impact on me and the church I founded,” Harrell wrote in an online post. “His vision to see the importance of bringing gospel ministry to cities was not a popular idea in the late ’80s. His concept of ‘applying the gospel,’ while problematic in some respects, is dynamic in others and has shaped an entire generation of male pastors. His philosophy of ‘preaching to the empty seats,’ which revolutionized how I and countless others communicated, motivated people to invite their friends to church. His concept of ‘a contextualized communication of the gospel’ was made more mainstream and that is still sorely needed in all expressions of Christian faith today.
“His commitment to social justice, while not prophetic enough for many, was still at the tip of the spear in his own tribe, and predictably got him scapegoated by the ultra-right in the PCA.” Harrell explained: “I was shaped profoundly by Tim Keller. The first time I ever heard him preach was like lightning. I’ve often thought of that day as my ‘vocational conversion’. I never preached another sermon the same way after that one day. It was at the Church of the Advent Hope in 1992. The sermon was on Genesis 3. From that moment, it was evident that I was witnessing the emergence of a preacher who would go on to be regarded as one of the greatest in conservative Christianity. The Chrysostom of his era. (Baptist News Global 5/22/23) READ MORE>>>>>
Dec 5, 2022: Fred Harrell: Reformed Journal: Curiosity and How Listening and Learning Transformed My Life in Ministry
July 1, 2015: Politico: I’m Gay, Christian—And No Longer an Outcast
Fred Harrell, City Church’s senior pastor, invited me to spend a full day with his staff team a few days before San Francisco Pride.
Mar 16, 2015: Religious News Service: Prominent San Francisco evangelical church drops celibacy requirement for LGBT members
“We will no longer discriminate based on sexual orientation and demand lifelong celibacy as a precondition for joining,” senior pastor Fred Harrell Sr. and six board members of City Church, one of the largest members of the Reformed Church in America denomination, wrote in a letter emailed to members Friday (March 13).
Fred Harrell, City Church’s senior pastor, invited me to spend a full day with his staff team a few days before San Francisco Pride.
Mar 16, 2015: Religious News Service: Prominent San Francisco evangelical church drops celibacy requirement for LGBT members
“We will no longer discriminate based on sexual orientation and demand lifelong celibacy as a precondition for joining,” senior pastor Fred Harrell Sr. and six board members of City Church, one of the largest members of the Reformed Church in America denomination, wrote in a letter emailed to members Friday (March 13).
Jan 21, 2021: Baptist News: These churches will resume in-person gatherings only when it’s safe for all
“Rather than looking for some date, we are values-driven about when and how we will resume in-person gatherings,” Harrell said. “That includes data and guidance from scientists, and we are also driven by the value of inclusivity. We are reticent to pick and choose who can participate: Until larger gatherings are permitted, we can’t imagine getting together.”
“Rather than looking for some date, we are values-driven about when and how we will resume in-person gatherings,” Harrell said. “That includes data and guidance from scientists, and we are also driven by the value of inclusivity. We are reticent to pick and choose who can participate: Until larger gatherings are permitted, we can’t imagine getting together.”
==caroline harries======
Caroline Harries
“Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
WEARY = The command to “not grow weary” warns us that succumbing to weariness will be a temptation while waiting. For more see Luke 18:1, 2 Cor 4:1, 2 The 3:13
IN DUE TIME = Just like for any farmer, there is a proper season to reap a harvest after planting seeds. There is a process including planting, watering and more!
HARVEST = The harvest is produced from the seeds sown. You are responsible for what you produce based on what you sow. For more see Galatians 6:7-8.
IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP = “If” indicates the harvest isn’t guaranteed. Growing weary and giving up will prevent the harvest from happening. --Caroline Harries; In Due Time
WEARY = The command to “not grow weary” warns us that succumbing to weariness will be a temptation while waiting. For more see Luke 18:1, 2 Cor 4:1, 2 The 3:13
IN DUE TIME = Just like for any farmer, there is a proper season to reap a harvest after planting seeds. There is a process including planting, watering and more!
