Friend (or rather, ex-Friend) Joshua Ashlyn Humphries, a banished Quaker and Anabaptist prophet/theologian, is dead, at 39. Dead, and it’s a damn shame. A shame for Quakers, Mennonites, and some others. I feel shamed too. But he was not an ex-Friend to me. The official obituary does not say how or where he passed; presumably … Continue reading A Banished Quaker Prophet: Josh Humphries (Updated)
My buddy Garrison — well, I did meet him once, and he even told me a couple of his secrets, which I blabbed here in 2016. And we’re the same age; we always are, except for the sad months of September until early December. He gets older first. And now he’s charging into the post-pandemic, … Continue reading Garrison Keillor Goes Contemporary
Besides his work and example, Friend David Zarembka also left a valuable and underestimated resource of writings for Friends and others. We’ll sample that legacy here, and point to where more can be found. Besides some personal contact, I learned most about Dave from his book A Peace of Africa. Here’s part of that context … Continue reading David Zarembka’s Memorable Writings: A Sampler
English-speaking Quakers today are in dire need of some new “spiritual” books, and I have a top candidate to recommend here. It is John Calvi’s How far Have You Traveled? Amid all the wonderful stuff that’s in it, some of what makes Calvi’s book so excellent is what’s not in it. For example — and … Continue reading John Calvi: Boon Companion for Spiritual Travel
Today, April 30, 2024, is Annie Dillard’s birthday. Among the many eminent authors who interest me, she might be the one I would most like to be email & text message-buddies with, so I could have a chance to keep up with her laser sharp thoughts and squibs on, whatever.