Author Archives
-
Will Someone Please Answer The Phone?
Have you read recently one of those warning sheets from the pharmacy on the terrible things that will happen to you if you take the pill you just bought? They are exceedingly grim, as you know. Who’s dreaming up this… Read More ›
-
All About Endings And New Beginnings
Here is a poem I have written recently. To be sure it says something about where I am in life, this amazing stage of new beginnings, the opening of a new chapter, a season of contentment, one without the relentless… Read More ›
-
Christians And Culture: Some Provocative New Reading
There are some remarkable new books out there that have blown my mind with fresh understanding about our contemporary culture. Some of this is quite discouraging, alarming, causing me to rethink how Christians must engage this new world. I will… Read More ›
-
Thinking Again About Power
The new Pope is giving all kinds of signals that humility is the highest measure of great leadership. The seductions in other directions must be enormous: the sudden rush of standing on the world stage; the glitter of the ancient… Read More ›
-
Yearning For Christian Renewal
I am watching the developments within the Catholic Church with intense interest these days. While I am decidedly Protestant—by upbringing, church attendance, reading through the years, understanding of church history—I believe Christians everywhere should be pulling for the Catholic Church… Read More ›
-
Maybe Simple Is Beautiful?
We need some answers these days. We need answers to some of our lingering, seemingly intractable problems that surround us. We need a vision out of the morass. We need to simplify some of the complexity in which we have… Read More ›
-
The Downton World: Order And Respect
Sharon and I are watching the first year’s series of Downton Abbey over Netflix. What a treat. We missed the whole first two years because of our crazy schedule, on the road, out for the evening, never at home at… Read More ›
-
Rome And The Limits Of Taxation
Taxes are in the news these days. Throughout the presidential election, and subsequently during the fiscal-cliff debate, we held a grand national debate on taxation. Should we tax more? Or not? Is taxing damaging to our economy, or not? Will… Read More ›
-
Be Kind, Be Good
I am writing a new book I am tentatively calling A Radiant People: The Christian Path Toward A Better World. The book is framed in part by that marvelous passage from Jeremiah imagining that we “shall be radiant over the… Read More ›
-
Why Culture? What Is Culture?
I am constantly saying that an understanding of culture is critical to understanding our world. This has always been the case, and remains true today, though with the unraveling of culture, we are left to ponder where the center has… Read More ›