The contemporary debate among Christians today is whether or not the Bible should be taken literally. Many Evangelical Christians view the text as being without error and without requiring interpretation. From my perspective, there are problems with this approach. First, it glosses over the obvious contradictions in the Bible, like… Read More »The Bible as Metaphor and Symbol
I am seriously disheartened by the form of Christianity that is most prominent in the United States today. Conservative Evangelical Christianity dominates the public sphere. Evangelical leaders make statements which demonstrate their support the politics of the privileged minority while using their media platforms to raise more money for their… Read More »A Christian Minister Dishearten by Contorted American Christianity
Sometimes, most of us wonder about the quality of our lives. Are we satisfied with life? Are we happy? Is something missing? Could life be better? I suspect that when these questions are asked, like around birthdays or significant changes, we become aware of the ways that the lives we… Read More »The Perfect Life or the Happy Life?
In spring, my parent’s yard was a bright array of color. My mother had a bed with yellow and white daffodils. My father planted multi-colored tulips under maple trees. There were two colors of lilacs filling the air with their sweet smell, both white and pink dogwood framing a small… Read More »Diversity: Lessons from My Backyard
It happened to me again. I was in the market shopping. The aisle was a bit tight with two other people trying to pass at the same time. I turned quickly to get out of the way and out of nowhere a sharp pain grabbed my hip. I stumbled, almost… Read More »Spirituality and Aging: Lessons in Letting Go
One of my most memorable places from the years I lived in Saint Louis, Missouri was Forest Park. This expansive city park, larger than New York’s Central Park, was the site of the 1904 World’s Fair. Today, now is home to a wonderful art gallery, an expansive outdoor theater, cascading… Read More »Memorials to Racist Rebellion: No!
I don’t remember the year, but the memory is very clear. I’m guessing it happened in 1968 or 1969. My classmates and I took a school field trip to Washington, D.C. We visited the monuments and one or two of the Smithsonian Museum buildings. What stood out most was the… Read More »Creating Change: Toward a Better Society
I was stunned when I read the meme. I found it mind boggling. It read: “If Jesus had a gun, he’d still be alive today.” I did a little research and found that the quote is originally from the Simpsons, the animated TV comedy show. As I searched online about… Read More »Up-Rooting the Cycle of Violence
