The Forge 12.14.2011

Here are this weeks miscellaneous gatherings:

The Bible is a scented garden, delightful, beautiful, it chants our ears with birdsong in a sweet, divine, and spiritual harmony, it touches our heart, comforts us in sorrow, soothes us in a moment of anger, and fills us with eternal joy.  -St. John of Damascus

If you like unique slices of history, this site does a great job of pieces together little known stories of American Christian History

If you are a American news junkie, you tend to get the same story regardless of whether you are watching Fox, MSNBC, or CNN.  Regardless of your feelings about the so called "Arab Spring", it has not been good for Christians or Jews in the region.  Here's a different take on the situation in Syria from an American who traveled there and was shocked at what he found:    http://www.antiochian.org/reardon-syria-delegation-2011

Here's a story about a recently discovered ancient Christian city in Egypt:  http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/528756

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