Category: Leadership
Who decides who can be in a dialogue?
Not long ago I was in a conversation where we were brainstorming about a potential dialogue when my Muslim colleague surprised me by saying “I heard that Dr W (name withheld) is a lesbian, so don’... Read More
“Who by Fire, Who by Water:” What the High Holidays Can Teach Us About Beginning Graduate School
For many people, September is a time of endings. The weather cools, the days shorten, leaves turn brilliant colors, then fade and die. For students, teachers, and anyone else involved in the world of ... Read More
On Affront: A Quaker’s Response Towards Being Wronged
My bike was stolen this last week. It happened in broad daylight, whilst I was teaching my first class of the term. At 12:30pm, I parked my bike at the library on campus, locked it up with my Knog-loc... Read More
The Parable of Miley Cyrus
On August 25, 2013, a young woman attempted to spread her wings, and the world rejected her. I didn’t personally watch MTV’s Video Music Awards (“VMAs”), but I observed my friends and other re... Read More
Lightning Strikes
When Reverend Ray Hammond preaches, he electrifies the room. I saw lightning strike when he started his sermon with Ephesians 6:10-20. So did 10 people sitting with me. Usually, it takes more than an ... Read More
When Islamists Change Their Mind
Cartoons today, Egypt tomorrow? Recently a Catholic friend of mine revealed that he is considering going Episcopalian because, as a married man in his 30s, he is sensing a spiritual and vocational cal... Read More
Jon Kabat-Zinn and Kierkegaard walk into an ICU
Jon: Let’s breath in, acknowledge our emotions, and observe. Soren: Yes, let’s do that. But what is the question you are willing to live for? I am a medical resident working in an ICU in Boston. M... Read More
An Archipelago Is Better Than an Island: Community, Revitalization, and a Summer Well Spent
I love almost everything about being a Baptist – the emphasis on scripture, local church autonomy, and the radical, “low-church” ecclesiology have always appealed to me, and being raised in the ... Read More