Grace Cathedral

karl barth (1886-1968), perhaps the most influential theologian of the twentieth century, taught that we should hold the newspaper in one hand and the bible in the other. he said that we should read the news through what we know about the bible.[1] this is a two-part sermon and begins with this week's news.through a flurry of executive orders and official pronouncements we now have a clearer idea of what lies ahead. our muslim brothers and sisters have been especially targeted. muslims from seven countries have been banned from entering the u.s. on visas for 120 days. syrian refugees, a group of people currently suffering more than perhaps any other on the planet, have been banned indefinitely.[2] we seem to have forgotten both our nation's tradition of welcoming immigrants and that mary, joseph and jesus were refugees themselves.this week journalists were arrested and charged with felony rioting. we have begun to worry that government scientists will be silenced for political reasons. the word ?alternative facts? came into our popular vocabulary. the president continues to exaggerate the number of people at the inauguration and still insists that voter fraud was the reason he lost the popular vote. this raises a fear that voter suppression tactics could be in our future.