Those Who Shape Our Lives
November first is All Saints Day: a perfect time to think about Henri Nouwen, Dutch Catholic priest, writer, & theologian. He taught for nearly twenty years at the University of Notre Dame, and at both Yale & Harvard Divinity Schools. Then he was pastor for ten years at L’Arche Daybreak, a community of people with…
Read MoreDid you hear that incredible young-adult poet recite her poem at President Biden’s presidential inauguration a few years ago? I was awestruck by her passion and love of country, calling us to band together as a nation and pull ourselves out of a dark place. —October 17 is Black Poetry Day, and you might not…
Read MoreOctober 14th was Leslie Weatherhead’s birthday. (He lived from 1893 to 1976). Weatherhead was an English Christian theologian (Methodist), and part of the liberal Protestant tradition in his thinking. He served as pastor of the huge City Temple in London from 1936 to 1960. Many traditional church folks considered him controversial because of his beliefs.…
Read MoreToday is Reformation Day, when the academic cleric Martin Luther put up challenging questions to debate on the Wittenburg university campus. He was still working out his beliefs, but had significant concerns about “indulgences.” At that time (1517) the archbishop in northern Germany and Pope Leo X had authorized selling them in part to pay…
Read MoreOne woman who has helped shape my life is Juliette Gordon (“Daisy”) Low,the founder of the Girl Scouts. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, she organized the very first Girl Scout troop, after working as a Girl Guide leader in England. Currently, more than 1.7 million women have been through Girl Scouts, along with…
Read MoreOctober 31st is Reformation Day! Back in 1517, the German professor, Augustinian monk, and hymn writer, Martin Luther, posted his “95 Theses” on a university door for academic debate. No doubt he expected lively debates, but ended up sparking the global Protestant Reformation. Luther also translated the Bible into German from Latin, so everyday Christians…
Read MoreOne unofficial saint of mine, whom I hope helps shape my life, is Evelyn Underhill, a prominent Christian mystic. The marker on her grave in London says, “Christian – Scholar – Spiritual Guide.” She taught Anglican clergy about the importance of contemplative prayer, and was the first woman to lecture in theology at the University of…
Read MoreOctober seventh is Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s birthday. He has long been a famous hero of mine, due to his justice work in South Africa that reverberated around the world. But The Book of Forgiving, which he co-wrote with his daughter, Mpho Tutu, showed glimpses of his soul. He said that “nothing is unforgivable” and “there…
Read MoreI’m personally grateful for the life and work of John Muir, who gave most of his life to let people know the value and majesty of the wilderness. He publicized the beauty of the wilderness, to persuade Americans to protect it from commercialization. Muir persuaded U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt to camp overnight in Yosemite with…
Read MoreThe writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (born on Feb. 4th) show the important interaction of faith, politics, and culture. A German-born theologian and activist in the Resistance Church, Bonhoeffer dared to counter National Socialism and the spread of Nazism. An advocate for the Jews and contributor to a group planning Hitler’s overthrow, he was imprisoned in…
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