Does America Have a Future?
The other day I hit a quandary. Maybe you can help me resolve it. A little background will help you understand how I got to the quandary. Ten years ago I wrote a book. It [...]
Black Lives Matter—Which Is Why I Hesitate to Publish This Post
Part of my job description as a contemplative involves paying attention. When world events come to the fore, I try to listen deeply, take the events into my heart and mind, and let them make [...]
The Bible’s Hidden Gems: When God Collaborates With Us
An obscure verse from the Christian Bible has brought one of my longest-held beliefs into question. Ever since my days as an evangelical Christian 40 years ago, my working model of God’s will has remained [...]
The Bible’s Hidden Gems (or, Asking for Help in the Midst of Conflict)
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in [...]
How Do You Respond When You Hear Something New?
Please receive her, and she will tell you some new things. Let her tell her story without interrupting her, and give close attention, and you will see she has got the lever of truth, that [...]
The Weirdest Common Ground Ever
Many people are bemoaning America’s vicious public square. Few are discussing the weird common ground that most of us share—and what might be the best way to address it. Two recent conversations brought this into [...]
Where Convictions and Friendship Collide
You’re talking with an old friend over coffee. At one point in the conversation, she uses a word that sets off every alarm bell in your head. Clearly she believes something you don’t believe at [...]
The Second Step Toward Dialogue Is a Doozy
People ask me what my book is about. I tell them it’s about how to change from the inside out so you can talk with people who drive you nuts. They say, “Boy, do I [...]
Dialogue and Dublin Billy
For a few days in June, Billy and I ate breakfast at the same café. It’s in the working-class neighborhood of Dublin where I was staying for the annual conference of the International Listening Association. [...]
If You’re Concerned About Listening, and You Want to See Dublin…
I just wrote this for an email list I participate in, and I thought some of you might want to know about it too: If you're concerned about the future of listening in today's noisy [...]