Category: reconciliation

America, Bill of Rights, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Citizenship, Constitution, Culture, First Amendment, Fundamentalism, humanity, Interfaith Dialogue, Jesus, Politics, Politics, reconciliation, Story, Theology, violence, war, worldview

Our Muslim Girls

Gary Furr

My wife was the head resident of a girls dormitory when I was in Seminary at Campbell University in North Carolina. I would commute every day to Southeastern Baptist Seminary, 100 miles round trip, for the three years as I was getting my Master’s degree. It was a godsend, because we got a one bedroom apartment with a windowless storage room that we converted into a small bedroom for our daughter, and a few years later, our second daughter was born and shared it with her. I’m sorry we lived there, though. After living with a dorm full of undergraduate … Continue reading Our Muslim Girls

America, Baptist life, Bible, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Citizenship, Evangelicalism, fear, Immigration, Interfaith Dialogue, Jesus, Politics, Race, racism, reconciliation, Theology

Reading the Bible Amid the Culture Wars

Gary Furr

How we read it determines what we see, no? Part one of a four part series This article arose originally from a writing assignment from the Women’s Missionary Union of the Southern Baptist Convention. It is more than an irony for me that this assignment came even as Baptists were still reconciling their own painful history with slavery in the 19th century. As an ardent mission-sending organization, it is nonetheless a continuous wonder that the SBC was birthed out of a split in American Baptists of the Triennial Convention when a slaveholding Southerner was put forward to become a missionary … Continue reading Reading the Bible Amid the Culture Wars

America, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Citizenship, Culture, Ethics, Hope, hope, Humor, Jesus, Justice, Leadership, Love, Politics, Politics, reconciliation1 Comment

Chaplain of the Day

Gary Furr

When I was a pastor in South Georgia, our congregation had a member by the name of Senator Jimmy Hodge Timmons. He went by “Hodge” around the church, and he was our state senator  in the legislature and I think during his time he worked hard to be a friend of the community an effective representative. One year while I was there, Hodge came to me and invited me to be the Chaplain of the day for the Georgia Senate. This was an honorary event when you would come and offer a devotional and prayer for the elected representatives. It’s … Continue reading Chaplain of the Day

Bible, Christianity, Faith, hope, Jesus, Love, reconciliation, Selfishness, Spirituality, Teachings, Theology2 Comments

Love Your Neighbor–part 3

Gary Furr

In our previous time together, I examined the mystery of how love of God, neighbor, and even ourselves, is so askew. And this lives out so differently in men and women, the well-located and the dislocated, the rich and the poor, but there are common roots to it all. We concluded with this observation of the matter–When we love our neighbor this way, forgetting ourselves in love for another, we connect with the powerful love that is at the heart of all things.  It is life-giving.  It is also impossible unless God helps us to love.  And yet we know, … Continue reading Love Your Neighbor–part 3

Calling, Christianity, Competition, Conflict, Evangelicalism, Forgiveness, Fundamentalism, Grace, hope, humanity, Humor, Jesus, Jesus, Lent, Pilgrimage, Prayer, reconciliation, spirituality, Story, Thankfulness

NEW PODCAST Cheap Preachers Trip to Israel

Gary Furr

LATEST PODCAST. Preachers are like manure. When you spread us out, we can do a lot of good. But when you pile us up all together it can be almost unbearable. On a preachers tour to Israel I found out why. Click to listen Continue reading NEW PODCAST Cheap Preachers Trip to Israel