Race — Articles — Jonathan Merritt

Sexuality, Race, And Gender: 3 Explosive Insights About America’s 100 Largest Churches

CultureJonathanJanuary 3, 2018Christian, church, Gender, Race, Sexuality

Segregation Is Still Alive at These Christian Schools

Many non-Catholic Christian schools were started to be places of white sanctuary. This needs to change.

CultureJonathanOctober 12, 2016Black Lives Matter, Christian Schools, First Academy in Orlando, Race, segregation

Jim Wallis on racism, reparations, and #BlackLivesMatter

Wallis says the biblical prophets would scream at today's racial injustices.

PoliticsJonathanFebruary 18, 2016America, Bible, Detroit, discrimination, Intervarsity, Jesus, Jim Wallis, justice, laws, Michelle Higgins, police, politics, poverty, Race, Racism, sin, slavery, Sojourner

What's wrong with your nativity scene?

Christmas, like many other holidays, is a mix of religion and folklore.

CultureJonathanDecember 15, 2015Bible, Christmas, History, holidays, Jesus, Jesus Christ, nativity, Race, Racism, tradition

Evangelicals are divided on death penalty...officially

Conservative Protestant group shrink back from support of capital punishment.

PoliticsJonathanOctober 20, 2015capital punishment, criminal justice, Death, death penalty, evangelicalism, Jesus, Jonathan Merritt, justice, Leith Anderson, life, NAE, National Association of Evangelicals, politics, Race, Racism, Shane Claiborne, theology

'Courageous' and 'Fireproof' filmmakers opt for black cast

Some promising news following a wave of whitewashed Bible films.

Arts + EntertainmentJonathanAugust 13, 2015Alex Kendrick, Art, entertainment, Film, Hollywood, Jonathan Merritt, justice, Kendrick Brothers, movies, prayer, Priscilla Shirer, Race, Racism, Sony, TC Stallings, War Room

What does it take to forgive someone like Dylann Roof?

How does one serve forgiveness to a person who hasn’t even ordered it?

CultureJonathanJune 24, 2015Charleston shooting, crucifixion, Dylan Roof, Forgiveness, guns, hate, hate crime, Jesus, Jonathan Merritt, murder, Race, Racism, violence

After Baltimore, we need faith and body cameras

Jonathan interviews the police captain who directed security response in Ferguson.

CultureJonathanMay 6, 2015Baltimore, Bible, faith, Ferguson, Jonathan Merritt, justice, law, peace, police, politics, prayer, Q conference, Race, Racism, Ronald Johnson

Latino evangelicals oppose death penalty. Will others follow?

NaLEC becomes the first major evangelical association to take this position publicly.

Why a Muslim actor plays Jesus in Bill O’Reilly’s TV special

Remember when Ridley Scott said he couldn't make a film starring "Mohammad so-and-so"?

CultureJonathanMarch 24, 2015Art, Bill O’Reilly, books, Christianity, History, Islam, Jesus Christ, Judaism, Killing Jesus, Lebanon, Muslim, National Geopgraphic, Race, Ridley Scott, television

10 inaccuracies plaguing the ‘Exodus’ movie

Ridley Scott's epic film deviates from the biblical narrative.

CultureJonathanDecember 30, 2014Art, Bible, Christian Bale, Controversy, Exodus, Film, History, Jonathan Merritt, movies, Race, Racism, Ridley Scott, theology

Did #BoycottExodusMovie work?

Jonathan discusses the film's race problem on CNN.

CultureJonathanDecember 17, 2014Art, CNN, Controversy, Exodus, Film, Jonathan Merritt, movies, Race, Ridley Scott

3 religious Hurdles Facing Ridley Scott’s ‘Exodus’

The big budget Bible film hits American theaters on Friday.

CultureJonathanDecember 10, 2014Art, Bible, Christian Bale, Exodus, Film, Hollywood, Joel Edgerton, Jonathan Merritt, movies, Race, Ridley Scott

10 Black Christians Respond to Eric Garner Decision

It's high time white Christians start listening to their pleas.

Ridley Scott's 'Exodus' & Hollywood's Race Problem

Scott is hardly alone and it's past time for change.

CultureJonathanDecember 2, 2014Art, Controversy, Exodus, Film, Hollywood, Jonathan Merritt, movies, Race, Racism, Ridley Scott

MLK and Religious Liberties

What might MLK say about the religious liberties debates Americans are having?

CultureJonathanFebruary 27, 2014Andy Stanley, Civil Rights, conservative, Controversy, Gay, Homosexuality, Jim Crow, Jonathan Merritt, Kirsten Powers, lesbian, LGBT, liberal, Marriage, Martin Luther King, MLK, Race, Racism, segregation, Sexuality, USA Today

How Christian Churches can Continue MLK's Legacy

MLK Day was designated in 1983, but more work needs to be done.

CultureJonathanJanuary 25, 2014Christianity, church, churches, justice, Martin Luther King, MLK, North Park Theological Seminary, politics, Race, Racism, reconciliation, social justice, Soong Chan-Rah, theology

Are Christian Conference Racially Exclusive?

Some say Christian conferences are dominated by white people.

CultureJonathanNovember 21, 2013African-American, black, Christian conferences, ethnicity, hispanic, Jesus, Jonathan Merritt, prejudice, Race, Racism, white

NBA’s Jeremy Lin Talks About Faith, Fame, and Racism

Basketball superstar Jeremy Lin talks to RNS' Jonathan Merritt.

CultureJonathanOctober 7, 2013athletics, basketball, Christianity, ESPN, faith, Jeremy Lin, Jonathan Merritt, NBA, New York Knicks, opportunity, Race, Racism, sports, success

’12 Years a Slave’ Portrays Religion at Its Best and Worst

SNEAK PEEK: The anticipated film is a commentary on religion and race.

CultureJonathanSeptember 23, 201312 Years a Slave, Art, Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Christianity, Film, History, Injustice, Jonathan Merritt, justice, Merritt, Michael Fassbender, movie, Race, Racism, religion, righteousness, slavery, slaves, Steve McQueen