Religion and politics produce a deadly combination, often inciting strife and violence in its wake. In an effort to limit these catastrophic consequences, many believe violence needs to be approached from a purely secular perspective void of any religious connotations. In Weird John Brown, Ted Smith rejects this view by arguing that a secular context triggers unimaginable violence of its own. Read More

The Immanent Frame invited scholars, activists, and theologians to contribute to their forum on Black Lives Matter by discussing the movement’s relation to religion, secularism, justice and more. PLT Contributors Cheryl Sanders and Peter Slade joined the conversation. Read More

A fourth generation Mississippian, Duncan Gray was born in Canton on September 21, 1926. Noted for his courage in standing against racial segregation, injustice and violence in the 1950s and 1960s, Gray served congregations in Cleveland, Rosedale, Oxford, and Meridian following his ordination as a deacon and priest. Read More

Forging a new venture in systematic theology, Sarah Coakley ignites open conversations on sex and gender by challenging readers to re-think the connection between sexual desire and the desire for God in relation to the theology of the Trinity. Her goal with God, Sexuality, and the Self is “to integrate the demanding ascetical undertaking of prayer with the recovery of lost and neglected materials from the tradition and thus to reanimate doctrinal reflection both imaginatively and spiritually.” Read More

In recent years evangelicals, specifically younger generations, have demonstrated an increasing interest in biblical social justice. A significant yet unsurprising find, this shift is aligned with the historical growth of justice-oriented evangelicals following World War II. In Return to Justice, authors Soong-Chan Rah and Gary VanderPol examine this historical context through the many evangelical figures and ministries pivotal to reaffirming the importance of Biblically-rooted justice within the last century. Read More

In an age of full of uncertainty and conflict, rumors of killing may garner mass attention, but other forms of violence often predominate the narrative of warfare. Death is only part of the story; war invariably involves attacks on “the built environment, ecosystems, personal property, artworks, archives, and intangible traditions.” While these may not always pose a direct threat to human lives, author Steven Miller argues that destruction of both the human and nonhuman occupies a significant dimension of all violence. Read More

On Thursday, September 15th, the 2016 intern cohort, including Tessa Crews (Col ’16), Brit Dunnavant (Col ’17), and Elizabeth Surratt (Col ’17), will share stories from their summer service experiences. The reflections will begin at 7:00pm at Common Grounds in Charlottesville. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served. Read More

Many faith believers affirm a justice-centered theology, working towards a model of racial understanding and peacebuilding. In Dear White Christians, author Jennifer Harvey offers a dramatic alternative to the popular reconciliation model: a reparations paradigm. Read More

On Saturday, September 17th, Walter Brueggemann will deliver two guest lectures at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. Both events are free, and the public is invited to attend. Read More

Polls, surveys, and media headlines all claim that religion in America is at an all time low. Fear and uncertainty may be tainting the ordinary, but in her newest publication Grounded, author Diana Butler Bass argues this religious decline is actually a spiritual revolution. Read More