In anticipation of Earth Day tomorrow, I want to share this great story from National Geographic, which is about animal conservation, a topic near and dear to my heart: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/conservation-cant-just-be-a-popularity-contest?loggedin=true The pictures in the article alone are “click-worthy”–they are from the Photo Ark Project by Joel Sartore. Some years ago, I was able to see…… Continue reading Expanding our Ideas of Beauty
Category: Imagination
Supporting Women & Girls, Now.
Today is International Women’s Day, and while there is a lot to celebrate, it is also a reminder that there is still so much work to do to promote women’s full and robust participation in all aspects of human society. So, to that end, I’d like to invite you to reflect today on a very…… Continue reading Supporting Women & Girls, Now.
Reflections on “After Whiteness”
I want to share some reflections about a book I just read, After Whiteness: an Education in Belonging, by Willie James Jennings. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting, but it turned out to be something even better than I thought—something really thought-provoking and important. I read it with the other ELCA seminary leaders…… Continue reading Reflections on “After Whiteness”
“Stranger Fruit”
If you get National Geographic, you saw this compelling article, which came out in the October 2020 issue. It highlighted a new art installation called “Stranger Fruit,” in which “black mothers pose with the sons they fear losing to violence.” Here are the opening sentences of the article: “There is a demand put upon you…… Continue reading “Stranger Fruit”
Revisiting “Mere Christianity”
This year at Gettysburg College, I am working with several first-year seminars as a Student Success Advocate (a new program this fall). All of the these seminars are very interesting and very engaging: one of them, which is about the history of tea, has started me doing Japanese calligraphy and practicing the Japanese tea ceremony;…… Continue reading Revisiting “Mere Christianity”
Seeking Peace in Hard Times
Tributes have been pouring in all weekend to Ruth Bader Ginsberg, may she rest in peace. Regardless of your politics, you can and should admire her tenacity, her endurance, and her long, rich life that was characterized by a fierce commitment to issues of justice, equality and dignity. She was a dynamo in a compact…… Continue reading Seeking Peace in Hard Times
A Love Letter to Mary Oliver, on her Birthday
Dear Mary Forgive the formality, but I feel as though we are old friends, because I know your words so well. Today is your birthday, and it seems to me to be a fine time to write you a love letter. And, I promise I will take your advice: consider this my few words patched…… Continue reading A Love Letter to Mary Oliver, on her Birthday
Grace and Strength: Comfort in Hard Times
No sense in sugar-coating it; last week was a rough week at Gettysburg College, which flowed into an ever rougher weekend, with the news that most of our students were being sent back home. Perhaps it comes as no surprise that most of them did not want to go—they enjoyed being on campus, they relished…… Continue reading Grace and Strength: Comfort in Hard Times
Radical Hope: Letters of Love
I wanted to share a few thoughts from a great book that I just finished, given to me by a dear friend. The book is titled Radical Hope: Letters of Love and Dissent in Dangerous Times, edited by Carolina De Robertis. The idea came about three days after the 2016 election, when she found herself…… Continue reading Radical Hope: Letters of Love
Facing New Challenges like a 90 year-old
If you are my age, give or take 10 years either way, and you loved Greek mythology growing up, you definitely have heard of Edith Hamilton. Well, maybe you haven’t heard of her exactly, but you certainly know her book, Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, her retelling of many popular Greek myths. First published…… Continue reading Facing New Challenges like a 90 year-old
Happy Lutheran 