The domain name “.BIBLE” has essentially been hijacked by the American Bible Society (ABS). This problem is not just a technical issue of interest only to people who care about the Bible; it touches on how the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) assigns domain names, how the designated organizations manage the signing […]
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Reclaiming Jesus: A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis
Ash Wednesday in 2018 turned out to be a highly significant day in our nation. It happened to fall on Valentine’s Day, February 14 (which is very rare), but it ended in tragedy with the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. In a poignant coincidence, a group of Christian religious […]
Shelly Simonds and the Tale of the Virginia “Canister”
You may recall the extremely close election in Virginia in November 2017 that resulted in a loss, a win, a tie, and a resolution by “canister.” Shelly Simonds, Democratic candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates District 94, at first narrowly lost to her opponent, Republican David Yancey, by only 13 votes (out of more […]
A Trail, A Veteran, and a Rich Legacy of Native American Care for the Earth
On Saturday morning, June 2, I joined a crowd of over 100 supporters and staff for the opening of a handicapped and wheelchair accessible nature trail at a farm in Northfield, Massachusetts, contiguous to property owned and cherished by Bill and Nancy Ames. The Gunnery Sergeant Jeffrey S. Ames Nature Trail is located at Mount […]
A New Bishop for Newark
On May 19, 2018, the Episcopal Diocese of Newark (New Jersey) elected its 11th bishop. Several things are significant about this: she is a woman (the first woman elected bishop in Newark); she is African American (the first African American elected bishop in Newark); and she was elected on the first ballot, against two other […]
States for Gun Safety: New Consortium Formed in Absence of Federal Action
In the reprehensible absence of research on gun violence in the US at the federal level, due to a law passed by Congress in 1993, several states are now banding together to conduct this vital research on their own. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Delaware and Puerto Rico have formed a consortium […]
A Profile in Courage, Mitch Landrieu: Someone to Watch
On May 20, 2018, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Mass., the 2018 Profile in Courage Award was presented to former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. He was honored “for his leadership in relocating four of the Confederate monuments in New Orleans while offering candid, clear and compassionate reflections on the moment […]
Neo-Nazi Group Unravelling, Spencer Backing Off: Positive Steps in the Battle against Racism and Bigotry
A group that few of us have heard of, which “advocates for racially pure nations and communities and blames Jews for many of the world’s problems,” is having some problems lately. The neo-Nazi Traditionalist Worker Party (TWP) lost both its primary spokesperson and its leader in mid-March. [SPLC “Weekend Read/ Issue 71,” March 17, 2018] […]
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Making a Profit, and Contributing to the Common Good
When a corporation does something that we might consider courageous – taking an action that might hurt their bottom line or invite harsh criticism from previous supporters – we should hold them up, recognize their actions and thank them. At the moment, this applies to Dick’s Sporting Goods, which has recently taken the following steps […]
Connecting Capitalism, Profit-Making and Ethical Behavior: Examples from Three HDS Alums
Lest the public views Harvard Divinity School (HDS) as inherently liberal politically and anti-capitalist, a recent article illuminates the many ways in which Harvard faculty, courses, and community have greatly influenced high-powered leaders in the for-profit sector in very meaningful and life-altering ways. The online article by Paul Massari in November 2017 featured the work […]