Golfed with dad, who was eager to retrieve my ball from the water as he finished 2 over par. Life parallels golf in so many ways, right? (Taken with Instagram)
Sarah Pulliam Bailey
Journalism. Religion. My articles. Funny things I read.
Out to eat (Taken with Instagram)
For the Love of Pinterest? A Her.meneutics Hangout with Rachel Held Evans, Sarah Bessey, & More
Christianity Today serves as a unique place for evangelicals of all stripes to convene, where thinkers from a variety of backgrounds can discuss and engage in ideas. We wanted to experiment with CT’s “village green” format and extend the conversation using Google’s new Hangout abilities through Google+.
We start with a topic that has captured the attention of millions of people, most of them women: Pinterest.
How Evangelicals Have Shifted in Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage
President Obama’s announcement that he supports same-sex marriage will likely cause ripple effects among evangelicals. Polls show that evangelicals remain among the most opposed to same-sex marriage, but the same polls also show that opposition has diminished over the past two decades.
The potential backlash from evangelicals had an immediate impact on some of Obama’s evangelical supporters. Pastor Joel Hunter prays with the President, but he told reporters yesterday that it would be more difficult to support him now.
The Ceasefire Prayer Behind Leymah Gbowee's Nobel Peace Prize
Leymah Gbowee experienced the power of prayer after leading a reconciliation effort to eventually end her country’s civil war. In 1993, a dream led the peace activist to call a gathering of women that eventually formed the Christian Women’s Peace Initiative. The women prayed and fasted for the end of violence, denying their husbands sexual relations until the country reached a ceasefire. Former Liberian President Charles Taylor’s regime eventually fell, and Gbowee’s friend Ellen Johnson Sirleaf now leads the country’s democratic government. Gbowee, a mother of six who splits her time between different countries as she promotes peace, attends an independent evangelical church in Ghana and a Lutheran church in Liberia. Her book, Mighty Be Our Powers (Beast Books), describes how her Christian faith motivated her to continue to fight injustice. CT spoke with Gbowee about the reconciliation efforts that led to her winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Q & A: Karl Rove on Chuck Colson's Influence
One of Charles Colson’s many influential roles in his later life included acting as a key adviser during the George W. Bush administration. The founder of Prison Fellowship was an adviser on issues such as the faith-based initiatives, human rights, the war in Sudan, persecution, AIDS in Africa, sex trafficking, prison reform, and partial birth abortion. Karl Rove, President Bush’s deputy chief of staff, spoke with Christianity Today about Colson’s impact politically, culturally, and spiritually.
Evangelical Leader Chuck Colson Dead at 80
Charles Colson, respected evangelical leader and former President Nixon adviser, died Saturday afternoon at age 80 from complications resulting from a brain hemorrhage.
Over the span of several decades, Colson became one of evangelicalism’s most influential voices within the movement and to the broader culture. Observers suggest Colson will likely be best remembered for his prison ministry, behind-the-scenes political involvement, work on evangelical and Catholic dialogue, and his cultural commentary.
In many ways, Colson’s life encapsulated the eclectic nature of evangelicalism. His example shaped how evangelicals would promote ministry and social justice, evangelism and ecumenicism, cultural and political engagement, radio and writing, and scholarship and discipleship.
Q & A: Nikki Haley on Faith, the 'War on Women,' and Why She Would Say No to VP
Nikki Haley’s faith caused a stir in her primary race for governor of South Carolina when her upbringing as a Sikh drew questions from her opponents. She occasionally visits a Sikh temple in honor of her family’s tradition, but she regularly attends a Methodist church. Her new book, Can’t Is Not an Option, explains her conversion to Christianity and the kinds of questions she faced as the daughter of immigrants. CT spoke with Haley about her conversion, whether Mitt Romney has a “woman problem,” and how her faith influences her policy.
Q & A: Ross Douthat on Rooting Out Bad Religion
The biggest threat facing America is not a faltering economy or a spate of books by famed atheists. Rather, the country meets new challenges due to the decline of traditional Christianity, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat suggests in Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics (Free Press). Douthat has taken his own personal tour of American Christianity: he was baptized Episcopalian, attended evangelical and Pentecostal churches as a child, and converted to Catholicism at age 17. He argues that prosperity preachers, self-esteem gurus, and politics operating as religion contribute to the contemporary decline of America. CT spoke with Douthat about America’s decline from a vigorous faith, modern heretics, and why we need a revival of traditional Christianity.
How Evangelicals Have Shifted in Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage
President Obama’s announcement that he supports same-sex marriage will likely cause ripple effects among evangelicals. Polls show that evangelicals remain among the most opposed to same-sex marriage, but the same polls also show that opposition has diminished over the past two decades.
