By: Joff Williams on January 22, 2025
Around 10 years ago, I recognized the significance of the idea of shalom. Where I used to know a Hebrew synonym for “peace,” I now understand a core thread that ties together the Old and New Testament writings, is equally applicable throughout history, and addresses the common existential questions of life. Shalom as a threshold…
By: Shela Sullivan on January 21, 2025
Book Summary Robot Souls: Programming in Humanity by Eve Poole explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and human essence. Poole argues that for AI to reach its full potential, it must integrate the “messy” and “unquantifiable” aspects of humanity, such as emotions, intuition, and the capacity to make mistakes. The book is structured as…
By: Jennifer Eckert on January 21, 2025
In a podcast interview, author and academic Eve Poole talks about taking her children to the beach and watching them dig holes and build castles in the sand, which children have done for thousands of years. She hears their laughter as the water comes swooshing over their feet. She begins to lament that such an…
By: Jeff Styer on January 21, 2025
Reading Eve Poole’s book, Robot Souls, I could not help but think of an Introductory monologue by singer/song writer Rich Mullins to his song Higer Education and the Book of Love.[1] “What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be human? I cannot help but suspect that at one time in…
By: Rich on January 20, 2025
Over the past 30 years, I have developed a specialty in tubular design. No, I’m not a surfer or valley girl asserting that my designs are cool. ‘Tubular’ is short for tubular goods, the pipes used to contain pressurized fluids in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry. The industry has tens of…
By: Adam Cheney on January 20, 2025
At an Evangelical church I used to attend there was an eccentric older single woman. She always sat in the front row in the service and was always easy to spot. She would come into the worship center in a motorized wheelchair with her little lap dog in the front of the cart. The dog…
By: Joel Zantingh on January 20, 2025
As a Canadian, I live and have participated in the civic life of a liberal democracy, but that very construct is showing signs of erosion. The tenets of liberal democracies that I previously knew are: self-government through free and fair elections liberty for all in the pursuit of a happy life, and the rule of…
By: Ivan Ostrovsky on January 20, 2025
Growing up, I hated reading. It has always been difficult for me to pick up a book and start reading. However, I became increasingly interested in books during elementary school. I realized that when I am required to read a book, I am less likely to do so; but when I find a book I…
By: Noel Liemam on January 19, 2025
Introduction What comes to mind is, ‘politics.’ I think of politicians; I think of politicians that are free ‘do whatever they think fits regardless of the end results.’ Others that came to mind was ‘liberals’ vs. ‘conservatives.’ And from hearsays, conservatives are those who adhere to the values and traditions that closely resembles Christian-values, while…
By: Linda Mendez on January 16, 2025
As a child, when solids are introduced, you’re taught things like chewing with your mouth closed, chewing enough times so you don’t choke, etc. You are not trained to eat to savor your food; you’re not taught to enjoy the different flavors you’re experiencing, probably for the first time, or the colors of the foods…
By: Jess Bashioum on January 16, 2025
I love reading! I love reading anything from pop novels to theoretical physics, from biblical commentaries to Si-Fi. I have often read 3-5 different style books at a time, options for whatever mood I may be in that moment. Despite this love of reading, I have never enjoyed reading books that go into detail telling…
By: Christian Swails on January 16, 2025
It’s pretty tough to experience astral projection with one eye open. Just for clarity, astral projection is “a practice in which an individual aims to consciously separate their ‘astral body’ or spirit from their physical body, often to explore non-physical dimensions or realms.” Afghanistan It may not surprise you as much as it did…
By: Michael Hansen on January 16, 2025
Years ago, during my stint with Amazon, I flew with my MBA intern to the Seattle Headquarters to present his summer internship project to the Senior leadership team. I had worked with him over the past 3 months, and we were both extremely proud of his efforts. While he waited patiently outside, I entered the…
By: David Weston on January 16, 2025
Reading Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren’s book, How to Read a Book brought to mind a quote I read years ago by Petrarch, “Books give delight to the very marrow of one’s bones. They speak to us, consult with us, and join us in a living and intense intimacy.” Being a lifelong bibliophile,…
By: Daren Jaime on January 16, 2025
Growing up, I can remember my Social Studies teacher telling us that her class was going to give us an introduction to democracy. I thought the word itself must have a simple definition, but class and life experience later revealed how multi-layered and complex it is. My definition of democracy was linked to a form…
By: Chad Warren on January 16, 2025
“The establishment of our new Government seemed to be the last great experiment for promoting human happiness.”[1] With these words, George Washington acknowledged the imperfections of the United States’ new government while expressing his belief in its potential as one of the best systems in the world—a true experiment in governance. Before diving into Patrick…
By: Mika Harry on January 16, 2025
I am a recovering control freak. For years, I have posed as an organizer, especially in academic settings, but control remains the dark underbelly of my organizing. As I learn new rhythms of reading, writing, and thinking, I face the disorienting challenge of loosening my grip on control. Questions swirl: How can I ensure I’m…
By: Darren Banek on January 16, 2025
It was intended to be a fun afternoon trip for a young boy and his mom—a special time when just the two of them could go and explore. For many boys, exploring is at the top of the fun list. Sticks, rocks, and a pond full of frogs quickly pop into their minds. But this…
By: Jeremiah Gómez on January 16, 2025
I grew up on my grandparents’ tiny dirt farm of a ranch in Arizona. Most of life there was hard-fought, trying to cultivate and sustain life and growth in the desert. In many ways, fostering something verdant out of the caliche clay of Cochise County seemed an impossible task: fires, floods, competition with big ranchers…
By: Debbie Owen on January 16, 2025
I confess that when I read the title of this week’s book– Why Liberalism Failed– I jumped to the conclusion that this was going to be a discussion about why the political party on the left has failed. That would be confusing to me because, in my current context, “liberal” describes people who have a…
