Cultural Practices

Jan
04

Bringing the Light: Bolivia to Eagle Mountain

My early morning trip, with lights sparkling on the horizon in the wintry cold of dawn, reminded me that seekers are the torchlight that feeds the flame – illuminating and healing “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine” while spreading peace and joy.

Nov
09

Nothing can violate my commitment to protecting and securing life through acts of love and compassion. So, if the state chooses to kill me, it is not the end for me; it is only the beginning.

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Mar
05

By James E. Copple As Kenya Airways made its descent into Nairobi, the rising sun colored the eastern sky bright orange. Enveloped in morning fog, the beauty of sun-on-clouds painted an endless, boundless horizon — it’s a continent so rich in diversity and history, and I am thankful this place has been part of my […]

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Sep
03

By James E. Copple What am I missing here? Anyone seeking to be legally married should secure a license from the state, and I mean anyone. Once signed by the state, you are legally married. Marriage is a secular act, comparable to getting a license to operate a business; drive a car; or carry a […]

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Jun
25

By James E Copple Guns have become a public health issue like tobacco and alcohol, and our families are the chief victims. But where is the leadership of our churches, denominations and faith communities on the issue of gun-violence? We must challenge the American gun narrative; support good policy and cultural shifts necessary for common-sense, […]

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Aug
01

A child shouldn’t have to sacrifice her body, safety and boundaries for tuition By James E. Copple Kariobangi North Girls Secondary School is an oasis in the midst of one of Nairobi’s worst slums, but the cost of an education, hope and a future can be criminal. We spent the morning at the Kariobangi North, and the […]

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Jun
09

By James E. Copple Alcohol has become a “hot topic” in circles of faith – the absolutes about alcohol consumption that kept us sheltered in the moralistic teachings of our ancestors are all but gone or at least ridiculed, and young people ask, “why not?” Therefore, the issues and consequences of alcohol use are surfacing […]

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Mar
05

By James E. Copple Human-trafficking lives in the shadows of our global urban centers.  “Shadows.” That’s her word, and she is a 15-year-old Eritrean girl sold by her parents and trafficked via container-truck to Nairobi, where she lives in a small shack. And hers isn’t an uncommon story in East Africa, where famine and drought […]

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