Sarahbeth Caplin's Blog, page 12

How to talk about politics on social media without being annoying

Many people are annoyed by the onslaught of political posts on social media. I can’t say I blame them — because not all political posts are created equal. It would be easy to say “Just don’t” in response to the question, Should I post something political? But the truth is, almost everything is political in… Continue reading How to talk about politics on social media without being annoying

Maybe we need more foolish hope

I used to feel ambivalent, sometimes even frustrated, when friends would share on social media that they were expecting. Hear me out. Trump was still fairly new to the White House. Hate crimes were increasing all over the country. White nationalists were becoming emboldened in revealing their hateful agendas. Scientists released a grim report on… Continue reading Maybe we need more foolish hope

Humanity is not all right

I am still asked from time to time why Judaism wasn’t “good enough” for me to keep it as my religion. A common misunderstanding when it comes to religious conversion is that it’s all about what fulfills me at a personal level, or makes me happy. I did not leave Judaism because it wasn’t making… Continue reading Humanity is not all right

Connecting to Jesus by strawmanning Judaism

I understand the appeal of Messianic Judaism to Protestant Christians: it seems like a way to connect with the Jewish roots of Jesus. It helps provide context for Jesus’ parables. It also functions like an insider’s guide to evangelizing the Jewish people. Unfortunately, MJ theology not only misrepresents ancient Judaism – it’s offensive to traditional… Continue reading Connecting to Jesus by strawmanning Judaism

Can anger be holy?

People of color are often used to hearing that they sound angry all the time. The “angry black woman” stereotype is especially common. What you may not know is that “angry Jewish woman,” or simply “angry Jewish people,” is also a Thing. And I’m one of them. In an unexpected way, the Trump era has… Continue reading Can anger be holy?

Jesus and relational boundaries

In many ways, my husband Josh and I are opposites. Despite both of us being Christians, introverts (well, he’s more of an outgoing introvert), and passionate about cats, he attends an evangelical megachurch — I attend a small Episcopal one. He finds liturgy “weird”; I love it. He’s politically independent, but holds views that lean… Continue reading Jesus and relational boundaries

They should know us by our love, not our dismissal of black suffering

You’ve probably seen the viral video by now, or at least heard about it: white police officer Amber Guyger being hugged by the brother of the black man she killed when she entered his apartment, claiming it was her own. Brandt Jean told her, “If you are truly sorry, I know I can speak for… Continue reading They should know us by our love, not our dismissal of black suffering

Redeeming September 25th

September 25th is a dark day in my life. I was sitting at my father’s hospital bed with my mom and brother, watching as his breathing grew more labored until, finally, he stopped altogether. David Joseph Caplin died at around 11am on the morning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, 2014. Not long before… Continue reading Redeeming September 25th

When hope is hard to find

It’s a little uncomfortable when friends ask you in front of people you don’t know how your new book is coming along, when the topic is suffering. What kind of person writes about that? It’s not the kind of thing you want to broadcast if you’re just being social at a party (not that I’m… Continue reading When hope is hard to find

“Spinning Crap Into Fertilizer” now available for pre-order + introduction

This isn’t one of those books in which I assure you, from the comfort of my safe, suburban home, that everything happens for a reason. This isn’t one of those books that treats Christianity like a self-help regimen, in which I promise that if you live a certain way, you will earn Jesus Points that… Continue reading “Spinning Crap Into Fertilizer” now available for pre-order + introduction