Scarritt Bennett Center Blog

Epiphany Prayers

By Joyce D. Sohl Epiphany is the Greek word for manifestation or revelation. It is the season between Christmastide and Lent and is a period of celebrating the Incarnation’s availability for all people.  It is during Epiphany that each person can hear, see and experience anew...

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Spiritual Preparation for Social Action

By Joyce D. Sohl The justice issues that need addressing are numerous: war, domestic violence, date rape, gun control, immigration reform, poverty, the justice system, health care, racism, education, climate change, refugees, and on and on goes the list. Should I get involved in one or...

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Mary’s Song

By Joyce D. Sohl, Laywoman-in-Residence   Mary’s song is full of praise! Praise to God for selecting her, a young poverty-stricken girl to bear the Savior; Praise for all God’s mighty and wonderful acts for the people of Israel; Praise for God’s amazing grace and promised salvation; Praise to God who...

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Advent Reflections

By Sarah Stell, Belle H Bennet Fellow By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. For a child...

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The Spirituality of Age

By Joyce D. Sohl On Saturday, December 5 a retreat/workshop will be held in the International Room in Scarritt Hall from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Dr. Carol Orsborn, author and teacher will lead the event. She and co-author Robert L. Weber have just published their...

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Reflections on Highlander

By BHB Fellow Karissa Deiter Waking up On a foggy Saturday morning in New Market, TN my fellowship cohort and I hiked up from the parking lot toward the Highlander Center Homecoming’s opening plenary. Once atop the green hill and catching our breath, we were rewarded for...

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Blow Your Fears Away

By Joyce Sohl, Laywoman-in-Residence We live in a society filled with fear. We are afraid of change; of people that are different than we are; of uncertainty; of the unknown. For some the solution is to buy a gun; others choose to remain in their own...

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For the Common Good

By Joyce Sohl, Laywoman-in-Residence Pope Francis’ messages to the American people, often referred to the “common good.” In his message to Congress he said: “You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common...

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Bold Faces

“The hair represents the loss of having it pulled out. The choker represents strangulation. The wire on the mouth represents being forced to keep quiet. The words on the back of the head represent what I am leaving behind. The words on the front of the head represent where...

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