The Transylvania Times -

Joseph Heller who wrote “Catch 22” quipped that, “Every writer I know has difficulty writing.” How apt! Every time I write a column for The Transylvania Times, I wish I could write a sparse, terse sentence with depth like... — Updated 7/14/2021

Father’s Day has come and gone. Honoring fathers, however, led me to reflect on a father’s significance within the family, and to some extent, the status of men generally in our culture. An adaptation from Exodus 18:13-23 is... — Updated 6/30/2021

I am one of many people who consider the poem “The Guest House” by Sufi poet Rumi one of their favorite poems. The poem: “This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some... — Updated 6/16/2021

All four of the canonical Gospels describe the ministry of Jesus as a time of intense and mounting tension, culminating in his death on the cross. Jesus is depicted in conflict with the religious leaders of his people, whose... — Updated 6/2/2021

Are there benefits to meditation? From a return-on-investment perspective, yes, meditation can be beneficial. Many studies show that meditation can create a calmer state of mind, if practiced regularly. Studies show that... — Updated 5/19/2021

By Dr. John Campbell C.S. Lewis states in the introduction to his book, “The Problem of Pain,” that “When pain is to be borne, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than much courage, a... — Updated 5/6/2021

Though there were others who developed a Welcoming Prayer tradition within the Centering Prayer movement, Father Thomas Keating, a Benedictine monk, penned the version that follows: “Welcome, Welcome, Welcome. I welcome everythin... — Updated 4/21/2021

We are anxious people. Over 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, 18.1 percent of the population, are suffering from anxiety, yet only 36.9 percent receive treatment. According to a study by Mental Health... — Updated 4/7/2021

A year ago, last January, the first reported COVID-19 case appeared in the United States. Slow to catch on that this was a deadly virus, people began to realize as the cases mounted that we were in a pandemic. Adjustment has been... — Updated 3/25/2021

(This column is the second of a two-part emphasis on politicians who exemplify competent, courageous leadership. Previously, a Democrat, Henry Waxman, was considered. In this column a Republican will be reviewed. Both are people of... — Updated 3/10/2021

(This column is the first of two about politicians who exemplify competent, hardworking and courageous leadership. Today’s column features a Democrat, and my next column will feature a Republican. Both are committed people of... — Updated 2/24/2021

Editor’s Note: This column is written for Black History month. He was exiting the passenger ramp at Midway Airport in Chicago. “There’s Henry Aaron!” I spoke. My mother-in-law, whom we had just greeted after her flight... — Updated 2/11/2021

A mother approached Mahatma Gandhi and asked him to tell her young son to stop eating sweets. Gandhi told the woman to come back in three weeks with her son. When she returned three weeks later, he told the boy to stop eating... — Updated 1/27/2021

In January of last year who would have thought at the beginning of this year we would see our neighbors walking down grocery store aisle wearing masks. Mask wearing signifies we live in an unprecedented time with many challenges.... — Updated 1/13/2021

I am sad today. I have been for several days now. My Aunt Alice died last Friday at the age of 89 in a hospital near her home in Matthews, N.C. The obituary listed her linage along with notable accomplishments, some of them I was... — Updated 12/30/2020

Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, and rightly so. We remember the familiar story. By a decree from Emperor Augustus, Jewish citizens were required to register so Roman authorities could determine how much to tax a... — Updated 12/16/2020

Speaking in the Senate chamber, Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown, of Ohio, admonished the presiding member, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, of Alaska, to wear a mask in order to protect stenographers and staff members from the COVID-19... — Updated 12/2/2020

The conservative newspaper, New Hampshire Union Leader, in offering its endorsement of Joe Biden, noted that, “Biden may not be the president we want, but in 2020 he is the president we desperately need. He will be the president... — Updated 11/18/2020

Arriving in Brevard 15 years ago, I was eager to fulfill one of my dreams by setting up a private practice counseling center here in the mountains. I was ecstatic about being here. But early on and for some time afterward I did... — Updated 11/5/2020

By Dr. John Campbell Albert Camus’ “The Stranger” begins with a sparse announcement: “Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can’t be sure. The telegraph from the Home says: Your Mother passed away. Funeral tomorrow.... — Updated 10/21/2020

On Nov. 8, 2016, eighty-one percent of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump. Their enthusiasm for Trump has remained steady throughout his presidency. The data bears this out. In 2019 the approval rating for President Trump... — Updated 10/7/2020

Police Chief Lance Arnold of Weatherford, Texas, quoted in The Week magazine said that “It seems like we as a country have moved right past the discussion phase of things and now we just are at the stage of conflict, being at... — Updated 9/23/2020

A dispute arose among (the disciples) as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But (Jesus) said to them, “The Kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority are called benefactors. But not so with... — Updated 9/9/2020

(This column is the second in a series based on the work of Walter Wink) In my last column I wrote about a biblical worldview enumerated by Walter Wink, former professor of biblical interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in... — Updated 8/26/2020

This column is the first in a series based on and expanding the seminal work of Walter Wink who was professor of biblical interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. He is remembered for his trilogy on the... — Updated 8/12/2020