It has been strange being in Sweden & hearing about the shooting in Charleston, and the death of a pastor John knew well from Southern.  It’s hard to know how to explain this to our Swedish cousins–and frankly, I’m tired of it:  it feels like it has been an especially bad year for crimes against…… Continue reading "Justice for all just ain’t specific enough"

I had told myself that I wasn’t going to weigh in on the Caitlyn Jenner story:  I felt that there has been enough said, and plus, I really try to avoid anything that has to do with the Kardashian family–I have a negative visceral reaction [I was going to say “loathing” but that felt harsh….] to that…… Continue reading What Makes a Woman? Abby Wambach and Caitlyn Jenner

I’ve started listening to “The Writer’s Almanac” podcast first thing every morning [find it here:  The Writer’s Almanac]–I love hearing about events from this day in history, and also getting a poem every day.  I highly recommend it!Anyway, today Garrison Keillor talked about the anniversary of two different battles: Dunkirk and Midway.  Here’s a brief…… Continue reading Life, Luck and What We Do with It

So, continuing the “entertainment and women” theme from my last post, my friend Rob & I had a little exchange on Facebook, talking about “Mad Max.”  We decided to write a couple editorials about it on the Dialog Facebook page.  This is the one I’m posting there–but I’m publishing it here, too.For the sake of…… Continue reading "Mad Max: Fury Road"–a Feminist Movie

I confess to being a big lover of action movies–I got hooked on Jean Claude Van Damme in high school and never looked back.  However, I recognize one of the inherent problems in the genre itself is the way women often are portrayed: “Jinx”  [Halle Berry] might well have been a very different Bond girl…… Continue reading "Game of Thrones" and Violence against Women

As part of my Seminary’s Anti-Racism Workshop this year, we invited the students [and the whole community] to read The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander; and boy, I’m glad we did!  I hadn’t read it before, and if you haven’t read it yet, put down this blog and go start reading it right now:  it’s eye-opening, thought-provoking, frustrating,…… Continue reading The New Jim Crow: Race and Theology

I’m a professional Christian theologian, which means I’m always looking for ways and opportunities to articulate why Christian theology matters in our life today, and how it can facilitate position transformation in the lives of individuals and communities.  One such opportunity presented itself to me when I read through a book review article in The…… Continue reading Re-humanizing, not De-humanizing

I read a bit of wisdom from my friend Margaret Miles a long time ago that I continue to quote repeatedly and enthusiastically at every opportunity:  “Read promiscuously.”  I love it because it points to the serendipitous rewards that await the reader who ventures outsider her comfort zone, and chooses to read books on topics…… Continue reading The Secret History of Wonder Woman

True story.  Last night, I went to bed early, because today is Palm Sunday & I knew I would have to be up early.  At around 10:45 pm, I got up to go to the bathroom, and checked my phone for the Kentucky/Notre Dame score:  for you non-basketball fans, this was the “Elite Eight” game…… Continue reading Is God a ‘Cats Fan?