There Is Nothing New Under the Sun

Then: Witness to an execution as the disparity injustice and cruelty of the death penalty is carried out. Now: The death penalty is abolished in twenty states. Then: Geraldine Ferraro was nominated by the Democratic Party to run as the vice presidential candidate. Now: Women are among those seeking the presidential nomination in both major parties. Then and now: The juxtaposition on a host of major issues present in the 1980s and the first decade of the 21st century. Is America a religious nation? The abuse of power the relation between church and state: These are but a few sample of the 31 commentaries addressing issues spanning the decades from the 1980s to the present. There are some which stand alone without any parallel expression in our day. There is one titled: Baseball Revisited. The times they are a-changing. Yes and no! Is there anything new under the sun? Yes and no! Weaving in timeless themes from Ecclesiastes and the ancient Greeks Leverenz astutely comments on cogent insightful radio commentaries he wrote back in the Reagan years capturing both progress and the absence of change--from the Reagan years to Obama. --Craig R. Mosher Associate Professor & Director of Social Work Program; Department Head - Sociology Anthropology and Social Work (SASW) Department Luther College Leverenzs book [is] an extremely readable and timely series of then and now vignettes that expose key issues presently facing us as actually being repetitions of those [from] the 1980s. Drawing from his experiences as a pastor and Public Radio commentator he skillfully weaves his realistic thesis that while the players in history change the plot remains recognizably the same. Blanketed with sadness over the human condition a hint emerges that awareness might slow recurrence. --W. Paul Jones Emeritus Professor writer Robert E. Leverenz is a United Methodist minister and social worker. He has advanced degrees from Duke Divinity School St. Paul School of Theology and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Iowa. He has served parishes in Iowa and Oregon. He is the author of Poetic Expressions: The extraordinary in the Ordinary and Thats What They Are in For! A Pastoral Memoir of a Privileged Profession. He lives in Portland Oregon with his wife Melanie.