HARVEST = The harvest is produced from the seeds sown. You are responsible for what you produce based on what you sow. For more see Galatians 6:7-8.
IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP = “If” indicates the harvest isn’t guaranteed. Growing weary and giving up will prevent the harvest from happening. --Caroline Harries; In Due Time
==joshua harris=====
Joshua Eugene Harris is an American former Evangelical Christian pastor. Harris' 1997 book I Kissed Dating Goodbye, in which he laid out his ideas concerning a Biblically based Christian approach to dating and relationships, helped shape purity culture for many Christian millennials. Harris was lead pastor of Covenant Life Church, the founding church of Sovereign Grace Ministries, in Gaithersburg, Maryland from 2004 until 2015. In 2018, Harris disavowed I Kissed Dating Goodbye and discontinued its publication. The following year, Harris announced that he was separating from his wife, had "undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith in Jesus" and had given up on his Christian faith.
Joshua Harris Shares ‘Updated Version’ of His ‘I Kissed Dating Goodbye’ Apology on Instagram
Clear & Loud founder Joshua Harris has published on Instagram “an updated version” of his statement apologizing for how his book, “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” harmed people. Harris originally published his apology in 2018 when he stopped publication of his bestselling book. “I originally shared this statement on my website in 2018, but I’ve never shared it on Instagram,” said Harris in the caption of his post. “I still get asked why my thinking on I Kissed Dating Goodbye changed, so I wanted to share an updated version of [the] full statement with you on these slides.” (Church Leaders 12/19/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Clear & Loud founder Joshua Harris has published on Instagram “an updated version” of his statement apologizing for how his book, “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” harmed people. Harris originally published his apology in 2018 when he stopped publication of his bestselling book. “I originally shared this statement on my website in 2018, but I’ve never shared it on Instagram,” said Harris in the caption of his post. “I still get asked why my thinking on I Kissed Dating Goodbye changed, so I wanted to share an updated version of [the] full statement with you on these slides.” (Church Leaders 12/19/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Al Mohler’s Disingenuous Distancing from His “Dear Friend” Joshua Harris
Joshua Harris was Al Mohler’s “dear friend for many years.” Mohler spoke at his New Attitude conferences and had Harris on the Albert Mohler Program in order to commend his work and promote his book, Dug Down Deep – Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters. Mohler was a fanboy. When Joshua renounced biblical Christianity, Al wrote a piece titled, “The Tragedy of Joshua Harris.” Al never mentioned his long standing friendship nor his zealous promotion of Josh over the years.
(BrentDewiler.com 7/10/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Joshua Harris was Al Mohler’s “dear friend for many years.” Mohler spoke at his New Attitude conferences and had Harris on the Albert Mohler Program in order to commend his work and promote his book, Dug Down Deep – Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters. Mohler was a fanboy. When Joshua renounced biblical Christianity, Al wrote a piece titled, “The Tragedy of Joshua Harris.” Al never mentioned his long standing friendship nor his zealous promotion of Josh over the years.
(BrentDewiler.com 7/10/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==alex harris======
Alex Harris is an attorney and author who with his twin brother, Brett, as teenagers created TheRebelution.com and wrote “Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations.” A graduate of Harvard Law School, Alex worked as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Anthony Kennedy and was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 for law and policy.
June 7, 2023: Baptist News Global: How to connect the dots while watching Shiny Happy People
The Gospel Coalition wasted no time hiring Alex Harris, the conservative evangelical brother of former Sovereign Grace pastor Josh Harris who was interviewed for the Amazon series, to write a review of Shiny Happy People on the day it was released.
“It can be messy and confusing when outsiders poke around and try to tell a story about the church,” he wrote. “There will inevitably be examples of where these storytellers paint with too broad a brush or give a free platform to people eager to throw stones at a faith they’ve left behind.”
