Reflections

The other day I used the word “fascist” and midspeech I confessed that did not know what the word meant. Turning to Wikipedia’s definitions of fascism, most of my questions were no

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Every wind of teaching

> Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their dec

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Following directions

Ms. _____, my 4th-grade teacher, passed out an exam that was impossible to complete in the time allotted.

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God forms ears

God forms our words by first forming our ears.

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How much is a shit ton?

How much is a shit ton? About three mother loads. 2013.

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I have been enjoying Timothy Snyder’s YouTube

I have been enjoying Timothy Snyder’s YouTube videos. In one of them, he introduced the term “totalitarianism” to a discussion of populism, oligarchy, and authoritarianism. His def

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I struggled to read as a child

I struggled to read as a child. I could follow the directions to build an Estes model rocket, but I had difficulty comprehending long-form texts. In second grade I was frustrated w

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Institute of humanity

An institute of humanity would take persons, not products, as the proper unit of concern.

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Language and the desire to understand

Unless both parties are trying to communicate and understand one another, the attempts at making contact are destined to fail.

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Psalm 146ish - after Mel’s sermon on 2016 September 25

Do not trust in presidents and ideologies, traditions and institutions, creativity, ingenuity or goodwill. No human being or organization can truly liberate and heal. These cannot

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Responsible faith

A responsible faith does not fear questions that are asked in love of truth.

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Room for God and Others is more vision than discursive thought

Room for God and Others is more vision than discursive thought. The book is not an argument, but a story.

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Science method third room

The question is not whether science leaves room for God, but whether our accounts of God and science leave room for truth.

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Scientism is Bad Religion

Science is a tried and true method through which we may learn about the natural world. Scientism is science that has metastasized into worldview, dogma, and ideology. Science is an

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The Blessing of T'Pau (A Dream)

I was coming of age, and having taken a long pilgrimage, the end of my journey was a demanding hike up a red mountain. I sought an oracle from T’Pau, the renowned Vulcan priestess,

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The ability to see goodness

When I worked at Learning Experiences, Inc., we sometimes took the students to the mall. I recall one afternoon when the students were having fun together, walking arm-and-arm in t

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Three enemies

Confusion, fear, and pride are not just obstacles to thought; they are obstacles to love.

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Truth, not commentary

> God gave me my writing so that I might tell the truth. But the world does not need more opinions. The world needs balm, salve, and a dressing for the wound. There will be no lase

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Two mountains

Four decades ago, with a friend and a notebook, I looked across quiet waters to an awe-inspiring peak. While my friend read *Jane Eyre*, I thought of Lyell’s *Principles of Geology

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What to write and the question of voice

What I see in these books is a person writing frankly from a personal perspective, including their professional identity, to clarify or comment on the world.

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Writing and open questions

Writing for me is not so much about making an argument, as it is about identifying open questions, seeking answers and understanding.

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Writing and the research process

In my experience of the research process, I cannot force scientific and mathematical ideas to emerge. Perhaps, in the same way, I cannot force a story.