What's Tony Thinking

How Far Have We Come?

January 21, 2019 — We worshipped yesterday at Quest Church in our Ballard neighborhood. It is easily the most multi-racial, multi-ethnic church I’ve experienced. Quest manages an odd but wonderful combination of evangelical piety and Jesus-focus with a strong emphasis on social justice. You wouldn’t think that would be odd or unusual — it makes sense to me —... Read More

On Bible Study, Part Two

January 19, 2019 — I was surprised how many of you read, commented on and shared my last post on bible study. Who knew? Given your response I want to go a little deeper to suggest how we got to this place of church without Scripture and suggest a non-quick-fix. In doing so I will draw more on a... Read More

A Very Different BS

January 17, 2019 — My last post here was “On Bullshit.” Today I again want to focus on BS, but of a very different variety. Bible Study. One evening this week I walked the 1.5 miles to Quest Church in our Seattle neighborhood, Ballard, to take part in “Immerse Bible Study.” We had each read the Old Testament “Book... Read More

On Bullshit

January 15, 2019 — Apologies up front to those offended by the language of my title. In my defense, let me say that “bullshit” is my actual topic here. Roger Cohen called attention in a recent column to the work of the philosopher, Harry Frankfurt. Frankfurt published a book length essay in 2005 titled, On Bullshit. Events have made... Read More

The Trees Are Talking

January 14, 2019 — The trees are talking. Are we listening? That might be the simple way to sum up Richard Powers big, ambitious novel, The Overstory. My book group read it this month and discussed it last night. Responses to The Overstory ranged from “love it” to “hate it” and every thing in between. Powers is clearly a gifted writer,... Read More

On the Lighter Side

January 12, 2019 — It’s been a quiet week here, by the bay, west of Ballard. Linda had cataract surgery on Monday. The prep nurse explained to me that because she was giving Linda something to relax her, I would be the boss for the next twenty-four hours. I got so giddy with the prospect that I forgot to... Read More

Bad Boys

January 11, 2019 — I’m a fan of Andrew Sullivan’s work (at New York Magazine) and have frequently drawn from him here. Today Sullivan hit the trifecta in a three-part column. Part one on Trump and his threat to declare a “national emergency” in order to get his wall. I opined earlier this week on Trump’s address from the Oval,... Read More

Trump from the Oval: It Didn’t Work

January 8, 2019 — It was Donald Trump’s first address from the Oval Office. And there’s a reason for that. This is not his natural habitat. Neither the Oval Office, with its weight of tradition, genuine crisis and solemnity. Nor is a Presidential “address” really his thing. Indeed, “Trump” and “Presidential address” are an oxymoron. Whoever advised him to... Read More

A Few Choice Words

January 7, 2019 — Jon Talton, the economics columnist for the Seattle Times, (and a novelist on the side) is one of the paper’s best writers. It takes some doing to get me to read about business and economics, but Talton’s reliably insightful columns have accomplished that. This Sunday the Times magazine insert, “Pacific NW,” kicked off a year-long... Read More

On Epiphany

January 6, 2019 — ‘Tis Epiphany, January 6. The final day of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Some semi-random reflections . . . Pay It Forward with a Twist While cross-country skiing between Christmas and New Year’s I approached the ski hut to buy two $15.00 passes, one for myself, one for Laura. I had $30 even, no cards,... Read More

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