The Political upheaval (in our hearts) when the true king is born

https://urbanphile.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/image.png?w=821 I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted from politics. It has made people mean and biting. No matter what happens, it seems half the population is seething. Lately life feels like a poorly made suspense movie that only escalates the tension with no relief at any point. Even during Christmas! I’m continually amazed

Imperfect? Really? The Human Condition and New Year’s Resolutions

Is human imperfection a novel concept? I was listening to a news podcast reporting on a political rally with “evangelicals” (my goal here isn’t to get into politics or even the ways the media reports on “evangelicals” and politics). The politician admitted to this crowd that he was not perfect, and the reporter was trying

In Praise of Academia: For Those Trying to Make a Lasting Difference

Soon after the terrible events of September 11, 2001, the United States went to war in Afghanistan. They went to war in Afghanistan without understanding Afghanistan and it has resulted in what Dexter Filkins calls "the forever war." Recently the Washington Post released documented insider interviews unveiling the extent of the ignorance and effort to

“If You Build It, They Will Come”: Do Big Events or Projects Change Cities?

We can't fix a city's problems with big events. I recently spent a few days in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1996, Atlanta had the distinction of hosting the Summer Olympics. City planners saw the Olympics as the perfect excuse to rebuild and restore a blighted section of the city near Georgia Tech's campus. I can remember

Radical or Ordinary: How Does Christianity Thrive?

Ordinary is the new Radical. Michael Horton's newest book, Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World, campaigns for the church to reconsider her calling to be faithful in ordinary Christian living. This is according to a Christianity Today book review by Philip Cary. (Full disclosure: I have only read the review of the book,

Urbanization Fosters Democracy

Two news stories serve to remind us of the positive potential of urbanization. Both stories are in countries not known as beacons of democracy. For the first time in a long time women in Afghanistan are able to vote in their elections. It is unprecedented because during the Taliban era this was unthinkable. The news

Poverty and Segregation

The Atlantic ran an article by Richard Florida on American cities and the geography of poverty. Florida draws on the findings of a report by Kendra Bischoff and Sean Reardon. I think this is an important topic to consider, because the ways we design, legislate, and administrate our cities depends on clear thinking about this

Urban Parks are the Best

Just one block from where I'm staying in Taipei is urban park. It is the 228 Peace Memorial Park. On a whim I walked over there after getting some coffee. The park was buzzing with activity. people were walking, jogging, bicycling, dancing, and even practicing martial arts. There were the elderly intermingled with young children.

Gentrification is not a Topic to Ignore

“I don’t want to mention the ‘g’ word.” The “g” word she was referencing was “gentrification.”  I heard one of the presenters at a recent seminar on the topic of “urban placemaking” say this as she told of her work in niche urban development. She was salvaging heritage buildings by turning them into beautiful houses

Income Inequality

The Atlantic posted on article that seeks to demythologize the causes of income inequality. The article made this claim:Don’t mind the rich-poor gap. Statistical analysis shows three factors—overall income growth, marriages, and local government spending—matter most for poorer children chasing the American Dream. But this is actually a deceptive way of looking at things. Income inequality