The history of translation and transmission of the Bible was complex, contentious, and sometimes violent.
Story Subject: abundance
Jesus, Love, the Bible: Karl Barth
Theological powerhouse Karl Barth was asked to summarize his theology. He quoted: “Jesus loves me, this I know…”
Tilling the Earth to Feed a Stranger: Walafrid
In the first thousand years of the church, monks sometimes planted gardens to share treats with visitors. Walafrid even wrote poetry about it!
The War to End All Wars: World War I
They called it “the war to end all wars,” but even before it ended, a British politician remarked: “This war, like the next war, is a war to end [all] war.”
Fight Smarter, Not Harder: Sir Isaac Brock
In the War of 1812, British officer Isaac Brock tricked American General William Hull into thinking that Brock had huge amounts of troops. Brock took Fort Detroit with minimal casualties and a fighting force of half the size.
The Stories We Tell about our Enemies
A West African proverb: until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero. Hearing the stories, the understandings, the circumstances of those we disagree with is the path to peace along the way of Christ.
Standing Amid the Ruins of a Concentration Camp
Visiting a concentration camp means feeling the suffering that calls out from the ground. It means remembering that so many Christians chose to wait passively and that we must make different choices.
Finding Peace and Befriending Bears: Seraphim of Sarov
In the late 18th-early 19th centuries, Seraphim of Sarov fasted, prayed, and meditated for decades. He became a miracle worker, a source of peace, and a friend of bears.
A Simple Act of Kindness
Even small gestures can matter to people.
Sometimes God Knocks us Off our Feet: Norbert of Xanten
Norbert of Xanten was ordained for social necessity, but found his life changed along the way.