Erin Wathen
Patheos
Kansas City, MO, United States
Contact Erin
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Past articles by Erin:
It’s Time For a Woman President, And It’s Not About Identity Politics
When I say I want a woman of color to be the next president, I am not playing identity politics. It isn't about what she looks like; it's about what and who she represents; and the skills she's had to develop to get this far. That kind of strength, resilience and courage are sorely needed in our country's leadership. → Read More
Burning Churches, Competing Tragedies, and Bearing Witness to the Ashes
Two things can be true at once. It is possible to mourn the Notre Dame in Paris, and a small family church (or churches) in Louisiana. But if we mourn the ornate, the iconic and the marvelous with greater fervor than we grieve a humble structure, then perhaps we have missed the memo about what church is for. → Read More
‘We Just Want the Guns Back’: New Zealand’s Brave Response to Terror, and What the U.S. Can Learn
Let New Zealand model for us that we do not have to live with gun violence. We can elect officials who will stand up to the NRA machine. We can take steps towards reducing the number of assault rifles in circulation. We can learn from countries that are still shocked enough to react when someone guns down its children. → Read More
The College Admissions Scandal and The Real Crime That Is Tuition
Why are we surprised by the college admissions scandal? What aspect of our culture leads us to believe that privileged white folks would draw an ethical line around higher education, when time has shown that literally anything can be bought and paid for? The real crime nobody is talking about is college tuition. → Read More
The Church and Trending Homophobia: What Are We Afraid Of?
Homophobia in the church is not a new thing, but it does seem to be trending right now. Maybe that's because, with more and more Christians pushing for inclusion and acceptance, the voices of "no" have to be even louder. Which begs the question: what are they afraid of? → Read More
7 Things To Give Up For Lent That Actually Matter
Our lives are full; we are saturated. From stuff to social media to our schedules, we get filled up and buried in, on all sides. Maybe we need different things at different stages of life. Here are seven things you might want to think about giving up for Lent — or for good. → Read More
Don’t Bury the Female Lede: Keeping Women’s Names in the Headlines
In this Alabama newspaper controversy, Elecia Dexter is the real story. She is stepping into a void left by ignorance and bigotry. It's a bit of poetic justice, given that a black woman's voice is being elevated by the misdeeds of an angry white man. This is a gem of a story. So why is her name not in the headline? → Read More
The Human Cost of the Shutdown: And the Moral Bankruptcy Revealed in Wilbur Ross’ Comments
Pantry shelves aren’t the only thing empty in America right now. This administration continues to reveal its own moral bankruptcy as well. → Read More
12 Terrible Things I’d Rather Do Than Watch The Presidential Address
The good news is, we don't have to do any of these terrible things tonight. We can just turn it off. That remote is an incredibly empowering tool. → Read More
Jerry Falwell Jr. and the Toxic Theology of ‘Two Kingdoms’
Like many false prophets before him, Jerry Falwell Jr. believes he can serve two masters—God and Donald Trump—by separating the worlds in which they operate. He wants to relegate his faith to the realm of some fantasy future afterlife that exempts him from caring about this life and the other people in it. → Read More
On This Day: The Christmas Story Whose Ending Never Changes
On This Day, some Christmas soon, maybe we will learn that our toxic patterns of fear and abuse are rooted in patriarchy, not gospel. Maybe we will trust that God never arrives in power and privilege, but in poverty, as a stranger. It's a story that never changes. But maybe one day soon, we will. → Read More
Come Home for Christmas: Welcoming Our LGBTQ Friends In Church
LGBTQ friends and neighbors—we see you. We know you are hurting. Know that there are places where you will be met as the whole and holy people that you are. And church folks, please be extra mindful of those who come with deep damage from some other lifetime. Because welcome with a caveat is not very welcoming. → Read More
Women in the House: Progress Comes in Steps, Not Waves
Women lost some heartbreaking races in the midterm elections. But on the whole, I think we tipped the odds and accelerated the pace at which change might happen. Equality is a goal post that keeps moving, but at this rate, some of us Gen Xers might at least see a truly diverse government in our lifetime. → Read More
We Solemnly Swear That We Are Up to No Good: The Gospel of Harry Potter
The story of Harry Potter is a testament to the transformative power of choosing not to meet force with force. We are called to look the death-dealing powers of the world in the face and say, “You can’t change who I am; your evil can’t touch the goodness, the magic spark of divinity that is at the core of my being.” → Read More
The Odds are Ever In Our Favor: The Gospel of The Hunger Games
Deep love inspires sacrifice. Whether it’s love of family or love of country, or love of justice and truth, there’s a point at which we care less about our own lives than those of others. And, as The Hunger Games demonstrates—with that loving sacrifice comes profound transformation potential. → Read More
The Force is With Us: The Gospel According to Star Wars
Star Wars storylines evolve and characters come and go: but The Force is eternal. It is also internal. It’s a power of the mind and the soul, an inward strength that can control external factors. The Holy Spirit is "the force" that transcends time and space; we have that Holy Spirit with us too, even today. → Read More
No Words: When There’s Nothing Left to Say Before the Kavanaugh Vote
My moral outrage is spent after watching the Kavanaugh hearings yesterday. And my feminist outrage has burned out for the moment, leaving me nothing else to say about the proceedings. I have no more words. I trust they'll come back, but for now, here's a few headlines that capture the essence of this moment in history. → Read More
Assemble: The Gospel of the Avengers
The Avengers know the first thing you do is assemble. In our own work for social change, the most effective organizers know this, too. They know how to assemble the powers of a community to advocate for itself. They know that once enough people are working together, those individuals start to recognize their own power. → Read More
Guns Are the Problem, Guns Are the Problem, Guns Are the Problem
It's time to acknowledge that the real villain is the mighty icon of the gun, standing at the heart of American identity and unquestionable in its virtue. Any way you look at it: guns are a problem. And until we can agree upon at least that basic truth, not much changes. → Read More
A Border Wall Won’t Protect Against Toxic Masculinity
The truth is that a border wall will not protect us from violence, rape or murder. Because whether white or brown, legally documented or otherwise, the real criminal here is patriarchy. And its roots run deep on both sides of the border. → Read More