It was a very divided time for the nation. The economy was crippled. Buildings were burned out. There were shortages of food and other necessities. Surveys of the nation show that the country was deeply divided by political ideologies. Some remained heavily invested in Nazi Era politics. Some wanted a… Read More »Ending Racism in the United States
We’re having a heat wave. It’s spring and we’ve already had over ten days with temperatures above 90 degrees. That usually doesn’t happen in Atlanta until late July or August. But it’s happened in May. Given the weather, when the workers from the lawn care service arrived late in the… Read More »Faith in Our Communities
We stood in front of a series of fish tanks nearly two stories high. All kinds of sea creatures were in the tanks, many of which I had not seen before. Tanks like these were lined up for several blocks along the waterfront. This wasn’t some sort of aquarium. No,… Read More »A Place at the Table
What’s it like to be on the inside? How is being on the inside different from being on the outside? As I walk through my neighborhood, I pass the homes of my neighbors. I have impressions about what it’s like to be inside of those homes, to be members of… Read More »Inside and Outside
I had fun. We laughed. We told stories. We talked about the problems of the world. It was a good visit with my friend. We met in a coffee shop and ended up spending over two hours together. It was the break I needed from being my overly serious self.… Read More »Pluralism: In Gratitude for My Friends
Over the last several decades, I’ve studied the great religious traditions of the world. I’ve taught courses on World Religions and participated in services, rituals, and ceremonies from many of these beautiful traditions. While the formal study of religion is interesting to me, what I find most engaging is when… Read More »What I’ve Learned from Muslim Neighbors
In spring, my parent’s yard was a bright array of color. My mother had a bed with yellow and white daffodils. My father planted multi-colored tulips under maple trees. There were two colors of lilacs filling the air with their sweet smell, both white and pink dogwood framing a small… Read More »Diversity: Lessons from My Backyard
Sometimes, I ‘m trolled on the Internet. In case you’re not familiar with the term, “Internet troll,” it’s slang for someone who attempts to create discord online with arguments or inflammatory posts for no other purpose than to be disagreeable. While I occasionally am trolled, I have one gentleman who’s… Read More »My Internet Troll