Good News For Hungry Hearts And Minds

Christians haven’t always done evangelization well. The Benedictine monk and bishop, Saint Boniface (c. 680-754), had a mixed history in that regard. There are stories about him literally trampling the religious traditions of other cultures but also about him embracing the customs of people and inviting them to see their own lives in light of the gospel. What’s your take on evangelization? Is there a hammer, or the gospel in someone’s hand? Consider the words of

Fake News And Peace

Peace is possible only when truth is readily available. This is why Pope Francis has dedicated this World Communications Day to a reflection on the polarizing effect of fake news. False information creates and fuels division, bleeding its consequences into both personal and group behaviors. By contrast, a “journalism of peace” promotes

Toomer’s Oaks May Have Fighting Chance

In a previous entry, I shared that Auburn University‘s historic Toomer’s Corner oak trees were poisoned with the powerful herbicide Spike 80DF, according to a telephone call made by the now-arrested prime suspect, 62-year-old Harvey Almorn Updyke of Dadeville, AL.

Mr. Updyke called the Paul Finebaum sports radio talk show and confessed on air that, “The weekend after the Iron Bowl, I went to Auburn, Alabama – because I live 30 miles away – and I poisoned the two Toomer’s trees. I put Spike 80DF in ‘em.“

In that entry entitled “Arrest Made in Poisoning of Auburn’s Historic Toomer’s Corner Oak Tree,” I remarked that “There may be some saving grace in this issue because warm weather and Spring have not arrived with any consistency yet, and therefore the trees may not yet be in bud, and (I suppose) do not yet have foliage, thus preventing significant uptake of poison.”

Now, it seems that at least one other voice concurs.

And, that’s good news!

Expert: Toomer’s trees may stand a chance

By Elizabeth Zimmerman

The outlook for the poisoned trees at Toomer’s Corner is grim, but they may