Some Thoughtful Words on Civility

Okay, so it is a bit ironic to post this now that the election is over. But we're still going to have to live together. So maybe this will help. Some thoughts on civility in the church and culture, by Rich Nathan, pastor of the Columbus Vineyard.

not one but two

"Ask and you shall receive." That's what Jesus said. When I mentioned an interest in learning more about George Washington, I hadn't expected it to be an application of that. I got one recommendation from one friend, who lent me the book (Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington, by Richard Brookhiser). And then I found in my mailbox a day later a copy of Richard Alden's, George Washington. They both look good.

Jesus was right.

Founding Father?

George Washington is a bit of an enigma to me.  I mean, we all know he is considered great, and the father of our country.  But still, for all that, I realize I don't really know too much about him.  Not in an adult sense.  I love Lincoln.  Lincoln seems self-evidently a great president, a great man, yet Washington, while I'm sure worthy, is opaque to me.  

Any thoughts on the Lincoln-Washington comparison?

I'm realizing this when reading, Founding Brothers, by Joseph Ellis, a book I saw recommended at my local library.  It is rather good, almost sneakily so.  And it has made me realize I'd like to learn more about Washington in the same way that I have recently explored Lincoln.  

Any suggestions on a good Washington biography?

Michael Beschloss: Hippest Historian Alive?

Remember Palmer Joss, the super-cool scientist played by Matthew McConaughey in Contact? He's the Presidential Science Adviser who's so cool and hip you know he gets autographs outside the White House and at Harvard.

Well, Michael Beschloss, presidential historian, would be the real-world Palmer Joss of History. You may have seen Beschloss on PBS. I have. Best I can tell, he's provided commentary for the presidential debates in the last three elections - beginning as third chair historian for Bush v. Gore, then second chair for Bush v. Kerry, and now NPR's first chair presidential historian for the current contest. He's handsome, dresses cool, has an ususual voice, always smiles, and regularly hasn't something insightful to say that actually has to do with history. But not too "historical." Accessible history ... know what I mean?

Michael Beschloss, friends, quite possibly the hippest historian alive.

I'm probably busy when ...

instead of blogging, I just update my Facebook status. That's not good.

Crazy Dancing

Okay, so we were all a little loopy after the long Cause Conference weekend. But we were having fun at the baptismal pizza party after the gathering on Sunday. Watch Jeremy as he takes me down in head-to-head crazy Russian-style dancing competition.

Church in the news ...

our church got a nod (albeit anonymously) recently in an online paper for our outreach at the AIDS Walk Detroit. read all about it.