| The Commons
When Jack Stotts was the President of McCormick Seminary, something happened that he told in a speech on unity and inclusivity: McCormick Seminary had just relocated to the south side of Chicago to become part of a rich ecumenical cluster of theological schools. One...
| The Commons
A gas thief thought he had struck gold at an RV park in Seattle. He found a motorhome where no one was around. So he siphoned the tank. Unfortunately, he drew up out of the tank not gasoline but raw sewage. The RV owner decided not to press charges. Each… To...
| The Commons
A cartoon in The New Yorker shows a doctor walking towards a sick patient. The doctor says, “Good news, Mr. Figby! The insurance company says you’re well.” Saying so doesn’t make it so. Even when the “saying” is done by the authorities. To access this post, you must...
| The Commons
In 1803, a British civil service job was created. A watchman was told to stand on the Cliffs of Dover with a spyglass. It was an important job. He was to look across the English Channel toward France. When he saw Napoleon coming, he was to ring an alarm bell…...
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I told this story in one of my books. But it’s worth repeating and retelling. The story is of a traveler who approached the gates of an ancient city. The gatekeeper sat quietly, and listened as the traveler announced that he had left his old city and was looking...
