I wanted to share an important statement, issued on June 1, 2017, from the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Reverend Michael B. Curry. I also want to share a few things about Bishop Curry himself. Presiding Bishop’s Statement on President Donald Trump’s Action on the Paris Climate Accord With the announcement […]
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The Best Countries for Kids
Have you heard the latest – the report on the best countries for children? Once again, the US does not look too good: it came in 36th (“right below Boznia & Herzegovina and right above Russia”). According to the Business Insider report by Chris Weller, “In honor of Children’s Day on June 1, international NGO […]
Emerging Democratic Leaders
Since the election, the pundits who favor the left have been wringing their hands about who the “real” leader of the Democratic Party is. No one is emerging as the person who should run for President in 2020 – OMG! The most charismatic figure on the left may well be Bernie Sanders – but he’s […]
Adopting a New President
I had a wild thought: I’d like to adopt for myself a new President! There are quite a few to choose from now: Justin Trudeau in Canada; Emmanuel Macron in France; certainly Angela Merkel in Germany; Gudni Johannesson of Iceland; or Nicola Sturgeon of Scotland. There are probably others we can think of. I am […]
AARP on the High Cost of Drugs
As much as I admire and support AARP, of which I am a member, I am a little disappointed in the recent article in AARP Bulletin entitled “Why Drugs Cost so Much” by the editors (May 2017 and online). While I appreciate the attempt to help the American public by tackling this vital issue, I […]
Keeping an Eye on ALEC
Have you heard of ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council? I hadn’t, until I viewed the stunning and horrifying documentary 13th with a group of fellow parishioners at my church. Looking at ALEC’s website, one might think it is a progressive organization that works extensively on such things as criminal justice and pension reform. The […]
Doublespeak and American “Greatness”
Supporters of President Trump may not agree with this, but many Americans (and presumably others around the globe) would maintain that much of what Trump, other administration officials and many conservative lawmakers consistently use is doublespeak – “language used to deceive usually through concealment or misrepresentation of truth.” The term was originally associated with George […]
Pre-Christian Origins of the Labyrinth
Labyrinths – intricate structures of interconnecting passages through which it is difficult to find one’s way – have become popular focal points in the spiritual quests of people from many religious and non-religious persuasions. Labyrinths made of hedges outdoors or painted or etched on floors of churches can be found in more than 80 different countries […]
Images of Mary in Christian Apocryphal Art
In previous posts (Trinities; When Early Christians Revered a Female Deity; Trials and Tribulations of Translating Scripture 2; and The Feminine/Androgynous Jesus), we have dealt to some extent with Mary, the mother of Jesus (also known in Christian tradition as the Virgin Mary or the Mother of God). We have seen that, although there is […]
Water Justice: A Report on Trinity Institute 2017
Trinity Church Wall Street: not an institution one might automatically think of in terms of social justice. But for the past 40 plus years, this historic Episcopal parish in Lower Manhattan has hosted Trinity Institute, an annual conference open to all that “presents emerging and inclusive theological and social perspectives and engages participants in inquiry, […]