Harris admitted some embarrassing abuse has occurred. But he doesn’t think the docuseries “fairly represents us or our faith.” And despite being raised as part of “The Joshua Generation,” which he and Shiny Happy People define as his generation rising up and attaining “positions of power and influence in government, law and beyond,” Harris says he had “a wonderful homeschool experience, for which I’ll always be grateful.”
“I know people who had positive experiences with IBLP,” Harris wrote. “These were homeschool families with parents who genuinely sought to honor God and do what was best for their children.”
Then, criticizing the series itself, Harris wrote: “On the few occasions the filmmakers try to connect Gothard’s teachings to broader themes in Christianity, the attempts are invariably heavy handed, often equating Gothard’s genuine extremism with beliefs held by the vast majority of evangelicals.” But the outsiders Harris characterizes as throwing stones are women and children who were abused within the hierarchical tower conservative evangelical ministries have built. Harris and The Gospel Coalition cannot pretend to value listening to survivors of abuse when they merely give lip service to their suffering, as evidenced by the way they question their “agenda” and characterize them as outside stone throwers.
The Gospel Coalition wasted no time hiring Alex Harris, the conservative evangelical brother of former Sovereign Grace pastor Josh Harris who was interviewed for the Amazon series, to write a review of Shiny Happy People on the day it was released.
“It can be messy and confusing when outsiders poke around and try to tell a story about the church,” he wrote. “There will inevitably be examples of where these storytellers paint with too broad a brush or give a free platform to people eager to throw stones at a faith they’ve left behind.”
Harris admitted some embarrassing abuse has occurred. But he doesn’t think the docuseries “fairly represents us or our faith.” And despite being raised as part of “The Joshua Generation,” which he and Shiny Happy People define as his generation rising up and attaining “positions of power and influence in government, law and beyond,” Harris says he had “a wonderful homeschool experience, for which I’ll always be grateful.”
“I know people who had positive experiences with IBLP,” Harris wrote. “These were homeschool families with parents who genuinely sought to honor God and do what was best for their children.”
Then, criticizing the series itself, Harris wrote: “On the few occasions the filmmakers try to connect Gothard’s teachings to broader themes in Christianity, the attempts are invariably heavy handed, often equating Gothard’s genuine extremism with beliefs held by the vast majority of evangelicals.” But the outsiders Harris characterizes as throwing stones are women and children who were abused within the hierarchical tower conservative evangelical ministries have built. Harris and The Gospel Coalition cannot pretend to value listening to survivors of abuse when they merely give lip service to their suffering, as evidenced by the way they question their “agenda” and characterize them as outside stone throwers.
==shannon harris===============
The Top 10 Religion Stories of 2023
1. A Memoir's Sharp Look at Christian Marriage PW spoke with author Shannon Harris about purity culture, evangelical Christianity, and her book, The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife. “I wanted to contribute my story to the discussion about churches misusing power and authority,” she said. “I believe women need to share our stories so we can bolster each other's courage. It takes a lot of guts to be the woman you are rather than the woman people want you to be.”
(Emma Winner/Publishers Weekly 12/13/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
1. A Memoir's Sharp Look at Christian Marriage PW spoke with author Shannon Harris about purity culture, evangelical Christianity, and her book, The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife. “I wanted to contribute my story to the discussion about churches misusing power and authority,” she said. “I believe women need to share our stories so we can bolster each other's courage. It takes a lot of guts to be the woman you are rather than the woman people want you to be.”
(Emma Winner/Publishers Weekly 12/13/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
==matthew harrison=============
Feb 22, 2023: Religion News: Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod president calls for excommunicating white nationalists
In a letter dated Feb. 21, LCMS President Matthew Harrison said he was “shocked to learn recently that a few members of LCMS congregations have been propagating radical and unchristian ‘alt-right’ views via Twitter and other social media.” He noted far-right members were causing “local disruption” for congregations and alleged that LCMS leadership and deaconesses had fallen victim to online threats, some of which he described as “serious.”
