Power Reversal: A 13th century Asian Christian leader gives Holy Communion to the King of England

It must have been a stark and stunning image that September day in 1287: Edward I, the King of England, kneeling to receive communion from Rabban Sauma, an Asian Church of the East leader. Sent from a Mongol ruler named Arghun from the capital near modern day Beijing, (and with overall Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan’s… Read More Power Reversal: A 13th century Asian Christian leader gives Holy Communion to the King of England

The Bugis and the Sogdians: Two Merchant Peoples in Asia with a Mission

Last night here in Singapore I had the privilege to speak at the graduation of a six-week seminar called School of Transforming Business. Singapore is an epicenter helping fuel the present and future dynamism of Asia’s economies. (See my last post, in part on Singapore  Treat the Stranger With Tender, Loving Care-For You Were One… Read More The Bugis and the Sogdians: Two Merchant Peoples in Asia with a Mission

‘You Belong. Stay Strong. Be Blessed’: A Message from a Texan to Muslims in the USA

Today on the radio I heard a story that touched me deeply. Maybe some of you have heard it. It concerned a Texan man who is a sign-maker. Many times we associate people who hold up signs as those who have a message of hate, of anger. But this was different. This man had a… Read More ‘You Belong. Stay Strong. Be Blessed’: A Message from a Texan to Muslims in the USA

What Can a 7th Century Qatari Mystic Teach a World of Constant Noise?

Ever been to Qatar? It is a small nation state that sits on the southwestern side of the Persian Gulf in the Middle East. Shaped like an oversized thumb, it is becoming a crossroads of global finance and trade in competition with places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the nearby United Arab Emirates. Qatar… Read More What Can a 7th Century Qatari Mystic Teach a World of Constant Noise?