Bonhoeffer on Community

In 1989 Ray Oldenburg wrote the book The Great Good Places in which he intriguingly discussed the importance and recent deterioration of third places within communities, places such as “cafes, coffee shops, bookstores, bars, hair salons, and other hangouts at the heart of a community.” Within these third places, “people get to know one another…

Aristotle on Friendship

Aristotle begins by briefly acknowledging that friendship can only be truly enjoyed and realized between two people for there must be a shared appreciation for friendship to be present. (1) We can’t have friendship with “lifeless objects . . . for it is not mutual love, nor is there a wishing of good to the…

On Behalf of my Dear Brother, Fred Neevel

A CONCISE ACCOUNT of the LIFE OF MR SAMUEL LAWRENCE (written by Matthew Henry) He was born in Wem, a little market town in Shropshire, and as appears by the register, was baptized Nov. 5, 1661. He was the only son of Mr William Lawrence, and Sarah his wife. His father was a very eminent…

True Friendship by Robert Vaughan

[Vaughn Roberts writes a very accessible and brief book on True Friendship. In it, he offers 6 qualities of true friendship, and a discussion of each of these qualities make up the content of the six chapters in the book. Below, I have offered the six qualities and a favorite quote which in summary form identifies…

You are Mine, So I Love You

I found Wesley Hill’s second chapter in his book “Spiritual Friendship” to be the most helpful. He titled the chapter “I Love You Because You’re Mine.” While he discusses this title in conceptual form throughout the chapter, I had to read through about half the chapter to come to where he mentions the context from…