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
the latest reports on abortion, the economy, Gaza, the Democratic debate, immigration, Iran, nuclear weapons, Sudan, Pakistan, and selected op-eds
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Abortion. Antiabortion cause stirs new generation "Thirty-five years after Roe vs. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, opponents are pouring resources into building new generations of activists. Young people are responding with passion. Today's students and young adults have grown up in a time when abortion was widely accessible and acceptable, and a striking number are determined to end that era."
Daily News Digest
the lastest news on Evangelicals and Republicans, Economy, Human cloning, Supreme Court, Children in poverty, Immigration, Iraq, Iran, South America, Israel-Palestine, Editorial, and selected Op-Eds.
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Evangelicals and Republicans. Christians at core in S.C. primary "Their presidential aspirations at stake, Republican contenders Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson are locked in battle for a segment of voters that could determine the outcome of tomorrow's primary: conservative Christians."
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Abortion, Voters, Republicans in South Carolina, Immigration & campaign, Economy, Iran, Egypt, Israel-Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Kenya, Afghanistan, Cities, India, and Food aid.
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Abortion. Abortions Hit Lowest Number Since 1976 "The number of abortions performed in the United States dropped to 1.2 million in 2005 -- the lowest level since 1976, according to a new report."
Daily News Digest
Republican Michigan primary, Democratic debate, Jobs disappear, Mideast, Iraq, French base, India-China, Bhutto, Kenya, Baby boom, Evangelical-Muslim dialogue, Gandhi, Darfur, Faith & sports, and Commentary.
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Republican Michigan primary. Romney racks up a win in Michigan "Mitt Romney, the son of a former Michigan governor, won the Republican primary in his native state Tuesday, registering his first major win in the GOP nominating process, salvaging his candidacy and further muddying a presidential race with no front-runner."
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Presidential campaign, Republicans, Democrats, Economy, Mideast, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Darfur, Emergency care, and selected Op-Eds.
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Presidential campaign. Feb. 5 Primaries to Pose A Super Test of Strategy "After the trench warfare of Iowa and New Hampshire and the upcoming skirmishes in a handful of states, a very different battle awaits the presidential candidates on Feb. 5: the biggest and most challenging single day in a recent campaign for a party nomination."
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Presidential campaigns, Republicans, Democrats, Congress, Economy, Mideast, Iraq, Iran, Kenya, Burma/Myanmar, Domestic violence, Evangelicals & politics, Global warming, Spirituality, and Commentary.
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Presidential campaigns. McCain Moves Into Lead; Obama Gains on Clinton "The first contests of the 2008 presidential campaign have led to a dramatic shake-up in public opinion nationally, with Sen. John McCain now leading the Republican field and Sen. Barack Obama all but erasing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's once-overwhelming advantage among Democrats,"
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Economy, President in Mideast, Presidential campaign, Republican debate, Iraq, Iran-US, Pakistan, Stem cells, heating costs, Colombia, Sudan, Kenya, and Editorial commentary.
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Economy. Economy Slumps To the Top of the Campaign Agenda "As the presidential campaign got underway a year ago, the candidates faced a volatile political environment dominated by the Iraq war, illegal immigration and terrorism. A year later, the campaigns are rewriting their playbooks as it appears that the race may actually be shaped by the economy." Public senses an economy going south "Exit ...
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Israel-Palestine, Presidential primaries, Supreme Court-voter ID, Iraq, Iran, Kenya, Darfur, Congo, Poverty-Ohio, Church-state, and selected Op-Eds.
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Israel-Palestine. Bush: Outposts must be evacuated "United States President George W. Bush will meet today with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and tell him that the choice before him "is of a state or chaos." Bush's message for Israel stressed the need to remove illegal West Bank outposts." Bush backs 'contiguous Palestine' "On ...
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Darfur, New Hampshire primary, Iran-US, President in Mideast, Pakistan, Iraq, South Korea, Darfur, Kenya, Faith & Politics, and Faith.
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New Hampshire primary. Clinton and McCain Rebound to Take N.H. "Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the early Republican front-runner whose campaign imploded last summer, handily won the New Hampshire primary Tuesday, dealing former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney his second loss in the GOP nomination contest." Fresh starts for Clinton, McCain in New Hampshire ...
Daily News Digest
the latest news on New Hampshire primary, President to Mideast, Iran-Us, Kenya, Crime declines, Health spending, Capital punishment, Nuclear weapons, and selected editorials.
