Yesterday there were a bunch of events going on in the morning at the college, in conjunction with the inauguration of Gettysburg College’s new president, Bob Iuliano. One of the sessions I attended was on immigration, and one of the presenters read this poem. I thought it was incredibly powerful, and I think more people…… Continue reading Home
A Defiant and Triumphant Faith
The Jewish High Holidays are coming up–Rosh Hashanah starts next week–and so I was particularly moved by this story I read this morning in the New York Times: A Shofar that Defied the Nazis If you haven’t read it, please do–it is so powerful and such a tribute to the strength of human spirit and will.…… Continue reading A Defiant and Triumphant Faith
Thoughts on the presence of the Holy Spirit
I had a really great worship experience this weekend, and it started me thinking about other worship experiences, and other experiences in general. So the worship experience I’m referring to is the ordination service I attended (and preached) on Saturday. The service was for one of my outstanding former students, and several old friends were…… Continue reading Thoughts on the presence of the Holy Spirit
Naomi Osaka: The Classiest of Class Acts
I like all sports, but I don’t really follow tennis, so I didn’t watch the match last night between Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff. I had heard about it, of course–it had been heavily hyped for days–so this morning when I woke up, I was eager to read about what had happened. It seemed the…… Continue reading Naomi Osaka: The Classiest of Class Acts
No Wrong Way to Have a Body
So, like many women I guess, I have issues. Issues with my body, that is. Even though I am already strong and fit, I want to be stronger and fitter. Even though I am already mostly satisfied with my appearance, I look around at other women and I compare myself to them, wondering how I…… Continue reading No Wrong Way to Have a Body
Alter’s Psalter, and Inclusive Language
I have a bone to pick with Robert Alter. Alter is Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at UC Berkeley, and in 2007, he translated the Psalter. [He also just published a three volume translation of the Hebrew Bible–I have read about it, but I haven’t actually seen a copy of it yet.] He is…… Continue reading Alter’s Psalter, and Inclusive Language
Expansive Empathy for all God’s Children
Yesterday I listened to one of my favorite podcasts—“Hidden Brain.” This episode was about empathy, and it is definitely worth a listen, even though it is a little long. It is especially important in the current context to think critically about empathy, since the data shows that, in general, in the United States, empathy has…… Continue reading Expansive Empathy for all God’s Children
