The Transylvania Times -

(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

According to projections from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, if 95 percent of Americans were to wear masks in public, more than 33,000 lives will be saved by the end of September.... — Updated 7/29/2020

Might we be a spy and not know it? No, not a spy that works for an intelligence agency. I am referring to the way we survey the behavior of loved ones. This was especially true regarding my sons. I watched them. My attention was... — Updated 7/15/2020

“Just Mercy” is a compelling movie. We see how prejudice was embedded in southern culture and how attitudes towards blacks left a legacy of psychological and social trauma. The storyline is about the exoneration of Walter... — Updated 6/24/2020

Jeremiah, one of the greatest prophets of Hebrew scripture, proclaimed a message of sorrow and hope as well as judgment about the apostasy of his country. Jeremiah lived during a time of tremendous upheaval for the Hebrews. The Bab... — Updated 6/12/2020

The Torah begins with a journey. Avram and Sarai, who will become Abraham and Sarah, hear a voice that urges them to embark on a journey to an unknown land. They are addressed directly by YHVH, the Lord: “Go to yourself, leave... — Updated 5/27/2020

Writer John Powell, author of the book “Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am,” tells how he and a friend of his were strolling down a New York City street, a walk the two took frequently. They stopped at a newspaper vendor’s... — Updated 4/8/2020

By Dr. John Campbell I want to send a letter of resignation. Resign from playing God! Resign when I find myself trying to resolve imaginary problems that reside in the future. When I insist on solving ones that are unsolvable with... — Updated 3/12/2020

Editor’s Note: This column is written to honor Black History Month. When I called Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’s office in early February a secretary answered the phone. After identifying myself, she asked me where I was... — Updated 2/26/2020

Are we not apt to judge people and ourselves as either good or bad or at the least a mixture of both? Jesus didn’t. Jesus made a profound psychological point about people in the parable of the good Samaritan. He suggested that... — Updated 2/12/2020

One of my joyful memories is history classes with Dr. Richard Zuber at Wake Forest University. I had been invited by history department professors to take part in the Senior Honors program in history. I became a member of a small... — Updated 1/29/2020