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New Hampshire primary. Little New Hampshire Could Hold Big Significance for Both Parties "A few months ago, New Hampshire's reputation for delivering spellbinding primary elections was in danger. But if trend lines hold, a pair of contested primaries Tuesday will deliver outcomes with potentially enormous significance."
Daily News Digest
the latest news on President to Mideast, New Hampshire primary, Republicans, Democrats, Kenya, Pakistan, Capital punishment, Bankruptcies, Globalization, and selected Op-Eds.
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President to Mideast. Bush heads to Mideast amid low expectations "President Bush, who once had grand ambitions to transform the Middle East through democratic reform, begins his first extended presidential visit to the region Tuesday with his sights lowered and his ability to influence events fading fast." As Bush Heads to ...
Top 10 News Stories of 2007
At year-end, many news organizations compile their top 10 stories of the year. After a full year of the Daily Digest, here are my choices.
1. Faith & Politics. In a significant indication of how the conversation on faith and politics has changed in the U.S., expressions of religious faith played a central part in a year of presidential campaigning by candidates from both parties.
2. Region in crisis. The U.S. troop surge in Iraq reduced violence but has not [...]
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Congress, Faith & Politics, Tancredo out, Iraq, Europe-open borders, New Orleans, Editorial, and Selected Op-Eds.
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Congress. Bush boxed in his congressional foes "Just over a year ago, a chastened President Bush acknowledged that his party had taken a "thumping" in the congressional elections, and he greeted the new Democratic majority at the weakest point of his presidency. But since then, Democrats in Congress have taken a thumping of their own"
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Budget, Energy bill , Senate-President, Nuclear weapons, Iraq, South Africa, Gaza, Darfur, Immigration, Food, Capital punishment editorial, and selected Op-Eds.
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Budget. Iraq Funds Approved In Senate Budget Bill "The Senate approved a $555 billion omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year, shortly after bowing to President Bush's demand for $70 billion in unrestricted funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Daily News Digest
The latest news on, Budget, Congress, Immigration, Turkey-Iraq, Iran, South Africa, Palestine, Family values, In the states, and selected Op-Eds.
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Budget. House Approves Domestic Spending "The House last night approved a $515.7 billion domestic spending measure that shaves billions from spending levels desired by Democrats and uses emergency spending and other tactics to challenge President Bush on his budget demands." House Passes Sprawling Spending Bill "Despite ...
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Poverty, Farm bill, Presidential politics, Budget, Turkey-Iraq, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Climate change, Anglican communion and selected Op-Ed.
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Poverty. More families seek aid "More people are requesting emergency food aid and more homeless families with children are seeking shelter, concludes a 23-city survey released today by the U.S. Conference of Mayors."
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Torture, Energy bill, Budget, Climate Change, Immigration, Death penalty, Farm Bill, Healthcare, New Orleans, Iran, India, Gaza, Terrorism and poverty, Baseball & steroids, and selected Op-Eds.
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Torture. House Passes Bill to Ban CIA's Use of Harsh Interrogation Tactics "The House approved legislation that would bar the CIA from using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics, drawing an immediate veto threat from the White House and setting up another political showdown over what constitutes torture."
Daily News Digest
the latest news on SCHIP, Farm bill, Budget, Congress, Heating costs, Veterans suicide, Climate Change, Lebanon, Iraq, Faith & politics, Iran, Minority tensions, and Editorials.
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SCHIP. President Vetoes Second Measure to Expand Children's Health Program"President Bush vetoed another children's health bill on Wednesday, effectively killing Democrats' hopes of expanding a popular government program aimed at providing insurance to youngsters in lower- and middle-income families."
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Iraq, Climate change, Immigration, Afghanistan, Iran, Senate, Churches & security, Pakistan, Drug use, Sentencing, Code Pink vs. Democrats, Christmas, and Selected Op-Eds.
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Iraq. U.S. military says Iraq is the priority "The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff acknowledged that the U.S. military's primary focus remained the war in Iraq, not Afghanistan, prompting criticism from Democratic lawmakers who want the Pentagon to devote more attention and resources to the Afghan conflict."
Daily News Digest
the latest news on Budget, Sentencing, Iran, Iraq, Gaza, Russia, Climate change, Presidential election, Canada, Church shooting and Selected Op-Eds.
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Budget. House Democrats Pull Budget Offer "A Democratic deal to give President Bush some war funding in exchange for additional domestic spending appeared to collapse after House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey (D-Wis.) accused Republicans of bargaining in bad faith."