29
Aug 2019
Columbia University professor Andrew Delbanco published a fascinating book in 1999 titled The Real American Dream: A Meditation on Hope. In the book, he gives a spiritual history of our nation and how each generation has worked to create a culture of meaning to make sense of life’s challenges, suffering, and purpose. In the early years, Delbanco says that the primary focus was on God. However, unlike in Britain, Christian faith became a free choice and was not forced upon the people. The role of the pulpit in those early years was......
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22
Aug 2019
In his most famous sermon, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” To that, he added, “If you are angry at a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment.” In the gospel of John, he tells the disciples, “My peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; I do not give to you as the world gives.” I often wonder how many people are truly serious about peacemaking. It’s certainly not the same thing as “peace-loving” or even “peace-keeping,” both......
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15
Aug 2019
I was a freshman in college when the Columbine massacre occurred in 1999. I remember watching the news coverage in my dorm room, completely dismayed that somebody would do such an evil thing at a high school. If you remember, the killers asked some of the young victims to renounce their faith in God on the spot. When they didn’t, they pulled the trigger. I was a few years out of seminary when the Virginia Tech shootings took place in 2007, taking the lives of thirty-two people on a college campus. Sandy......
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09
Aug 2019
We pray for the families who lost loved ones this past weekend in El Paso, TX, and Dayton, OH. Gun violence and rage continues to be a problem in this country. Ever since Columbine 20 years ago, mass shootings have taken the lives of far too many! Every time it happens, this is an absolute tragedy. There is too much loneliness, rage, and divisive rhetoric in this culture. Rabbi Harold Kushner once wrote a powerful book titled Overcoming Life’s Disappointments. The book is based on the story of Moses, a pivotal figure......
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