Author: Dan Bryant

Most doctors, psychologists and even many Biblical scholars recognize the difference between “healing” and “curing,” though we don’t often make the distinction.  I have been pondering if it would be a helpful distinction to make for this pandemic. Curing, writes Dr. Jessica Schrader in Psychology Today, “means eliminating all evidence of disease.”  Healing, on the other...

The events of this past year - the pandemic, devastating fires, the January 6th insurrection, my change in employment - all have made me more aware of the importance of place. As human beings we need a place not only to be, but to grow and thrive. “Foxes have holes, birds have nests,” says Jesus, “but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58) Understanding “Son of...

In case you missed the news, Dr. Seuss has not been “cancelled” contrary to what some on the right would have us believe. Far from it. The decision by the owners of the Seuss franchise to stop publishing six mostly lesser known titles of the Dr. Seuss series (after an independent study concluded that they contained racist content) resulted in a large spike in sales of Seuss books. Think...

1. Among other things, Trump’s second impeachment has made it vividly clear for me that the vast majority of Republican leaders have no backbone and zero moral authority. I do not know if I am more angry at them or sad for our country. Every single senator who voted “not guilty” and every Representative who voted against the impeachment will be judged on the wrong side of history and...

The question about learning the lesson of history is, will we learn the right one? On the eve of this particular historic moment, I think of another historic transition which has much to teach us, not from the rich history of our country, but from a different continent and hemisphere. When he was freed from prison in 1990, Nelson Mandela had spent 27 years as a political prisoner in his effort...

I don’t know if I am more angry right now with the soon to be ex-President of the United States or the shameless cowards who have enabled his reckless behavior these last couple of months, let alone the last four years.  “SHOCKED, I say, I was SHOCKED by the violence unleashed on the Capitol,” so sounded many a Republican in their righteous indignation as they rose to voice support...

“When Christmas must be celebrated in captivity it is naturally a rather dismal affair.” So began Martin Niemöller’s 1944 Christmas Eve sermon in Dachau, cell 34. His congregation of six included a Dutch cabinet member, two Norwegian shippers, a British major, a Yugoslavian diplomat and a Macedonian journalist. Dismal perhaps, but for Niemöller, it was also a sign of tremendous hope....

In this interview with John Dominic Crossan, I made a joke about him never having been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, not knowing that he once turned down such an opportunity! He tells that story and explains the dictum behind the name of this blog. We also discuss the Borg/Crossan tours of the "World of Paul", how to read Paul, the titles given to Augustus Caesar (including "Son of God, and...

“It’s OK son, you can tell me.” Those words have haunted and comforted me for 22 years. Pastors are often the spiritual “first responders” called upon in times of tragedy. The victim of the car crash was just 16. Her only family was her 18 year-old brother who was now being asked to make the decision of whether to remove life support for his brain-dead sister. I was called because the...

Van Jones was exhausted, as were we all. After four days of nearly non-stop reporting on the election, he could not hold back the tears as he said on CNN, “It is easier to be a parent this morning. It is easier to tell your kids that character matters. It matters. Telling the truth matters. Being a good person matters.” At that point the venerable commentator had to stop to wipe his eyes and...