History | Explorations Media

Q & A: John Piper on Racism, Reconciliation, and Theology after Trayvon Martin’s Death @ChristianityToday

John Piper was one of the first and the few white evangelical pastors to make a public statement on the controversial shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. Not only is his passion for racial reconciliation informed by his self-proclaimed history as a Southern racist; it also fueled by his experience as the father of an adopted African American teen daughter. Piper is the author of Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian, a book that inspired a public discussion about Race and the Christian at the New York Society for Ethical Culture in New York City Wednesday night. The Minneapolis, Minnesota, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church was joined onstage by New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church pastor Tim Keller and Anthony Bradley, a theology professor from the King’s College in New York City. Christianity Today spoke with Piper on Thursday about various kinds of reconciliation, including what it would mean to reconcile with someone like author Rob Bell. …

Read the interview at Christianity Today.

Posted on March 31, 2012 by cascheller

Blogging, Books, Christianity, Christianity Today, church life, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, History, Leadership, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Blogging, Books, Christianity, Christianity Today, church life, Community, Culture, Dr. Anthony Bradley, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, History, John Piper, Leadership, Public Square, Race, Race and the Christian, Racial Reconciliation, Redemption, Reformed theology, Rob Bell, Social Action, Theology, Tim Keller, transracial adoption, Trayvon Martin, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: February 13 – February 17

On Location at Whitney’s Farewell: What reporting on location at Whitney Houston’s semi-private, gospel-filled funeral taught me about spiritual battles, grace, and celebrity.
Marriage Is for Black People, Too: Ralph Richards Banks’ book ‘Is Marriage for White People?’ made him the target of angry critics. Now, the author has his say about interracial dating, the link between fewer marriages and the crisis in black communities, and his take on conservative scholar Charles Murray’s latest book on class and race.
Obama Birth Control Compromise Take 2: Activist Lisa Sharon Harper and ethicists Cheryl J. Sanders and Charles C. Camosy weigh in on the Obama administration’s contraception mandate accommodation.

Posted on February 19, 2012 by cascheller

Art, Bioethics, Books, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Democracy, Education, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Journalism, Leadership, Medicine, Philosophy, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Science, Social Action, Technology, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Art, Bioethics, Books, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Democracy, Education, Entertainment, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, Health Care Reform, History, Is Marriage for White People? Ralph Richard Banks, Journalism, Leadership, Medicine, Obama Contraception compromise, Philosophy, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Science, Social Action, Technology, Theology, UrbanFaith, UrbanFaith.com, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk, Whitney Houston Funeral

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: January 9-13

Religion Wins Big; Pastors Protest Loss: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that religious schools can fire ministers and more New York City pastors were arrested while protesting fallout from the court’s decision not to hear a Bronx church’s appeal.
Politics Are Personal: In her new book ‘Left, Right, and Christ,’ Lisa Sharon Harper models a civil and redemptive discussion of divisive political issues. She spoke to UrbanFaith about Christians in the public square, and the dangers of winning political and religious debates but missing the truth.
Pastors Protest School Worship Ban: Some New York City pastors are protesting the Board of Education’s ban on worship in public school space as the ban threatens to spread beyond schools.

Posted on January 15, 2012 by cascheller

Capitalism, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Democracy, Education, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, History, Leadership, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Technology, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Bronx Household of Faith vs. New York Board of Education, Capitalism, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Democracy, Education, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, Hannah Tabor case, History, Leadership, Left Right & Chris, Lisa Sharon Harper, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Technology, Theology, U.S. Supreme Court, UrbanFaith, UrbanFaith.com, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Lifelong Ocean Grove Resident Takes Helm of Camp Meeting Association @NJShorePatch

Dr. Dale C. Whilden succeeds Scott Rasmussen (who ended his six-year term in mid-October) as president of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. Whilden is a life-long Ocean Grove resident. He has served as an OGCMA Trustee since 1983 and has chaired both the Development and Program committees. Patch Faith & Family columnist Christine A. Scheller interviewed Whilden about his new role.

Christine A. Scheller: How did you come to be involved with the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA)?

Dr. Dale C. Whilden: I came to Ocean Grove when I was three days old right from the hospital. My parents had purchased a home here back in the mid-1940s. In the early 50s when I was born, we lived here year round for a number of years. Dad was principal of the school here in town, then we had to move to Toms River based on a new job he had as county superintendent of schools. We kept our little summer house here, and so for my entire life I’ve been coming to Ocean Grove every summer. Growing up through the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting programs, the childrens’ programs, the youth programs, Bible studies, beach activities, and choral and dramatic events, all those things over the years has led me to a sense of how important OGCMA has been in my life and in our family’s life as well. That history has certainly been a factor in my wanting to be involved.

