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The Promised Land: Mexican Immigration and American Theology
No full textThe topic of immigration is a familiar concept in the bible. Adam and Eve migrated from the lush lands of the Garden of Eden (albeit, not their first choice) to a land east of Eden after disobeying God. Other biblical characters like Noah and family, Abram, (later Abraham), his son Isaac, Isaac’s son Jacob, and one of Jacob’s progeny, Joseph were all too cognizant with voluntary or involuntary migration. Perhaps one of the most famous travelers across land in search of a better life is found in the Old Testament with a man named Moses. If anyone could speak to the life of a migrant, Moses would certainly make the top of the list
Rulemaking Behind Closed Doors: Governor Abbott’s Secret Rulemaking. Worse Yet, All State Agencies Are Colluding with the Governor
No full textIn 2019, the Texas Legislature granted the Governor new powers to review the rulemaking process for certain state agencies. Since then, the Governor has apparently extended this authority of review over the rulemaking process to more agencies than he was authorized to. Some journalists and scholars, including this Author, have attempted to access the proposals and comments submitted to the rulemaking process by the Governor’s Office—and yet the records are withheld by the Texas Attorney General under claimed exceptions to the Texas Public Information Act. Despite the Attorney General’s claims, this Author and others maintain that any records of these submissions to agencies’ rulemaking processes by the Governor should be publicly available as a matter of law. This Article lays out the recent history of the Governor’s “Secret Rulemaking Division,” and ultimately explains why, under the Texas Administrative Procedure Act, any and all comments, suggestions, or changes made by the Governor to state agencies’ rulemaking processes must be released as public information
Applied Leadership Principles in Multiracial/Multiethnic Churches
No full textWe would all be a lot wiser, and a lot smarter if we had a looking glass to see what life holds in store every five to ten years. Upon reflection on our lives, we can discern the transformations, and in some instances, we may recognize the guiding influence of God’s providence. I’m often reminded of the words from the prophet Jeremiah: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). As I look back on my life, I see how the plan laid out for me was not according to my will or by my design. I was raised in an homogenous community, where 90 percent of households were led by single mothers. The projects were 100 percent black. In this context, I developed a unique perspective on family dynamics. My maternal lineage originates from Jasper, Texas, where my relatives resided during an era characterized by the pervasive presence of Jim Crow laws, Sundown laws, and the activities of the Ku Klux Klan. Raised in a racist community, my cousin wanted more for me. So, I was bused to the only magnet school in Baytown, Texas, for elementary students. The school bus picked up several white students; a Hispanic family, and a Vietnamese refugee (in the United States for a humanitarian reason) who had lost an arm in the Vietnam War. This was my first encounter with diverse ethnicities, which fostered a multiethnic perspective of the world. It was on this school bus that I learned to see and celebrate diversity
The Data-Science (and People-Science) of Designing Community-Based Strategies to End & Prevent Human Trafficking
No full textShame on You! The Effect of Shame on Christian Female Leaders and Implications for the Organizations they Lead
No full textShame on you! These three words evoke an immediate emotional response in most people. But for female Christian leaders, the impact of shame often extends beyond mere emotion. Some theological distortions have historically constrained female leadership, creating dissonance between embracing God-given talent and navigating institutional barriers. This dissertation examines the pervasive influence of shame on Christian female leaders in both ecclesiastical and secular organizational contexts. Through qualitative case studies and theological analysis, it is demonstrated that shame functions not simply as a ubiquitous emotional response but as a systemic barrier that distorts women\u27s experience of vocational development and divine calling. The study reveals that theological developments concerning gender roles—especially those emerging during the Reformation and codified in Western Evangelicalism—have fostered environments in which women are constrained by shame, as organizational structures encode gendered expectations into seemingly neutral practices, leading to persistent internal conflict and external resistance. The research establishes that addressing this phenomenon requires both theological reformation and organizational transformation—retrieving Scripture\u27s affirmation of women\u27s leadership while simultaneously dismantling shame-inducing institutional practices. This integrated approach creates pathways for women to exercise their leadership gifts without the burden of shame while fostering organizational cultures where all leaders can flourish as equal image-bearers