Homecoming

Men, women come home.
Filled with pain, regret, and hope.
Pretending forget.

But better and wise,
for their time in disguises.
Volunteered defense.

At the behest
of a nation torn apart.
They too, torn apart.

Reflections on watching the conclusion of The Pacific, and our own long decade and a half of war.

La Crosse

La Crosse Wisconsin,
sits between river and bluffs.
People have gathered

for five hundred years;
playing games, and war, and peace.
French pale skins arrived.

Noted game with sticks
that resembled a bishops
crozier or la crosse.

Thoughts on Integrating Faith, Politics, and Public Policy

There are two things one does not talk about in polite company, religion and politics.  I happen to have a passion for both, and to various degrees, my professional life has moved in both circles.  Integrating these passions well then, is something I care about, and that leads to the question of how that should be done.

My goal here is not to set out a treatise for all people at all times.  Rather, I just want to share some thoughts based on my journey.

On the one hand, I do not think there should be a separation of church and state that extends to one’s own soul.  Nor do I see the state as the primary vehicle for extending Christ’s reign on earth. How then should a Christian live an integrated life when it comes to religion and politics?  And if I don’t see the state as the primary vehicle for extending Christ’s reign on earth, why care about it all?  I think the prophet Jeremiah gave a beautiful answer to this question, when he addressed the Jews who had been carried away into exile. He said, “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”