Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Even as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we face a world that is torn by strife – a vicious war of aggression in Ukraine, continuing political division in our own nation, new threats of viral respiratory infections among the youngest and oldest members of our society. While over the
By a rough count with a fading memory, I attended at least twenty wakes and funerals by the time I turned twelve. It was not until much later that I realized that many of my contemporaries did not share my experience. For them, waiting in lines at wakes was not a sought-after activity. I went
Hallmarks – a series of marks on precious metals – have been used in western civilization since the 1300s. The word itself is from the 15th century when craftsmen went to Goldsmiths Hall in London to have their products analyzed and marked, a practice that continues today. There are three elements in a hallmark,
Most of us wear several hats in our daily activities. We may be children and parents and spouses simultaneously. We’re coworkers, neighbors, friends, and citizens, exercising these diverse roles all in a single day. We’re believers with convictions but also can entertain openness to other points of view. Few of us are not just one
An interviewer once asked Dr. Billy Graham, “If you could eradicate any problem in America, what would it be?” Dr. Graham answered very quickly and very directly as he replied, “The racial division and strife in our nation.” Why would this issue stand so central for one of the most prominent Christian voices in our
“I am not a racist.” I cannot count how many times that statement was part of a conversation about this difficult topic. Racism occurs because a person ignores the fundamental truth that, because all humans share a common origin, they are all brothers and sisters, all equally made in the image of God. When this
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. (John 14:16 – The Gospel Lesson for Pentecost) In our culture, we call upon advocates to offer support to those who feel they are not being heard, to ensure they are taken seriously, and to assure that
At the end of the First World War, we are told, Helen Turrell traveled to northern France to put flowers on the grave of her illegitimate son, Michael, one of the fallen. To those travelling with her, she described Michael as her “nephew.” This is the touching background for a short story by Rudyard Kipling.
I recently completed a six-week intensive online seminar from the Barna Group, a think tank that has done a great deal of research on a topic of great interest to me: the religious inclinations and spiritual yearnings of what sociologists call Generation Z, young people born between 1996 and 2008. Many, we were told, in
When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss And pour contempt on all my pride. These words from a familiar hymn are a reminder of the reason for the season of Lent: over a period of 40 days, we undertake a spiritual
