“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here.” Abraham Lincoln’s humble prediction, part of his Gettysburg Address, has proven half right and half wrong. Today marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Of the two speeches given to commemorate the battle, one is forgotten, the other unforgettable. That’s an…
Everyday conversations tell us a lot. My son Stephen recently told me of a conversation with a friend. He asked how Islam could be wrong and the Christian faith right since both are monotheistic. I replied that the very existence of conversations raises a question that only one of the two faiths seems adequate to…
Two years ago I wrote about how words are a lagging cultural indicator. We measure economies by leading and lagging indicators. Cultures work the same way. David Brooks recently wrote about what our words are telling us. They’re telling us a lot.
Let’s face it. Stewardship is not the church’s strong suit. Surveys indicate Christians tithe between two and three percent of their income. Pretty anemic. George Barna says the biggest culprit is the lack of a compelling vision. He’s right. The good news is that it’s wedding season. At almost every ceremony we see the compelling…
Friedrich Nietzsche believed he who has a why can endure any how. Over the last half century, American industriousness – i.e., the ability to endure hard work – has declined. Most workers today lack a big enough why. Try this one on for size.
Do you know your spouse’s mobile phone number? Joshua Foer says we memorize fewer things today. We’re outsourcing our memories to external devices – to tablets and smart phones. Memorial Day is a good day to remember why it’s wise to not outsource too much.
Erectile dysfunction is on the rise. No pun intended. Increasing numbers of twenty-something men find they cannot be aroused by their actual, real life partners. Many are becoming convinced that erectile dysfunction (ED) is normal. Most assume Viagra is the solution. But there might be a better Rx for ED.
“I think that, when I die, it might be some time until I know it.” I wonder if Dallas Willard knows it now. Dr. Willard passed away last Wednesday morning at the age of 77. He leaves behind a legacy of profoundly shaping many lives in many ways – including mine.
While the Oscar for Best Picture went to Ben Affleck’s Argo, Americans would have learned a lot more if Affleck had gone further back in history. The same holds for a surge of college courses on “the history of capitalism.” Students would learn more if the courses went further back than the 19th century.
Steve Jobs’ final innovation is actually a very old one. Apple’s new headquarters, a circular “Spaceship,” was the brainchild of late Apple co-founder. But its spherical shape is actually a very old innovation. It’s found in all sorts of older Christian traditions.