Here’s the text of Martin Luther King’s famous speech/sermon/address in Washington DC. I remember watching it as a kid on TV. I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a... Read more

The Finest of Wines Epiphany 2C, January 17, 2016 The Reverend Dr. J. Kevin Maney Lectionary texts: Isaiah 62.1-5; Psalm 36.5-10; 1 Corinthians 12.1-11; John 2.1-11. In the name of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. This morning we celebrate the joyous occasion of baptizing 3 new persons into the Body of Christ and receiving 5 new members, thanks be to God. And commensurate with this joyous occasion, it is appropriate that we look at what... Read more

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Read more

Is Jesus or the Bible the Word of God and Does It Matter? by Austin Fischer “Saying the Bible isn’t the Word of God because Jesus is makes as much sense as saying humans aren’t the image of God because Jesus is.”—Derek Rishmawy Derek Rishmawy tweeted that last week, and I take his point. After a brief Twitter interaction between us, he linked a blog he had written on it a ways back, so I read and agreed with much... Read more

OK, one has to admit Marie Kondo’s magic of tidying up might be more than a little difficult for parents with kids around the house — but she’s good news for grandparents! If you read Marie Kondo’s first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and you are reading this parenting blog, you probably have as little appetite for Kondo’s second act as I do. In fact, I bet you’ve been through the same Five Stages of Life-Changing Magic that I have: Hey,... Read more

At WaPo Caitlin Gibson does us a service by tracing the history of the expression: The phrase has become inescapable — again. In campaign speeches, media headlines and your Twitter feed: “politically correct.” But what does it actually mean? Depends what year it is, and whom you’re asking. These days, for GOP candidates, it’s a catch-all synonym for liberal cowardice or caution — whatever it is that’s keeping America from being great, or something. But “politically correct” is a linguistic weapon... Read more

Joel Duff at Naturalis Historia has a blog well worth following.  As a biology professor and a thoughtful Christian his insights are worth reading.  His post earlier this week Testing Book-smarts with Observation is a great example. Here he poses a question: Should professors at Universities be active participants in generating and testing ideas or should they be content to be teachers of what is already known? Most higher educational institutions, such as the one that employs me, continually grapple... Read more

Whether this becomes official discipline or not, the point remains. The Primates of The Anglican Communion have recommended disciplinary action for The Episcopal Church (the American Episcopal Church) for three years: 14 Jan 2016 Today the Primates agreed how they would walk together in the grace and love of Christ. This agreement acknowledges the significant distance that remains but confirms their unanimous commitment to walk together. The Primates regret that it appears that this document has been leaked in advance... Read more

Roberto Ferdman: Behind the picturesque rows of grapevines at vineyards around the world, winemakers are bending the truth. It’s not the sort of thing most wine drinkers would have noticed, because it’s happening behind the scenes, before bottles are shipped out, and it’s tough to tell by taste. But it’s hard to imagine anyone would appreciate it. Many winemakers have been a little loose with the information shared on their labels. Not with the region, vineyard, year and varietal, which people — both... Read more