Month: May 2025

Ecological Intentionality: Performing Peace Beyond Human Boundaries

Here’s a paper that I presented at this year’s American Academy of Religion, Western Region held at Arizona State University in March 2025 (Tempe is quite beautiful in March, btw!). It’s a good starting point for approaching my work and research called The Ecology of the Cross as a part of my PhD interests (and hopefully beyond)…

“This work explores the intersection of ecology and religion, theology, and phenomenology, drawing particularly on process thought, embodied consciousness, and participatory awareness via decolonization. I want to suggest that ecological intentionality offers a framework for peace that extends beyond Human interactions, challenging anthropocentric models of peace and instead envisioning peace as a relational, ecological, and more-than-human performance. I’ll begin by defining this concept of ecological intentionality within a phenomenological and process-relational framework, then explore its implications for peace beyond Human boundaries through examples drawn from both ecological and spiritual contexts. Finally, I’ll propose that peace, in this framework, is not simply an absence of conflict but a mode of relationality grounded in ecological reciprocity and mutual flourishing. This is part of a larger project for my PhD work that I’m calling Ecology of the Cross in reverence to Edith Stein and her influential work (on me), The Science of the Cross.”

Ecological Intentionality Performing Peace Beyond Human Boundaries PresentationDownload

Conservation as Communion

Here’s a paper I’ve written on the concept of re-thinking conservation attempts in modern societies based on technocratic and market-based ideas. Conservation and human action (and inaction) is a fascinating area to ponder. As part of my wider work on The Ecology of the Cross, this is a paper that explores some of the roots of our Western concepts of “conservation” and a possible middle way in these uncertain times using fire as a case study 🔥🌲.

Here’s the abstract:

“This paper proposes a paradigm shift in conservation, moving from technocratic and colonial frameworks toward an ethic of interspecies communion. Drawing on Juno Salazar Parreñas’ critique of biopolitical care, Mara Goldman’s analysis of Maasai narrative epistemologies, Barrett et al.’s model of intuitive interspecies communication, and philosophical reflections from Edgar Morin, William Desmond, and the emerging field of Ecocene fire practices, the paper articulates a vision of both conservation and understandings and uses of fire rooted in reciprocity, complexity, and ontological humility. It argues that communion, not control, must ground conservation in the age of ecological disruption.”

Conservation as Communition PublicDownload

Trying Out Tapestry by Iconfactory

I’m a bit (understatement) of an old-school person regarding how I handle my newsfeeds and RSS reading. RSS is still the way forward out of the mess that siloed social media platforms have created and encouraged each with their own time-sink and attention-thirsty newsfeeds and timelines.

I started my usage (obsession?) with newsfeeds while a student at Wofford College in the late 90s, running the PointCast screensaver on the desktop in my dorm room cubicle (replacing the beloved flying toasters). It was buggy and intense on RAM usage, but I thought the concept was brilliant.

That led to me discovering early and inventive services such as Newsgator and FeedDemon (I loved that service) and the work of Dave Winer to script together the RSS protocol(s). I transitioned from FeedDemon on my Windows machines over to Bloglines sometime around 2004 as the web2.0 craze was spinning up. This felt like a magic time for the web as numerous sites were adding RSS icons, services like Writely were starting to bloom (which would go on to be acquired by Google and made into Google Docs), and people were blogging on LiveJournal or Movable Type as Geocities became abandonware. MySpace was around and beginning to infiltrate our lives, but we had things like Ze Frank’s The Show to keep us honest. I eventually found NetNewsWire (there’s a whole saga there for its history as well) as I transitioned to the Mac world after buying my first Apple Computer in 2005. Turns out, I still use NetNewsWire heavily 20 years later.

I started fiddling with a newer service called WordPress in 2003 and created my own blog (here!) that bounced between Six Apart and WordPress. Soon, the world would come to know Google Reader, and it felt like RSS was in for a whole new phase of growth and going mainstream. I’m still bitter that Google shut down Reader in 2013 and credit that with so many ills and curses that Google has seemingly had over the last 15 years of the “social web” as it would have made a great social platform (unlike Google+ and Circles and Buzz and Wave and that whole era of messes).

Then, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr all happened in 2006, and the writing was on the wall for the “open web” and RSS reading. People flocked to the silos. The hopes for open syndication via RSS readers in the mainstream died on the vine it seemed.

Until now, RSS reading, like dumbphones, is making a comeback with younger generations, and I’m glad to see it.

