News & Articles
As Real As It Gets
It is always rewarding when people tell me that they’ve enjoyed reading one of my books. We authors hope that what we’ve written informs and entertains, but there’s nothing like a supportive comment from readers to encourage us to continue writing. My wife has written letters to authors whom she enjoys, and quite often she…
Building Bridges
Whenever I am asked to speak to a group, my favorite part is the question and answer time that follows my remarks. That is when I, the speaker, become the listener, and I always learn something. This was my experience last week when I spoke on the joy of writing to residents of Compass Park.…
The Story Of The Lost Coin Revisited
Those of us raised in religious families can easily be so familiar with our faith’s sacred stories that we can hear one of those stories without really listening to it. This overfamiliarity is shattered when someone offers a new translation or updates a too-well-known faith story. A story that has grown stale over time…
A Tale of Two Leaders
One of the Israeli government’s initial acts in the aftermath of Hamas’ attack on Israel took me by surprise. Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican conveyed an urgent message to Pope Francis. The message was more a demand than a request, and that demand was for Pope Francis to portray Israel unambiguously as the victim and…
When Faith Stories Collide
To understand the off and on, and now full-on conflict in Israel and Gaza, we have to understand the stories that lie behind the violence. These stories on all sides are ancient, but they continue to empower the people who love them. These stories provide something worth living for, worth dying for, and, for many,…
To Know as One is Known
Having taught at Franklin College for over four decades, I have found Homecoming to be one of my favorite college events. This was especially true this fall, when Homecoming fell on the last weekend of September. The weather could not have been better for this year’s celebration. There have been Homecomings in the past when…