A central feature of Virginia’s colonial backcountry was the Great Wagon Road. Imagine water pouring from a pitcher, arcing as gravity pulls the liquid down into a glass. In a similar way, Scotch-Irish, German and English settlers poured down…
Books
Books, Scholarship, zFeatured
What’s in a name? Radcliffes and Ratliffs in England…
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At the time of writing, Great Britain is mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It seems like a good time to take stock of family connections across the pond. Specifically, the origins of the name and the family in England. Most Ratliff histories…
Books, Film, Scholarship, zFeatured
Lost in the Woods
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by Walter Ratliff On a hot summer day in June 1996, I set out to cover a story in a remote part of New Mexico’s Gila National Forest. Hours later I found myself face down on the trail, consciousness fading.…
Books, Press, zFeatured
Wheaton Magazine’s “Truth-Telling and Inquiry” Q&A
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Wheaton, the alumni magazine for Wheaton College, recently posted an article about its former students working in the field of journalism. Wheaton is an evangelical liberal arts college and graduate school in the suburbs of Chicago. I completed a master’s degree…
Books, Scholarship, zFeatured
New Book! Between Faith and Power: Religious Freedom as Dynamic Engagement
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My new book is out! I think you’ll find it lively, readable and compelling. In part one of the book, I take a “drive through history” with the major figures who helped define religious liberty as a human right. The second…
Books, Press
Director’s Profile in The Kansan
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This profile was printed in The Kansan newspaper just prior to the premiere of Through the Desert Goes Our Journey: The Mennonite Trek to Central Asia at the Bethel Fall Festival back in 2008. I thought Melanie Zuercher did a…
Books
“Art in the First Person” in Elan magazine
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Check out my “Art in the First Person” article in the latest issue of Elan, an arts magazine in Northern Virginia: An Author in Search of a Story: Retracing a Long-Forgotten Trek by Walter Ratliff A few flakes of white…
Books, Press
Pilgrims on the Silk Road: Key Reviews
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Editorial Reviews “While Ratliff’s historical presentation is a major accomplishment, the fascinating effect of his book is due largely to his storytelling skill …” –Mennonite Quarterly Review Highlighting Ratliff’s masterful presentation…I conclude with the most outstanding attribute of the book-its…
Books
MQR Review: “Masterful … A Remarkable Feat”
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The April 2011 issue of Mennonite Quarterly Review features a lengthy (2,000+ words) review of Pilgrims on the Silk Road. I appreciate how the reviewer offers lots of praise and some thoughtful perspective for Pilgrims readers. Here are some excerpts:…
Books
The Year of the Book
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It has been quite a year for Agile Arts and the Ratliff family. We feel very blessed to have the opportunity to tell some previously untold stories, and learn a few new ones as well. Pilgrims on the Silk Road…
