This week we witnessed the actions of desperate people: a narcissistic president who cannot accept the reality that he lost election to a second term, and the violent mob he incited to storm our nation’s capitol in an attempt to disrupt the democratic process. These actions are the culmination of a dangerous ideology privileging white…
And on Earth Peace
Christmas reminds us again just how fractured the Christian community is. While many Christians fall somewhere in the middle, there are opposite factions pulling the church in different directions, and they see and celebrate Christmas differently. The most visible form of Christianity in the US is comfortable with empire and sees American democracy and free-market…
Public Disservice
What do we usually call someone who lies, brags, belittles others, name calls, and, when they do not get their way, accuses others of cheating? Most of the time we would call them a spoiled brat. In the US, we call him Mr. President. Donald Trump entered office by showing us what a poor winner…
Hope in the Midst of Chaos
We are living in chaotic times. The novel coronavirus has upended life around the world and brought on the worst economic conditions in decades. The US government has not only failed to provide leadership in controlling the virus, but seems determined to make it worse. Additionally, the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud…
We Are All Racists
Racist is an ugly label. Those accused of racial discrimination often defend themselves by saying, “I am not a racist!” We’ve heard people ranging from Pres. Donald Trump to celebrity chef Paula Deen make that claim, most recently Amy Cooper, after she called 911 about an “African American man” she encountered in Central Park, who…
What If . . .
After two months of social distancing and with many more months ahead of us, we now recognize that the COVID 19 pandemic marks a fundamental change in our lives. In the face of staggering losses, many are wondering if good can come out of this devastating pandemic by capitalizing on this moment of change to…
A Chrysalis Moment
“And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently. And the people healed. “And,…
Fearful Times
Fear seems to fill the air these days. But that fear is seldom centered on the effects of climate change that have already begun ravaging our planet. Rather it is focused on the fact that our world and familiar institutions are now being shaped by people who are different than we are. When the World…
A Protocol Considered
The airwaves and blogosphere are full of reactions to the January 3 release of a Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace through Separation. The plan will be presented to the 2020 United Methodist General Conference (GC2020) in hopes of ending decades of painful arguments and standoffs over the full inclusion of LGBTQ persons. Following the 2019…
A Matrix of Proposals
In my music theory class, the professor announced one day that we would be creating a matrix. One student muttered, “Oh, I don’t think my mother would let me do that.” I, on the other hand, have always found matrices to be an excellent way to compare information. Now that the deadline has passed for…