Over the last several decades, I’ve studied the great religious traditions of the world. I’ve taught courses on World Religions and participated in services, rituals, and ceremonies from many of these beautiful traditions. While the formal study of religion is interesting to me, what I find most engaging is when… Read More »What I’ve Learned from Muslim Neighbors
I have several friends who no longer call themselves “Christian.” It’s not that they’ve lost their faith or given up on God or something like that. Instead, they don’t want to be associated with the narrow-minded, judgmental folks who present themselves as the “true Christians” of today. (You know the… Read More »The Christianity of Jesus
The Bible is filled with stories that convey important lessons about how to live. I think we often miss the best lessons in Biblical stories and have gravitated toward convenient conclusions from these stories. An outstanding example of this is a story I learned in my childhood from the Hebrew… Read More »Ancient Wisdom
I recently met the parents of a good friend. I enjoyed spending time with them, sharing a meal, and witnessing the joy they shared as a couple. I’m not sure how long they’ve been married but I’d guess it’s been at least fifty years. Clearly, their marriage is a successful… Read More »Success Stories
It’s a stark image, one familiar to Christians who observe the time of Lent and Good Friday. Jesus hangs on a cross. On either side of him are two other criminals who also received a death sentence. As the gospel writer known as Luke conveys, one criminal who shares this… Read More »Pain and Paradise
There’s something truly remarkable about it. I find myself watching for a few minutes each morning. I open the blinds to the window in my study and look out to the yard and find six or eight squirrels scurry about as a sun comes over the horizon. It’s not that… Read More »The Wonder of Being
If you’re like me, you live most of your life with an acute awareness of time. Minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months organize appointments, deadlines, and opportunities for routines like sharing meals or engaging in spiritual practice. Everything is governed by time. Or is it? We know that time is… Read More »Time and the New Year
Sir John Polkinghorne, the renowned particle physicist who, as a second career, became an Anglican priest, tells a story that’s very insightful. The members of his first parish weren’t sure if they would be able to understand sermons delivered by this very accomplished scientist. Dr. John Polkinghorne quickly changed that… Read More »The Truth about the Christmas Stories
