By T. Carlos Anderson

– T. Carlos Anderson –

“Love is the antidote to the pursuit of more and more; it helps us to be grateful, to relax, to rest, to enjoy, to share, and to know what and when is enough.”

“Life goes on, crazy as it seems, with or without us. Renewal is what we do with the life that we still have. Strength and perseverance to all who work together for renewal.“

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“The daily cycle of darkness and light infuses the human soul with life and hope because it affirms the possibility of change within the larger frame of stability.“

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“In this hyper-partisan age, those of us who are bridgers have an abundance of worthy and necessary work to do . . . Our very survival as a civil society depends upon it.”

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“Now in its 10th year, the majority of Todos Juntos’ adult learners are still Latin American immigrants. Through the years, though, Collazo has welcomed adults and their children from South Korea, Iraq, Russia, China, Vietnam, Burma and Nepal.”

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“The renown Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel spoke these three words – ‘words create worlds’ – to his students and to his own daughter, raised in the post-Nazi world. The wise rabbi based his teaching on the first chapter of Genesis wherein God’s words create the world of light, seas, land, and sky.”

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“Jesus instructs his disciples in Matthew 18 to deal with conflict face to face.”

“We live in an age of hyper-partisan divide where the demonization of others is accepted behavior and mistrust is rampant. Can purposeful encounters between adversaries bear fruit for peace and understanding? Many who have experienced the healing ways of restorative justice practices answer the question with a resounding ‘Yes.'”

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“We don’t make America great by demonizing other people, but by welcoming and befriending vulnerable persons—that’s the message and challenge of this popular Christmas story.”

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“But it’s not outside the realm of possibility that these old stories of Abraham, David, and Mary, and the parables of Jesus, which include characters like the Good Samaritan, sow good seeds in young souls that later bear life-giving fruit for future generations.”

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“Jesus told a parable about sheep and goats. How those with resources and agency treated those who were marginalized, sick, hungry, imprisoned—Jesus referred to these as ‘my brothers and sisters’—provided the parable’s punch. As a pastor and follower of the Jewish rabbi who told the parable, I’m encouraged to work with partners who serve those in need in our city, many of these being children. To do so is not only a marker of faith, but it shows a commitment to build bridges for the sake of common good.”

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“The women file past me into the room. They all wear the same bland prison whites, a pullover top matched to loose pants with an elastic waistband. Most of the women are in their twenties and thirties, and not attractive in the conventional sense. Their collective presence jars me, though I do my best to appear nonchalant. The prison unit, a substance abuse felony punishment facility in Texas that offers treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, claims them for seven to twelve months because of drug possession or DWI conviction . . . Some of the women’s faces betray hard decisions and painful memories – of which I will hear when they begin to speak.”

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“What twenty-first century America needs: fewer ‘self-made’ millionaires and billionaires who want to tell how they did it (so the rest of us can also strike it rich) and more citizens, be they rich or poor, who understand that strong and healthy communities produce the best and brightest individuals.”

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“When the president models reactionary behavior concerning immigration, it follows that some ugly bits of our history will be repeated. Take a stand – either from religious conviction or human solidarity – and welcome the stranger in your midst. We have more in common than that which differentiates us.”

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“A message arrived from my hometown. My parents informed me that the mother of one of my high school classmates had passed away. I don’t remember having known the deceased, and I had lost touch with my classmate from our Chicago-area high school of thirty-five plus years ago. My folks shared this news with me because of the jarring request at the end of the deceased’s obituary: In lieu of flowers, please don’t vote for Hillary Clinton.”

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“Jesus was a committed social egalitarian before this encounter with the unnamed foreign woman; he became a stronger one after the encounter.”

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“As a pastor, I realized my garden was reflecting the cycle I taught and preached about during Lent: unless a seed falls to the ground and dies . . .“

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“Consider, for example, forgiveness. Science can teach us about the benefits of forgiveness, but it can’t teach us how to put it into practice. That’s what religion does. Furthermore, religion and science working together help define and categorize different types of forgiveness, a mutual enhancement that makes the world a better place.”

Selected Published Articles

Abbott and Paxton Punishing the Innkeeper at Bethlehem

Austin American-Statesman, January 1, 2023 – Op-ed co-authored with the Rev. Jim Harrington. Also published in Tyler Morning Telegraph, Rio Grande Guardian, Longview News Journal, The Eagle (Bryan-College Station), December 2022

Abbott’s and DeSantis’s Callous Exploitation of Immigrants

Longview News-Journal and Rio Grande Guardian, September 18, 2022 – Op-ed co-authored with the Rev. Jim Harrington

American Entitlement Run Amok is Ruining our Communities

Rio Grande Guardian, March 16, 2022 – Op-ed co-authored with the Rev. Jim Harrington

A Long-lasting Lesson in God’s Love from Jazz Great John Coltrane

As a blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, February 5, 2022

Dry January Ritual Part of our Reset for the New Year

As a blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, January 22, 2022

Find Life in the Garden After Austin’s February Freeze

As a blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, May 15, 2021 – In Your Own Words

John Lewis, Crossing the Bridge, Then and Now

As a blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, February 21, 2021 – Op-ed page, co-authored with the Rev. Jim Harrington. Also published in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and the San Antonio Express-News.

Find Ways to Lessen the Escalation by Being a Calming Presence

As a blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, October 17, 2020 – In Your Own Words

Finding the Light Even in our Darkest Times

As a blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, June 13, 2020 – In Your Own Words

We Share More than a Meal at Thanksgiving

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, November 28, 2019 – Op-ed page

Christina Collazo’s 10-year mission to teach parents and children at Todos Juntos

Austin American-Statesman, September 14, 2019 – Austin 360 Life Section, lead (or “lede”) article

Words Create Worlds – for Better and for Worse

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, August 16, 2019 – Op-ed page

The Biblical Roots of Restorative Justice

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, February 16, 2019 – In Your Own Words

The Demonization of Others Won’t Solve our Problems

As a blog post, linked here

Houston Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman, The Eagle (Bryan-College Station), and other papers in Texas as an op-ed – December 2018 – co-authored with Jim Harrington

Childhood Bible Stories Shape our Future Lives for Good

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, September 28, 2018 – In Your Own Words

Building Bridges for Common Good

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, July 21, 2018 – In Your Own Words

Better Than Church

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, October 28, 2017 – In Your Own Words

Even Jesus Needed a Community to Grow; Be that Community for a Child

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, August 2, 2017 – In Your Words

Welcoming the Stranger not to be Forgotten During this Difficult Time

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, April 1, 2017 – In Your Own Words

In Lieu of Flowers

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, October 29, 2016 – In Your Words

Listening to Other Voices

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, August 20, 2016 – In Your Words

Death, Resurrection, and Cilantro

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, March 20, 2016 – In Your Words

The Minority Status DNA of the Church

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, October 10, 2015 – In Your Words

Can Science Replace Religion?

As blog post, linked here

Austin American-Statesman, April 18, 2015 – In Your Words