During all of those transitions, I kept using RSS readers (primarily Feedly, Feedbin, Reeder, and then back to NetNewsWire around Covid-time). I wrote a post twenty or so years ago here that RSS helped pay our mortgage each month. That’s still true. There’s magic in controlling your news and information consumption rather than relying on algorithmic data gathering services that “show you what you need to know.”

Now, I rely heavily on RSS reading for research and writing, as I work on my PhD dissertation and thoughts, along with feeds from friends’ blogs, news sites, services I use, and Substack newsletters, among others.

So, I’m a bit old-school in managing my hundreds of feeds, and NetNewsWire has been great for that as it syncs between my Mac, iPhone, and beloved iPad Mini via iCloud. My folders are neatly manicured and I try at least to get through all of my feeds at least once a day (I’m also an email and messages and inbox zero type curmudgeon… it still shocks to me to see people with thousands of emails in their inbox or hundreds of unread messages in their SMS app). As a result, I’m picky about my RSS reading and readers. I’ve tried services like the new Reeder, which brings in podcasts and YouTube videos and some social media alongside traditional blogs and RSS feeds, but I couldn’t commit and returned to NetNewsWire again and again.

I decided to give Tapestry a shot after reading about the latest update on Manton Reece’s blog (you should also check out his excellent micro.blog service if you’re looking for a great blogging platform).

Tapestry is made by Iconfactory, a company with serious street cred amongst us older web types (I loved their Twitter app Twitterific and used it heavily at the height of that now-defunct service along with their Transmit app for FTP). Tapestry is no different here in terms of thoughtful style and intentional minimalism with surprising complexity and delightful user interface.

Effectively, Tapestry combines RSS feed reading with services such as Blue Sky or Mastodon, and Reddit as well as YouTube subscriptions (I’m a heavy YouTube user, and that’s pretty well curated for me). I’m still trying to wrap my mind around seeing YouTube videos popping up in the middle of my RSS reading, but I see the value and point. I’m all about supporting the effort if we can get more people to turn back to private and person-controlled feed reading rather than algorithmic newsfeed scanning.

Is Tapestry enough to get me to switch from NetNewsWire? I’m not sure yet. But I’ll be using both the next few weeks to see where a habit or delight pops up and making note of that.

Regardless, I’m glad to see a company like Iconfactory hop into the effort!

Tapestry is available on Mac, iPad, and iPhone as a free app with a premium tier (not expensive, so the free version should be sufficient for most, especially considering current cost-cutting measures). Additionally, you can delete your Facebook and Instagram accounts for free today.

Morning Light from Merianna

Merianna’s newsletter is one of the highlights of my newsfeed…

Morning Light – by Merianna Harrelson – Merianna’s Substack:

This time last year, I didn’t know we were moving cities, changing jobs, or starting new schools for all our children. Even as I write it, it feels strange that we didn’t know our present reality would exist…

While our lives are being turned upside by advances in technology, changing political climate, and more powerful natural disasters, may these changes remind us to love more deeply and work more compassionately for what is good and just.

Ben’s Awards Day 2025

So proud of Sam Jr. for achieving all A’s for the year, the highest academic average, and a top iReady score in his 3rd-grade year (and a PE award!).

I was a teacher in Middle and High Schools for almost 20 years, and I’ve never been exactly fond of “awards days” for several pedagogical reasons (at least how they were carried out in the schools where I taught), though I don’t think we should diminish the hard work of young people. One of my favorite memories as a classroom teacher is getting a “talking to” by admin for having in-class awards that evidently overshadowed the main Middle School awards program later that day. But I digress (I think it’s ok to let your students see you cry in happiness over their accomplishments and accomplishments don’t always equal arbitrary or objective letter grades). Over the years, I’ve won many awards in my academic and life journey, but now I understand in my old age why some artists don’t show up for the Grammys.

Unfortunately, we still live in a “don’t smile until December” atmosphere in many schools, and our teachers are sorely underpaid and underappreciated for their tireless work, especially in our current society.

However, being a parent on the other side of the equation, and seeing the amount of hard work that Ben put into his studies and all he’s worked towards this year, gives me hope for our future.

The kids are alright. We just need to work on us adults. Be kind. Smile more. Let the Little Ones know that they are loved and cared for and are valued.

You fathers and you mothers
Be good to one another
Please try to raise your children right
Don’t let the darkness take ’em
Don’t make ’em feel forsaken
Just lead them safely to the light
When this old world has blown us under
And all the stars from fall this sky
Remember someone really loves you
We’ll live forever you and I

Got to see the Pine Warbler that’s been hanging out around our home this morning. It’s currently my favorite bird (and the Pine Grosbeak on the cover of my current Field Notes notebook is a close representation). I’m an old man 👴.