In January, I spoke at the annual meeting of the Society for Christian Ethics by the invitation of my friend and colleague Grace Y. Kao. I’m not an ethicist. I’m a philosophical theologian. I specialize in thinking and writing about what people believe. I’m particularly interested in how our beliefs mesh the ways we understand…
Many people I know grow up in faith communities that discourage people from asking questions. I grew up in that kind of church. Of course, it didn’t work. I was learning to be a critical thinker in school and I had not yet learned to compartmentalize so I brought that critical thinking to Sunday school,…
Is this the hill to die on? I’m raising a preteen middle-schooler, and so I say this to myself at least twice a day as we negotiate, yes negotiate, time management, homework, sports, lessons, chores and video-gaming. I have clear values and principles and some concrete skills I want this kid to have in life….
I’ve been quiet with you all because I’ve been so … without words. As a former resident of Pasadena and a resident of Los Angeles county for over ten years of my life, I have been bowled over by the recent fires in southern California. I’ve been concerned about my friends, checking in on those…
It’s a fairly common idea. Because most of us try to understand unmerited suffering. Deep down (or not so deep down), most of us are okay with the suffering of people we think of as “bad” or “immoral.” We can even make peace when suffering seems to be the natural result of a poor decision….
Perhaps nothing is more personal or challenging in the life of faith than how we understand God in the face of suffering, loss and the death of a loved one. This June, I got to share how my faith sustains me in those times. At an academic conference. My first bit of summer travel was…
In one of my first theology classes in divinity school, my professor the late Sallie McFague asked: If there were no heaven, would you still be a Christian? The question stopped me – and most of my classmates – in our tracks. Hmmm. It never occurred to me that there might not be a heaven….
“Acts of God.” When you sign those insurance forms, or really just about any contract, they indicate whose responsibilities are whose. And then they say, except for “acts of God.” These “acts of God” usually refer to unexpected unforeseen weather calamities – tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, huge storms. I’ve always found it curious how otherwise…
I learned from the best. You’ll hear me say that a lot. I’ve been parented well, taught well, mentored well. The late Sallie McFague helped me to fall in love with theology as a field of study. One way she did this was by showing relevance and genuine excitement for every theologian she taught. She…
The best thing about Valentine’s Day is the day after Valentine’s Day. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good greeting card holiday. (Do people even send greeting cards anymore?) And it’s not like one is enough for honoring love. I grew up in the Midwest where we have “Sweetest Day” – literally, a Valentine’s…
Dr. Monica A. Coleman is an award-winning scholar, writer, and minister dedicated to the intersections of faith, social justice, and transformation. Through speaking, consulting, and writing, she empowers individuals and organizations to navigate change with purpose and integrity.
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