I love reading from Bonhoeffer's writings, especially in the series of the complete works in English translations put out by Fortress Press. Bonhoeffer is perhaps best known for his "Letters and Papers from Prison," written between April 1943 (when he was arrested for conspiring against Hitler) and January 1945, three months before he was executed …
Behind the Curtain
The Guardian newspaper published an article today about the super-rich of Greenwich, Connecticut, and how they benefit from a tax code loophole called "carried interest". As a result of this loophole, they pay taxes at a much lower rate than most Americans. People are beginning to wake up, and today's article in the Guardian was …
Messages of the Just
A friend shared with me the concluding stanza of the poem September 1, 1939, by W. H. Auden. Here it is: Defenceless under the night Our world in stupor lies; Yet, dotted everywhere, Ironic points of light Flash out wherever the Just Exchange their messages: May I, composed like them Of Eros and of dust, …
O Canada! O Quebec!
O Canada! Terre de nos aïeux... Canada is one of the most open and welcoming countries in the world. As an immigrant to Canada in 1963 I know that first-hand. The demons of division and hatred attacked Canada last weekend in the guise of a gunman's attack on a Quebec City mosque. Intolerance, religious and …
36 Degrees to Armageddon
Frank Schaefer is a noted Orthodox writer, speaker and blogger. He recently received a request from a friend in the Chicago area: “Please let me know if your contacts know of any truly loving Orthodox (Greek, Russian or other) churches or missions in Chicago or within an hour’s drive of Chicago.” Frank wrote on …
Operatic Beauty for Earth Day
Wie dünkt mich doch die Aue heut so schön!... "How fair seem the meadows today!... never did I see so fresh and charming the grass, the blossoms and flowers, nor did they smell so sweet of youth or speak with such tender love to me." With these words spoken by Parsifal begins the "Good Friday …
A Holy Earth for Earth Day
Δόστου, Χριστέ μου, τη στερνή χαρά να ιδή και πάλι τη γνώριμή του τη ζωή κοντά στο ακροθαλάσσι Άχ! έτσι αθώα κι έτσι απλά κι αγνά την είχε ψάλει που της αξίζει εκεί ψηλά μαζί μ΄αυτόν ν΄αγιάσει. This little verse was composed by a poet, Λάμπρος Πορφύρας, in memory of one of the most important writers …
Deep theology = Deep ecology
In Norman MacLean’s A River Runs Through It we read this fascinating bit of dialogue between a father and a son: Then [my father] told me, “In the part I was reading it says the Word was in the beginning, and that’s right. I used to think water was first, but if you listen carefully …
Solidarity and love
Excellent commentary in the Guardian newspaper in the aftermath of the Brussels terrorist attacks. The key paragraph is near the end: The biggest nightmare for Isis was how some European countries, such as Germany, welcomed Syrian refugees with open arms. The solidarity shown by thousands of citizens from Greece to Sweden harmed Isis. It cannot …
#JeSuisBruxelles
This is the most used hashtag today in Twitter space, and it's the title of this short blog post. The Guardian newspaper published a selection of artistic responses to today's terrorist attack in Brussels. They all have one thing in common: lamentation. It is indeed a day to lament the divisive and destructive urge in …
Ancient Answers 