Art by Mary Palumbo Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer. Icons are a form of worship that artfully display holy and sacred beings. Icons are more than works of art. They teach us things. They live and breathe, instilling wisdom from Christianity through the … [Read more...] about Opinion: Christ Pantocrator Teaches Balance
Religion
‘We Are All Connected’: Loving One Another in Different Religions
Art by Abby WiltLove, and how people show and receive it, comes in many forms.These acts of love, or loving kindness, reverberates throughout people of different religious beliefs.“We need to grant each other the dignity of difference, we also need to find those things that build bridges between our differences — and loving kindness does that,” said John … [Read more...] about ‘We Are All Connected’: Loving One Another in Different Religions
Religion, It’s Bigger than a Checkbox
Junior Ginger Jacobs smiles among the flowers on Pepperdine’s campus. Jacobs wore her Hamsa hand earrings — a Hindu symbol meaning 'Do not be afraid.' Photos by Lucian HimesAt Nepal-Tibet Imports in the small town of Fort Collins, Colorado, a miniature statue of the Virgin Mary sits high upon a shelf, right next to statues of Hindu deities Ganesha and Shiva.The … [Read more...] about Religion, It’s Bigger than a Checkbox
Burning out Behind the Pulpit: the Struggles of Fatigue in Ministry
The pulpit stands empty at the front of Stauffer Chapel at Pepperdine University. Photo by Lucian HimesChristianity has been declining in the United States since the late 1970s, according to the Pew Research Center, and amid a shrinking flock, the ministers who shepherd it are experiencing record levels of fatigue.The Barna Group did a study in March 2022 revealing that 42% of … [Read more...] about Burning out Behind the Pulpit: the Struggles of Fatigue in Ministry
Idolatry of Self: Hurting or Helping Identity
An individual poses for a selfie on main campus in March. Students said they see students consumed by self-idolatry at Pepperdine. Photos by Lucian HimesIndividuals can make idols out of several different things — money, fame, love, work, school or friends. Or, individuals can simply view themselves as their own idol — using all their time and effort to better … [Read more...] about Idolatry of Self: Hurting or Helping Identity