R. Skyler Oberst

Let me be frank: in order to have a society where forgiveness and compassion and pluralism exist, there are basic ground rules that must be agreed upon before this can take place. The first being the rule of law and the second being respect for the democratic process.

If I’m being honest, I justified my misgivings and uncertainty by focusing it all on one man, your soon-to-be predecessor. In my fear and anger, I found it was easier for me to spend the last four years building his political gallows than to building bridges for our country’s moral infrastructure.

Rereading Twain helped me realize that there is a way to reclaim not only my faith but my patriotism in these unstable times. We need healing. Healing for me is spiritual. So here I am. A Christian. Who wants you to go to hell.

Lessons in Interfaith Work from the Parliament for the World’s Religions

Earlier today we received a report of a racist message that was written on the home of a refugee family in Spokane.

With a rise in religious intolerance in the Inland Northwest in recent years, I’ve unfortunately have had my fair share of combatting extremism, hate and fear-mongering about our neighbors.

Now, to be fair, the explosive rise of Donald Trump can be laid square at the feet of both major political parties.