In a letter dated Feb. 21, LCMS President Matthew Harrison said he was “shocked to learn recently that a few members of LCMS congregations have been propagating radical and unchristian ‘alt-right’ views via Twitter and other social media.” He noted far-right members were causing “local disruption” for congregations and alleged that LCMS leadership and deaconesses had fallen victim to online threats, some of which he described as “serious.”
==G.I. Hart======
New Books Challenge Christian Nationalism
Confronting Christian nationalism with a theological approach, Making It Plain: Why We Need Anabaptism and the Black Church by Drew G. I. Hart (Herald, Sept. 2) traces Western Christianity’s use of scripture to justify acts of domination and violence, including colonization and chattel slavery, and how those legacies persist today. By delving into Anabaptist and Black Christian practices, Hart aims to reveal “a liberating and peacemaking vision of Jesus” that has existed “right under the nose of the empire and white supremacy,” according to the publisher. Wisdom from both traditions informs what the author calls an “Anablacktivist” faith—one that resists white Christian nationalism, antiblackness, and settler colonialism. Sara Versluis, acquisitions editor for Herald Press, an imprint of the Mennonite Church USA’s MennoMedia, calls Making it Plain “a love letter to the church, an indictment of mainstream Western Christianity, and above all an invitation to radical discipleship in Jesus.” She adds that the book emphasizes the importance of Christian witness—the practice of sharing personal testimonies of faith and embodying Jesus’s teachings, as well as a commitment to community and justice. “The church doesn’t need more power—we need a better witness,” Versluis says. “Hart’s latest offering is a rich and timely commentary on how Christians have salvaged the way of Jesus amid domination and oppression—and how we might do so today.”
(Publishers Weekly 7/23/25) READMORE>>>>>
Confronting Christian nationalism with a theological approach, Making It Plain: Why We Need Anabaptism and the Black Church by Drew G. I. Hart (Herald, Sept. 2) traces Western Christianity’s use of scripture to justify acts of domination and violence, including colonization and chattel slavery, and how those legacies persist today. By delving into Anabaptist and Black Christian practices, Hart aims to reveal “a liberating and peacemaking vision of Jesus” that has existed “right under the nose of the empire and white supremacy,” according to the publisher. Wisdom from both traditions informs what the author calls an “Anablacktivist” faith—one that resists white Christian nationalism, antiblackness, and settler colonialism. Sara Versluis, acquisitions editor for Herald Press, an imprint of the Mennonite Church USA’s MennoMedia, calls Making it Plain “a love letter to the church, an indictment of mainstream Western Christianity, and above all an invitation to radical discipleship in Jesus.” She adds that the book emphasizes the importance of Christian witness—the practice of sharing personal testimonies of faith and embodying Jesus’s teachings, as well as a commitment to community and justice. “The church doesn’t need more power—we need a better witness,” Versluis says. “Hart’s latest offering is a rich and timely commentary on how Christians have salvaged the way of Jesus amid domination and oppression—and how we might do so today.”
(Publishers Weekly 7/23/25) READMORE>>>>>
==chuck hartman======
Chuck Hartman is a former pastor at UpRiver Friends Meeting Church and is the host of Friendly Connection, a weekly discipleship podcast.