Then when I graduated from dental school and did a residency at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, I couldn’t imagine not opening my dental practice in Ocean Grove. All those years growing up, it was sort of my Shangri La. I’d go to school in Toms River and we’d be there all winter, and then come summer time, this was the place. This was the epitome of my dream escape and it’s worked out very, very well. I think it gives me a good sense of the community and the history of the community. …

Read the whole interview at Manasquan Patch.

Posted on December 20, 2011 by cascheller

Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Democracy, Faith, Family, Friendship, History, Leadership, Medicine, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Technology, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Dale C. Whilden, Democracy, Faith, Family, Friendship, History, Leadership, Medicine, NJ Shore Patch, Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Technology, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Photojournalism by Explorations Media, L.L.C.

I’ve recently created what I think are some compelling photo sets on Flickr. As a journalist, I prefer realism to photo-shopped images, though artistic renderings can sometimes reveal truth better than fact. I recommend viewing these sets as slideshows, as I’ve arranged each one to tell a story.

Seaside Heights Italian Festival & Columbus Day Parade

Laity Lodge 2011 Writers Retreat

Movement Day

New York City Premiere of Machine Gun Preacher

9/11 Tenth Anniversary Memorials

Jesus, Bombs, & Ice Cream by M.W. Scheller

Hurricane Irene

Posted on October 8, 2011 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Books, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Democracy, Education, Ethics, Faith, Family, grief, History, Leadership, Medicine, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Travel, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

& Ice Cream, 9/11 Tenth Anniversary, A.R. Bernard, Art, Beauty, Bedrooms, Bombs, Books, Christianity, church life, Collections, Community, Culture, DeForest Soaries, Democracy, Education, Entertainment, Erwin McManus, Ethics, Faith, Family, Gerard Butler, grief, History, Hurricane Irene, Jersey Shore, Jesus, Judaism, Leadership, Machine Gun Preacher, Manasquan, Medicine, Michelle Monaghan, Movement Day, Musical Instruments, Ocean Grove, Politics, Pt. Pleasant Beach, Public Square, Redemption, Religious Artifacts, Sam Childers, Shane Claiborne, Social Action, Spring Lake, Theology, Tim Keller, Travel, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: September 12-16

Truth at a Beauty Pageant: Miss Universe winner Leila Lopes of Angola highlights her nation’s troubles, says she’s happy with the way God made her, and declares racism so last century. Is her win redemptive?
Psalms for Poverty Statistics: The U.S. Census Bureau released its annual report today and the news isn’t good, but the Psalms offer hope to the people of God.

Posted on September 24, 2011 by cascheller

Beauty, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, History, Leadership, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Angola, Beauty, Census Bureau Poverty Statistics, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, History, Leadership, Leila Lopes, Miss Universe, Politics, Psalms, Public Square, Race, Racism, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, UrbanFaith.com, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

9/11 Lessons in Civil Religion @NJShorePatch

Inter-faith messages remind Monmouth County residents who they are.

In Jean-Jacque Rousseau’s model of civil religion, the state is unified and strengthened by public displays of faith that refer to deity, point to the afterlife, draw attention to the reward of virtue and the punishment of vice, and that exclude religious intolerance. Two of the three memorial services I attended on 9/11/11 fulfilled Rouseau’s requirements. The opener fell short. …

To find out what he and others had to say, go to Manasquan Patch. To see photos from the day, go to my set on Flickr.

Posted on September 13, 2011 by cascheller

Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Islam, Leadership, Philosophy, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Walkin' the Talk

9/11 anniversary, Christianity, church life, Civil Religion, Community, Culture, DeForest Soaries, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Islam, Jean-Jacque Rouseau, Judaism, Leadership, Monmouth County, NJ Shore Patch, Philosophy, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Walkin' the Talk

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: September 5-9

How Did 9/11 Change Urban Ministry? With the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in mind, Christian leaders Jeremy Del Rio, DeForest Soaries, and Shane Claiborne reflect on how 9/11 changed urban ministry in America.
Clergy Excluded from 9/11 Ceremonies: Clergy are being excluded from government sponsored 9/11 memorial events at Ground Zero and the National Cathedral and believers are protesting. Should they?
Shacking Up or Sacrament? More couples are living together without a marriage license. Is it time for churches to adjust or do cohabiting couples need to make their “marriages” legal?

Posted on September 10, 2011 by cascheller

Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Democracy, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Jersey Shore Faithful to Commemorate 9/11 Anniversary @NJShorePatch

Sacred remembrances dominate the weekend calendar.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg may have excluded clergy from the 9/11 10th anniversary ceremony at the memorial site in New York City, but there are plenty of opportunities here at the Jersey Shore for sacred remembrances. Here are a few of them:

Saturday, September 10

At 8:00 pm, Father Alphonse Stephenson will conduct the Orchestra of St. Peters by the Sea in a “Salute to Civilization” at the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove. …

For a list of Sunday’s events, go to Manasquan Patch.

