Duane Shank was Associate Editor for Sojourners magazine and was on the staff from 1995 to 2014. 

Duane has been active as an organizer and administrator in the peace and justice movement for 35 years, beginning as a draft resistance and antiwar organizer during the Vietnam war. He has worked as a community organizer in the rural south, in interfaith coalitions, and in the nuclear weapons freeze and Central America solidarity movements of the 1980s. His positions have included Associate for the National Inter-religious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors; National Coordinator for the Committee Against Registration and the Draft; Deputy Director and Acting Executive Director for SANE/Freeze; and Research Fellow for the Institute for Policy Studies.

Duane attended Eastern Mennonite University. He is a Anabaptist/Mennonite, and currently an active member and serves on the worship leadership team of the Community of Christ ecumenical congregation in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, D.C. His views on faith and politics have been shaped by (among others), John Howard Yoder, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Oscar Romero.

Duane is married to Ellen Kennel. They have a daughter, Celeste, a graduate of Goshen College, IN, the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago Divinity School.

In addition to family, church, and work; his passions are baseball (Washington Nationals), blues (Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan) and bluegrass music (Ralph Stanley), and barbecue.

 

Posts By This Author

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-16-2008

The latest news on A story for Father's Day, Flooding in the Midwest, Fatherhood, Food prices, Small churches, Tim Russert, Habeas corpus, Congress, Bush in UK, Iran, Nuclear blueprint, Aid for Africa, Iraq, Israel Afghanistan-Pakistan, and Op-Eds.

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A story for Father's Day. Cowboys' Ware Fulfills a Challenge for Fatherhood "DeMarcus Ware cradled his 3-month-old daughter, smoothing her plentiful black hair, tickling her tummy, kissing her cheeks. On his living room couch this month, Ware looked nothing like a menacing All-Pro linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. He made baby noises. He shook rattles."


Flooding in the ...

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-12-2008

The latest news on Today in history, Midwest floods, Unemployment, Life expectancy, Criminal justice, Canada apologizes, Iran, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Iraq, and Op-Ed.

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Today in history. 45 Years Later, Medgar Evers' Legacy Inspires "It was 45 years ago today Medgar Evers was assassinated outside his Jackson home just hours after leaving the Coast, and soon after, President Kennedy gave a televised speech on civil rights."


Midwest floods. Rising Midwest rivers force ...

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-11-2008

The latest news on Campaign, Capital punishment, Faith & politics, Southern Baptists, Iraq, Iran, Africa-global warming, and South Korea.

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Campaign. 2 New-Style Candidates Hit Old Notes on Economy "For all the efforts of Senators John McCain and Barack Obama to portray themselves as willing to break with party orthodoxy to get things done, the economic debate that opened their general election campaign this week previews a classic clash." McCain, Obama offer vastly different health care plans "the presidential ...

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-10-2008

The latest news on Immigration, Crime down, Worker's rights, HIV/AIDS, Food crisis, Iran, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Op-Ed.

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Immigration. Bush widens immigration checks "The Bush administration, in an aggressive new effort to keep illegal immigrants out of the workforce, ordered all companies doing business with the federal government to begin ensuring their employees can legally work in the U.S." Bush Orders Contractors to Vet Status of Workers ...

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-09-2008

Dem nomination, Presidential campaign, McCain & evangelicals, Economy, Climate change, Domestic workers, Charter schools, Churches change names, Afghanistan, Iraq-Iran, Pakistan, and Op-Eds.

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Dem nomination. Clinton Ends Campaign With Clear Call to Elect Obama "Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton brought her campaign for the White House to an end on Saturday with a rousing farewell to thousands of supporters here and an emotional and unequivocal call for her voters to get behind Senator Barack Obama, the man who defeated her for the Democratic nomination."

RFK's Legacy: To Seek a Newer World

by Duane Shank 06-06-2008

Forty years ago, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination. I was 16 years old, had just become aware of politics, and his death (only two months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) was shocking. But rather than leading to disillusionment, both of their lives inspired me these past 40 years in the movement for peace and [...]

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-06-2008

the latest news on Air Force heads fired, Darfur, Unemployment, Foreclosures, On-the-job deaths, Budget, Faith in action, Torture, Zimbabwe, Israel-Gaza, Israel-Iran, Iraq, Food summit, and Editorials

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Air Force heads fired. Air Force's top leaders are fired "In an unprecedented action in a time of war, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates simultaneously fired the civilian and military leaders of the Air Force, saying that oversight standards for the U.S. nuclear arsenal had deteriorated on their watch."

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-05-2008

The latest news on Democratic nomination, McCain-Obama, Obama-Israel, Immigrants, Gas prices- Ohio, Food summit, Iran, Iraq, Darfur, Religious tolerance, and Robert F. Kennedy.

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Democratic nomination. Clinton to shelve her presidential campaign "Less than 24 hours after a defiant-sounding speech about her candidacy, Sen. Hillary Clinton has decided to drop or suspend her own historic presidential bid and endorse Sen. Barack Obama,"

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-04-2008

The latest news on Dem nomination-Obama, Dem nomination-Clinton, Dem nomination-analysis, Ohio-payday lending, GI Bill, Asylum in Canada, Food crisis, Burma, Iran, Zimbabwe, and Op-Eds.

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Dem nomination-Obama. Obama Claims Nomination "With a split decision in the final two primaries and a flurry of superdelegate endorsements, Sen. Barack Obama sealed the Democratic presidential nomination after a grueling and history-making campaign against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton."

