Faith
Ancient Beginnings
I loved my Music History 101 course that began with Gregorian chant, worked its way through motets and madrigals and on to the baroque. I soon realized the history of Western music rolled along with church history and world politics writ large. Composers like Edvard...
Crossroads
I wonder how many chapters history will devote to the early 21st century. Simmering problems, like climate change, racism, and the fate of democracy, have come to a head in the wake of this endless Covid pandemic, and there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle....
Faith on a Wire
I was one of millions glued to the TV as Nick Wallenda prayed his way across the Grand Canyon years ago. For someone who has difficulty navigating a sidewalk (and freezes two feet off the ground if there is nothing to cling to), I cannot imagine how anyone...
Another Group to Hate
I really don’t have time for my new assignment. A new group to hate. I can’t keep up with the workload already. Republicans hate Democrats. Democrats hate Republicans. Liberals hate conservatives. Conservatives hate liberals. Then there’s the old standbys —Black...
The Other Independence Day
I looked forward to attending church service this weekend for the last month. We could finally gather for worship without making a reservation, sitting far away from each other, or wearing masks unless we wanted to. We enjoyed lemonade after the service amid smiles...
Too Quick to Judge
Caesar asked, “What is truth?” Today, we ask, “What is the truth?” Politics, economics, when life begins, truth-tellers, and liars —all up for grabs. If we don’t know the truth, or can’t agree on the truth, how can we...