by John D. Pierce | Nov 7, 2023 | Feature|General|Opinion
Institutions are formed to serve specific purposes — often very important ones. So we organize ourselves in many different ways — creating these numerous institutions in which we become involved to varying degrees. Except for an occasional hermit here and there,...
by John D. Pierce | Oct 31, 2023 | Feature|Opinion
Syncretism is the amalgamation of things— like ideas, cultures, and religious thoughts and practices. We often see this in the blending of two distinct traditions into one that bears the marks of each of them. We know this firsthand when considering our popular...
by John D. Pierce | Oct 24, 2023 | Feature|Opinion
The tourist-oriented town of West Yellowstone, Montana, didn’t know what it was getting when a former prison chaplain from Arkansas showed up in the summer of 1998. But it soon found out. The small but popular gateway to Yellowstone National Park swells to some 20,000...
by John D. Pierce | Oct 17, 2023 | Feature|Opinion
Discernment seemed to be something Jesus possessed more than others, but he was human. He took chances on people that didn’t turn out as he hoped. However, the gospel writers do not record him saying, “What a waste” after not getting the results he...
by John D. Pierce | Oct 10, 2023 | Feature|Opinion
Who doesn’t have friends and/or family living in conspiracy-riddled worlds from which truth is not an escape route? From their favored politicians, media personalities and sometimes religious leaders— all embraced as messiah-like, esoteric truth-bearers—they receive...