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-03-2008

The latest news on Dem presidential race, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Faith & politics, Global warming, Health insurance, AIDS, Food costs & global poverty, Zimbabwe, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Australia & Iraq war, Passing, Editorial, and Op-Eds.

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Dem presidential race. Barack Obama appears headed for Democratic finish line "With an expected late wave of support from congressional Democrats, Sen. Barack Obama appeared poised to secure enough delegates to earn his party's presidential nomination,"

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 06-02-2008

The latest news on Dem primaries, Obama leaves church, Immigration, Climate change legislation, Young evangelicals, Blair faith foundation, Food crisis, Malaria, Bush foreign policy, Burma, US military & Africa, Iraq-military, Iraq-US agreement, and Op-Ed.

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Dem primaries. Clinton Wins Easily in Puerto Rico "Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) won the Puerto Rico primary comfortably, claiming perhaps her last triumph in the race for a Democratic presidential nomination that increasingly appears to be out of her reach."

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-30-2008

The latest news on New Sanctuary Movement, Dem rules, Climate change, Foreclosures, Army suicides, Food crisis, Iraq, Burma, China, Gaza, Zimbabwe, Latin America, Feature, and Op-Ed.

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New Sanctuary Movement


Part 1. Safety under the steeple "A new movement seeks to involve American churches as "sanctuaries" for illegal immigrants. In the original "sanctuary movement" of the 1980s, Central American refugees camped out in churches across the country."


Part 2.

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-29-2008

The latest news on Poverty, Dem rules, Bush & Iraq - new book, Immigration, McCain & evangelicals, Same-sex unions, Ban cluster bombs, War & faith, Iraq, China, Climate change, Darfur, Food costs, Israeli Prime Minister, and Op-Ed.

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Poverty. A state of need "More than 13 percent of Ohioans are now living in poverty, unable to afford adequate food, housing, clothes and other necessities.

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-28-2008

The latest news on Supreme Court - worker's rights, McCain on Nuclear weapons, Candidates on Darfur, Dem rules, Bankruptcy, Bush & Iraq - new book, Climate change, PTSD, Children's health care, Homeless in New Orleans, Faith & politics, Israeli prime minister, Iran, Burma, Latin America, Editorial, and Op-Ed.

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Supreme Court - worker's rights. Justices Say Law Bars Retaliation Over Bias Claims "The Supreme Court ruled that employees are protected from retaliation when they complain about discrimination in the workplace,"

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-27-2008

The latest news on Immigration, Food, Foreclosures, Presidential campaigns, Adoption, Tax exemptions, Iran-nuclear report, Israel-nuclear weapons, Burma, Food-global, Iraq, China, South Africa, Somalia, Canada, and Op-Ed.

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Immigration. Safety under the steeple "A new movement seeks to involve American churches as "sanctuaries" for illegal immigrants. In the original "sanctuary movement" of the 1980s, Central American refugees camped out in churches across the country." Jail growth explodes as ...

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-23-2008

The latest news on War funding & GI Bill, US Military-Iraq, Farm bill, McCain rejects pastors, Sect children, Legal aid, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Burma, China, Darfur, and Op-Ed.

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War funding & GI Bill. Senate Passes $165 Billion Measure to Pay for Wars "The Senate yesterday approved $165 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan well into the next presidency, but in a break with President Bush and the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, it also approved billions of dollars in domestic spending that includes a generous expansion of veterans' education benefits."

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-22-2008

Farm bill, GI Bill, Ted Kennedy, Immigration, New Orleans, California-same sex mariage ruling, Lebanon, Israel-Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, South Africa, China, Burma, and Child soldiers.

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Farm bill. House Overrides Veto of Farm Bill "The House easily overrode President Bush's veto of a $307 billion farm bill in what appeared to be the most significant legislative rebuff of Bush's presidency. But a legislative glitch is likely to force embarrassed Democratic leaders to pass the bill all over again today."

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-21-2008

the latest news on Sen. Kennedy, Democratic primaries, GI Bill, Farm bill, Ohio-payday lending, Immigration, Burma, China, Iraq, Israel-Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Ethiopia.

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Sen. Kennedy. Kennedy has malignant tumor;prognosis is uncertain at best " US Senator Edward M. Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, his doctors said yesterday, and the prognosis appears uncertain at best for the last surviving brother of the famed Kennedy clan, who has been an enormous force in American politics for nearly half a century."

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-20-2008

The latest news on Sen. Kennedy has brain tumor, Court on child porn, Cost of food, Presidential race, Same-sex marriage ruling, More troops to Iraq, Mortgage relief, House conservatives, Farm bill, South Africa, Burma, China, Iraq, Gaza, Pakistan, Abortion-UK.

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Sen. Kennedy has brain tumor. Sen. Kennedy has brain tumor, hospital says "Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor, his doctors said on Tuesday. Kennedy has a glioma and will require chemotherapy and radiation therapy,"

Daily News Digest

by Duane Shank 05-19-2008

The latest news on Oreos block highway, Food in the US, Food in the world, Simplicity vs. ostentatious wealth, Women veterans, Sen. Kennedy, Burma, China, Bush in Mideast, Lebanon, Iran, South Africa, Op-Eds.

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P>Oreos block highway. Crash strews Oreos over I-80 "Several lanes of Interstate Highway 80 were shut down for hours overnight after a truck hauling Oreos crashed into a median, spilling tons of the chocolate cookies across the highway, police said."


Food in the US.