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”
Category: Social Issues
Emmett Till, in 2018
There’s a new podcast that I have started listening to called “This Day in History Class.” It’s from one of the hosts of “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” one of my favorite podcasts, and it has become kind of a stand-in for “The Writer’s Almanac”–that podcast was hosted by Garrison Keillor, and it was…… Continue reading Emmett Till, in 2018
Recent Perversions
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
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
James Cone: In Memoriam
James H. Cone passed away on Saturday, April 28th, at the age of 79. [Read a tribute here: James H. Cone dies]. Today, then, it is both a privilege and a pleasure to share some reflections in tribute. It is no exaggeration to say that Cone was one of the most significant theological voices of the…… Continue reading James Cone: In Memoriam
Shitholes, the Cross and the Flag
One of the things that anyone who is fortunate enough to have a sabbatical experiences [and believe me, I know how fortunate I am to have a sabbatical] is the pleasure of digging into “the stack.” You know what I mean–that tall stack of reading material that you have been putting off until ‘sometime’–Christmas break,…… Continue reading Shitholes, the Cross and the Flag
Note to Men with Power: Hands Off!
What started with a trickle, with the revelations of Harvey Weinstein’s predatory behavior back in early October, has become a river, with the current allegations against Senate nominee Roy Moore, Senator Al Franken, and actor Kevin Spacey–among many others. Who knows what else will have come out, and against whom, by Christmas? It’s enough to…… Continue reading Note to Men with Power: Hands Off!
Not not-talking about Gun Violence
I don’t want to talk about guns, and gun control–not again. I can’t bear to have this conversation one more time, because we have been here before, and we know after all the hand-wringing, all the prayers, all the regrets, nothing is going to change. Congress will refuse to pass any stricter gun-control laws, any…… Continue reading Not not-talking about Gun Violence
The “Wrong” Kind of Christian
Last week, one of my students brought to my attention a really interesting article from the Washington Post, titled “Colin Kaepernick vs. Tim Tebow: A tale of two Christians on their knees.” [Find it here: Tebow and Kaepernick]. It was written in light of the current practice of NFL players taking a knee during the…… Continue reading The “Wrong” Kind of Christian
We Need a Bigger Boat
A few days ago, I went searching on The New York Times website because I wanted to see what happened in the no-confidence vote that took place in South Africa against President Jacob Zuma. [He survived, by a National Assembly vote of 198 to 177]. In pulling up the “World” section, I stumbled across…… Continue reading We Need a Bigger Boat
Happy Lutheran 