Welcome to the online study!

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a book written by one of my favorite modern theologians, Parker J. Palmer called "Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit".  Finally (I thought), a resource to help me navigate the waters of the next three months - you know, the ones leading up to the presidential election.

My job as a Christian minister is to stand before a couple of hundred people each week and say a little something about the Gospel, about following Jesus, listening to the Holy Spirit and watching for signs of God 's love in the world. And sometimes, those themes skate pretty close to being political speech (or, at least that's what some people tell me).

I find it funny that the two things my mom told me was impolite to discuss at a dinner party - religion and politics - can be so related to each other, and so very polarizing. It makes me sad that we cannot seem to have civil conversations about either without jumping to conclusions, many of them misguided and erroneous. What are some of the conclusions that people have made about you, when you have been brave enough to share your views in a public space?

In the Prelude and First Chapter of this book I was struck by the story about Lincoln and his depression. I found hope in the way that he refrained from labeling and polarizing the South at the close of the Civil War. His ability to pay them respect, despite their clear and deep disagreements, was what some historians believe kept the country together, at a time when we were deeply broken as a nation. And George Carlin is a genius. What did you think about his treatment of shell shock on through to PTSD?

I hope that you take the time to read the prelude and first chapter and leave a post here. Tell us what impressed you, what you struggled with, what you will remember as we continue reading together.