the Web Editors

The online editorial staff comprises Betsy Shirley, Jenna Barnett, Josiah R. Daniels, Mitchell Atencio, Heather Brady, Tyler Huckabee.

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Inequality and Recovery

by the Web Editors 01-22-2013

Economist Joseph Stiglitz contends that the growing inequality in the U.S. makes an economic recovery more difficult and is leading to the death of the American dream.

“Politicians typically talk about rising inequality and the sluggish recovery as separate phenomena, when they are in fact intertwined. Inequality stifles, restrains and holds back our growth. When even the free-market-oriented magazine The Economist argues — as it did in a special feature in October — that the magnitude and nature of the country’s inequality represent a serious threat to America, we should know that something has gone horribly wrong. And yet, after four decades of widening inequality and the greatest economic downturn since the Depression, we haven’t done anything about it.”

TRANSCRIPT: President Obama's Inauguration Speech

by the Web Editors 01-21-2013

U.S. President Barack Obama is sworn in during the public ceremony. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Editor's Note: The following is a transcript of President Barack Obama's remarks following his swearing in during Monday's Inauguration ceremony.

THE PRESIDENT: Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:

Each time we gather to inaugurate a President we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional -- what makes us American -- is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Today we continue a never-ending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they’ve never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. (Applause.) The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.

And for more than two hundred years, we have.

[continuted]

Verse of the Day: 'A Fearful Thing'

by the Web Editors 01-18-2013

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. - Hebrews 10:31 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Voice of the Day: Augustine

by the Web Editors 01-18-2013

Charity is no substitute for justice withheld. - Augustine + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Prayer of the Day: 'The Imprint of Christ's Footsteps'

by the Web Editors 01-18-2013

Holy Spirit, guide us in the imprint of Christ's footseps to pursue justice, counting our neighbors' welfare to be as important as our own. Amen. -From Common Prayer

Prayer of the Day: 'In the World But Not of It'

by the Web Editors 01-17-2013

Lord, we know that to live by the flesh is death, but to live by the Spirit is life. Still, you have redeemed the flesh of the world through your incarnation. Teach us how to be in the world but not of it. Amen.

Voice of the Day: Teilhard De Chardin

by the Web Editors 01-17-2013

Humanity has learned to harness the power of the tides and the sun and the moon. Someday in the future, humanity will learn to harness the power of love, and for the second time in history, we will discover fire. - Teilhard De Chardin + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Verse of the Day: 'A Righteous Branch'

by the Web Editors 01-17-2013

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. - Jeremiah 23:5 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Verse of the Day: 'Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters'

by the Web Editors 01-16-2013

I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt-offerings and grain-offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. - Amos 5:21-24 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Voice of the Day: Dorothy Day

by the Web Editors 01-16-2013

As we come to know the seriousness of the situation, the war, the racism, the poverty in our world, we come to realize that things will not be changed simply by words or demonstrations. Rather, it's a question of living one's life in a drastically different way. - Dorothy Day + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Prayer of the Day: 'Reverence for Life'

by the Web Editors 01-16-2013

God of life, every act of violence between ourselves and others destroys a part of your creation. Stir in our hearts a renewed sense of reverence for all life. Give us vision to recognize your spirit in every human being, however they behave toward us. Make possible the impossible by cultivating in us the fertile seed of healing love. May we play a part in breaking the cycle of violence by realizing that peace begins with us. -Adapted from a prayer by the team at St. Ethelburga's

Verse of the Day:

by the Web Editors 01-15-2013

[Jesus] looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on." - Luke 21:1-4 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Voice of the Day: Kelley Kelsey

by the Web Editors 01-15-2013

If we see ourselves as all cells of one body, then the health and well-being of the whole clearly depends upon each one of us contributing our unique gifts to the healing of the human family. - Kelley Kelsey + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Prayer of the Day: The Wonder

by the Web Editors 01-15-2013

Lord Jesus, your blood washes away our sins and reconciles us to you. May we never get used to the wonder of a God who gives his own life for those who are killing him. Amen.

Prayer of the Day: Jewish Prayer

by the Web Editors 01-14-2013

May he who makes peace in the heavens, make peace for us and for all Israel. And let us say, Amen. -Jewish Prayer

Verse of the Day: 'Show Kindness and Mercy'

by the Web Editors 01-14-2013

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. - Zechariah 7:9-10 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Voice of the Day: Ghandi

by the Web Editors 01-14-2013

He who does not see God in the next person he meets need look no further. - Mahatma Gandhi + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Voice of the Day: Brother Lawrence

by the Web Editors 01-11-2013

[People] invent means and methods of coming at God’s love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God’s presence. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier just to do our common business wholly for the love of him? - Brother Lawrence + Sign up to receive our quote of the day via e-mail

Verse of the Day: 'Everything Has Become New!'

by the Web Editors 01-11-2013

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! - 2 Corinthians 5:17 + Sign up to receive our social justice verse of the day via e-mail

Prayer of the Day: 'Enable Us'

by the Web Editors 01-11-2013

Though you are worthy of trumpets and the song of angels, you graciously receive our daily prayers of whispered words and mundane habits. Enable us, Lord, to love you with all that we are and in all that we do. Teach us how we might truly pray without ceasing. Amen.

-From Common Prayer