Deep Seeing
Dear Chris, For me, one of Thich Nhat Hanh’s greatest gifts is the original 14 precepts of the Order of Interbeing (first published by Parallax in 1987). As you know, I include the 4th precept…
Author: Mark J. Chmiel
Her Favorite Photograph
Out of the blue She texted me First, there was a photo: Then Lena Laserstein Wrote underneath it: “My favorite photograph” Being ever so curious I wrote her back: “Why do you like it so?”…
2015 Chinese Poets in Translation Reading Group
Chris Wallach and I are starting a reading group in 2015 with the aim of reading one of the translations each month of such poets as Wang Wei, Han-Shan, Li Ch’ing-chao, Tu Fu, Su Tung-p’o, Bo Juyi,…
The Power of Photography: Salgado’s Terra
Sebastião Salgado. Terra: Struggle of the Landless. Phaidon. $55.00. 143 pages. For Cami Several years ago at a conference on liberation theology at Maryknoll, my wife, Mev Puleo, asked the noted Salvadoran theologian Jon Sobrino how…
Respecting the Vietnamese
On John Balaban’s Remembering Heaven’s Face: A Moral Witness in Vietnam For Chris, Carol, and Cristina John Balaban declared himself a Conscientious Objector during the VietnamWar; he ended up going to Vietnam, but as a member…
Happy New Year from Wendy Lee in China
Couldn’t think of a better way to spend the last day of 2014, rafting down the Yulong river in complete solitude. First time ever ringing in the new year alone. Instead of feeling lonely, I’m…
Remember This
Bella Levenshteyn It’s never too late to read Amos To live Amos Here in these United States of Havoc Where we manufacture the bullets & bombs & fighter jets That are distributed all over the…
The Way of the World/2
In 1974 Rabbi Yitz Greenberg averred No statement theological or otherwise Is credible unless it’s credible In the presence of burning children The U.S. government cares passionately Rhetorically about the burning children Victimized by our…
Extra Credit
When you arrive early to the classroom Sit down get settled Turn off your cell phone put it away Take refuge in conscious breathing: “Breathing in, I am calm. Breathing out, I smile.” Look with…
The Work Is Never Done
Dear Abbie and Liz, Given your love for theology, I thought I’d share the following reflections on someone you should at least be acquainted with. His name is Helder Camara, former archbishop of Recife, Brazil…