“During the Ferguson disturbances, near St. Louis, MO, a young Black Orthodox man told me that he would like to be involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, to which I replied, “By all means, do it right away, but you must take my direction in this matter. I want you and your friends to […]
Category: Life Matters
Jesus, Erika, and ICE
It was still dark the morning that ICE agents knocked on Erika Fierro’s door. Her two young children were still asleep. Her husband, Jesus, had already left for work at his construction job. Jesus was not coming back today. This was the first information the shadowy figures at the door gave to a groggy mother […]
Do you know this Jew?
Dimitri Klepinin was an Orthodox priest, a Russian emigre in Paris. The 35 year old husband and father of two went to aid a remarkable and dynamic nun, Maria Skobtsova in her work among the poor, outcast, and marginalized in the city. On June 14, 1940, this ‘flock’ of homeless people, poor families, mentally ill, […]
Mental Illness, Stigma, and My Dad
Twelve years ago my father died of pancreatic cancer. I got to spend many evenings with him in the month before he died. In the last week of my dad’s life, he shared with me one of his greatest fears. It’s probably one that most fathers, if they are good fathers, fear at the end […]
The Klan Comes to Town
Originally published in the Journal Review, August 2014 When I was twelve years old my parents took me to a Ku Klux Klan rally in downtown Crawfordsville. It wasn’t because they supported the Klan, quite the contrary. Rather, they wanted me to see, to be exposed to the fact that this was a real and […]
World Refugee Day: A Moral Imperative
June 20th is designated as World Refugee Day. This year it is also the day the UNHCR reported that the number of refugees and displaced persons has exceeded 60 Million for the first time since the organization began keeping track in 1950. Over 60 Million. That means one in every 113 people living on the […]
On the Christian Response to the Orlando Shootings
“I am so sick of this! I can’t believe people say those kinds of things!” My fourteen year old son burst through the door, visibly agitated. We could barely discern exactly what he was trying to communicate. But it was certainly urgent, and it appeared to have something to do with social media. “Ugh, more […]
Awake at the Airport
I recently had to travel by plane to a church conference. Anyone who has been in an airport, especially since 9/11 knows about the high focus on security. In airports this focus is not just in the hands of the TSA workers and law enforcement, but there is also an expectation that everyone be vigilant […]
Why I Must Oppose Donald Trump: One Priest’s Perspective
I am becoming more convinced that the era of argument is over. Whether in the public sphere, or sadly, even among family and friends, or communities I have witnessed the very swift decline of exchange of ideas, benefit of doubt, and allowance of nuance. I have certainly been guilty of contributing to this decline, perhaps […]
Winning
Winning At any cost Is not a Christian practice Power At the expense of another Is not a Gospel teaching Wealth Does not equal wisdom Nor authority Winning Does not equal strength Nor Righteousness #pastorsagainsttrump its not about politics. its about the gospel.
Saved Together 