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February 9, 2025
Welcome to this edition of the Faithfully Magazine Newsletter. Here's what's ahead: Our exclusive Q&A with N.T. Wright about the transethnic church as the sign of God's victory to the powers; a "Rewind" of a conversation with the Rev. Traci Blackmon — whose words now read as strikingly prescient for this moment, a clip of our interview with stars of "Relationship Goals," and more...
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At a time when faith, power, and public witness are colliding in ways reminiscent of abolition, the Black freedom struggle, and even resistance to the Nazi regime, I was struck by New Testament scholar N.T. Wright’s insistence that Scripture itself offers a clear, sustained answer. In his latest book, God’s Homecoming, Wright traces — from Genesis to Revelation — how the ultimate sign of God’s victory over the powers and principalities is a "polychrome church" — a community marked by unity across ethnic, cultural, and social difference.
The argument itself isn’t new. What is arresting is the urgency with which Wright presents it. Salvation, he insists, is not merely a means of "getting to heaven," but an invitation into privileged participation in God’s grand project of cosmic redemption — and this vision, he argues, should be the center of preaching and evangelism.
We often hear John of Patmos’ vision of a "great multitude…from every nation, tribe, people, and language" (Revelation 7:9) during Pentecost or Black History Month. But what would it mean to hear it preached every Sunday — not as an aside, but as the point of salvation itself?
There’s plenty to wrestle with in our conversation with Wright.
Those of you subscribed to our premium content on Substack can read and watch the full Q&A by clicking the button below 👇🏾
And a much shorter public preview is available on the main site 👇🏾
I hope you'll take the time to explore the conversation...and consider how God might be calling you in your corner of the world or social sphere to join Him in advancing His kingdom.
Stay Faithful,
Nicola, Managing Editor
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⏪ REWIND
This Christian Minister and Activist Warned Us What Would Happened
In September 2020, as protests erupted nationwide after the killing of George Floyd, Faithfully Magazine gathered Black Christian leaders to assess what many called a “racial awakening.” The Rev. Traci Blackmon rejected that framing, naming the moment instead as the result of long-simmering political, moral, and theological failure — one that had normalized cruelty, sanctioned racialized violence, and hollowed out moral restraint. Five years later, her words read less like reaction and more like diagnosis.
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Feb. 9: “Futuring: What It Means To Be Faithful, African and American, In the Age of AI and Afrophobia” (Union Theological Seminary) — This conversation explores theological responses to AI, racial justice, and faithful identity in a fraught socio-political context, featuring voices like Rev. Dr. Iva E. Carruthers. - REGISTER
Feb. 16: Theology of Lent (Westminster) — Led by Dr. Lucy Peppiatt, this session explores the meaning, significance, and spiritual formation aspects of the Lenten season, focusing on how it shapes modern faith and discipleship. - RSVP
March 16-26: Lecture Series (Yale Divinity) — Across six lectures, Dr. Willie James Jennings will offer a tentative map of the theological, ethical, and communal terrains we must traverse in order to build thriving life together in the presence and love of the triune God. - RSVP
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ICYMI: Stars of Pastor Mike Todd's New Movie Talk Faith |
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In case you missed it, our Managing Editor recently spoke with two actresses from Mike Todd's new movie "Relationship Goals" (watch it on Prime). One of those actresses, Robin Thede ("A Black Lady Sketch Show") revealed that she not only grew up in church, but was part of a traveling Christian puppet group 👀.
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