Do you think it better to have high expectations of others and risk disappointment, or to have low expectations and have them exceeded regularly?
Articles published in Essays
Articles, interviews and opinion pieces that reflect critically on the world.
A Walk Through the Poem: “Believing Green” by Christian Wiman
Poetry, to me, has always seemed like a second language. I can learn to read it, learn to interpret it, but though I enjoy finding and using creative turns of phrase and well-placed metaphors where I see them, I still naturally think of a table as a table first, rather than as, say, an “elevated platform for family gathering and nourishment.”
When Iraq Expelled the Jews
As we can see, since World War I, Great Britain and the U.S. have been interfering in Iraq on the assumption that “Iraqis are Muslims”—with terrible consequences for those Iraqis who aren’t. If we are to avoid turning that assumption into a self-fulfilling prophecy, great care must be taken: a care that recognizes that human beings are not transplantable puzzle pieces, but image-bearers of the Most High God, with all the beauty, freedom and diversity that title brings.
Every Story Matters
On a daily basis, I am reminded of the world’s depravity as I am inserted into our community’s darkest places. I am also a witness to its restoration.
Haunted by the Father: The Poetry of Li-Young Lee
I’m haunted by the ghost of Li-Young Lee’s father. He’s there, in Lee’s poetry, tromping around upstairs or reading aloud so we can’t sleep. He lingers by the pear trees at the corner of our …
What Might Tax Reform Look Like?
If you’ve been reading along for the last few days, I’ve been trying to lay a foundation of understanding of our current tax system that will make it easier to think about some of the plans that have been proposed to accomplish these reforms.