WALK IN THE WILD
Before I moved to Indiana for graduate school at Anderson University, I grew up in none other than West Monroe, Louisiana, the home of lots of ducks and the dynasty they spawned. After grad school
Author: Ron Coody
MY DUCK DYNASTY NEIGHBORS
With record breaking cold temperatures in the Mid-West it seemed a good time to turn people’s thoughts to a warmer part of the country and make a personal admission at the same time. Though my
WHEN THE IRON CURTAIN FELL
Ten years before 9-11 the world witnessed an historic event of a different kind when the Iron Curtain of the Soviet Union fell. Unlike 9-11, the fall of the oppressive Communist regime involved very
CONFLICTS IN SYRIA
The clouds of a new Middle Eastern conflict have started gathering on the horizon. This time there is no question that the storm brings chemical weapons with it. In August hundreds of people–including
WAIT FOR THE MORNING
Years ago my Dad, known as Darvis or “Bill” to friends, joined me on an afternoon hike along the White River in Indiana. Colorful autumn leaves lined the trail making the walk pleasant.
CHECHENS IN THE HOMELAND
Among the ever twisting and turning mountains, hills and vales of the Russian Caucuses live dozens of Muslim ethnic groups. Since the fall of the Soviet Union many of these have either agitated for
TURKISH SECULAR SUNSET
The so-called Arab Spring that brought tens of thousands into the streets of Egypt, Libya, Algeria and other Arab countries occurred because the people had grown weary of secular-leaning dictatorships
WHEN SCIENCE BECOMES RELIGION
Ball State University physics professor Eric Hedin made national news recently after a complaint was made against him by the Freedom from Religion Foundation in response to his honors level course “The
KNOWING GOD IN AN AGE OF UNCERTAINTY
This is an age of uncertainty. The country band Little Texas made this clear with their lyrics, “the only thing I’m sure of/is I don’t know what I’d do without your love.”
MIDDLE EAST CHALLENGES AWAIT NEXT PRESIDENT
When President Carter sought reelection in 1980, the Islamic Republic of Iran not only held dozens of Americans hostage in the American Embassy in Tehran, they wielded powerful influence over Carter’s
OF HEAVEN AND HELL
Two books have caught my attention lately. From the title of this article you may be able to guess which two. A young boy resuscitated from death has his story recorded by his father in a book about
“TO BELIEVE OR NOT TO BELIEVE”
Stephen Hawking, the world-renowned physicist tells us there’s no heaven. This is hardly an original thought. The Buddhists and Hindus and other religions have opted out of having a coherent theology
THIS IS YOUR FREEDOM
For five years I lived in southern Kazakstan, walking some of the same places where Alexander Solzhenitsyn lived during his days of exile in the Soviet Gulag Archipelago. The Soviets had a decisive
“THE STORY IN METAL”
With Easter just past many folks have paused to think about the story of the Passion of Jesus. The story says that a first century Jew from the northern Palestine province of Galilee became a folk hero
“REVOLUTION IN THE AIR”
This spring brings not only budding trees but budding revolutions sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East. The latest to join the revolutionary movement are the countries of Ivory Coast and
EYGPT UNRAVELS
Ten years ago just after the bombing of the USS Cole on October 12, 2000 in the port of Aden, Yemen, I had a short business trip to Cairo. The bombing claimed the lives of several US sailors and heightened
OBAMA’S FAILED CHARISMA
At last, after eight years of Bush, a war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States not only elected a president who would listen to, talk with, and even bow to the heads of other countries, including
“GUILTY BEFORE PROVEN INNOCENT”
In 1948 the country of Israel was founded on an unusual idea, that a certain ethnic and religious group could maintain a majority to preserve their political system. From the outset it had the support
QUIET HISTORICAL MOMENT IN TURKEY
The past week or so witnessed what the New York Times described as history quietly passing in Turkey when police officers fanned out to make dozens of arrests of chief active and retired military
ANOTHER VIEW
FROM FOSTER PARK TO CENTRAL TURKEY
Central Turkey and Foster Park have many miles between them. One is in Fort Wayne, Indiana and the other on the opposite side of the world. Fort Wayne is surrounded
ANOTHER VIEW
“Tea With Hezbollah”
A new book just out from Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis entitled Tea With Hezbollah takes an unusual approach to the question of how address the problems in the