Imagine not being able to recognize faces. That’s the central characteristic of a neurological disorder called prosopagnosia, or “face blindness.” The term combines the Greek words for “face” and “lack of knowledge” (agnosia is related to agnosticism, the theological position of those who don’t know if God exists). Neurologists are still trying to unravel its mysteries. Prosopagnosia seems to be… Read more »
If you have a desire to experience the world’s most violent weather, Oklahoma is the place for you. As journalist Michael Lewis notes in his book The Coming Storm, the National Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK is “about as perfectly situated as an institution can be.” Masses of warm air coming up from the Gulf of Mexico routinely collide… Read more »
Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone; Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you. Those are the opening lines to the folk ballad Fire and Rain, the 1970 song that established James Taylor as one of America’s up-and-coming rock artists. His state of mind was precarious. Struggling with depression and a downward spiral of… Read more »
If there’s such a thing as the Most Disappointing Verse in the Bible, Revelation 21:1 just might be the one. John the evangelist reports a breathtaking glimpse of heaven in chapter 21 of the Bible’s last book. Verse four gets a lot of press, and deservedly so: “[God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more… Read more »
Rachel Pine was flying from Los Angeles to New York City. She noticed that the flight crew looked unusually harried. When the flight attendant came by to see if she had fastened her seatbelt, Rachel reached into her package of Fig Newtons. “Would you like one?” she asked. The flight attendant gratefully received the snack. Rachel recalls that she almost seemed… Read more »
Elijah the prophet experienced one of the Bible’s most memorable spiritual highs. In a public contest pitting Yahweh vs. Baal, he singlehanded stared down hundreds of false prophets and won, on God’s behalf, a resounding victory. Imagine what a rush it would be to stand up in a contentious Town Hall meeting in the 21st century and say, “Just in… Read more »
Sometimes the greatest public victories are followed by the most demoralizing personal collapses. It happened to Elijah – arguably a unanimous first ballot inductee if they ever open a Hebrew Prophet Hall of Fame. In I Kings 18, this scraggly-looking “mountain man” stands all by himself against the vilest monarchs in ancient Israel. King Ahab and his wife Jezebel have… Read more »
Bible commentator Dale Bruner, trying to describe “the deep grace of God for a flawed human race,” says there is one illustration that has helped him more than any other. It comes from Dr. Richard Selzer’s experience as a surgeon, as reported in his book Mortal Lessons. Selzer writes: I stand by the bed where a young woman lies, her… Read more »
As a native of the Hoosier capitol, I grew up loving the Indianapolis “500.” I have vivid memories of attending my first race in 1967. I sat in the first turn with my father and two brothers. Even though the race was halted after 18 laps because of a drenching rain that required a quarter million people to come back… Read more »
The Boston Celtics, proud winners of 16 National Basketball Association championships, are currently staggering toward the finish line of a disappointing season. Ravaged by injuries – including All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, who discovered earlier this week that he’s done for the year – the team isn’t likely to make much of a splash in the playoffs. But nothing will… Read more »