Posted on September 10, 2011 by cascheller

Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Islam, Leadership, Public Square, Redemption

9/11 anniversary, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Events, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Islam, Jersey Shore, Judaism, Leadership, NJ Shore Patch, Public Square, Redemption

Listening to 9/11 Stories at @NJShorePatch

Two women recall their close encounters with those devastated by the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks.

Mary Mick Davis

The first time I saw Mary Davis in the spring of 2002, she was wearing a hard hat and overseeing a group of volunteers at a respite center at St. Peter’s Church near Ground Zero. She clearly had a lot on her mind and she was clearly in charge of the smoothly running operation that provided a place of rest and sustenance for those who were working at the site.

When I saw Davis again, it was at the mega-church in Southern California where we had both taken jobs. It was early 2003 and she had just been diagnosed with Shingles, which can be induced by stress. She was exhausted, burnt out, and in need of respite herself.

Davis lives in Kentucky now, with the husband she met and married in California and their young son Mickey. I talked to her last week by phone about her memories of working at Ground Zero. Some of the details have grown fuzzy, but the people she served are etched into her heart and mind. …

Paula Griffin

Paula Griffin, Pt. Pleasant, worked for Don and Jean Peterson when the Spring Lake couple was killed on Flight 93, but she also considered Jean a friend.

“That was a true relationship, because she gave so much of herself to everybody,” Griffin explained.

The Petersons were on their way to California to visit Jean’s mother, Griffin said, and called her before they left to tell her to take a paid day off. Griffin was at home that morning when her husband came in from 7-11 and told her to turn on the TV. She watched the second plane fly into the World Trade Center.

“I knew right away something was wrong and then it clicked. Immediately it set in: ‘Oh, my gosh, what flight were they on?’” said Griffin.

The Petersons had arrived at the airport early and had taken Flight 93 instead of the later one that they had booked.

“I just didn’t know what to do at that point. I just knew that I needed to go over there,” said Griffin. …

Read the rest of their hopeful stories at Manasquan Patch.

Posted on September 8, 2011 by cascheller

Christianity, Community, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Leadership, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

9/11 anniversary, Christianity, Community, Faith, Family, Flight 93, Friendship, grief, Ground Zero, History, Jean and Don Peterson, Leadership, NJ Shore Patch, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Only a Number Takes Top Prize at Jersey Shore Film Festival @NJ Shore Patch

Steven Besserman shares his ailing mother’s Holocaust memories in award winning documentary.

“A17855: This became my only identity. This was Auschwitz,” Aranka Besserman says in the film tribute to her memories of the Holocaust that her son Steven Besserman directed.

Only a Number premiered at the Garden State Film Festival in March and won the Best Feature Documentary prize in a field of about 100 documentaries at the Jersey Shore Film Festival last week.

“This is where my mother lost her mother. This is where she lost all human dignity. This is where she became only a number,” Steven says as he narrates her story from the fairytale-like places where it unfolded.

Hers is an unlikely story of finding lasting love amidst unspeakable evil. …

Read the whole thing at Manasquan Patch.

Posted on August 13, 2011 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Books, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Travel

Art, Beauty, Books, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Judaism, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Travel

Faith at Work, Part 7: Putting It All Together @TheHighCalling

Figuring out how to integrate our faith with our work is a primary interest for the High Calling community. In our series about the work of Laity Leadership Institute Senior Fellow David W. Miller, we learned about four ways people do this and about a Hebrew concept that Miller says undergirds the Faith at Work movement.

Investigating the Sunday/Monday Gap

In the first article, we learned that Miller was flourishing in his career as a senior executive and partner at a London bank, and felt called to that career. But he seldom, if ever, heard clergy talk about how to integrate faith and work, even as he intuitively viewed work as part of God’s created order. If work mattered to God, why weren’t clergy talking about it?

To his surprise, Miller gradually discerned a new calling to attend Princeton Theological Seminary, where he earned an MDiv. and then a PhD. in Social Ethics, focusing almost exclusively on the question of integrating faith and work. This question continues to be central to his teaching and research at Princeton University, and to his consulting work with CEOs and businesses.

“I suppose people are drawn to study things either because they’re really good at it or because they’re not really good at it. I was drawn to this subject of integrating faith and work because of my own professional experience of asking how to overcome the Sunday/Monday gap,” said Miller.

A Theological Foundation

In the second article, we learned that the Hebrew concept of avodah provides a theological foundation for Miller’s work. …

Read the whole rest at The High Calling.

Posted on August 13, 2011 by cascheller

Books, Capitalism, Community, Culture, Education, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Leadership, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Books, Capitalism, Community, Culture, Education, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Leadership, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, TheHighCalling, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

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9/11 Lessons in Civil Religion @NJShorePatch

Jersey Shore Faithful to Commemorate 9/11 Anniversary @NJShorePatch

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