I used to write a blog post after most mass shootings, but I stopped that practice some time ago when, tragically, they started to become so regularized. How many times can you bemoan the ease of obtaining a gun, the ignoring of warning signs, increasing violence and the normalization of these shootings? I felt at…… Continue reading “Deaths of Despair” and Social Isolation
Category: Social Issues
Remembering Yesterday, for the sake of Today and Tomorrow
While I was in Oklahoma last weekend, I visited two very significant museums: the museum and memorial commemorating the Oklahoma City Bombing of April 19th, 1995; and the Greenwood Rising museum and Reconciliation Park in Tulsa, which commemorate the Tulsa massacre of the Black community [often known as “Black Wall Street”] in the Greenwood neighborhood…… Continue reading Remembering Yesterday, for the sake of Today and Tomorrow
The Sum of Us
“Why can’t we have nice things?” This question begins The Sum of Us, by Heather McGhee, and each subsequent chapter provides a piece of the answer. The “nice things” that those of us who live in the United States can’t have, are adequately funded schools, wages that keep people out of poverty, and a reliable…… Continue reading The Sum of Us
Why Diversity Matters, for Everyone
Bob Iuliano, the current president of Gettysburg College, a wonderful college where I used to serve as chaplain/associate dean of religious and spiritual life, wrote this fantastic piece for The Hill on race-conscious college admissions: you can read it here: https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/3673515-building-diverse-campuses-requires-race-conscious-admissions/ Iuliano is uniquely qualified to write on this topic, because he previously served as…… Continue reading Why Diversity Matters, for Everyone
My Grandmother’s Hands
I didn’t really plan on doing another book review so quickly, but I wanted to share just a few thoughts about this book [suggested to me by a friend], which was really interesting and different than any other book I have read recently about racism and society. Menakem focuses on our bodies, arguing that we…… Continue reading My Grandmother’s Hands
God’s Holy Darkness
All my friends know that winter is my favorite season. I love the snow, I love the cold, I love the crisp air, I love the stark landscape—and I love my winter wardrobe of sweaters, boots and tights. It doesn’t bother me that I am the exception in my affection; I know full well that…… Continue reading God’s Holy Darkness
Becoming a Good-ish Person, Fighting Bias
I just finished a fantastic book, and be warned: I have the zeal of a recent convert! The book is by Dolly Chugh, and it is titled The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias. The premise of the book is quite straightforward: it is applying a “growth mentality “–a concept popularized…… Continue reading Becoming a Good-ish Person, Fighting Bias
Staying Vigilant
I have had an idea for a blog post for several months now, but I haven’t quite known how to go about writing it, exactly. Then, on the news a day or two ago, I saw that Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill was signed into law, and everything just kind of coalesced. In case you…… Continue reading Staying Vigilant
Lingering with the Bible
What are your views on Scripture? I’ve been thinking about this question quite a bit the past few days, for a couple reasons. First, along with colleagues from across the ELCA, I’ve been reading If God Still Breathes, Why Can’t I?: Black Lives Matter and Biblical Authority, by Dr. Angela Parker. Dr. Parker is a…… Continue reading Lingering with the Bible
The Importance of Disruption
If you are like me, you probably have been to at least a few different anti-racism training workshops. And, if you are like me, you probably have had mixed reactions to them. Well, on Monday afternoon, here at Wartburg Seminary, I was fortunate enough to have participated in one of the very best I have…… Continue reading The Importance of Disruption
Happy Lutheran 