Betsy Shirley
@betsyshirley.bsky.social
Editor in chief at Sojourners.
Reposted by Betsy Shirley
"I’ve found that whenever politics get messy, the best theological question is often the simplest one: How do these decisions impact people who don’t have much power or money?"
sojo.net/articles/opi...
sojo.net/articles/opi...
A Simple Guide To Doing Theology During a Shutdown
Ignore the punditry. Washington gridlock is largely about these two biblical themes.
sojo.net
October 9, 2025 at 10:00 PM
"I’ve found that whenever politics get messy, the best theological question is often the simplest one: How do these decisions impact people who don’t have much power or money?"
sojo.net/articles/opi...
sojo.net/articles/opi...
A new one from me: After a decade of living in D.C., I sometimes feel like I'm wading through political soup. But when Washington gets messy, there's a simple theological question I try to ask myself.
sojo.net/articles/opi...
sojo.net/articles/opi...
A Simple Guide To Doing Theology During a Shutdown
Ignore the punditry. Washington gridlock is largely about these two biblical themes.
sojo.net
October 9, 2025 at 6:53 PM
A new one from me: After a decade of living in D.C., I sometimes feel like I'm wading through political soup. But when Washington gets messy, there's a simple theological question I try to ask myself.
sojo.net/articles/opi...
sojo.net/articles/opi...
Reposted by Betsy Shirley
For years now, I've wondered what exactly Lecrae deconstructed, how he reconstructed his faith, and how that's affected everything from his politics to his belief in demons.
Last Sunday, we sat to talk it all out. sojo.net/articles/new...
Last Sunday, we sat to talk it all out. sojo.net/articles/new...
How ‘Reconstruction’ Changed Lecrae’s View of American Christianity
From the existence of demons to support for Israel, the Christian hip-hop luminary says he rebuilt his faith beyond Western Christendom.
sojo.net
October 8, 2025 at 4:56 PM
For years now, I've wondered what exactly Lecrae deconstructed, how he reconstructed his faith, and how that's affected everything from his politics to his belief in demons.
Last Sunday, we sat to talk it all out. sojo.net/articles/new...
Last Sunday, we sat to talk it all out. sojo.net/articles/new...
Reposted by Betsy Shirley
Thanks to @rns.org for the opportunity to write about Johnson Amendment protections for faith communities and non-profit organizations. I appreciated the chance to give my perspective both as president of @sojo.net and board chair of @independentsector.bsky.social. religionnews.com/2025/09/17/w...
Churches can be exploited without Johnson Amendment
(RNS) — The entire nonprofit sector risks being corrupted and captured by partisan politics and polarization.
religionnews.com
September 17, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Thanks to @rns.org for the opportunity to write about Johnson Amendment protections for faith communities and non-profit organizations. I appreciated the chance to give my perspective both as president of @sojo.net and board chair of @independentsector.bsky.social. religionnews.com/2025/09/17/w...
"Before I abandoned the conservatism Kirk so effectively promoted, I shared many of the same platforms he exploited," writes @revrobschenck.bsky.social in an important reflection for @sojo.net
sojo.net/sojoshare/Mz...
sojo.net/sojoshare/Mz...
I Rejected Charlie Kirk’s Politics. That’s Why I Grieve His Death
I once led an aggressive conservative Christian movement—until I saw how our rhetoric led to violence.
sojo.net
September 11, 2025 at 5:23 PM
"Before I abandoned the conservatism Kirk so effectively promoted, I shared many of the same platforms he exploited," writes @revrobschenck.bsky.social in an important reflection for @sojo.net
sojo.net/sojoshare/Mz...
sojo.net/sojoshare/Mz...
Once upon a middle school Bible class, I watched “Hell's Bells: The Dangers of Rock 'N' Roll” on one of these. It was a 1989 documentary hosted by a guy with a glorious mullet about the many ways the music industry was spreading “satanism” and “the occult.” First time I heard Led Zeppelin, tbh
July 12, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Once upon a middle school Bible class, I watched “Hell's Bells: The Dangers of Rock 'N' Roll” on one of these. It was a 1989 documentary hosted by a guy with a glorious mullet about the many ways the music industry was spreading “satanism” and “the occult.” First time I heard Led Zeppelin, tbh
A reminder that @sojo.net is funded by zero oligarchs and welcomes new readers, subscribers, and donors who support nonprofit journalism focused on faith and social justice.
For example, when ICE tries to use the Bible to support its agenda, we publish stuff like; sojo.net/articles/opi...
For example, when ICE tries to use the Bible to support its agenda, we publish stuff like; sojo.net/articles/opi...
July 11, 2025 at 9:53 PM
A reminder that @sojo.net is funded by zero oligarchs and welcomes new readers, subscribers, and donors who support nonprofit journalism focused on faith and social justice.
For example, when ICE tries to use the Bible to support its agenda, we publish stuff like; sojo.net/articles/opi...
For example, when ICE tries to use the Bible to support its agenda, we publish stuff like; sojo.net/articles/opi...
I just need more people to appreciate that an artist MADE a Henry Nouwen puppet and put that puppet on a TRAPEZE for our most recent issue of Sojourners. I love it so much!
Article here:
sojo.net/sojoshare/Mz...
Article here:
sojo.net/sojoshare/Mz...
A fly-thru of the hand built set created for current issue of @sojo.net
July 11, 2025 at 9:03 PM
I just need more people to appreciate that an artist MADE a Henry Nouwen puppet and put that puppet on a TRAPEZE for our most recent issue of Sojourners. I love it so much!
Article here:
sojo.net/sojoshare/Mz...
