Born in 1947, I grew up during the years of the civil rights movement. But looking back I was insulated and isolated from the struggle of those whose lives were bound up with the cause so eloquently and courageously expressed by Martin Luther King. Over the last few days, I’ve been deeply moved to see […]
When you get a chance I wish you’d watch this brief YouTube clip called “Smart Dog” and then see if it helps to illustrate the following perspective on the Bible. And if you’re wondering whether the dog’s “intelligence” is faked, here’s an in the studio before a live audience angle that is more convincing. Seems […]
Some events help us reflect on the bigger story of our lives. The heroic actions of ”Sully”, a veteran pilot who safely landed 155 passengers of an Airbus A320 on the frigid waters of the Hudson River… after being brought down by a flock of birds… is one of those events. The rescue of US Airways […]
Just read something I find hard to believe. Found it in a short article by Liz Szabo writing for USA Today. She says that, according to a report released online in The New England Journal of Medicine, “Eight hospitals reduced the number of deaths from surgery by more than 40% by using a checklist that […]
On one occasion, Jesus reminded his listeners that “a house divided will not stand” (Mark 3:25). In another setting, he said, “Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, […]
With words we bless and curse, agree and disagree, expose truth, or hide it. With words we also label, name-call, and characterize in ways that can make it difficult to separate facts from perceived guilt by association. (Caught a picture of this fellow on Jerusalem’s Ben Yehuda street. Was in costume for the Jewish feast […]
What we know is that the Bible says God gave the land of the Canaanites to his chosen people to show that he is God of gods. The same Scriptures make it clear that Israel’s security in the land would depend on their faithfulness to the covenant that God made with them. According to Moses, […]
When God told Abraham that he would bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him, did that mean that God-fearing people would always side with Israel against their enemies? (Gen 12:1-2). To avoid misquoting, or misapplying, the Bible, it’s important to make sure that we are drawing necessary implications rather than possible […]
With an eye on the emerging humanitarian crisis in Gaza, I expressed, in a previous post, the conviction that “It is so important for followers of Christ to rise above partisan alignments and to pray and speak out for some measure of justice, mercy, and relief for both Jewish and Arab families…” In response, one […]
As the US turns over control of the Green Zone to Iraqi authorities, and as another powerful earthquake shakes Indonesia, the eyes of the world have shifted once again to a small strip of land on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. Around the world, in London, Paris, and New York, shouting crowds have taken […]
