Thinking Critically . . . Acting Faithfully
Bill Jones muses about Baptists, faith, ethics, justice, politics . . . and more
Personal opinion and analysis of issues bearing on ethics, religion, theology, politics, and so forth
I haven’t given a cent to my alma mater, Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU), in close to 40 years, maybe more. That’s about to change . . . more on that later. In October 1973, just a few months after I graduated from OBU, a movie, starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, hit the theaters, titled Read more . . .
As I watched Katie Murray preach Sunday morning, I thought of the many blessings Joanna and I have experienced, since joining Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas 22 years ago, from hearing women command the pulpit in numerous worship services. Joanna and I joined Wilshire in August 2004, leaving a church where we had spent the Read more . . .
NOTE: In April 2014, I was asked to speak to the annual meeting of the Board of Consultants of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission (CLC), meeting at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. I was the first of a series of speakers who discussed, in turn, specific eras of the CLC’s history. My charge was to Read more . . .
INTRODUCTION/CONTEXT The day after the election, I posted to Facebook an article from The Washington Post, by Perry Bacon, Jr., titled “The second resistance to Trump must start right now.” In sharing the article, I highlighted the following passage: Whether you consider the political movement that Trump leads to be best described as fascist, authoritarian, populist, Read more . . .
“Baptists can be patriots. Now I know that seems to some of you like a silly statement, considering that in some Baptist churches today – I promise you – there will be enormous American flags draped across the pipes of the organ and probably across . . . a cross that normally would stand back Read more . . .
(NOTE: I came across this article today, November 10, 2023, as I was continuing the task of going through Daddy’s voluminous files – a task that is in its 17th year, having begun with his passing in June 2007. From January 1957 until his retirement at the end of 1978, at the age of 65, Read more . . .
(NOTE: For yesterday’s monthly lunch fellowship of a group we call “Geezers,” we were asked: If we had one last sermon to preach, what would be our scripture text, what would be our topic of emphasis, and why? We were given 3 minutes each to share with the group. Being one of the few non-clergy Read more . . .
George Webber, the hero (anti-hero?) of Thomas Wolfe’s novel, You Can’t Go Home Again, realizes that “You can’t go . . . back home to the escapes of Time and Memory.” In his litany of such “homes” he includes, “back home to the ivory tower.” In the sense that nothing is the same as when Read more . . .
(NOTE: I published a much shorter version of this review on Amazon.com this past Saturday night. This is the complete original version, which I cut to fit Amazon’s standards.) My wife and I joined Wilshire Baptist Church in August 2004, on the very Sunday that Wilshire was celebrating George Mason’s 15th anniversary as senior pastor. Read more . . .
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow Read more . . .