Peter Laarman

Peter Laarman is a United Church of Christ minister who served as senior minister of New York’s Judson Memorial Church and then as executive director of LA’s Progressive Christians Uniting before retiring in 2014. He remains deeply involved in national and regional social justice projects touching on race, class, and religion.

Progressive Christian Arrogance Isn’t as Big a Threat as ‘Just Be Nice’

Peter Laarman

A recent opinion piece scolds fellow progressive Christians who suffer from an inability to invite a "healthy dialogue" on controversial issues. There's certainly some truth to that, but there's a far more consequential problem in progressive Christian circles.

Almost-Blockbuster Netflix Series ‘The Family’ Exposes a Christian Network Whose God Is Power

Peter Laarman

Homophobia, misogyny, and contempt for the poor are so very much taken for granted and accepted as "Christian" within The Family that its principals are able to say, with a perfectly straight face, that they have no political agenda when they support and subsidize authoritarian leaders around the world who exemplify and implement these hatreds.

Biden’s New ‘Restore the Soul of a Nation’ Ad Aimed at Black Voters Wary of the Frontrunner’s Dodgy History

Peter Laarman

Given that he has such a very long record in public life (a history that includes his association with segregationist legislators, attacks on school busing, and his shameless treatment of Anita Hill), Joe Biden is just about the last person who should be talking about fighting for the soul of the nation.

After More Mass Shootings It’s Time to Call Out White Supremacy in the Pews

Peter Laarman

I'm a preacher and I can say with near certainty that 99% of the sermons preached yesterday morning didn't get close to the level of truth-telling that's needed. Nor will the compulsory "thoughts and prayers" pronouncements, nor the words spoken at memorial services over the next days and weeks.

How Biblical ‘Chosenness’ Has Justified Violence, Misogyny, and Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

Peter Laarman

Bible scholar Michael Coogan's new book examines the dangers associated with the biblical concept of chosenness, which has its fingerprints on everything from the genocidal treatment of indigenous peoples to the idea that women, when thought by believers to have been created as mere vessels for reproduction, may be treated in the manner of brood cattle.

Pastor David Brooks, Your Sermons Are Growing Stale…

Peter Laarman

The 'trustees of the First Church of American Religion' express concern over the approach of Times columnist David Brooks: You place religious practice and affiliation in the category of palliative resources for those being crushed by the new ruthless economy, whereas the religion usually referred to as prophetic—a form of religion we still regard as indispensable—sees faith as much more than a kind of backstop for those who suffer.

With Methodist LGBTQ Vote and GOP Support for Trump, White Protestantism Has Hit Bottom

Peter Laarman

But by now it is painfully clear that far too many white Protestants are willing to throw both law and reason overboard for the sake of preserving straight white male supremacy.

Is the Decline of Religion the Decline of Generosity?

Peter Laarman

Sure, religious households give more money away than unaffiliated households. But do they ever question why poverty and hunger and homelessness continue to soar in this supposedly "rich" country?

The Antichrist Trap: Trump Isn’t the Whole Story

Peter Laarman

Far too many of our self-anointed progressive saviors speak as though Trump’s overthrow will make everything good again. A bargain-priced plastic surgeon might want to convince us that removing a large carbuncle will render our face entirely beautiful, but can that kind of pitch really be trusted?

Benefit of the Doubt? The Shaky Ethics of Giving Prime Time to Trump’s Propaganda

Peter Laarman

There was no "ethical dilemma" here for the networks. As Princeton's Eddie Glaude said on MSNBC, the ethical imperative here was to deny giving critical aid and support to a congenital liar and manipulator.

Peter Laarman

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