The IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Preachers, bless ‘em, don’t have to look hard for reasons to laugh. Some are able to put laughter “on hold,” restraining guffaws until sermons end; others can only surrender to the humor of the moment. This day, I’ll address the “long and the short of it,” The former, Dr. Bruce McIver, was a student
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By JIM NICHOLS In an earlier column, I mentioned my appreciation for one of my elementary school supplies, the Rub Clean Green eraser. That eraser represented a tangible indicator of God’s grace because it allowed me to remove errors with hardly a remaining sight. My clearest memory of its aid was during a spelling mistake I made, but during that
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The Rev. David Romanik, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, will lead the Sept. 30 meeting of the Abilene Interfaith Council. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the church, 602 Meander St. The meeting is open to the public. Admission is free. Romanik will speak on liturgical Christian worship. Face masks are requested. No food
Read moreBy BESHEER MOHAMEDPew Research Center An unprecedented amount of public attention focused on Muslim Americans in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The U.S. Muslim population has grown in the two decades since, but it is still the case that many Americans know little about Islam or Muslims, and views toward Muslims have become increasingly polarized along political lines.
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The Temple Mizpah schedule for High Holy Days observances follow. Unless otherwise noted, services will be at the temple, 849 Chestnut St.. Monday, Sept. 6:7 p.m. serviceTuesday, Sept. 7:9:30 a.m. service; lunch at noonSunday, Sept. 12:10 a.m. Elmwood Memorial Park cemetery service led by Marc OrnerWednesday, Sept. 15:7 p.m. Kol Nidre serviceThursday, Sept. 16:9:30 a.m. service3:30 p.m. Yizkor service; 6
Read moreMaybe Texas can stop young women from choosing abortion, but it can’t stop a conscientious Christian from choosing love over lawsuits, Doug Mendenhall writes in his latest post on his blog, Jesus in the Food Court. Titled, “What will Texas Christians do with this new freedom to sue, sue, sue?” the column takes on a new Texas law that all
Read moreBy DANNY MINTON May 9, 2021, marked what would have been the 100th birthday for Sophia Magdalena Scholl. Sophia and her brother, Hans, died on February 22, 1943, beheaded for treason against the Nazi government. She was only 21 years old. Sophia was a student attending the University of Munich, where she discovered leaflets that her brother and others had
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Seminary professors, bless ‘em, are saddled with expectations that run the gamut, and they forge on, day after day, knowing that the likelihood of having “another Billy Graham” in their classes is beyond remote. Though their patience be tested, they give their best shots, even for struggling students who feel called to the ministry from
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By JIM NICHOLS Whatever its mechanism for you, what was really occurring when you were baptized? That is, understanding that important spiritual things were happening, what were they? Here is a suggestion—actually, two suggestions. On one hand, when you were baptized, you were individually connected to God as a redeemed being. It was a point of salvation for you, a
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Spirit Of Abilene 