The Birth of the Divine
Every religion has its stories that help provide meaning to its followers, giving them a sense of the relationship they have with the sacred or that which is divine. It is this sense of communion with...
View ArticlePutting the 'Merry' back in Christmas (and the 'Happy' back in Hanukkah)
A few decades ago, this time of year people would routinely greet one another on the street, in the office, and in public places with a smile and a “Merry Christmas!” Then came political correctness,...
View ArticleTen "religious" resolutions for a new decade
New Year’s resolutions help us as individuals to be more purposeful with our lives. They bring to consciousness what we value or want in the coming year in an concerted way, and thus encourage us to...
View ArticleWisconsin churches respond to Haiti earthquake crisis: spiritual shockwaves...
Putting the ‘Merry’ back in Christmas (and the ‘Happy’ back in Hanukkah) The Birth of the Divine Ten “religious” resolutions for a new decade Haiti, already the most impoverished country in the...
View ArticleResurrecting Easter
It is Holy Week in the Christian tradition, and the events of this season are a topic of discussion for those who are both within and outside the tradition. Increasing numbers of persons in both...
View ArticleGood Friday Ponderings
Today, Good Friday, the Christian faith commemorates suffering, death, and crucifixion of Jesus. It is a day many will attend worship services, and many more will not. It is among the least popular...
View ArticleThe Birthing of Love, The Delivering of Peace
Approximately 2015 years ago, a young woman, engaged to be wed, had a vision of a better world than what she knew. In her world, she did not have the same rights as men, or even of women already...
View ArticleForgiveness: The Miracle of Easter
Eastertide is here. But what difference does it make for us in how we live our lives? What can we learn from the events and Christian legacy that represents Easter? What does it mean to have new...
View ArticleA Religious Response to War
What should be the religious response to war? Most religions, including my own Christian faith, have advocated for peaceful methods and solutions wherever possible – with war being the absolute last...
View ArticleHealing a Bleeding Woman and Dying Girl: Commentary on Mark 5.21-43
Text of Mark 5.21-43 from New Revised Standard Version of the Bible:When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one...
View ArticleA Christian Case for Non-Violence: A Look at Ephesians 6.10-20
Ephesians 6.10-20 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil...
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Non-Violence: A Way of Life for a Sustainable World (Video)
Non-violence has been used as a method of bringing moral attention to injustices and to resolving conflicts. It is most notably the philosophy of Mohandas K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. in...
View ArticleThe Need for a Change of Doctrine: ‘Hell’ and Other Forms of Spiritual Abuse
The Need for a Change of Doctrine: No Room for ‘Hell’ and Other Forms of Spiritual Abuse in a Healthy ReligionPerhaps the best test of a true faith is not whether long-held beliefs are held...
View Article"Thoughts on the ‘Real’ Christmas"
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her...
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Blessings: Given and Received
Blessings come in packages we are often not expecting. What we may want for ourselves, and what we end up with are often very different things. Whether it is divine providence, serendipity, chance,...
View ArticlePeople of Faith and the Trust that We Can Change Our Character
Can people change? Can murderers, and those who torture or abuse others, change? Can they change dramatically? Can they ever be trusted once they have committed such heinous crimes? Our culture says...
View ArticleMemorializing Our Country's Core Values
I can still remember being taught about our country's core values while growing up as a boy. I recall how proud I was that we were a country that sought the freedoms, rights, and fair treatment of...
View ArticleAwakening Our Consciences
Fifty years ago, August 28, 1963, “The Million Man March on Washington, D.C., for Jobs and Freedom,” woke America’s slumbered conscience to the inequalities between Blacks and Whites, and poor and...
View ArticleEpiphanies, Seasons, and Life Lessons
We are in the season of Epiphany. While we already celebrated the holy “day” back in January, we remain in this season often associated as light amidst darkness. I like that we have...
View ArticleA Biblical Case for Virtue Ethics; or, Why Virtues Supercede Principles
How easy it is to latch on to those Biblical quotes that make us feel good about ourselves or to see the shortcomings of others. How much more difficult to attune our minds and souls to those more...
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