THE IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury A weathered rancher of my acquaintance stubbornly refused to join a group of church friends who “enjoy” bad health. A woman of few words, she explained her absence from services the previous Sunday. “I was struck down by the flu,” she stated, leaving it at that. Would that our health conditions be
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By JIM NICHOLS The two people do not know one another and are different in many ways. On the other hand, each of them occupies a similar position in my mind and both elicit my clear admiration. They are also good illustrations of what Richard Rohr writes of when he talks about the “first and second halves” of life. This
Read more“One Life, Two Arenas: Christian Struggle in the Monastery and Family” is the theme of a retreat to be held Feb. 17-19 at St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church, 501 Sunset Drive. The retreat is open to the public. Evening presentations on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18, will begin at 7 p.m. following prayers at 5:30 p.m. and a meal. The
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Russell Moore, editor of Christianity Today magazine, will be featured in a webinar titled “The Future of Denominations: Where Do We Go From Here?” on Monday, Feb. 13. The webinar, set for 1 p.m. Feb. 13, is hosted by ACU’s Baptist Studies Center and the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry. The webinar is free and open to the public. Click
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Restrictions on religion don’t just affect those who are religious. People who are religiously unaffiliated also are harassed because of what they believe. In 2020, the number of countries where religiously unaffiliated people experienced harassment rose notably, according to Pew Research Center’s recent report about restrictions on religion around the world. Click here to read the survey
Read moreEditor’s Note: The following was written by Dr. Jerry Taylor, associate professor in ACU’s Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry and founder of the university’s Carl Spain Center on Race Studies & Spiritual Action Friends, Today is February 1, 2023, the first day of Black History Month. Tyre Nichols’ funeral was held today at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON The question sounds innocent and straightforward enough, right? Or maybe not! I went to Starbucks one morning around 8:00 and ordered: “a cup of coffee, please.” “Would you like Frappuccino, Expresso, iced, or brewed? “Just a hot cup of regular ole’ coffee, please… “What flavor?” “Flavor?” “We have Cinnamon, cherry, dark cherry, peppermint, caramel, or chocolate?” “Do
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By JIM NICHOLS It is unclear what might qualify as a “cute” robot, but R2D2 from Star Wars fame would come close for most people. This genderless (although the other characters spoke of “him”), short robot seemed reasonable, brave, and even compassionate. It seemed to be, well, almost human. I suspect that I am not alone in feeling nearly overwhelmed
Read moreTHE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Undisputed star that he was during the golden era of Major League Baseball, this player has maintained a spirit of humility that others only dream of. His name is Bobby Richardson, embodied in a 5-9, 170-pound frame of baseball greatness. Five words uttered on his recognition day at Yankee Stadium–August 31, 1966–describe his
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Spirit Of Abilene 