In 1912, former president Theodore Roosevelt — having lost a third-party run at a third presidential term, thus making himself a pariah for throwing the election to the Democrats — felt cast aside by history at a time when he still felt destined to accomplish more.An invitation to give a series ... Continue reading
Forgiving Marion Jones
October 7, 2007 By 8 Comments
I want you to know that I have been dishonest, and you the have the right to be angry with me. ... I recognize that by saying that I'm deeply sorry, it might not be enough... Therefore, I want to ask for your forgiveness for my actions, and I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I ... Continue reading
We still need heroes
August 9, 2007 By 2 Comments
When the school bus crunched to a stop against the guardrail — tilted precariously, filled with smoke but miraculously safe on a fractured island of concrete — the panicked children began screaming. Some were hurt, all were terrified. They wanted what any of us would want in such a situation — ... Continue reading
Uncomfortable with evil
April 19, 2007 By 13 Comments
"I know that there's a tendency to think that everybody can get counseling or can have a bowl of tomato soup and everything is going to be all right," she said. "But I think that evil exists, and I think that he was a mean person." — VT poetry professor Nikki Giovanni, on her former student Cho ... Continue reading
Virginia Tech and suffering
April 16, 2007 By
Many of us are at a loss for words after the senseless wickedness of an angry young man killing 32 innocent students at Virginia Tech. There will be time for reflection and analysis later. For now, we should pray for the injured and the grieving.In the final hours of His life, Jesus gave this ... Continue reading
Tearing down the walls
August 31, 2006 By 6 Comments
...the political drive toward ever-greater equality has turned Americans against any conclusion which entails values and consequences resulting in our culture's trend toward rejection of all evaluative conclusions as unkind and "undemocratic." Legal scholar Robert Bork sees this as a natural ... Continue reading
Silent voices
December 9, 2005 By
I read these items in the morning newspaper: A woman testified that she had been tortured by members of Saddam Hussein's regime, because they considered her an enemy of the state; A young mother is suspected of murdering her 3-month-old son by putting him inside a running clothes dryer; A couple has ... Continue reading
Was God in New Orleans?
August 31, 2005 By 6 Comments
About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were sacrificing at the Temple in Jerusalem. "Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than other people from Galilee?" he asked. "Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will also perish ... Continue reading
