Five things we must do now for Darfur and Congo.
Peace
Ryan Rodrick Beiler 11-25-2008
Add this op-ed from yesterday's Washington Post to the list of things we have a reasonabl
Seth Naicker 11-21-2008
Since the historic election of Nov. 4, I have been part of discussions with college students and faith-based institutions that have experienced racial tension and intolerance on their campuses.
Valerie Elverton Dixon 11-17-2008
Biblical wisdom teaches: "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).
Jim Forest 11-14-2008
In many situations I'm hesitant to use the term "pro-life," as for a lot of people it really means nothing more than "anti-abortion." To be pro-life should mean doing all that one can to protect li
Rose Marie Berger 11-14-2008
Twelve years ago this week, the Catholic Church lost one of her great and humble leaders, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin.
Janna Hunter-Bowman 11-13-2008
If no one speaks out, the violence is going to continue. Someone has to give voice to what is hidden.
Kaitlin Barker 11-12-2008
Life is easier in black and white, when things are clearly right or clearly wrong. We tend not to like the gray very much. It was certainly easier for me to hard-headedly disapprove of all war, including those who took part in it. But, working at an orphanage in India, I met Chad, a young man fresh from Iraq with an American flag tattoo, and he muddled up my clarity.
Omar Al-Rikabi 11-04-2008
Two pictures rotating on my laptop's screen-saver instantaneously rotate in my mind each time I hear a candidate or a preacher address the "value of human life."
Molly Marsh 11-01-2008
Song for Night, by Chris Abani
A 15-year-old boy named My Luck, a human mine detector in an unnamed West African war, wakes up to find he’s been separated from his platoon. He can’t speak—like his comrades, his vocal cords have been cut so that if a mine explodes, they won’t be heard screaming—but his journey through the physical and emotional wreckage of war, which include his own deadly actions, is eloquent and heartbreaking. “[E]ven with the knowledge that there are some sins too big for even God to forgive,” he thinks, “every night my sky is still full of stars; a wonderful song for night.” (Akashic Books, 2007)
The Inheritance of Loss, by Kiran Desai
The action moves between northeast India—where a retired judge, his orphaned granddaughter, and their England-loving neighbors live near the borders of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan—and New York, where a cook’s son lives the terrifying life of an immigrant. All of Desai’s characters struggle in deep and painful, yet often funny, ways with the forces of colonialism, globalization, and modernity. (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2006)
Jim Wallis 11-01-2008
With perhaps the most consequential election of any of our lifetimes only a few weeks away, it’s time to take a step back and reflect on what is at stake. We’ve heard a lot about personalities, seen far too many negative ads, and been spun so many times our heads are swimming. But none of that should determine our vote.
As Christians, we know that we will not be able to vote for the kingdom of God. It is not on the ballot. Yet there are very important choices to make that will significantly impact the common good and the health of this nation—and of the world. So let us all exercise our crucial right to vote and to apply our Christian conscience to those decisions. And in the finite and imperfect political decisions of this and any election, let us each promise to respect the political conscience of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Here are 10 issues to consider in casting a ballot.
1. The economy is in grave danger. This fall, the financial systems of the nation and the world nearly collapsed. Three out of the nation’s top five investment banks were not able to weather the financial storms triggered by the subprime lending crisis, and the squalls shook the stock market as well. And now a massive government bailout of private debt is reshaping the system. Ordinary Americans are worried about their jobs, their homes, college and retirement funds, and, much worse, a downward economic spiral that affects all of us.
Ryan Rodrick Beiler 10-28-2008
A short thought to follow up on Valerie Elverton-Dixon's tribute to Gayle Williams, the aid worker gunned down by Taliban militants last week. As Valerie noted:
She worked for an organization called SERVE Afghanistan -
Jim Wallis 10-23-2008
In 2004, several conservative Catholic bishops and a few megachurch pastors like Rick Warren issued their list of "non-negotiables," which were intended to be a voter guide for their followers.
Tony Campolo 10-17-2008
In a recent conversation I had about the coming election, a friend reiterated the campaign rhetoric that the "surge" in Iraq has worked, and that Barack Obama ought to admit that John McCain was ri
Terry Rockefeller 10-10-2008
Please, spread the message: There is not only violence in Iraq, there is something more -- people are building peace and seeking real change.
Jeffrey Mason 10-02-2008
With the passing of Hollywood legend Paul Newman, there is a significant legacy that many in the mainstream media are unaware of.