Geoff W. Sutton Blog

Why is a Christian Professor on Trial? Elizabeth Dias of TIME magazine ( 2016 ) reviewed facts and opinions in a pending trial of Wheaton College professor, Larycia Hawkins. Following the shootings in San Bernardino, Hawkins wrote, “I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book.” She also observed, “And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God.” As Dias notes, faculty have expressed different opinions. Dias includes comments pointing to differences among evangelicals in matters of theology. And Dias finds that some faculty support Hawkins. Not surprisingly, there is evidence of fear. At the end of the article we learn that Dias studied theology at Wheaton College. A careful look at the issues from insider, professor Noah Toly, can be found in his January 8, 2016 post . At length, Toly explains his reticence in making a public response and appears to re-assure his administration that his di...

Reflecting on the good things people have done reminds us that some people really do good things to help people they do not know. An act of kindness can be a significant investment in the lives of others. My story is about Rev. Fred Packer, of Vineland, NJ who met us at the dock in New York City, drove us down the NJ Turnpike, and welcomed us into his home for a few weeks until my dad found a job. After a few pay checks we were able to afford a small rental house. And dad bought his first car an 8-year old 1949 Plymouth with a dangling cloth roof. It wasn't just the pastor who helped us but he set the example. People in the church brought important stuff-- a cot for me, a stuffed chair, a green AM Motorola radio. And a man at dad's new job gave him a ride to work until dad could afford to borrow funds for a used car. Things got much better as the years went by. But you don't forget those people that gave you a fresh start. Americans who didn't know us b...