One reader wrote me to ask: ” “What effect will the Fort Hood shootings have on the American public’s perception of Islam?” That question asks us to be foretellers, fortune tellers, to predict. But The Shalom Center has had the holy…
Every three years, young evangelists from around the world gather in Portland Oregon to attend a conference put on by the Next Generation Alliance, an organization dedicated to mentoring the next generation of global gospel preachers. While I’m looking forward…
I had starting writing this post last night, before receiving Gareth Higgins’ latest post, which makes extensive references to Gran Torino. But now that my reflections will seem less out of the blue, I want to lift up some contrasting…
It’s that time of year again — you know, when Clint Eastwood releases a trailer for a movie that looks fascinating and completely different from the last thing he did, and your trio of reactions run something like this: 1)…
It is Sunday night, and I am suddenly awake at the crack of too-close gunfire. I creep to the window without turning on the light, more curious than afraid until I remember I don’t know if my daughter Miranda and…
Humans drug themselves with violence. Violence has been and continues to be a path for cathartic release and for entertainment. Only when we confess this sin in ourselves can we hope to hear the quiet voice of grace and forgiveness.
This morning as I was running on the treadmill, I was also watching CNN. A story came on about a shooting in Washington, D.C. The police chief was speaking, with the mayor of D.C looking on. She stated, “people are…
For the next few days in Washington, D.C., 1,200 people are gathering in the name of a “pro-Israel, pro-peace” U.S. policy. Because of my broken leg, I can’t be physically there. But my mind and spirit and 40 years of…
For many in the US, Halloween is a time to dress-up as a character from a movie, a politician, a witch, vampire, and… alien looking-like immigrants. According to a CNN report, “The ‘Illegal Alien Adult Costume,’ manufactured by Forum novelties,…
I know it’s been a week and a bit, which in the contemporary mode suggests that ancient history has already passed under the bridge since the Nobel Committee announced its decision, but I wanted to comment about Obama’s prize. I…
Lisa Sharon Harper was interviewed recently by Everyday Democracy, a podcast dedicated to interviewing everyday people who are creating change in their communities. Ms. Harper was on the show to offer her reflections on the Derrion Albert beating on the South…
I had invited one of our regular bloggers to comment on the “desert cross” controversy–a Supreme Court case deciding the appropriateness of a cross erected on Mojave National Preserve to honor World War I dead. I haven’t heard back yet,…
We are accustomed to standing outside the White House, protesting the policies of war and torture. As people committed to peace, we still see plenty of ways the current administration can improve its efforts toward peace, the Nobel Peace Prize…
I’m trembling as I write this one. I’m already isolated within my own faith community (Pentecostalism) for my views on war and peace; and I know that what I’m about to write here may put me at odds with a…
It has been over a week since the news story broke of the deadly beating of 16 year old Derrion Albert on Chicago’s South Side. I had only heard the story in passing when I received a text message from my…
When covering film festivals, I find I have to be careful not to see too many war-themed flicks in rapid succession. I can only absorb so much violence within a relatively short time frame without becoming one of the walking…
A few days ago I received a mass e-mail from the ACLJ. For those who don’t get their daily dose of Christian talk radio, ACLJ stands for the American Center for Law and Justice. Think of the ACLJ as the…
My first job after college forever changed the way I prayed. Before I started it, I prayed that God would show me how to best serve him after receiving my diploma. After I completed it, I prayed that the Christian…
It’s that time of year again — you know, when Clint Eastwood releases a trailer for a movie that looks fascinating and completely different from the last thing he did, and your trio of reactions run something like this: 1)…
I had invited one of our regular bloggers to comment on the 
