A Light to the Nations: A Reflection on Isaiah’s Prophecy
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone…” Isaiah’s prophetic voice shouts amid a dark, gloomy, and torn world.…
Category: Miscellaneous Nonfiction
Slaves, Sons, and Submission: Christian and Muslim Understandings of God
There is a common claim made that the distinction between Muslim and Christian understandings of God are a stark difference between a distant, remote, severe deity and an intimate, invested, and loving one.…
Maimonides: What Lessons Can He Teach Us Today?
I am an Agnostic man of mixed Hispanic and Ukrainian Jewish background, but I have long been fascinated by the illustrious figure of Maimonides. Here I want to explore what a returned Maimonides would…
There’d be No Santa Claus without St. Nicholas: Remembering the Saint behind the Legend
I find it very troubling when someone's legacy is discredited, especially if that someone was a saint who dedicated his life to helping the poor. While it is apparent that secularists have hijacked Christmas, hearing…
A Short Discourse on Friendship
One of those Ancient Greek philosophers - Aristotle, maybe - said that there were three types of friendship. Whatever he called them, I’m going to call them the Fun Friend, the Useful Friend and the…
I Saw Santa Punching Arius: Saint Nicholas at the Council of Nicaea
Santa Claus, good old Saint Nick, the bringer of yuletide joy throughout Europe and North America. The historical figure behind Santa is the Christian saint and bishop, Nicholas of Myra. He was born sometime in…
A First Christmas Reflection
Hello, everyone! I can’t believe it’s that time of year again. Festive Christmas music plays, decorative lights twinkle brightly, and people are out eagerly buying gifts for their loved ones. But I don’t mind. It’s…
Captured from Bondage: A Christian Reflection on Following God
Following God is simple, and it's complex. It's easy. It's hard. It's all about relationship. But we'd be lying if we said God doesn't have rules, guidelines, expectations. What does this relationship look like, this…
Artistic Excellence: A Catholic’s Reflection on Islam in the Arts
Having an artistic nature, one of my main interests in Islamic culture has been its proclivity for creativity. This is true in writing, design, textiles, fashion, architecture, and a host of other avenues.…
“I Have a Dream”: The Fifty Year Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
“I have a dream that on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that, one day,…