Passing the peace—or not

PASSING THE PEACE--OR NOT: There are two kinds of Americans, according to humorist Garrison Keillor. One is the kind who, when a big and smiley preacher says from the pulpit, "How about everybody turn around and shake hands with the person behind yon and give them a big howdy!" will do what the preacher says and feel uplifted by it.

The other is the kind who will do anything to avoid this, even miss church entirely. Even though the world thinks the first kind of American is typical, there are actually more of the second type (Chicago Tribune, August 15).

COPYRIGHT 2007 The Christian Century Foundation
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning