John 14:25-26 NRSV “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” Have you ever read the Gospels and wondered what it would have … Continue reading Oh, to walk with Christ
Month: August 2017
Resegregation
More than 60 years on, many schools are less integrated than when the civil rights movement began, and the opportunity gap persists. ENID, Okla. — Six decades after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled school segregation unlawful, local and state minority leaders still are working to overcome the effects of segregation. This work continues amidst a mounting … Continue reading Resegregation
Passing the test
His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord kept testing him. Psalm 105:18-19 NRSV Most of us, at some point, have an idea of how we want life to go. And then life happens, and it can … Continue reading Passing the test
60 years after Little Rock
I recently published the article, below, about the history of segregation and desegregation in Enid, Oklahoma. Enid is an interesting case, in that it incorporates the development of segregation in Oklahoma Territory, before statehood. It was particularly interesting that segregation was not uniformly applied prior to statehood, and the implementation of laws that forced school … Continue reading 60 years after Little Rock
Living memories of segregation
This is the first installment of an ongoing series about school segregation and integration in Oklahoma 60 years after the Little Rock Nine. Interviews for this week’s articles began on Aug. 11, one day before the Aug. 12 white supremacist marches in Charlottesville, Va. ENID, Okla. — At the corner of South Fifth and East York, … Continue reading Living memories of segregation
Its name is love
I was very honored today to deliver a sermon on Christian unity, below, at the historic St. Stephen AME Church in Enid, Oklahoma. We had six ministers, including myself, preach on Matthew 24:14 in this ecumenical service. For a budding Episcopal lay preacher to have the opportunity to preach alongside pastors who have been in … Continue reading Its name is love
The intangible apple
With schools across the country starting the new school year, tens of thousands of teachers are walking into new classrooms for the first time, either at the start of their career or after a move in search of a more rewarding experience. By this time next year many of those teachers will have moved on … Continue reading The intangible apple
Not much has changed
"Not much has changed." Those were the words yesterday of a 73 year-old museum curator and Black Indian activist I was interviewing when I asked her how much, in her estimation, had race relations changed since her childhood in the 40s and 50s. She grew up in a segregated school system, in a race-zoned … Continue reading Not much has changed
The way
I wrote this article back in June about a Catholic priest who led a group of pilgrims on the Santiago de Campostela. This route of The Way began in Portugal and ranged north into Spain, to Catedral de Santiago de Campostela, site of the remains of St. James and pilgrimage destination for tens of thousands … Continue reading The way
Look like Christ?
Does Christian commentary on social media look or feel like the life and teachings of Jesus Christ? If the comments section of your favorite social media platform was all you knew of Christianity, would you choose to be called Christian? I explore these topics in my latest column: Life is a series of choices. One … Continue reading Look like Christ?
James R. Neal 