I thank God for the profoundly disturbing piece by D. L. Mayfield. I thank her editors for supporting and publishing her thorough research, travel to critical sites, analysis, and vulnerable soul-level wrestling with what she found. This is the kind of journalism that creates ground truth by rocking my complacency and ignorance as a white Christian. It leaves me both devastated and empowered, contradictory feelings that bring new urgency to my prayers for transformation to a God of justice, mercy, hope, and power.
Greg Bowman, Salem, OH
Whoever decided to put the tiny, printed 4,000 names of those who were lynched as a backdrop memorial for the article is a genius. That alone captured the power of memorializing. That ugly era of our history is now personal; it is unearthed and I am changed. D. L. Mayfield’s writing was beautifully crafted. She is a gift to us all. Keep up the good work!
Dudley Miller,Woodinville, WA
Timely @CTmagazine cover story by @d_l_mayfield prompting prayers & penance this morning.
@Fr_Gregory
This @CTmagazine piece on racism and reconciliation within the church body is a must read.
@getterman
Thank you for your September cover story. I left my beloved evangelical church community years ago, primarily because I found the emphasis on personal salvation and a personal relationship with God, while important, also served to cover our communal sins of racism and colonialism. When evangelical communities, especially white ones, can be leaders in memorializing black lives lost to lynching and state violence, Native lives lost to genocide in God’s name, and immigrant lives lost to xenophobic policies, I will be able to find a home among believers again. I pray this day comes.
Christine Hutchison, San Francisco, CA
@CTmagazine always excels at covers, but that one is haunting.
@Natdavewilliams
The Linguistic Origins of the Question
In working with children, questions (rather than commands) are more effective. For instance, when I see a child’s coat in a heap in the corner, instead of ordering her to hang it up, I ask, “Where is your coat?” (I know where it is.) “Where is it supposed to be?” (I know she knows.) I call that giving her “the gift of thinking.” She has to pause and remember where she left it. And that generally prompts the child to put the coat where it belongs—and hopefully remember to put it in the correct place the next time.
I just read the article about honoring the Reformation and Luther’s legacy. I was challenged with the wonderful Christian attitude and actions of people in the church who welcome, serve, and bless immigrants. They will, in turn, be richly blessed by God, and Germany will continue to flourish. I know that my city of Calgary in Canada has people from every part of the world coming to live here, and we must also welcome refugees and lovingly care for them.
Mary Friesen, Calgary, Canada
I worked as a missionary in Germany for 53 years and saw something that was misleading in the article. The author translated the German name for the Lutheran Protestant Church—Evangelische Kirche—as “Evangelical Church.” The Lutheran church in Germany is liberal and not evangelical, as we understand this concept. Therefore to speak of 23 million “evangelicals” is very misleading, since the true evangelicals are a tiny minority of about 3 percent in that country. That is why I spent my life there, sharing what evangelicals believe.
Yola Entz, Westlake Village, CA
Meeting the God of Chess
I appreciated Wesley So’s testimony. It was encouraging to see both a Filipino (I’m mixed race Filipino/white) and a chess player represented. I have appreciated all the testimonies that you have featured, but this is the first one that got me to write.
Jennifer O’Neal, San Diego, CA
As the fifth anniversary of the launch of your back page feature, Testimony, approaches, I hope CT continues running first-person accounts by men and women touched by the gospel in so many different ways. Rarely does anything else CT has to offer measure up to the wisdom and inspiration conveyed by these concise personal essays of redemption, recovery, conviction, or conversion. Testimony gives us a poignant illustration—and reminder—of the church’s main mission: to make disciples!
Russell Woodgates, Washington, DC
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While we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
As my doubts about his teachings grew, so did a secret fascination with Jesus.
Eastern Orthodox poet Scott Cairns reflects on his new collection, his journey of faith, and poetry’s capacity to apprehend inexhaustible realities.
