“All sufferers can find comfort in the solidarity of the Crucified; but only those who struggle against evil by following the example of the Crucified will discover him at their side. To claim the comfort of the Crucified while rejecting his way is to advocate not only cheap grace but… Continue reading
Within the Jewish and Christian faiths, creation and redemption are intimately related. Creation is ultimately the product of the will of its Creator. Such a creation is cherished and sustained by God. God, who is omnipresent, is present through each part of creation from the intricacies of the atom to… Continue reading
Perhaps the most striking feature of their beautiful sanctuary is the stained glass window which stands at the front of the rebuilt 16th Street Baptist Church. The history behind this work of art is so moving. John Petts, a gifted Welsh artist renowned for his talent in creating works of stained glass, read about the tragedy which occurred on September 15, 1963. He immediately volunteered his services to create a replacement window for the church. Petts wanted this window to be a gift from the Welsh people. He and David Cole, editor of The Western Mail, rejected funding from wealthy individuals who could have easily paid for the window. Instead, they capped donations to a maximum of half a crown (about 15 cents in today’s currency) so that as many people as possible from Wales could be a part of this gesture of solidarity. Thousands of Welsh citizens offered their donations, many of them school children sharing their allowances. Very quickly, the money was raised and the Wales Window was installed and dedicated in 1965. Continue reading
June is Pride Month for the lgbtq community. As part of my observance of that month, I watched a 2014 movie entitled Pride. Although the film is about the miners’ strike in 1984 during the ruthless Thatcher years, it is not a documentary. Among its stars are Bill Nighy, Imelda… Continue reading
What we must remember is that there are still people and groups who are seeking to do the best of things in the worst of times. During these stressful and tragic days, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged by the lies, greed, incompetence, and lack of compassion in the… Continue reading
I have always had sympathy for Thomas, perhaps because there is a doubting, skeptical side to me. There are those who confuse faith with gullibility. We Thomases of this world will not likely make that error. We err on the other side. We want to see, know, and feel the… Continue reading
“It is only because I can see God entering the darkness of human suffering and evil in his creation, recognizing it for what it really is, meeting it and conquering it, that I can accept a religious view of the world. Without the religious dimension, life would be senseless, and… Continue reading
During the season of Lent when we consider the meaning of the cross, we should observe that the church over the centuries has never settled on one interpretation of the death of Jesus. The New Testament itself understands that the cross has far more meaning than can be squeezed into… Continue reading
In solitude we heard the voice of God calling us God’s beloved. We experienced unconditional love as God embraced us as we are. And we realized our solidarity with the rest of humanity. We are far more alike than we are different, and by the grace of God our salvation… Continue reading
