Companion Article Included in New Book

The Associated Church Press included Smietana's article, "If We Can Die Together, Can't We Live Together," in a new book, Changing Boundaries: Best Religion News Writing. The article first was published in the May 2003 issue of the Companion.

The article tells the story of four Army chaplains from different faith traditions – Roman Catholic, Methodist, Dutch Reformed and Jewish – who died in 1943 when the troop transport on which they were stationed was sunk by a German torpedo. When the crew was ordered to abandon ship, the chaplains handed out life vests and then gave up their own vests when the supply ran out. Witnesses saw the four men interlocking arms and praying together as they died together. The article can be found on the Covenant website at http://www.covchurch.org/cov/companion/article/0305IfWeCanDie.pdf

The book is divided into three sections: Boundaries of War, Sexual Boundaries and the Ultimate Boundary: The Afterlife. Selections include writing from diverse religious backgrounds. The breadth of views included in the collection demonstrates "that these issues are too complex for faithful Christians to cram into a single airtight category of doctrinal definitiveness," the ACP said in a press release.

"Here, in one packed volume, is the best of the best writing about God," writes William Willimon, noted preacher and writer. "Here is the work of those who have given their lives to looking at us being religious and then to telling us what they see."

Bob and his wife, Kathy, attend Libertyville Covenant Church in Libertyville, Illinois. He has been a member of the Department of Communication team since August 1999.

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