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Ask Augustine

Since doctrine divides, why do you emphasize doctrine so much in your columns? Shouldn’t peace and unity be paramount? The axiom of our day is the expression “doctrine divides,” and, indeed that is true. Doctrine does have a tendency to divide, but it does not seem to divide as much within liberal churches and among liberal theologians as it does within the more conservative churches and among the more conservative theologians. I suspect that the reason for this is because the more liberal a church or a theologian is, the more able they are to tolerate a wide variety of doctrines ...

Welcome to Wellness Month

Wellness is more than simply being free from disease and illness. Wellness involves balancing different aspects of life to achieve overall well-being. Instead of focusing only on physical health, the wellness model focuses on 8 dimensions that contribute to the quality of life. The 8 dimensions are: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, environmental, and financial well-being. Each dimension influences the others. Physical wellness refers to the ability to maintain a healthy body through regular exercise, proper nutrition, sufficient sleep, and healthy ...

Election integrity or intimidation?

There’s been a lot of talk lately about election integrity, especially from the Trump administration. What’s disturbing is that the rhetoric doesn’t seem to be lining up with his administration’s actions. Take for example the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Created in 2002 after ...

Iowa’s economic future depends on a stronger, more resilient electric grid

The recent stretch of prolonged, extreme heat across our region underscored a reality that should matter to every Iowan: electric reliability and affordability isn’t an abstract policy issue. It affects the air conditioning in our homes, refrigeration in our stores, technology we rely on ...

Finding financial breathing room when the unexpected happens

In the heartland, we are no strangers to dark skies and sudden storms. We know what it feels like when the unexpected hits—when the routine of Main Street is instantly interrupted by floodwaters or a blown-out roof. Recently, several locations across the Great Plains were severely impacted ...

Court still preaches open gov’t, but the choir is splintering

The Iowa Supreme Court typically opens its rulings on the state’s public-records and open-meetings laws by reciting that the cases start with a “presumption of openness.” But a new study of the court’s open-government decisions finds the presumption now wins only about half the ...