The Trinity Forum Blog

In the middle of last year’s Cairo protests, a few remarkable images from Tahrir Square were shared on Twitter and quickly picked up by newspapers around the world. The images showed Christian Egyptians holding hands and creating a human barrier to protect Muslim Egyptians in prayer. It was also revealed that Muslims had done the same thing for Christians during the protests, and both groups had at other times also protected mosques and churches.

Prayer is at the heart of faith, and even, I would say, at the heart of being human...

Each election year typically brings renewed salvos in the ongoing culture wars, and there is little reason to think that 2012 will prove an exception. But in the midst of all the sound and fury that surrounds such battles, it can be easy to overlook less truculent, if no less effective, means of cultural engagement.

Historically, one of the most powerful instigators of cultural change has been the small discussion group. In France, it was the Salon – small groups who would meet together to talk, gossip, read and discuss. In 18th Century England, it was the Clapham Group, who helped usher Britain from one of the most violent, oppressive, and debauched societies in history into the Victorian era. Today, perhaps the closest equivalent – as well as a gentle yet potent means of pushing back against harmful cultural norms – is the book club.

There are several reasons why a reading group – as modest and homespun as it may seem – is a subversive countercultural effort.

Holiday departures have already begun. Here in Washington, rush hour traffic is slowly (and blessedly) thinning, airports are packed, and offices are clearing out. For the next few days, families will gather to celebrate, shop, open presents, and overeat. And in the midst of the (usually) happy chaos, there will be occasional reminders to recall “the reason for the season.”

Whatever else may be said of it, Christmas is a wonderful holiday, properly understand: a holy day, full of wonder.

Wonder may be said to be at the heart of Christmas. For what the day claims to celebrate – the physical, incarnated entry of God himself into the goings-on of this earth around two millennia ago – staggers the mind. Whether one believes it or not, the very idea that an infinite deity would stoop to human limitations (not to mention the encompassing constraints and needs of a newborn) in order to offer a deeper relationship with those humans seems fantastic, incredible, even impossible.

by Meredith Schultz

“Of what happened later in the evening, nothing definite here can be stated. None of the guests later on had any clear remembrance of it. They only knew that the room had been filled with heavenly light, as if a number of small halos had blended into one glorious radiance. Taciturn old people received the gift of tongues; ears that for years had been almost deaf were opened to it. Time itself merged into eternity. Long after midnight, the windows of the house shone like gold, and golden song flowed out into the winter air.” –Isak Dineson, “Babette’s Feast”

Before the close of our first term, the Trinity Forum Academy fellows and staff celebrated an early Thanksgiving. Now three months into the year, the initial enthusiasm tempers into reality. Graduate school deadlines close in, thesis projects run aground, and personal resolutions lose steam. Mornings seem earlier, work shifts seem longer, and extending grace to one another becomes more and more difficult. It is when joy runs dry that we most need to celebrate...

George H. Gallup, Jr. (1930-2011), the son of the founder of Gallup Poll and good friend to the Trinity Forum, passed away this past Wednesday. The Trinity Forum would like to join those who send their condolences to the friends and family of George.  We remember with gratitude his many contributions to the work of The Trinity Forum through his wise counsel, research, and Forum participation.  We also remember with great respect and fondness his grace, unshakeable kindness to all he encountered, and consistent joy, in addition to his extraordinary work.  George’s presence as a faithful servant of Christ will be missed, but his legacy remains and his work continues to bear fruit.

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

--G.K. Chesterton

During this Thanksgiving week, it is customary to reflect on, and offer thanks for, our many blessings. Recent research suggests that doing so is also a vital way to enhance our health and happiness.

Gratitude has long been recognized as a virtue, and even acknowledged as a duty. The ancient historian Cicero asserted that gratitude “is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others.” Both the Old and New Testaments encourage, even command one to give thanks “without ceasing” and “in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you” and to be “overflowing with thankfulness.”

So essential to spiritual life is thankfulness that Martin Luther described gratitude as “the basic Christian attitude” and the great Puritan theologian and preacher Jonathan Edwards argued that a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude to God was an indicator of one’s spiritual state. And moral philosopher Adam Smith devoted extensive space in A Theory of Moral Sentiments to exploring the moral claims of gratitude, and their consequences, as being fundamental to a well-ordered society.

Indeed, our celebration of this week’s holiday is itself a demonstration of our intuitive sense of the duty of gratitude, even in the midst of difficulty. It is well known that the Massachusetts Pilgrims’ original harvest celebration was held in the midst of disease, death, and deprivation. And the proclamation of this commemoration as a National Holiday took place in the midst of Civil War in 1863 – both periods of American history marked by extraordinary suffering.

