Our city parks are a canvas for the apex of God's creation—people.
An Ultramarathon Through Great Falls Park
God Winks
Reset
The Stones Cry Out
Revitalize, Repurpose
The Enneagram: An Ancient Tool for A New Era
Our striving in Washington and the unavoidable disillusionment that follows might have more to do with our own motivations and our tendency to blame others for our disillusionment than it does with the failings of our current system. The best way to enter the domain of freedom begins with recognizing the masks we have put in place to protect ourselves and instead lay them aside in favor of our true selves.
Do Justice For Beauty
What is my role in justice?
As we look ahead to the Kingdom, we’re called to work through grace to bring healing to our broken political systems, weak communities, and destitute neighbors. Doing justice must be done for beauty’s sake. It's the beauty of God's grace that brings about justice to give him honor and glory.
Journal #100: Creating A Series on Welcoming Refugees
Today marks the 100th Liberatus journal entry about bringing truth and beauty to American politics, written by people on the inside. As we look ahead, you can help us create Issue 017: Refuge—a journal series exploring how we welcome refugees. Just $25 a month will enable us to build community, connect our writers with a local refugee community, and publish Issue 017 in November 2017.
What Healing Means for Human Energy
As we continue the discussion on what a new era of American politics would look like if healing were to occur, today we’re looking at practical wisdom for energy management. As a follower of Jesus, I believe that promoting human flourishing in the workplace is part of our calling. On this topic, the best practical ideas I’ve found and practiced are from The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz.
Letting Go
Eight years ago, I was surrounded by some of the sharpest and most idealistic minds in the country. Countless conversations about changing the world happened with friends, colleagues, and contrarians at The Hawk ‘n’ Dove on Capitol Hill. But today, I’m watching a new era of American politics unfold from my home outside Indianapolis, getting ready to welcome our first foster children.
Claire Handscombe on The West Wing
An interview with Liberatus Editor Claire Handscombe on her work Walk With Us: How the West Wing Changed Our Lives.
“My faith very much informs my politics, and it also teaches me compassion for people and the importance of looking out for the poor and voiceless. Those are values I hold deeply and, when it comes to politics, they’re my true north.”
Choose Healing
A new era of American politics begins on Friday, and today we start a new series exploring what that era would look like if political healing were to occur. Healing is a continual process, and we have to choose it every day. Here’s a picture of what I believe that looks like, and a recommended reading list of the thinkers and their works that have influenced my own journey.
The Real Last Battle
It seems that every election is IT. The last chance to save America. The final hour to “take our country back.” The ultimate moment to redeem the Republic. Even if the other candidate had won last night, this “last battle” narrative would still live on. But if it’s hope we need, maybe we start by identifying what actually is the consequential fight of our time. What deserves to be called the Last Battle?
Remember the Beginning
The call to remember the beginning and the beauty of the beginning in The Magician’s Nephew could not be more timely for me. At the end of four years lobbying for various social justice issues in Washington, DC, I felt worn out and disheartened by the political system. But remembering the beginning shows us what joy we can look forward to in the end because of Jesus.
A Beast Like the Rest of Us
As I re-read The Horse and His Boy, I was drawn powerfully to the themes of power and poverty, slavery and freedom, insecurity and significance. At this point in my life, I see the story as a beautiful tale about the reversal of roles, the meaninglessness of titles, and the use and abuse of power. And there’s a place of profound freedom on the other side of contemplating the emptiness of the endless quest for power.
Why Liberatus
As I scroll through my Twitter feed, turn on the TV, or talk to people, I’m saddened to see ever more evidence that truth and beauty are absent from the American political discourse. What we’re witnessing today is the fruit of a body politic which has wandered from its foundation—we are a people in desperate need of healing.
Providence, Causality, and a Silver Chair
The Silver Chair doesn’t just challenge us with the idea of causality, but with the idea of providence—causality complicated by intent or teleology. Aslan gave the children four signs, fully intending for our protagonists to follow all four of them. However, they were only in a position to obey the later signs because they had failed to obey the earlier ones.
What I've Learned
Today we’re taking a break from our current series, Remember Your Fairy Tales, so I can share a personal note about the current and future plans of Liberatus, and what I’ve learned along the way. In order to continue publishing the journal weekly, build community with a writing team, and grow into phase two, we need ten writers to commit to 2017 and to raise $1,100 in new monthly contributions.
The Voyage of the Dragon Inside
Reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I found myself relating to Eustace during his dragon phase more than I wanted to admit. See, I recently moved across the country and as I sit here as far away from DC as I can imagine, I have a lot of questions. Why am I here? Am I sure this was the right choice? I’ve been searching for some sense of control.