Health and Faith – The Twain Did Meet at the Broad St. Pump The story of John Snow and the Broad Street pump is foundational in any basic epidemiology course. An anesthesiologist who became known as the father of epidemiology, John Snow, is credited with discovering the source of the London cholera epidemic of 1854. He solved the mystery by collecting and analyzing the data. A simple intervention helped to stop the spread of cholera, and the people of the... Read more
From preacher’s daughter to mental health advocate Dorothea Dix (1802 – 1887) was an American educator, author and reformer. She was also a mental health advocate whose efforts led to significant improvements in treatment for the mentally ill. According to historians, both of her parents suffered from depression. Her father was described as a volatile man who also suffered from alcoholism. He also happened to be an itinerant preacher. Pastors are not immune to mental illness Spiritual leaders, like... Read more
A video performance by German physicist-turned-YouTuber Sabine Hossenfelder compares us (humans) to Schrödinger’s cat, stating that in the future, we will be dead and alive at the same time. At the end of the music video, Dr. Hossenfelder explains how the concept of Schrödinger’s cat being dead and alive simultaneously was nothing more than a thought experiment. In fact, Schrödinger is said to have come up with the idea to show how ludicrous it was to apply the principles of... Read more
Recovering from Purity Culture In “Recovering from Purity Culture,” Camden Morgante, a licensed clinical psychologist addresses the teachings and unintended consequences of the so-called “purity culture,” an evangelical movement that focuses on convincing Christian youth to avoid premarital sex. Morgante explains that the messaging went far beyond the belief in abstaining from premarital sex, and that despite having good intentions, many of the teachings had negative consequences, including shame, disillusionment and judgmentalism. Women were set up as the gatekeepers for... Read more
“The little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.” These sweet, albeit unrealistic words from the traditional Christmas carol, “Away in a Manger,” demonstrate an aspect of the narratives around the Christmas story that is worth exploring. The idea of Baby Jesus lying in the manger without crying isn’t realistic. Babies cry. Perhaps the bigger question, is why do we see a need to “put him back in the manger” each Christmas? Typically when birthdays are celebrated, we don’t... Read more
Joyful music can lift our spirits, but can sad music have the same impact? In an interview with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Josh Groban shared a story about how he was asked to sing the song “Smile” at a wedding and he responded by asking the person making the request to consider the lyrics of the song. Despite the title, “Smile” is a sad song, encouraging us to push through sad times in anticipation of a better future. Here is... Read more
Creators of the Carols Have you ever wondered about the stories behind your favorite Christmas carols? The people who composed and wrote the lyrics for these songs were regular people, and some of them experienced major setbacks in life, yet they gave us the gift of Christmas music. I hope you will be inspired by the stories highlighted in this essay! William Chatterton Dix – What Child is This? William Chatterton Dix developed a life-threatening illness and was bedridden... Read more
“Two hundred years from now, someone will find it useful.” That was my father’s response to me when I wanted to throw an old calendar away. This incident occurred while I was tidying up his room shortly after my mother passed away. My father lived for eleven more years after this incident and passed away on October 29, 2019. As the anniversary of his passing approached, I reflected on his legacy as a writer. I couldn’t see the value in... Read more
World Harp Day was first celebrated on October 20, 2020, according to the World Harp Day YouTube channel, in an effort to promote the harp as a symbol of world peace. With this year’s World Harp Day approaching, reflections on the harp and music in general as instruments of peace and healing seem appropriate. In recent years, there has been a growing amount of interest in the role of music in the healing process, but the concept of music... Read more
“Anyone who isn’t paying tithes isn’t going to heaven,” said the preacher. Those were the words of a prominent Nigerian pastor with a worldwide following. The video in which those comments were made was circulating on the internet a few years ago. The good news is that he recently recanted … (sort of). He came out with an apology, stating that he was wrong to have said that tithing was a requirement for getting into heaven. While he deserves credit... Read more
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