The psalmist notes that those who embrace God’s word are blessed. The Hebrew term for blessed in this context differs somewhat from the one used for God’s blessing Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Psalm 1:1, the individual who chooses to embrace God’s word is described as “happy.” Here, the Hebrew directly translates as “happy.” I feel joy when I wholeheartedly choose to embrace God’s word. So happy are all who choose not to walk in the counsel of the wicked. The Hebrew word here has the same meaning as in Jeremiah 23:18, where the prophet asks: “Who has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear His Word?” The idea implied is that people are happy if they do not listen to other people who claim they know better than God. As believers, we are to reject anyone’s testimony who remotely boasts that they know more than God. We delight in God’s word, because in it we find God’s instructions for living and life more abundant and free. --Chuck Hartman
==stacie hartman======
ADL appoints former head of embattled Gaza aid foundation to its board
An evangelical leader and former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump’s with no background in international aid prior to his work with the foundation in Gaza, Moore brings a Christian perspective to the ADL’s board at a time when evangelicals are increasingly divided over Israel and antisemitism. “As a Christian, I consider it a responsibility to stand alongside ADL in this critical moment for the Jewish community and for our nation,” he said in the statement announcing his appointment. He was appointed alongside Stacie Hartman, an attorney and lay leader based in Chicago, and Matthew Segal, a media entrepreneur who former President Joe Biden named to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. They join a mix of philanthropists and business leaders, including Jonathan Neman, the CEO of salad chain Sweetgreen, and Max Neuberger, the publisher of Jewish Insider. (Forward; 1.30.26) READMORE>>>>>
An evangelical leader and former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump’s with no background in international aid prior to his work with the foundation in Gaza, Moore brings a Christian perspective to the ADL’s board at a time when evangelicals are increasingly divided over Israel and antisemitism. “As a Christian, I consider it a responsibility to stand alongside ADL in this critical moment for the Jewish community and for our nation,” he said in the statement announcing his appointment. He was appointed alongside Stacie Hartman, an attorney and lay leader based in Chicago, and Matthew Segal, a media entrepreneur who former President Joe Biden named to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. They join a mix of philanthropists and business leaders, including Jonathan Neman, the CEO of salad chain Sweetgreen, and Max Neuberger, the publisher of Jewish Insider. (Forward; 1.30.26) READMORE>>>>>
==brian hastings======
June 28, 2023: WGLT: Bloomington-Normal churches join a campaign to erase medical debt
When a North Carolina church's debt jubilee service went viral back in April, Bloomington-based pastor Brian Hastings saw the headlines online and was intrigued — but he didn't immediately watch the video or read the corresponding articles and posts about it.
When a North Carolina church's debt jubilee service went viral back in April, Bloomington-based pastor Brian Hastings saw the headlines online and was intrigued — but he didn't immediately watch the video or read the corresponding articles and posts about it.
==stanley hauerwas================
Stanley Martin Hauerwas (born July 24, 1940) is an American theologian, ethicist, and public intellectual. Hauerwas originally taught at the University of Notre Dame before moving to Duke University. Hauerwas was a longtime professor at Duke, serving as the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School with a joint appointment at the Duke University School of Law. In the fall of 2014, he also assumed a chair in theological ethics at the University of Aberdeen. Hauerwas is considered by many to be one of the world's most influential living theologians and was named "America's Best Theologian" by Time magazine in 2001. He was also the first American theologian to deliver the prestigious Gifford Lectures at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in over forty years. His work is frequently read and debated by scholars in fields outside of religion or ethics, such as political philosophy, sociology, history, and literary theory. Hauerwas has achieved notability outside of academia as a public intellectual, even appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
How Stanley Hauerwas Inspired Us to Have More KidsIf there’s a theologian known for upsetting categories—and unsettling listeners—it’s Stanley Hauerwas. He has been a top voice in virtue ethics, a critic of Reformed theology (to which I hold), and the only theologian I’ve known to cuss in class. He can lob a fiery critique at Christian nationalism, only to tell off the theological left for where they’re not even Christian. Time named him “America’s best theologian” in 2001, eliciting his dry response that “best” isn’t a theological term he recognizes. (The Gospel Coalition 1/11/24)
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Stanley Hauerwas
I started with the question, “What reason would you give for you or someone else wanting to have a child?” And I would get answers like, “Children are fun,” or “Children are a hedge against loneliness.” Then I recommended getting a dog. They would come up with that one big answer that sounds good. “We want to have children in order to make the world a better place.” And by that, they think that they ought to have a perfect child. And you get into the notion that you can have a child only if you have everything set—finances in good shape, the house, and so on. . . .