It may be counted another blessing that the duty and virtue of gratitude comes with its own rewards. One of the delightful contributions of recent research in positive psychology is the compilation of empirical evidence to further confirm what has long been known by intuition and experience: the act of thanksgiving brings joy and health.

Consider just a few recent findings: Gratitude and expressions of thankfulness have been found to lower stress, improve one’s immune system, enhance cardiovascular function, increase energy levels, reduce the likelihood of depression, and even improve one’s sleep.

Moreover, those who cultivate habits of thankfulness have stronger relationships, report higher levels of happiness and a clearer sense of life purpose, demonstrate greater levels of altruism, and demonstrate more positive coping strategies in confronting both transitions and difficult situations. Gratitude, it seems, is good for our health, as well as our soul.

Of course, thankfulness is not an instrument to be used to secure physiological benefits; reduced to a tool, it may fail in that function. Rather, the habitual practice of thankfulness affirms a proper orientation towards the Source of our blessings, and enables one to better receive, recognize, and delight in the many gifts and graces of this life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly,
Cherie Harder
President

Further Reading

* Adam Smith, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments," Trinity Forum Reading, 2009.

* G.K. Chesterton, "The Strangest Story in the World," Trinity Forum Reading, 2009.

* Isak Dinesen, "Babette's Feast," Trinity Forum Reading, 2010.

* Victor Hugo, "The Purchase of a Soul," Trinity Forum Reading, 1995.

* Steering Through Chaos, Trinity Forum Curriculum, 2000.

The past several years have seen an intensifying of a long-running conflict between the claims of science and faith. Debates over our origins, the reliability of the Bible and the scientific record, and the proper realms of authority of faith and science have generated more heat than light, with some finding their faith severely strained by perceived pressure to choose between scientific evidence and religious teachings.

What causes a person to change?

It is a question pondered by parents, pastors, politicians, educators, therapists, physicians -- and of course, Oprah. From twelve-step programs, public awareness campaigns, and management techniques, to the promise of “statecraft as soulcraft” virtually every occupational sector offers ways of encouraging and equipping people to identify, address, and eliminate their demons and diseases. There are few concerns as pressing or as practical as the formation -- or reformation -- of character, and few tasks as difficult.

And nowhere is the issue of character reformation more urgent, or the stakes higher, than in the realm of crime and punishment. The extent of those affected is extraordinary: in the past three decades, the US prison population hasincreased nearly five-fold. Over seven millionAmericans are imprisoned or on probation or parole. Some studies have suggested that as many as two million children have a parent behind bars. And every day, around 2,000 prisoners (or over 700,000 per year) are released from prison to rejoin society.

What a celebration!

Last week at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, the Trinity Forum hosted our 20th Anniversary Founders' Gala - and what a party it was! It was a wonderful time to honor our co-founders, Os Guinness and Al McDonald, while also looking ahead to the future of the Forum.

From beginning to end, the Gala was an evening of phenomenal music, challenging remarks from our two Founders and keynote speakers, and opportunities to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. To see more photos, visit our Facebook page.

In an excellent piece published by Comment Magazine, John Terrill and Kenman Wong explore the ideas of Dorothy Sayers in her essay, "Why Work?", recently published by The Trinity Forum as a Reading. They present Sayers' context at the time of her writing the essay in order to understand her ideas more thoroughly. Also included are examples of companies today who "serve their work." Read their thoughts for an introduction to Sayers' thoughts or to revisit questions about work and insights into the meaning and purpose of work.

According to polls, “we the people” are rude. A recent nationwide study on civility in America found that 95% of Americans believe the level of civility in the country is a problem, and 65% consider it a “major” problem — and most believe it is getting worse.

The study, conducted by Weber Shandwick and Powell Tate in partnership with KRC Research, warned that “the tone of civility is causing Americans to tune out from the most fundamental elements of our democracy” — a particular danger, since informed — and civil — civic participation is essential to sustaining democratic government.

The Trinity Forum is throwing a party! We hope you will join us next month as we celebrate our 20th anniversary, and a generation's worth of the work of the Trinity Forum.

The 20th Anniversary Founders' Gala will be held at the beautiful Corcoran Museum of Art in Washington, DC to honor our founders, Os Guinness and Al McDonald, as well as the many other men and women whose vision for and commitment to the Forum has made the work of the last twenty years possible.

The August doldrums are upon us.  Here in Washington, Congress has, after many misadventures, recessed for the month, and with their departure, traffic has thinned, the pace has slowed, workdays have shortened, and vacations are taken. The city (and perhaps the nation as well) seems to have breathed a sigh of relief.

