We have, I think, a cultural bias against admitting what we don’t know. It’s as if by admitting our ignorance in a particular subject we undermine our credibility on any subject. I find this particularly true of leaders – whether in a church, corporation, faculty, or family. Perhaps that’s because when we are placed into positions of leadership we feel that it’s our responsibility to live up to this trust. Or maybe it’s simply because if we are leading in our organization it’s precisely because we’ve proven ourselves competent, and so we feel that any demonstration of ignorance calls into question our competence and,...

Three things prompt my sharing Kathryn Schultz’s TEDTalk on regret. The first is one of the lectionary readings appointed for this Sunday, Jeremiah 31:31-34, that talks about God forgetting Israel’s sins. In a column I wrote on this passage for preachers, I suggested that we might all take a leaf from God’s notebook and a) trust that God really does forget our sins and b) maybe we should try to forget them – and those of others – as well. But Kathryn’s talk, entitled “Don’t Regret Regret,” reminded me that some things are worth remembering – including some of our regrets. Why? Because our regrets can...