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Recent Posts
- Seeing “Through a Glass Darkly:” Imagine If the Apostle James Walked Among Us
- Seeing “Through a Glass Darkly;” How Basil and Gregory of Nyssa Changed the World
- Seeing “Through a Glass Darkly:” Reflections on Jonah as a Mirror for the Church and Life
- Reflections “Through a Glass Darkly” – On Jesus’ Third Temptation
- 95 Theses For the 2026 American Church
Category Archives: The Joshua Challenge
A Journey of Discovery
It took me nearly 60 years before I finally understood. Yes, the ground had been laid in the preceding decade as I increasingly challenged some of my past tribal narratives. But it took two separate events within the space of … Continue reading
Posted in The Joshua Challenge
Tagged black history month, colorblindness, Martin Luther King, racism, systematic discrimination
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MLK in His Own Words
To honor Martin Luther King today, I thought I would post some of his own words, particularly those that are new to me and probably to many others as well. They may be surprising as many of us really didn’t … Continue reading
Posted in The Joshua Challenge
Tagged Christian nationalism, colorblindness, Martin Luther King, MLK, systemic racism
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Hope or Hopelessness
The division in America could swiftly change if the Christian church heeded the calling of 1 Peter 2:21 “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” Continue reading
Posted in The Joshua Challenge
Tagged culture wars, Evangelicals, hope, truth, wisdom
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The Indispensable Imperative of Virtue
“Most people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character” – Albert Einstein So begins the opening line of a leadership paper a former colleague Doug DeMaster and I wrote a … Continue reading
Posted in The Joshua Challenge
Tagged culture wars, Evangelicals, Tribalism, truth
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Wide is the Gate and Broad is the Way
“We don’t collect news to inform us. We collect news to affirm us.” – Frank Lutz, Republican pollster Frank’s observation isn’t new, of course. Centuries ago, Goethe said “each see in the world what is present in their heart.” But it’s … Continue reading
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Tagged culture wars, Evangelicals, Tribalism, truth
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Are Our Beliefs Warranted?
Ten years ago, we pulled up stakes and moved to the “lower 48.” It was hard leaving Alaska but easy to live in Seattle as we were closer to our children, to much of our family, and in a job … Continue reading
Posted in The Joshua Challenge
Tagged covid, covid vaccine, culture wars, Evangelicals, truth
6 Comments
Of Soldiers and Scouts
The late Richard Feynman, one of the great scientists of the 20th century and a notable influence in my physics education, once said “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person … Continue reading
Posted in The Joshua Challenge
Tagged correspondence, covid vaccine, culture wars, Tribalism, truth
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The Paradox of Christian Nationalism
I’ve been wanting to write about Christian Nationalism for some time, but getting that train out of the station has proved difficult. Competing topics abound, plus spring is around the corner bringing its familiar pressures into focus. Golfing, landscaping, and … Continue reading
Posted in The Joshua Challenge
Tagged authoritarianism, Christian culture, Christian nationalism, Evangelicals, nostalgia
4 Comments
Of Immigrants and Refugees
After 57 years in Alaska, we pulled up stakes in 2012 and moved to the “lower 48.” It was hard leaving Juneau but easy to live in Seattle as we were closer to our children and Tammy’s family, in a … Continue reading
13 Graphs – What Do You See?
I recently wrote a letter to one of the pastors we have been watching during this pandemic season. I thought it might be of interest so here is the letter reproduced in full. I have been enjoying your messages, especially … Continue reading
Posted in The Joshua Challenge
Tagged Christian nationalism, lost cause, partisanship, polarization
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