One of Italy’s more creative correspondents and writers, Tommaso Debenedetti has published interviews with: Cardinal Ratzinger, just prior to his election to the papacy; Mikhail Gorbachev; Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu; and Elie Wiesel. He published interviews with well-know authors such as John Grisham and Philip Roth. His insightful interviews were the result of his access […]

In Alabama neither college football season nor political campaigning ever ends.  In May I read my first projection of what teams will play in which bowl games.  It is now June and we have completed the first round of the state primary elections, but we are in the midst of political run offs, and the […]

Recently, a very gifted track and field coach died. The last five years of his life had been difficult as he had battled lymphoma, but the last twenty years had been filled with controversy and disappointment. Charlie Frances was a Canadian coach whose star athlete was stripped of […]

Recently, someone asked me if my theology was “reformed?”  The term “reformed theology” is currently a “hot button” among many evangelicals.  To some, it is becoming the single-question litmus test to help people know whether you are one of “us” or one of “them.”  Book publishers and blog writers have learned how and where to […]

People who are on the path to good character are always in the process of re-creation, not just recreation, which is too often confused with entertainment.   Entertainment is an amusement or a diversion, while recreation is the refreshment of strength and spirit. In order to emphasize the right meaning of recreation in this blog post, […]

People on the character path know the difference between vision and fantasy.
Vision and fantasy have little in common except they are future focused. They are opposing and competing forces in the battle for good character.
Vision is about making a positive contribution in the future. Vision involves setting goals, developing and implementing strategies, and constant evaluation […]

More than one political pundit has given this advice to our national leaders, but we need to apply it individually. If we survive this economic downturn and then return to the habits and attitudes we had before the recession, we have wasted a great opportunity. This is an excellent occasion to reboot your value system […]

“This community is not riddled with corruption and ethical flaw because it is dishonest. This town knows no better.”  From the Archiblog Posted by John Archibald — The Birmingham News, January 08, 2009
In a scathing rebuke of city and county elected leadership, the provocative Birmingham News columnist, John Archibald, identifies a major flaw not only […]