The controversy over Rob Bell’s new book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person who Ever Lived is fading, but a new article in the Christian Century (“Betting on a Generous God” by Peter W. Marty) brought it up for me again. I’ve written before about why I am sympathetic to Bell’s questions about the fate of every human being. But I’m bothered by the response to his book on both the liberal and... Read more
A few weeks ago, I reviewed Rachel Simon’s new novel, The Story of Beautiful Girl. She and I then corresponded via Twitter, and on Wednesday night we had a lovely conversation in which I had the chance to ask her some of the questions that you all suggested. In particular, I asked her if she had any advice for siblings of children with disabilities. I’ll post more once I go back and transcribe the conversation in full, but for now... Read more
When it comes to nature and nurture, the important point is that we choose neither one. We are each constructed from a genetic blueprint, and then born into a world of circumstances that we cannot control in our most-formative years. The complex interactions of genes and environment mean that all citizens—equal before the law—possess different perspectives, dissimilar personalities, and varied capacities for decision-making. The unique patterns of neurobiology inside each of our heads cannot qualify as choices; these are the cards... Read more
Penny and William are now sharing a room. We thought we had concocted a plan that would allow for a smooth transition. We let William have a “sleepover” with Penny for a few weekend nights over the course of a month. Everything went well–they lay in their beds and fell asleep and woke up in the morning. And then we made the permanent move downstairs. The first few nights were fine. Then they discovered how fun it was to play... Read more
A moving story from the LA Times of a South Korean pastor who cares for dozens of abandoned babies with disabilities: “South Korean Pastor Tends Unwanted Flock.” “New Study Implicates Environmental Factors in Autism,” from the New York Times. A new study of twins released online on Monday confirmed the significance of genes in causing autism, but shifted the focus to the role of environmental factors. “He’s Teaching Siblings They Can Speak Out” is a wonderful piece about a young... Read more
For a long time, I thought church should be a place where I could invite my friends who don’t believe in Jesus. Actually, I should be more specific. I thought Sunday morning church services should be places where I could invite my friends who don’t believe in Jesus. I don’t think that anymore. When the members of our church come together on a Sunday morning, we come together as a community of believers, and we intend to worship God. To... Read more
In case we needed another reason to love our neighbors as ourselves, it turns out that it might just come in handy. As this NPR story reports, “A researcher’s data suggest that ambulances, firetrucks and government aid aren’t the principal ways most people survive during and recover after a disaster. Instead, it’s the personal ties between members of a community that really matter.” Presumably we’d all answer “yes” to the question, “Would you help your neighbor in a disaster?” But... Read more
…they liked it! I’ve been grateful already for the responses from various people who have endorsed my book, the first official review of A Good and Perfect Gift comes out next week in Publisher’s Weekly. Among other things, they write: Becker (Penelope Ayers: A Memoir), a Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary graduate, knows how to grab a reader’s heartstrings and never let go as she writes about her journey as a new mom to Penny, her first child, who has... Read more
Happy Fourth of July! Read more
I learned that we can travel for thirteen hours in our Swagger Wagon without hurting one another, especially during a three hour nap: I learned that, much as Peter and I love Chipotle, our kids prefer different fare (although they did greatly enjoy the techno music in the background): (more…) Read more
Thin Places-Faith, Family and Disability
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