World religions are renowned for their sacred spaces and holy places. Buddhists reverence special mountains, pagodas, and commemorative stone monuments. Hindus cherish the River Ganges, which is honored as a goddess. Pilgrims journey to the Ganges to bathe in its sacred waters. The Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and thus the aspiration… Read more »
What is it like trying to go back home, when you wonder if anyone there would actually welcome you? One of Jesus’ most celebrated stories is the Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32). Perhaps no one in recent history has so effectively captured the emotion of that story as Philip Yancey did in his book What’s So Amazing About Grace? … Read more »
Modern-day tourists walking in the steps of the apostle Paul can still reach out and touch the spectacular ruins of a trio of ancient cities. In three consecutive chapters – Acts 17-19 – the Bible documents Paul’s missionary experiences in Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus. Each city had a patron Greek goddess, and the identity of each community was fashioned according… Read more »
During a week in which TV viewers are reflecting on the life of the late Alex Trebek, here’s a Jeopardy! answer from Episode #4751 (April 11, 2005): Under the category Tomb of Unknowns: “Sentinels at the tomb walk exactly this many steps at a time before they stop and turn.” You would be correct if you asked, “What is 21?” … Read more »
Earlier this year, a commentator on a morning TV sports talk show suggested it was time for a veteran NFL quarterback to test the free agent market. Assessing the strains of the player’s relationship with his current team, the commentator said, “It’s like a marriage. It’s run its course.” That seems an apt summary of our culture’s half-hearted commitment to… Read more »
The military readiness of America’s armed forces is described by the Defense Readiness Condition, better known as the DEFCON scale. In 1959, as military and political leaders grew increasingly anxious about the potential dangers of the Cold War, it seemed wise to craft a system that would permit rapid and appropriate responses. The scale goes from 5 to 1 –… Read more »
It’s easy to write people off without knowing what makes them tick. Take Brian May, for instance. On the one hand, he’s regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Rolling Stone ranked him #26, while a readers poll in Guitar World honored him as the second best instrumentalist of the rock era. As a founding member… Read more »
I once saw someone fall out of an open window 10 stories above a city street. I was in downtown Bucharest, Romania, several years ago when I noticed that a crowd had gathered near a high-rise apartment. People were looking up and pointing. All of a sudden, a man fell backwards out of an open window. I’ll never forget… Read more »
There are different kinds of courage. That was on display within the same Chicago family in the 1930s and 40s. Less than three months after Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor brought America into World War II, the U.S. fleet was maneuvering near the Solomon Islands in the south Pacific. On February 20, 1942, the aircraft carrier Lexington successfully fought… Read more »
America’s Declaration of Independence was sent to King George III of England in 1776. There were 56 signatures on the document, representing all 13 original British colonies. Edward Rutledge, at age 26, was the youngest signer. Benjamin Franklin, still humming along at age 70, was the oldest. John Witherspoon, a Presbyterian pastor from New Jersey, was the only clergyman. Two… Read more »
