Urban Life

Joshua Witchger 11-21-2011

http://youtu.be/cJRBNbuaonc

Awesome tweet of the day: The father of liberal theology, Fred Schleiermacher, was born today in 1768. “Born” and “today” are just metaphors, of course. (via @shipofools) Plus interfaith bridge building, an extensive interview from U2, Jana Riess is Flunking Sainthood, Pakistanian cell phone censorship, Oscar-worthy documentaries, urban farming, Malawi introduces an anti-farting law (seriously, see above) and more.   

 

Elizabeth Palmberg 8-01-2009

Bio: Founder and CEO, Northern California Urban Development (www.norcaludc.org)
Blog: norcalurban.blogspot.com

 

Auto idolatry and casino economics have left Detroit tottering on the brink. What will it take for Motown to rise again?

For the first time in history, more people live in urban than rural areas, according to a 2007 U.N.

7-01-2004

On the surface, the staff of Word Made Flesh might seem easily pigeonholed as standard-issue evangelicals. These are the kind of Christians who close their eyes and raise their hands while singing worship tunes. The stereotype is that these are also the kind of Christians for whom faith means only individual piety. But these young people are choosing to live in the world's most destitute urban slums, among the poorest of the poor. Why? Because the Bible tells them so.

In Galati, Romania, Word Made Flesh's largest drop-in center is a fully functioning three-ring circus of street kids, staff members, and stray dogs. The center has the usual services, but also offers amenities that are meaningful to children who sleep in alleys - laundry facilities, an art center, a woodworking and stonemasonry workshop, and individual lockers. The Galati center also has a terraced garden for which the children share responsibility. "[It will] teach the kids a usable skill as well as provide food," staff member Bill Haley notes. "Part of their learning is to participate in the work of...the place that is meant for them and is truly theirs."

In El Alto, Bolivia, initial research revealed that women in prostitution were receiving little attention or care. After visiting brothels and becoming acquainted with the women who worked there, Word Made Flesh built a drop-in center that has become a safe haven and lunchtime gathering spot. The women named it "House of Hope," and in addition to the reading groups and social gatherings it hosts, it will soon offer free medical care, counseling, legal services, and job training to the women and their families.

Larry Bellinger 9-01-2001

Cornel West is nothing if not prolific.

Honky, by Yale sociologist Dalton Conley, is a memoir of growing up during the 1970s and 1980s in the projects of New York's Lower East Side.

Eric DeBode 1-01-2001

The Word on the Street has the potential to be a book about two theologians who volunteer at a soup kitchen, feel good about themselves, and write heart-warming stories about their experiences.

Larry Bellinger 1-01-2001

"Art has the power to heal spiritual, emotional, and physical brokenness."

To be a woman of faith in the midst of the city, I was forced to develop a contemplative stance. I am naturally pulled toward God in the midst of nature.

Edward J. Farrell 1-01-2000

To be a contemplative has traditionally meant leaving the city for a quiet life of prayer.

I do not view myself as a contemplative. I’d say that I am a "seeker" of God. This seeking has been a lifelong process.

Joe Nangle 3-01-1999

The final column of a six-year run gives the author permission to write in the first person, wouldn't you say?

Karen Lattea 7-01-1995

When I tell people I live in Washington, D.C., a common reply is, "I'm sorry to hear that."