Recently, I sat down with author and photographer Chris Arnade to discuss his book Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America. We talked about inequality, class, and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing public health emergency has revealed fissures and stress points throughout our society. One key disparity between social classes is an absence…
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When I was in high school, I was part of a retreat program called Antioch. It brought together teenagers from my church and a church in a neighboring town for bi-annual weekend retreats and weekly follow-up meetings. But it was more than just a retreat program—it was its own world. Antioch gave a rare gift…
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Like so many others living under this coronavirus quarantine, walking the dog is a blessed excuse for getting out of the house, at least for a few minutes, for a breath of fresh air and the occasional wary nod of confession to other dog-walkers. “Yes, I know she doesn’t really need to go out, but…
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If there is one constant in the era of change heralded by the ministry of Pope Francis it is the implacable opposition of the pope’s conservative foes. Hence the justifiable, and immensely useful, focus of Christopher Lamb’s aptly-titled new book, “The Outsider: Pope Francis and His Battle to Reform the Church.” Lamb is the Rome…
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