The United States was no longer at war, but it didn’t feel like it. Red or blue, a sense of injustice prevailed across the electorate. National unity flagged. Protests persisted on college campuses. A war, thousands of miles away, captivated and divided a global audience. A new (and unexpected) president sat in the Oval Office […]
Dignity Across Ages: Finding Unity in Generational Difference
A World of Generational Divide How is your generation defined? Are you an “iPad kid”? A “screenager”? Are you considered lazy and entitled? Overlooked? Out of touch with reality? These labels, placed on different generations in America, speak to more than how a generation is perceived; they reveal our unique cultural moment, one where each […]
Is Teaching Really Worth It?
Children can be so kind and also brutally honest. They are learning how to live in this world full of many unknowns and many different sources of information. From a developmental perspective, “children’s brains are like sponges, absorbing everything going on around them.” [1] Throughout my journey of learning to be a teacher, I have […]
Pygmalion, Porn, and Desire: A Christian Response
Framing a Song What if Venus never comes? That ought to be an odd question. Venus was, after all, the Roman goddess of sex and love – the Roman name for the Greek Aphrodite. She was the challenged mother of Aeneas, mythical hero of Rome, the lover desired by all of the gods. She […]
History’s Hope is Hidden in Christianity
It’s easy to skim the headlines and come away angry or depressed. Constantly, we are inundated with reminders of horrific situations at shrunken and bloated scales. Sunken submarines, terrorist attacks, warnings about upcoming political cycles, all grab our attention. Modern media – both social media and more traditional forms like cable and newspapers – profit […]
Lasting Souvenirs: Observations on John Prine, his Power, and his People
Saturday nights in downtown Nashville typically invite bachelorette parties, post-game celebrations, and public intoxication – not meek and mild pilgrims. Marching towards the Country Music Association Theater, a band of concert-goers prepare themselves for an evening of revival and rejuvenation. The eager fans, all donning t-shirts of their favorite artist, converse with others in line […]