Category: Social Issues

The Parliament of the World’s Religions

Posted in Hope, Interfaith, Life and Living, Relationships, Social Issues, Social JusticeLeave a comment

I just returned from The Parliament of the World‘s Religions and I’m still processing the whole experience. It was my third time to go, and I think this was the best time yet, because I had six Gettysburg College students with me. I was so proud of them: they engaged the whole experience with enthusiasm,…… Continue reading The Parliament of the World’s Religions

Who Do You Say that I Am?

Posted in Bodies, Gender Identity, Laws, Politics, Science, Social Issues, Social JusticeLeave a comment

No, this post is not about Jesus’ identity, but about the identity of roughly 1.4 million Americans who identify as transgender.  The story broke on Sunday that the Trump administration is seeking to more narrowly define gender as something immutable and unchangeable, determined exclusively and definitively by genitalia at birth.  [Read about it here:  Transgender Could…… Continue reading Who Do You Say that I Am?

Reflections on “Just Mercy”

Posted in Bodies, Death Penalty, Ethics, Laws, Racism, Social JusticeLeave a comment

The first year students at Gettysburg College are all reading Just Mercy:  A Story of Justice and Redemption, by Bryan Stevenson.  Stevenson is a lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization that works to defend those most in need of an advocate, especially those wrongfully convicted–including those on death row. It is a powerful…… Continue reading Reflections on “Just Mercy”

Recent Perversions

Posted in Ethics, Family, Immigration, Jesus, migration, Politics, Scripture, Social Issues, Social JusticeLeave a comment

According to the first online dictionary that comes up with a Google Search [the extent of my research], the first definition of “perversion” is the following:  “the alteration of something from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.”  It is only the second definition that references…… Continue reading Recent Perversions

Lessons from an Epic Vote in Ireland

Posted in Bodies, Church, Europe, Family, Feminist, Laws, Politics, Sexuality, Social IssuesLeave a comment

I have been thinking a lot about Ireland these past couple weeks. Did you see the news about the vote on the abortion amendment? You can see the story here:  Ireland Votes to End Abortion Ban. Since 1983, Ireland has had an amendment to the Constitution that recognized equal right to life for the fetus…… Continue reading Lessons from an Epic Vote in Ireland