by Peter James | Oct 25, 2024 | Edward Elson
Dwight David Eisenhower was among our most religiously devout American presidents, raised with Jehovah’s Witness and Brethren (comparable to Mennonite) influences. Since both groups embraced pacifism, Eisenhower’s appointment to West Point and subsequent...
by Peter James | Oct 24, 2024 | Charles Wesley
Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was conducting a Methodist outdoor gathering in 1746 when a group of drunken sailors interrupted the service with their rendition of a raunchy sailor song. Charles was leading worship at the time but somehow managed to commit their bawdy...
by Peter James | Oct 23, 2024 | Johann Scheffler
Susan Cain observed that Western society promotes “the extrovert ideal” and gives preferential treatment to bold and charismatic leaders. Her best-selling book from a dozen years ago, Quiet: The Power of Introversion in a World That Can’t Stop...
by Peter James | Oct 22, 2024 | Katharina von Schlegel
The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote the symphonic poem Finlandia for a pageant in his homeland in 1899. It served as a patriotic song in Finland’s struggle to maintain its independence from neighboring Russia. Much of the symphony conveys the strain of the...
by Peter James | Oct 21, 2024 | Anna Waring
We live in an age of hurry. The speed of technological change feeds our frenzied busyness. Our constant need for connectivity in this digital world perpetuates a pervasive sense of rush and anxiety. The title of a book written by John Mark Comey, The Ruthless...