religion

Religion for the rest of us?

(First published at berkshirepublishing.com.) “Let us pray.” On Wednesday I heard a prayer – “grace” – said before dinner for the first time in years. “Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful evening and for our fellowship.” “Help us to serve those in need.” I’d been invited to talk about the Train Campaign at the Episcopal church’s men’s dinner group. No one I asked knew about this; everyone said I should go. I had to know, not only out of curiosity but because I would need to report on it to Ray [...]

June 15th, 2019|Categories: The Search for Community|Tags: , , |

The rapturous consciousness of life beyond self

I decided to reread the novel Middlemarch by George Eliot because it is considered one of the great depictions of community life, and when I read it last, probably as a teenager, I wasn't thinking about community at all. What I'd forgotten is that it is also about female aspiration and the longing for a life of significance. From the prelude: Theresa's passionate, ideal nature demanded an epic life: what were many-volumed romances of chivalry and the social conquests of a brilliant girl to her? Her flame quickly burned up [...]

December 28th, 2015|Categories: Writing a Woman's Life|Tags: , |