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Opinion

 

Shawmut Hills needs more than great teachers, it needs investment from GRPS

Submitted 05-22-2018 under OPINION

Dear Board of Education,   I want to thank GRPS for being a place where I can raise children who see the world at large, where all languages are encouraged, differences are celebrated, and where my boys are learning side by side with families...

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Beethoven's mighty Ninth Symphony, plus world premiere, bring Grand Rapids Symphony's season to thrilling conclusion

Submitted 05-22-2018 under OPINION

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is one of the crowing achievements of Western culture. The music, some of Beethoven’s best, stands on its own. Its message that all of humanity is a brotherhood elevates it to a whole new level. In 1989,...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What are your requirements for ordination?

Submitted 05-21-2018 under OPINION

Doug Van Doren, the pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ, responds: “In the United Church of Christ, the minimum educational requirement for ordination are a four year undergraduate degree, followed by a three year Master’s of...

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Going green in Grand Rapids: Properly disposing of your spring cleaning

Submitted 05-16-2018 under OPINION

Out with the cold, in with the warm! After a month of record low temperatures and a few blankets of snow, it’s finally starting to warm up here in Grand Rapids! If you’ve procrastinated on breaking down and disposing some of those...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: How do we fairly allocate our charitable giving between local needs and others?

Submitted 05-14-2018 under OPINION

Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, responds: “In my experience Christians do have a blind spot in this area. Many ‘middle class’ Christians don’t seem to realize that...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Guns, violence and pacifism, Part 2

Submitted 05-07-2018 under OPINION

Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Adjutant Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds: “Pacifism ‘is opposition to war or violence by means of settling disputes; specifically, refusal to bear arms on...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Guns, violence and pacifism, Part 1

Submitted 04-30-2018 under OPINION

The format for our column this week is a bit different. This week, we invite R. Scot Miller, an ordained minister of outreach and education at Common Spirit Church of the Brethren in Grand Rapids, to share a long-form essay on the topic of guns,...

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Seven lessons of commuting to college from home

Submitted 04-25-2018 under OPINION

I choose to live at home with my parents and commute to college instead of living in a dorm. As many of my friends picked out bedding and new outfits and gleefully packed up their cars, I was still working my summer job before school began. As the...

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Grand Rapids Symphony conquers Carnegie Hall with exciting evening of music in New York City

Submitted 04-24-2018 under OPINION

The Grand Rapids Symphony has conquered Carnegie Hall. Once again. Nearly 13 years after setting foot on the storied stage for the first time, the Grand Rapids Symphony returned to Carnegie Hall on Friday, April 20, with an exciting evening of...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Holding leaders accountable without judgement

Submitted 04-23-2018 under OPINION

I asked the panel to consider Karla’s question against the backdrop of the verse from Christian scriptures, Matthew 7:1, "Judge not that you not be judged.” Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of...

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