She knew…
For Women’s History Month I’m featuring phenomenal author Octavia Estelle Butler. Is it just me, or is anyone else astonished by her futurist intuition? Ms. Butler developed “Make America Great Again” as the presidential campaign slogan for fictional dictator Andrew Steele Jarret in her 1998 dystopian novel, “Parable of the Talents”. Imagine that. Here’s an…
A Herod of Our Own: the slaughter of innocence in the White House – Part II
In the afterdays of the first Christmas, brutal septuagenarian King Herod grew ever more evil as he developed a number of painful diseases. His polarized legacy included credit for vast building projects, alongside the murder of his favorite wife (of ten) and two sons who were judged insufficiently loyal. Ethnically Arab, culturally Greek, religiously Jewish…
What if Trumpworld slogans were actually Christian?
I love the idea of Making America Great. How thrilling this would be for American Christians in light of Jesus’ teaching, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant…” Imagine America deliberately taking on the role of servant around the world – just like Jesus – not counting status or risk or dollars.…
A Lesser Known Passage from C.S. Lewis, for our times…
Every tyrant must begin by claiming to have what his victims respect and to give what they want. I must try to explain why I fear more the disciplined cruelty of some ideological oligarchy. I am a democrat because I believe that no man or group of men is good enough to be trusted with…
14 days later…
(with grateful acknowledgment to Pastor Martin Niemöller for his poem,“First They Came” – saying it better than I ever could.) ***** First they came for our neighbors to the south and north, and imposed severe tariffs… and though it seemed foolish I did not speak out, because I know so little about economics. Then they…
Fitted Together
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5 (NIV) It’s the second week of February. I was tempted to write an…
Do Better Mr. President
On September 1, 2022, President Biden delivered a speech in defense of democracy from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His remarks denounced “MAGA Republicans,” distinguishing this sect from “mainstream Republicans.” MAGA, Make America Great Again, is a scarcely veiled call to reinforce White supremacist tenets and social practices. And yet it was not until the…
And Still We Rise
I celebrate Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation to become the first Black woman United States Supreme Court Justice. I can’t wait to say: “Justice Jackson” in a few months! Her ascendance to this position is well-earned and I look forward to how her vision of justice will shape the court. In the midst of commemorating this…
Celebration Continues! Black Americans Made Us Who We Are
African Americans have been the sin qua non democratizing force in American history. There is no America we take for granted today, one where we assert that all “men (and women) are created equal,” without Black Americans insisting upon it, full stop. Black people’s intellectual, political, and creative energy expanded our Constitution’s capacity to realize…
Great Resources for Black History Month
This list from the Gathering will no doubt include works that have not yet made it to your bookshelf. Here you’ll discover film, non-fiction and fiction (even sci-fi) gems to enjoy far beyond February! When Affirmative Action was White, by Ira Katznelson – “For Black History Month, I’m recommending a classic: No other book on…
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