Visionary Christian Idealism

September 3, 2024

Visionary Christian Idealism Kant’s Three Questions Near the end of Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, Kant has a section titled: The Canon of Pure Reason; Of the Ideal of the Highest Good, as a Determining Ground of the Ultimate End of Pure Reason. (B833/A805). All the interests of Kant, with respect to his idea of pure reason, whether speculative or practical, are concentrated in three questions: What can I know? What ought I to do? What may I hope? […]

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I Stand with Riley Gaines. And William Penn.

October 10, 2023

I stand with Riley Gaines. Normally this website is a vehicle for me to present topics I think are something more than the politics of the day.  I avoid snarky exchanges, commentary that will be old by next week.  I present my Christian poetry, themed by the Book of Revelation.  I present poetry from a prisoner, Darryl Blackwell.  I comment on issues pertinent to Christian faith or ministry in prisons.  My poetry involves theology, eschatology, philosophy.  This website has no […]

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Global Crisis

August 10, 2023

Darryl K. Blackwell’s Global Crisis music: Wes Montgomery – Bumpin’ on Sunset [This was performed by Darryl Blackwell recently as part of an inmate-generated, recorded program for other inmates at Pennsylvania’s Mahanoy State Correctional Institute, near Frackville, PA.  At Darryl’s request, I also post this link: http://www.connectnetwork.com 1. It’s a global crisis/Invisible enemy/Grips east to westthe ambulances speeding/No heat/Dirty sheetsEmpty streets/Can’t enter/Nor exitAll the many places or shows/Emergency roomsAre filled beyond belief/Casualty counts/I.C.U’sE.M.T’s/Crushed by patients/Undertakers staggerCan’t keep up/With massive daily […]

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Four Introspective Saints

May 18, 2023

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour: Hammy – The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him. Didn’t Habakkuk say that? Inwardly a Jew, circumcised in spirit. Silence is worship – to quietly carry Isaac’s wood. In reverence for the Son of God unveiling his will beyond human tracing. Heaven all around, silent. In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared. […]

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10-Minute Bible Studies

December 12, 2022

First, a poem, by way of warming up: O Mary, Bounce on your Donkey I didn’t send an angel to make an astonishing announcement.Didn’t overshadow myself with the Holy Spirit.Didn’t convince my betrothed I wasn’t unfaithful.An angel did that, in a dream.I just bounce along on the donkey. I didn’t issue an edict that all the world should appear for a census.Caesar August did that. Quirinius obeyed – governor now.Didn’t order that we should all go to our hometown to […]

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Additional Thoughts about Medical Parole

April 17, 2022

Some Additional Thoughts About State Senator Sharif Street’sProposed Medical Parole Program for Pennsylvania Inmates____________________________________ Issues to Consider with respect to extending medical parole in Pennsylvania: How old is the individual? How much of the sentence has the incarcerated individual served? What proportion of that is his or her sentence? Is the individual lucid, rational, self-aware, able to care for themselves, or do they have significant cognitive, physical or emotional deficits? Have the interests of the victim or the victim’s family […]

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Home-State Poetry Reading

February 24, 2022

I arrive at the coffee house early and enter to secure my dose of caffeine. The manager, Jen, is working alone behind the counter. “Hi – supermax coffee, room for cream.” She nods at this familiar order. “And is it okay if I assemble a few chairs? I want to read some poetry.” “Are you expecting anyone?” she replies, with her back to me to fill the order. “No, not really. I want to read some poetry to empty chairs.” […]

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A Seven-Terraced Triple-Journey through the Inner Chapters of Chuang Tzu

February 12, 2022

Chuang Tzu comes to visit on the terrace of the Coffee House of Grace, my imaginary, spiritual rest-stop near Jerusalem-from-above. We read over his book of brief anecdotal stories, called the Inner Chapters. They are related to disclosing the Tao, an interior, spontaneous type of spiritual or philosophic practice which may be translated as the ‘Way.’ These stories operate by indirect means, rather like parables, but since Tao is in some ways intended to be indescribable, the parables are shifting, […]

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