I usually refer to posts like this as a "blast from the past," but I think you'll see why I don't in this case. I first posted this in 2005. One of the wonders of Christmas is that it's one of those things we do at the same time each year. As children, we're caught …
The Sophisticated Just Don’t Get It on Tibet
Ever since growing up in Palm Beach, I've always heard that Americans are hopeless, naïve "babes in the woods" on foreign policy because they're always pursuing some moral cause without reference to the realities of the situation. I was also told that we should emulate the Europeans in their more "realistic" and "sophisticated" approach to …
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The Tricky Part of Obama’s Infrastructure Plans
Barack Obama has some ambitious plans for upgrading the U.S.'s infrastructure: President-elect Barack Obama said he’ll make the “single largest new investment” in roads, bridges and public buildings since the Eisenhower Administration to lift the sagging economy and create jobs. Obama, in his weekly radio speech today, said his plan to create or preserve 2.5 …
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The Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent
From the 1662 Book of Common Prayer: BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed …
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Some Thoughts on the Teaching of Evolution
It's gratifying for me to see that there are a more than a few who would not uncritically accept Laura Lorentzen's "Why We Must Teach Evolution in the Classroom" in the Summer 2008 edition of the Phi Kappa Phi Forum. Having done the "Masada" deal with that publication myself, I'm glad that there are some …
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Why Are Christmas Trees Specifically Christian?
The rather silly decision by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill to leave the Christmas trees out of the library brings me to a rather strange question: why are Christmas trees specifically Christian? One of the problems of living long in a fast changing world is that one remembers things that everyone else forgets. …
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For a Church to Attract and Retain, It Must Have Distinctive Meaning
I've been saying this for a long time, but from the land of Starbucks this, in a book review: Wellman expected to discover that the Northwest's progressive social ethos and politics would be fertile ground for liberal Protestant churches. Instead he found the contrary. While it has strong liberal congregations, Wellman discovered that in general …
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China’s six-to-one advantage over the US: Piano Lessons
This, from the incomparable Spengler: America outspends China on defense by a margin of more than six to one, the Pentagon estimates. [1] In another strategic dimension, though, China already holds a six-to-one advantage over the United States. Thirty-six million Chinese children study piano today, compared to only 6 million in the United States.[2] The …
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The New North American Anglican Province: It’s Easier on Paper Than in Reality
Fellow Palm Beacher George Conger's detailed analysis of the recognition process is as good of an opportunity as any to make some comments on this complicated process. In principle, I think it's a great idea. North American Anglicans deserve better than the warmed-over humanism they've been getting out of TEC and ACoC for the last …
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George Barna: Change They Really Didn’t Believe In
George Barna's latest poll on how the economic crash is affecting churches is spot on, as anyone involved in church finance will attest: During the past three months, one of the ways that adults have adjusted to their financial hardships has been by reducing their charitable giving. In total, one out of every five households …
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Positive Infinity 