Beauty is not a luxury, it is essential. We need it to help counteract the relentless machinations of the world’s systems and the many human manipulations that push against our fervent hope for communities where shalom prevails. Beauty renews our hope. Beauty is one of the transcendentals that our Maker has built into our world and into our lives, …
A Prayer for Unity, the Divine Liturgy of St. Mark
A Prayer for Unity O Sovereign and Almighty Lord, look down from heaven on your Church, on all your people, and on all your flock. Save us all, your unworthy servants, the sheep of your fold. Give us your peace, your help, and your love, and send to us the gift of your Holy Spirit, that with a pure heart …
Quote of the week, “The Reverent Among Us,” by Gregory Spencer
“The reverent among us possess excellent vision. They have trained themselves to see God’s Spirit and his handiwork. They know the sacred when they see it, and the sacred is that in which God is found. With a finely tuned lens, there is much to see.”[i]—Gregory Spencer, Awakening the Quieter Virtues [i] Gregory H. Spencer, Awakening the Quieter Virtues (Downers …
A Prayer, “Cover My Soul with the Shadow of Your Wing,” Carmina Gadelica
Cover My Soul with the Shadow of Your Wing Thanks to you, O God, that I have risen today, to the rising of life itself; may it [and my communication with others] be to your own glory, O God of every gift [which includes the gift of communication], and to the glory of my soul likewise. O great God, aid …
Column entry, “Lay Down Your Burdens, Look to the Star,” by John Hatch
Column title: Crossed My Mind: Thoughts on Culture and Communication Column entry: “Lay Down Your Burdens, Look to the Star” By John Hatch, Ph.D. Eastern University (retired) CCSN Senior Fellow Column Description: As Christians, we are called to have the mind of Christ. This goes against the grain of our social and cultural conditioning. We seek personal or political advancement; …
Quote of the week, “Be All There,” by Jim Elliot, Christian missionary and martyr
“Wherever you are, be all there.” —Jim Elliot, Christian missionary and martyr Quoted in Elisabeth Elliot, Through Gates of Splendor (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1957), 20.
A Prayer for Illumination
For Illumination O glorious, holy, almighty God, you always pity the many wanderings of humanity, and for this reason, you guided the Magi, who lived in a land of dark superstition, to your sacred cradle by the light of a star, that you might enlighten all who were walking in their own errors with the desire of knowing you. Enlighten …
New Book, Family Communication and the Christian Faith, by Jonathan Pettigrew and Diane Badzinski
This book is NOW available on Amazon and all other major retailers and wholesalers. Follow us for updates on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theccsn, or join the network (it’s free)! Please share and help get the word out to colleagues and friends. Thank you. Instructor’s may request an e-exam, or e-proof copy here: administrator@theccsn.com Instructor’s Guide Instructor’s Guide Instructors adopting the text …
Quote of the week, “Be Superior to Your Self,” by W. L. Sheldon
“Remember that there is nothing noble in being superior to some other [hu]man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.”[i]—W. L. Sheldon, philosopher and author [i] W. L. Sheldon, “What to Believe: An Ethical Creed,” in Ethical Addresses, Series 4, No. 4 (Philadelphia: S. Burns Weston, 1897), 61.
New Vlog, “Tangling with the Media Culture,” by Stephanie Bennett
Description: Our media choices shape us. The shaping involves more than the discrete messages that come through TV, Podcasts, and Social Media, but include the media platforms and channels we use to connect with others. You’ve heard, “the medium is the message.” How does the particular medium we use to connect with others affect our spiritual formation, our relationships, and …
