For millions of Americans, this rule is a threat to their religious freedom and the vision of a just society their faith traditions put forth. — Yesterday, the Trump administration released two final rules upending the birth control coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act. We know the rules will lead to more people being denied birth control coverage. But does will they also protect people of faith? The rules claims to protect “religious or moral…

Religious Institute’s Seminary Spotlight with Minister Aisha R. Thomas — What’s your theology of sexuality in 10 words or fewer? Sexuality is a way to express being and embody love. Growing up, what did you learn about sexuality in religious spaces? And how, if at all, has that influenced your approach as a scholar? I was in church as a young person until I was about 11 and then not again, consistently, until I was in my late 20’s. In my upbringing, sexuality didn’t exist in religious spaces. When I reflect on the period…

Welcome to RI Staff Talk, where the staff of the Religious Institute weigh in on religion, current events, social issues, and even political matters affecting progressive people of faith. This edition, we discuss the 2018 Midterm Elections. Why is it important for people of faith to be engaged around the midterm elections?

Religious Institute’s Seminary Spotlight with Rev. Dr. Cheryl Anderson — What’s your theology of sexuality in 10 words or fewer? Sex makes God tangible. Growing up, what did you learn about sexuality in religious spaces? And how, if at all, has that influenced your approach as a scholar and teacher? I did not have a religious upbringing and, as strange as it might seem, I think it may be an advantage as a scholar. My research area is the HIV and AIDS pandemic, and I try to give people who are of African descent and Christian…

Congregations that embrace bisexual+ people can help heal the suffering caused by the invisibility of bisexual+ people. — Many mainstream denominations, movements, and congregations have made significant progress in welcoming and affirming lesbian and gay people. Some congregations have begun responding to the needs and concerns of transgender people, but the “B” in the LGBTQ acronym is still largely ignored.

Kavanaugh’s nomination may seem inevitable, but justice is possible if we join together. Now is not the time to give up. — The hearings on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court are well underway, with much sound and fury. Two things are true about this process and this person. …

by Darryl W. Stephens — On August 14, 2018, a Pennsylvania grand jury released a report detailing decades of child sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests across the state. The narrative of abuse and cover-up is horrific. The actions, harrowing. As Roman Catholic leaders seek various ways to respond, religious leaders of all denominations and…

by Rev. Kentina Washington-Leapheart — For a long time, I wasn’t quite sure I would ever be ordained. When I enrolled in seminary, it was not because I felt called to be a pastor. Rather, I felt called to be in a place where I could satisfy my hunger for theological inquiry and engage my…

Religious Institute’s Seminary Spotlight with Elyse Ambrose — What’s your theology of sexuality in 10 words or fewer? God calls humanity toward individual and communal wholeness, including sexuality. Growing up, what did you learn about sexuality in religious spaces? And how, if at all, has that influenced your approach as a scholar? I was not raised in religious spaces but garnered a sense of certain Christian understandings through our Southern culture. Relationships that were honored before God were those between a “man” and “woman,” and the proper context for sexual expression, especially…