The crucial question for us as Christians is what kind of people we need to be to be capable of welcoming children into this world, some of whom may be born disabled and even die. . . . In a world of such terrible misery . . . having children is an extraordinary act of faith and hope. --Stanley Haeurwas; The Hauerwas Reader; (c) 2001
The crucial question for us as Christians is what kind of people we need to be to be capable of welcoming children into this world, some of whom may be born disabled and even die. . . . In a world of such terrible misery . . . having children is an extraordinary act of faith and hope. --Stanley Haeurwas; The Hauerwas Reader; (c) 2001
July 17, 2023: Anxious Bench: Church-Hopping in Texas
We did this, even though my partner and I have had our fair share of awkward July 4th celebrations. During our undergrad days at Southwestern Assemblies of God, in Waxahachie, Texas, we were proselytized into a peace witness by a young ethics professor who had read a lot of John Howard Yoder and Stanley Hauerwas. During the early aughts, (the years we were active in Pentecostals for Peace and Justice,) we refused to do nationalistic things in church–most especially for July 4th. We sat when others stood. We stood but didn’t sing, and so forth. We’ve never figured out how to negotiate July 4th church services. We just always feel awkward.
We did this, even though my partner and I have had our fair share of awkward July 4th celebrations. During our undergrad days at Southwestern Assemblies of God, in Waxahachie, Texas, we were proselytized into a peace witness by a young ethics professor who had read a lot of John Howard Yoder and Stanley Hauerwas. During the early aughts, (the years we were active in Pentecostals for Peace and Justice,) we refused to do nationalistic things in church–most especially for July 4th. We sat when others stood. We stood but didn’t sing, and so forth. We’ve never figured out how to negotiate July 4th church services. We just always feel awkward.
May 21, 2023: Current: Stanley Hauerwas on the Christian church: “My sense is that God is making us leaner.”
Longtime readers of this blog will know that I am a big fan of John Inazu’s work, especially his book Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference. Until I read this interview at Inazu’s Substack, I did not realize the Washington University law professor includes Duke University theologian Stanley Hauerwas among his mentors. Here is a taste of the interview, which focuses heavily on the work of moral philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre.
Longtime readers of this blog will know that I am a big fan of John Inazu’s work, especially his book Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference. Until I read this interview at Inazu’s Substack, I did not realize the Washington University law professor includes Duke University theologian Stanley Hauerwas among his mentors. Here is a taste of the interview, which focuses heavily on the work of moral philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre.
==j. russell hawkins======
David A Hollinger
We now have a formidable body of scholarship that establishes the depth and extent of these features of the American evangelical tradition, confirming and expanding on Richard Hofstadter’s legendary analysis in his 1964 book, Anti-intellectualism in American Life. This new body of scholarship is the work of a remarkable generation of young historians who have yet to receive the credit they’re due, so I name some of them here: Darren Dochuk, Matthew Sutton, Anthea Butler, Timothy Gloege, Jesse Curtis, Lerone Martin, J. Russell Hawkins, Stephen Young, Daniel Hummel, Daniel Silliman, and—the only one in this cohort to gain wide media recognition--Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of the justly famous and marvelously titled, Jesus and John Wayne. Sadly, while the majority of these scholars have written for Religion Dispatches, the conclusions of these bold and creative scholars have been largely ignored in the discussion of religion and politics found in the pages of The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other media of comparable reach and influence.
--David Hollinger; Religion Dispatches; The Critiques of Evangelical Writers Opposing Christian Nationalism Fail to Recognize Evangelicalism’s Troubling History 6/18/24
--David Hollinger; Religion Dispatches; The Critiques of Evangelical Writers Opposing Christian Nationalism Fail to Recognize Evangelicalism’s Troubling History 6/18/24
==kevin hay=====================
Kevin Hay serves as the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church in Kenova, West Virginia. He is a DMin student in Expository Preaching at The Master’s Seminary and is the editor of the book, Assurance: Our Confidence in Christ by Thomas Goodwin.
Kevin Hay
This portion of our text gets to the heart of why God has designed the church to be led by supernaturally empowered, biblically qualified, shepherds. Specifically, it’s because the church is comprised of people whom God compares to sheep. As one author rightly noted, “It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep…The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways…sheep do not ‘just take care of themselves’ as some might suppose. They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care. --Kevin Hay; First Baptist Church in Kenova, West Virginia.
