Category Archives: Social Justice

How We Broke the World: Black Elephants

Posted on May 30, 2020 by Jeff

As I look back over the last 20 years, what all four of these global calamities have in common is that they are all “black elephants,” a term coined by the environmentalist Adam Sweidan. A black elephant is a cross … Continue reading →

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Corona Creatives – Austin History Center

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Jeff

The Austin History Center is soliciting materials for their “The COVID-19 Files: Austin Responds to a Pandemic” archives. Their archivists encourage you to keep a journal, write poetry, pen a script, draw or paint, start a video or audio blog … Continue reading →

Posted in COVID-19, Downsizing, Social Justice, Spirtual Practice, Teaching Stories, Writing | Leave a comment

Youth ministry isn’t about fun

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Jeff

Excellent and moving story in the Christian Century about how a youth group was transformed by moving to a story telling format for people of all ages.

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Niebuhr on Preaching

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Jeff

I hope my preaching will comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Reinhold Niebuhr This was one of the meditations today in the worship service. It is catchy, memorable, and a nice play on words. I don’t like it for … Continue reading →

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Desperately Made Boats

Posted on October 26, 2019 by Jeff

“How could they go to sea in such flimsy craft?” Ruptured pontoon replaced by one of reeds. Motor with enough gas to carry them beyond small arms fire, trailing the smell of war. Joseph fleeing in the night with wife … Continue reading →

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Mid-Course Corrections

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Jeff

Out beyond ideas of right and wrong there is a field. I’ll meet you there. – Rumi There are several models of spiritual/social/emotional development, e.g Fowler’s Stage of Faith, Ken Wilbur’s Integral Psychology, and Deepak Chopra’s How to Know God. … Continue reading →

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Going to Work

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Jeff

This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal. … Continue reading →

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Community vs. Clubhouse

Posted on September 10, 2019 by Jeff

José Luis Vilson writes a blog on education, specifically middle school math education. He emphasizes how much of education is supporting past and present injustice. A recent post, Where We Belong, captures a key aspect of current society and education … Continue reading →

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Policing by Consent

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Jeff

Most police departments in the United Kingdom use the 9 Principles of Policing (authorship attributed to Robert Peel without evidence). It is about policing by consent. In the United States, many police departments have been moving towards the military model … Continue reading →

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