Category Archives: Religion

Battles and Prayers

from New Church Life by Bruce Henderson Luxembourg American Cemetery (my photo from 2014) War is the ultimate challenge to the Christmas prayer: “Glory to God in thehighest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14)Even in war the … Continue reading

Posted in Holidays, Military, Religion, War | 1 Comment

A German town transforms its entire city hall into a massive Advent calendar

From Montana Public Radio – thanks to Bob P. Advent calendars have become big business in the U.S. these days. Shoppers can easily spend upwards of $200 for calendars with samples of makeup and skincare products, or even gourmet cooking ingredients. … Continue reading

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Observing Yom Kippur in a time of war

This Yom Kippur, I am running out of prayers, out of feelings, out of words, the author writes. Pictured are strips of fabric bearing the names of Palestinians who have been killed during a rally on the eve of Yom … Continue reading

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Rosh Hashanah 2025: Your guide to the Jewish new year holiday – explainer

from the Jerusalem Post Rosh Hashanah kicks off the Jewish calendar year and starts the High Holy Days and the Days of Repentance. Here is everything you need to know about it. A man blows the shofar in the Mea … Continue reading

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Church to demolish existing worship space, creating 110 units of affordable housing

From GoodGoodGood – thanks to Pam P. (Ed note: Is this perhaps a new way to worship?) St. John’s Lutheran Church has sat on a downtown corner of Madison, Wisconsin — just three blocks from the state Capitol — for … Continue reading

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How the Elite rigged Society (and why it’s falling apart) | David Brooks

Posted in Ethics, Government, History, Justice, Kindness, Politics, Poverty, Religion | Comments Off on How the Elite rigged Society (and why it’s falling apart) | David Brooks

History of a Jewish community in China

Thanks to Deborah C. Rabbi Anson Laytner, is one of the foremost experts on the history and present-day situation of the thousand-year-old Jewish community of Kaifeng, China. He’ll speak on Friday, August 15th at 11:00 in the Mt. Baker Room. … Continue reading

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Superman was woke in 1949

Thanks to John R.

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The Grody-Patinkin family is a mess–and people love it!

From The Interview on the NYT Daily Podcast Mandy Patinkin, 72, and Kathryn Grody, 78, are a highly successful artistic couple. He has won Tony Awards for roles in musical-theater classics like “Evita” and “Sunday in the Park With George” … Continue reading

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The road to peace and quietness

And the doing of justice shall be peace; and the service of justice quietness and security even to eternity.      – Isaiah 32:17

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Quo vadis, Pope Leo XIV? – commentary by Heather Cox Richardson

Ed note from ChatGPT: “Quo vadis?” is Latin for “Where are you going?” or more literally, “Where are you marching?” It’s famously associated with a Christian tradition involving Saint Peter. According to the apocryphal Acts of Peter, as Peter was … Continue reading

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A Popemobile Will Ride Again, This Time Into Gaza

In his last months, Pope Francis blessed an effort to transform the vehicle he used when he visited the West Bank in 2014 into a mobile health clinic to treat Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip. By Adam Rasgon in the … Continue reading

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Are we on the cusp of a new religious revival? 

By David Brooks Opinion Columnist in the NYT – article titled “How to Survive the Trump Years With Your Spirit Intact” I had forgotten how exhausting it is to live in Donald Trump’s world. He’s not only a political figure. He … Continue reading

Posted in Essays, Government, happiness, History, Mental Health, Religion | 1 Comment

Smoke signals

Thanks to Pam P.

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Gov. Josh Shapiro: Finding Moral Clarity After an Arsonist’s Attack

By Josh Shapiro — Mr. Shapiro is the governor of Pennsylvania (thanks to Mary Jane F.) I woke up to yelling in the hallway. A few seconds later, there was a bang on the door. It was just after 2 a.m., … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Government, Religion | 1 Comment

What is ‘ordo amoris?’ Vice President JD Vance invokes this medieval Catholic concept

Ed note: As reported in the NYT Pope Francis and JD Vance don’t see eye to eye on what loving the neighbor should mean. “Pope Francis on Tuesday harshly criticized President Trump’s policy of mass deportations and urged Catholics to … Continue reading

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A baker’s view of Easter and Passover

Thanks to Ed M.

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First They Came – by Pastor Martin Niemöller

from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust First they came for the CommunistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a CommunistThen they came for the SocialistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a SocialistThen they came for … Continue reading

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‘Don’t Fight the Stupidity’ and Other Relevant Bonhoeffer Advice

by Tim Snyder in Sojourners (thanks to Mary Jane F.) As a theologian, I get nervous when reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer becomes all too relevant. I’m the kind of theologian who would rather not find myself in what some scholars refer … Continue reading

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Dr. Francis Collins sings with Renee Fleming

I think we’d all agree that these are Hard Times – thanks for your service to humanity Dr. Collins.

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Legendary former NIH director retires from embattled agency

Dr. Francis Collins, the legendary former director of the National Institutes of Health, has retired, NPR has learned. Collins, who notified the NIH on Friday of his decision, did not specify the reasons for his departure. But his retirement comes … Continue reading

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Tragic displacement in the West Bank

Thanks to Mike C.

Posted in Race, Religion, War | 1 Comment

The Shock of Faith: It’s Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be

Ed Note: In this essay David Brook shares his journey about faith. The influences of his Jewish heritage and Christian leanings are presented. Faith, of course, is very personal but what does it really mean to you? Some feel that … Continue reading

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IMPATIENCE AND HOPE

Ed note: A college classmate and journalist, Bruce Henderson, recently published this piece in a magazine he edits. It addresses our sense of loss as society often doesn’t have a moral compass. Although one can say that organized religion has … Continue reading

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For Iranian Women, Can a Revolution Take Place at Home?

by By Elahe Esmaili in the NYT Ed note: Click here for a video of a slice of life in a family household as a new generation talks (and rebels) about the use of the hijab. This 18 minute clip gives … Continue reading

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