Psalm 17: A Prayer for Asian Americans
"I had seen blatantly hateful acts committed against Asian Americans all my life, but never so many, so fast, and so creative with their hatred."
violence
Every Day I Learn How the World Will End
"Weeding toward the garden’s edge / one morning, I put my hand / on a nest of fire ants."
Midwifing Stories in the American South
Josina Guess discusses her work as an editor, as well as her own writing on themes of race, violence, and family.
All Souls
"I’m counting on / my rosary: / pipe bombs in the mail, / grandparents shot in a grocery, / Kaddish recited over / and over in Pittsburgh."
Refugees, Violence, and the Promise of Ash Wednesday
Josina Guess reflects on celebrating Ash Wednesday with refugees where plans, especially when working across language and culture, can change quickly.
Violence and the Eucharist
How should pastors respond to violence in this age of mass-shootings? Congregational rituals and practices like the eucharist, writes Anthony Siegrist, are a source of pastoral wisdom.
Flannery’s Trick
Flannery O'Connor's stories are often violent. Why? Perhaps, as this poem suggests, she wrote down horrors to trick the devil.
“Forgiveness is hard”
White violence at Emanuel Church is sadly familiar. What is surprising is Emanuel’s willingness to forgive the killer.
