There’s a certain hollow and rather pernicious powerless-ness that wells up within me as I’ve quietly taken in the scenes, voices and verdicts (or, rather, lack thereof) unfolding before us all over the last couple of weeks. So much so,…
What would King say about Ferguson?
Fifty years ago today, on Dec. 10, 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr., was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He was 35 years old, and at the time was the youngest person ever to be given the Peace Prize, which was…
Of lament, brutality, torture and Advent
I am almost overwhelmed with sorrow today. I do not wish to discuss how different groups on either side of the spectrum may, or may not, have made use of, or sought to make use of the events in Cleveland,…
Biblical backdrop to grand jury injustice
The grand jury decision not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the “choke-hold” death of Eric Garner has produced some interesting critics. According to the Washington Times website (12/1/14), Glenn Beck said that Garner’s treatment by the NYPD was “inexcusable,…
Advent, Genocide and the Baby in the Manger
Advent is my favorite time of year. The idea of waiting for hope to be born is irresistible and wonderful. When I was a kid, I memorized the entire Christmas story from the gospel of Luke for a Christmas event…
The Misuse of Scripture
When our President issued his executive order giving deportation relief to millions of undocumented people in our country, as part of his explanation he quoted Scripture: “You shall not oppress a resident alien; you know the heart of an alien,…
Chaos or community: Which way?
By Ken Sehested – Chaos or community: Which way?
The Banality of Evil
“Banality” is not a word that we often hear. The dictionary I consulted defines it as “the condition or quality of being banal, or devoid of freshness or originality.” “Triteness,” “staleness,” and “unimaginativeness” are synonyms for banality.
Public schools can avoid ‘War on Christmas’ tussle in school holiday calendar
Active RNS subscribers and members can view this content at the RNS Archives website. (RNS) Refusing to identify the religious reason for the days off does not solve the problem and only invites unfounded criticism of hostility to Christmas and…