Article here:
sojo.net/sojoshare/Mz...
Still can't believe that ICE really made this video; grateful to @jrforasteros.com for breaking down the levels of twisted scripture here. sojo.net/articles/opi...
ICE Quotes the Bible in a New Propaganda Video
A government video distorts scripture in a recruitment drive for the immigration crackdown.
sojo.net
July 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Still can't believe that ICE really made this video; grateful to @jrforasteros.com for breaking down the levels of twisted scripture here. sojo.net/articles/opi...
Light perpetual upon Walter Brueggemann (1933-2025) whose scholarship on the prophets forever changed the way I read the Bible and launched me on path to find Christian communities living out alternatives to the way of empire. Interviewing him for @sojo.net in 2017 was an absolute honor.
June 6, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Light perpetual upon Walter Brueggemann (1933-2025) whose scholarship on the prophets forever changed the way I read the Bible and launched me on path to find Christian communities living out alternatives to the way of empire. Interviewing him for @sojo.net in 2017 was an absolute honor.
"Solidarity isn’t affection," writes @hannahnpbowman.bsky.social for @sojo.net:
sojo.net/articles/opi...
sojo.net/articles/opi...
10 Ways Your Church Can Take Solidarity Beyond Sympathy
Be radical stewards of your resources.
sojo.net
March 4, 2025 at 11:26 PM
"Solidarity isn’t affection," writes @hannahnpbowman.bsky.social for @sojo.net:
sojo.net/articles/opi...
sojo.net/articles/opi...
Reposted by Betsy Shirley
With few exceptions, the prayers at the inauguration served to project God’s blessing on President Trump’s promises of American domination, expansion, and nationalism.
sojo.net/articles/new...
sojo.net/articles/new...
‘I Was Saved by God To Make America Great Again’
Religious allies took the inauguration as a chance to project God’s blessing on Trump’s promises of American domination, expansion, and nationalism.
sojo.net
January 20, 2025 at 10:33 PM
With few exceptions, the prayers at the inauguration served to project God’s blessing on President Trump’s promises of American domination, expansion, and nationalism.
sojo.net/articles/new...
sojo.net/articles/new...
Great reporting by @saraheinselen.bsky.social for Sojourners: sojo.net/articles/new...
Trump May Allow ICE Arrests in Churches; Here’s What We Know
After reports Trump will rescind a policy discouraging ICE raids in churches, faith and immigration experts prepare for uncertain future.
sojo.net
December 12, 2024 at 6:50 PM
Great reporting by @saraheinselen.bsky.social for Sojourners: sojo.net/articles/new...
Reposted by Betsy Shirley
I suspect the church in America won’t fully recognize the importance of Tony Campolo’s witness until we’ve repented of the sins he named & embraced the kingdom of God that he preached for three-quarters of a century.
sojo.net/articles/opi...
sojo.net/articles/opi...
Tony Campolo Showed Me a Different Way To Be a Christian
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove on Campolo's lifelong work to connect a personal relationship with Jesus and the movement for justice.
sojo.net
November 21, 2024 at 3:54 PM
I suspect the church in America won’t fully recognize the importance of Tony Campolo’s witness until we’ve repented of the sins he named & embraced the kingdom of God that he preached for three-quarters of a century.
sojo.net/articles/opi...
sojo.net/articles/opi...
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
We already know from examples over the past decade that all GOP concerns about "religious freedom" evaporate when the faithful are sanctuary churches or Christian activists giving food and water to migrants along the border.
incoming Trump border czar Tom Homan threatens people in blue states with prosecution if they hide migrants from ICE
November 20, 2024 at 5:06 AM
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
Reposted by Betsy Shirley
Tony Campolo - famed evangelist and social justice preacher - has died. There was no one like him
religionnews.com/2024/11/19/t...
religionnews.com/2024/11/19/t...
Tony Campolo, sociologist and famed Red Letter Christian, has died
(RNS) — Known as a powerful evangelist and social justice preacher, Campolo had long advocated that Christian faith can transform the world — and people's everyday lives.
religionnews.com
November 20, 2024 at 3:04 AM
Tony Campolo - famed evangelist and social justice preacher - has died. There was no one like him
religionnews.com/2024/11/19/t...
religionnews.com/2024/11/19/t...
Reposted by Betsy Shirley
Monson talks with Sojourners about crying, loving oneself, and Black theology and disability.
Theologian Robert Monson Wants a Softer Social Justice
How can softness and self-love help us defeat the triple evils of racism, militarism, and greed?
buff.ly
November 19, 2024 at 11:03 PM
Monson talks with Sojourners about crying, loving oneself, and Black theology and disability.
"I wish I was famous for other things that sounded cooler," Robert Monson tells @mitchellatencio.com in this interview with @sojo.net.
**Spoiler alert** Monson is, in fact, very cool.
sojo.net/articles/int...
**Spoiler alert** Monson is, in fact, very cool.
sojo.net/articles/int...
Theologian Robert Monson Wants a Softer Social Justice
How can softness and self-love help us defeat the triple evils of racism, militarism, and greed?
sojo.net
November 19, 2024 at 10:28 PM
"I wish I was famous for other things that sounded cooler," Robert Monson tells @mitchellatencio.com in this interview with @sojo.net.
**Spoiler alert** Monson is, in fact, very cool.
sojo.net/articles/int...
**Spoiler alert** Monson is, in fact, very cool.
sojo.net/articles/int...
Well, after leaving that other place and spending about a year without any of these apps, here we are. Glad to join y’all!
November 15, 2024 at 3:25 AM
Well, after leaving that other place and spending about a year without any of these apps, here we are. Glad to join y’all!