==MICHAEL AG HAYKIN===============
Sept 2, 2022: Michael AG Haykin: Desiring God: A Meal for the Journey
June 30, 2020: Southern Equip: Michael AG Haykin: How church history will help you defend the faith
Jan 7, 2015: Vimeo: #ChooseAFaculty: A Conversation with Dr. Michael Haykin
Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin is the Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality and Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also the editor of Eusebeia: The Bulletin of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies. His present areas of research include 18th-century British Baptist life and thought, as well as Patristic Trinitarianism and Baptist piety. Haykin is a prolific writer having authored numerous books, over 250 articles and over 150 book reviews. He is also an accomplished editor with numerous editorial credits.
Jan 7, 2015: Vimeo: #ChooseAFaculty: A Conversation with Dr. Michael Haykin
Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin is the Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality and Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also the editor of Eusebeia: The Bulletin of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies. His present areas of research include 18th-century British Baptist life and thought, as well as Patristic Trinitarianism and Baptist piety. Haykin is a prolific writer having authored numerous books, over 250 articles and over 150 book reviews. He is also an accomplished editor with numerous editorial credits.
==joshua haymes======
Christian Nationalist Commentator Joshua Haymes Says 'Slavery Is Not Inherently Evil'
Far-right commentator Joshua Haymes recently posted a video in which he beseeched his fellow Christian nationalists to learn to defend the institution of slavery because the Bible makes it clear that "it is not inherently evil to own another human being." Haymes—who hosts a podcast with pastor Brooks Potteiger of Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship, a far-right church located outside of Nashville, TN, that is aligned with Christian nationalist pastor Douglas Wilson and counts Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as a member—was reacting to a recent Jubilee video in which conservative Christian commentator Allie Beth Stuckey debated 20 liberals. Haymes was unimpressed with Stuckey's response when challenged about the Bible's sanction of the practice of slavery, warning that offering up anything short of a vigorous defense of slavery opens the door to challenging the authority of the Bible on all sorts of issues. "The institution of slavery is not inherently evil," Haymes insisted. "It is not inherently evil to own
(Right Wing Watch 10/18/25) READMORE>>>>
Far-right commentator Joshua Haymes recently posted a video in which he beseeched his fellow Christian nationalists to learn to defend the institution of slavery because the Bible makes it clear that "it is not inherently evil to own another human being." Haymes—who hosts a podcast with pastor Brooks Potteiger of Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship, a far-right church located outside of Nashville, TN, that is aligned with Christian nationalist pastor Douglas Wilson and counts Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as a member—was reacting to a recent Jubilee video in which conservative Christian commentator Allie Beth Stuckey debated 20 liberals. Haymes was unimpressed with Stuckey's response when challenged about the Bible's sanction of the practice of slavery, warning that offering up anything short of a vigorous defense of slavery opens the door to challenging the authority of the Bible on all sorts of issues. "The institution of slavery is not inherently evil," Haymes insisted. "It is not inherently evil to own
(Right Wing Watch 10/18/25) READMORE>>>>
==susie hayward======
January 26, 2026: Sojourners reported: On a call with clergy after we gathered in Minneapolis, Rev. Susie Hayward, minister of justice organizing at Creekside UCC, reflected how they’d seen violence in their city for more than a month, including neighbors disappeared and clergy tear gassed. At the same time, they’d also seen “the incredible work of Love/God manifesting around us in the community response—the mutual aid, the protection of neighbors, the deep love and care for each other. We didn’t know if the rest of the country really understood what was happening here,” she said. “We also understood the symbolic power of having hundreds of visible clergy on the streets of Minneapolis, participating in actions at the airport, Target stores, marching on in the streets. We knew it could help punch holes in any cynical claim of religious righteousness by this regime. We wanted to take back the name of God used to sanctify forces of evil and violence, and plant a stake firmly on the side of nonviolent love, the side of the resistance.”
