Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

  Do you know someone who died from COVID? It was, 10 April 2020 when Sara Trollope died. That was another Easter weekend—Good Friday then. It’s hard to believe three years have passed since our healthcare professionals were overwhelmed as they courageously struggled to meet the needs of the sick and dying.     Sara was one of those people who are gifts to humanity. Sara lovingly cared for others as a nurse matron at London’s Hillingdon Hospital. She was so close to retirement when COVID hit, which placed Sara on the front line battling a merciless and devastating virus. Alas, she was struck down during the call of duty. She passed from this life and left one of those unfillable heart-holes as such people do. I was to have been in England the month before Sara passed but Covid changed all that. Instead, I watched her mum and a few family members at the online service thousands of miles away yet virtually close. I’ve been thinking of her mum this Easter weekend. Ou...

Who is my neighbor? The focus of various compassion ministries and public charities this time of year is naturally on helping those less fortunate--people who are cold, hungry, and lacking life's basics. What some miss in the focus on being a "Good Samaritan" is the identification of the neighbor in the famous story. Who is my neighbor? The neighbor is the compassionate Samaritan--not the beaten victim in need of much love and compassion. The focus of the story is on the people of faith who need to develop the virtue of neighborly love. Advertisement Living Well- an integration of faith and love and nine more virtues  AMAZON Story from Luke 10:25-37 Related Post How to measure compassion:  https://statistics.suttong.com/2018/05/how-to-measure-compassion.html Connections My web page www.suttong.com My Books AMAZON GOOGLE PLAY STORE FACEBOOK Geoff W. Sutton Join me on TWITTER @Geoff.W.Sutton Publications (many FREE downloads)   ...

Why Do We Seem to Care More for the French than Others? Several stories have pointed to mass killings around the world in recent years. Why does the world seems so much more concerned about the Paris attacks? Seven  likely reasons why so many care about the people of Paris. 1. Identity. It’s seems personal. Many people identify with the people of Paris. Many people have been to Paris or wish to go there. Regardless of reality, Paris- and therefore its people- represents love, romance, and culture. Not a lot of world cities have the same attraction as does Paris. When  Identification is active, threats seem more personal. 2. Family. Under threat conditions people look for allies and enemies. The French look like many other Europeans who have settled large parts of the  world occupied by Western powers (e.g., British, Spanish, Dutch, German, Portuguese). Humans don’t spend a lot of time analyzing situations when they are under attack. Percep...

Love, Prayer, and Charismatic Spirituality Picture a smallish young woman, head bowed, sitting on a wooden chair near the back of a small wooden church. As the semiformal service blended into an after service of prayer, she began to quiver. She shook, the chair began to rock on two legs, and she began to speak in tongues. It was her first time. She never forgot that experience of warmth and God’s presence. God’s love had been experienced. Soaking Prayer Photo The story of the young woman is from the 1930s but charismatic spirituality is going strong and together with Pentecostalism, represents one of the fastest growing movements in Christianity.  Although scholars argue over fine points of defining religion and spirituality, a common finding is that religious people pray. But they pray in different ways. This week I finished reading Catch the Fire: Soaking Prayer and Charismatic Renewal by Canadian Sociologist,Michael Wilkinson and Religious Studies schol...

Developing Hope Following a night of rioting homes and businesses are destroyed. Anxiety reigns supreme as those motivated by anger and revenge destroy hopes and dreams. Leaders are needed to restore hope. Rebuilding cities and homes offers hope. Psychotherapists help people rebuild their lives. Spiritual and secular leaders alike offer people hope for a brighter tomorrow. Without hope life is reduced to mere existence. Hope springs eternal. Hope is a future-oriented motivation. Hope involves our thoughts, feelings, and actions. And for most people, hope is also spiritual. Many religions encourage people by offering hope. People hope that God will work out the problems of their lives as long as they are faithful. People hope for supernatural interventions and guidance in their prayers. Hope is often the first theme in the four weeks of advent-- a time when Christians prepare for the coming of Jesus as a child. Newborn babies in the arms of mothers, fathers, and grandpare...

Intolerance and religious tribes and thoughts on becoming good neighbors I gave a talk about conservative and liberal Christians. The jumping off point for the discussion centers on a chapter in Brian D. McLaren’s book a Generous Orthodoxy . Religious tribes are at war. Westerners learn that not all Muslims share the same beliefs. News from Israel and Palestine reminds us that people of different religious groups fight to the death. And survivors seek revenge. Americans associated with different religious tribes have different beliefs about right and wrong action.  Conservatives and liberals disagree about religion and politics. And the disagreements are fierce. I find the moral psychology research helpful to understanding what separates these two religious tribes.  Conservative and liberal Christians are often at war despite a command to love. Finding solutions won’t be easy. Here’s some research and thoughts on the roots of intolerance, respect, U...

LOVE An Advent Reflection      I saw the writing on the wall. I was listed as a target person to talk about one of the virtues of advent. As a grandfather with a two-year old and a 6-month old granddaughter, it’s pretty easy to see the Christmas story as a love story. Babies come to us so vulnerable. We want to gather round and offer presents, hold them, and make them feel wanted, safe, and happy. Above all, we want them to feel loved. Their parents are delighted to share stories and pictures. Their grandparents cannot get enough face-time. It doesn’t take long to get attached to children. As children mature, the affectionate attachment grows. There are many delightful moments. Times to be proud they share the same name. They are part of us. But there are those moments that strain the relationship. Families fuss about rules, fairness, loyalty, authority, respect, freedom, the usual stuff. And the family of faith is no exception; because all the faithful ...

PEACE "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9 During advent we witness peace represented as a baby. Evangelical preachers often speak of the power of God. But when I see a baby I think of a fragile and vulnerable life. New life needs protection and nurturance. Peace is like a baby. Peace is fragile and vulnerable to disruptions from many sources. Nurturing people affirm peace. Peacemakers nurture peace through gifts of time and talent. Like an infant, newly formed peace requires devotion. To survive, peace must be fed and clothed. People keep peace alive. People let peace die. Some people seek to destroy peace. When the Prince of Peace became a man, he made serious demands of his followers. When the light of Peace shone in the darkness, Peace was attacked and Peace surrendered. Peace died as did the hope of his followers. But then came life. Peace lived on in the hearts of his followers who shared the peace wit...

Hope  “May integrity   and uprightness   protect me,  because my  hope ,   is in you. ”         Psalm 25: 21 NIV Social media sites are full of pictures of parents and grandparents beaming as they hold new babies. Thousands of years ago, the Psalmist declared his hope in God. It is fitting that Jesus comes as a baby. Hope is a forward looking activity. What better way to hope in the future than to see a newborn full of possibilities? Of course, at the time of his birth few foresaw what would unfold for Jesus in the next few decades. Yet some came with hope-- there were shepherds and wise men. Christmas is a time to reflect on hope. To nurture the possibilities within any child, parents must devote considerable time and energy and personal resources. Parents are often tired and seek assistance from family and friends. Nurturing hope is an investment in the future. And for Christians, hope lives on beyond the life...