Sarahbeth Caplin's Blog, page 21

When spiritual nourishment comes from two different places

Some people can be fully nourished from a bible study, singing worship songs, or just being around fellow believers. When your identity is interfaith, it’s not always that simple. After several disappointing experiences with Christians (more about that in Confessions of … Continue reading →

Why the Episcopal church?

One thing that scared me away from the chaplaincy program at seminary was the requirement of having the support of a specific denomination. I lived under the “It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship” banner at the time, so the … Continue reading →

On cultural appropriation: how much do intentions matter?

I read with interest a Washington Post article about a white teenager who wore a traditional Chinese dress to her prom: Like many other teenagers preparing for prom, Utah senior Keziah Daum wanted to find a dress that would stand out, “something … Continue reading →

I’m not a “real” anything

The fear is mostly internal, but it’s been authorized before: “You’re not a real Christian.” I’ve heard it out loud in Bible studies; I’ve received it in my mentions on Twitter, and in comments on this blog. Conversely, I also … Continue reading →

When you and your spouse are “unequally yoked”

When we first starting dating, Josh and I were mutually burned out by “Cru Culture” – the branch of Campus Crusade for Christ we were both part of that was highly legalistic and overly concerned with outward appearances. Despite our … Continue reading →

How my Jewish background opened my eyes to racism

I often wonder what my life would be like if I had been raised in a Christian home. Would I be the same person I am today? Would I still prioritize understanding different viewpoints – even those (or especially those) … Continue reading →

Community: a faith builder or faith breaker

Community sometimes feels like a necessary evil in my life — I know that I need it, but at the same time, I fear it. I hate being vulnerable with people I don’t know very well. I’m not very good … Continue reading →

What Christians can learn from Jews about handling disagreement

After Trump got elected, and accusations against liberals turning “safe spaces” into echo chambers intensified, I made a personal rule for myself: for every book or article I read that affirms what I already believe, I will read something that … Continue reading →

Seeing the Bible the way we do people

Lately I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to judge the entire character of a person based on an isolated comment on social media – especially if it’s related to politics. All the assumptions you can make, the stereotypes, … Continue reading →

Please support the work I do through this site

What started as one self-published book has now turned into seven, with several five-star reviews and bestseller status on Amazon more than once in the last few years. As my writing platform slowly grows, so has my network as a … Continue reading →