With the dog days of summer come the all-too-unusual availability of time to rest and read. (Indeed, it is uncanny how often the two go together, and a good book leads to a long nap.)  Reading and resting both involve stepping away for a time from immediate responsibilities and claims upon attention, and enable one to let her mind wander to new regions, ponder new stories, consider new ideas, and refresh itself. To assist in that delightful endeavor, we at the Trinity Forum would like to offer a few particularly fascinating biographies as suggested summer reading.

One of the more interesting and repeated biblical injunctions is that against inattention and amnesia.  In the Old Testament alone, there are dozens of exhortations to the Israelites to “remember,” “fix it in mind,”  “write on the tablet of your heart,” “bind on your fingers,” “tell your children,” and “do not forget” their experience of God, as related through the gritty stories of their exodus from slavery, wanderings in the desert, and eventual arrival at the “promised land.” Repeatedly and urgently, they are commanded to ingrain the events of their encounters with God into their mind and memory, and to transmit that memory to the next generation.

In the midst of this graduation season, it is timely to consider one of the more interesting decisions universities make: the choice of a commencement speaker.

It must be a tough call. Who is best suited and equipped to provide parting wisdom to a graduating class, encourage them to live lives of noble purpose, and welcome them to educated society? Whose life and example is both interesting and inspiring enough to command an audience’s respect, and hold their attention? The annual list of college Commencement Speakers provide fascinating insight into what a society values, and what kind of example we seek to transmit to a new generation.

We’re delighted you’ve joined us. In fact, we’re launching this feature for the purpose of hearing from you, our friends and readers, on the “big issues” of life -- work, vocation, faith, art, hospitality, character, meaning, and so on.

In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting our Reflections (also distributed via email) and inviting your own thoughts and reflections on the topic at hand. Part of our mission at the Trinity Forum is to encourage discussion, as well as reflection, on life’s biggest questions -- and this blog is one way to encourage such a conversation. We hope to hear from you!

The majority of our postings will come from me, but on occasion we’ll invite entries from our renowned circle of Senior Fellows, and other friends. Our first reflection focuses on what some consider to be an extraordinary frustration and time-suck, and others, as a source of meaning, personal fulfillment, and exhilaration: work. Towards what end (beyond the obvious paycheck) do we work? How should we work -- at what task, in what way, and for how long? How does one integrate her faith with her work?

We’ll feature some thoughts by Dorothy Sayers, the author of the extraordinary essay “Why Work?” that we are releasing as our spring Trinity Forum Reading, and invite your thoughts as well. Comments will be (lightly) moderated. To comment, simply sign on as a user to our site; you’ll then have access to comment on this page. We hope that this site wil l soon become an inviting space for you to engage others in conversations that matter.

Warmly,

Cherie

We are now in the midst of what may be the most counter-cultural of holiday seasons: Lent. In stark contrast to the crazed consumerism that accompanies Advent, or even the candy trappings of Easter, Lent offers nothing for the world to commercialize or capitalize upon. In a fast-paced culture, it bids us to slow down; against technology that promises the evisceration of limits; it reminds us of our own frailties and constraints; in contrast to our noisy sociability; it encourages silence and solitude, and in opposition to our tendency towards self-indulgence, it urges spiritual discipline.

It is, in many ways, a tough sell. We are arguably the most distracted and overloaded society in history. Studies show that even while time spent at work continues to increase, particularly for upper-income professionals, so does time spent watching TV, surfing the internet, calling and texting. Squeezed out is time spent socializing in person, reading, family time, and sleep (according to some studies, Americans average one hour less per night of sleep than they did a generation ago).

Our distraction comes at a price. We are working longer hours, but are more likely to be in debt. We call, text, email, and Skype more than ever, but are more likely to complain of loneliness or broken relationships. We have access to oceans of information, but are losing the ability to focus. Left to our own devices, we are likely to wind up, in the words of one sociologist: "fat, addicted, broke, with a house full of junk and no time."

As such, Lent offers us not only a reality check, but rest. It reminds us of our limits, in contrast to the infinite capacity of God. And it offers the hope of margin attained through the holiday's disciplines of reflection, humility, and solitude. As Henri Nouwen wrote, "in the spiritual life, the word discipline means 'the effort to create some space in which God can act.' Discipline means to prevent everything in your life from being filled up. Discipline means that somewhere you're not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied. In the spiritual life, discipline means to create that space in which something can happen that you hadn't planned or counted on."

Ultimately, this season helps remind us of the futility of our own strivings, and awaken our capacity to see the wonder of God's work in the world around us. If the discipline of silence can help us hear His voice more clearly, solitude may serve to heighten our awareness of his presence. It is a simple reminder that against all our busy-ness is the offer of his rest, that our failures are met by His sufficiency, and what began with ashes will end in Easter.

Warmly,
Cherie Harder
President