tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55678302012-01-28T13:50:37.460-06:00This site hopefully can provide some vehicle by which I can comment, complain, and once in a while praise the state of religion in this country and around the world from a liberal religious perspective.Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.comBlogger5401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-6382998365170967142010-01-21T23:58:00.000-06:002010-01-22T08:01:08.168-06:00

"Let us remind the frivolous how much they need to gird up their loins and flight like gladiators against the common enemies of humanity. And let us also remind the earnest contenders for all good causes how much life needs the illumination of beauty, the enrichment of art, the refinement of grace, the stimulus of rhythm, and the leaven of laughter. Life is a struggle and life is also a dance."

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-55065457262698059892010-01-19T23:11:00.006-06:002010-01-19T23:31:25.808-06:00

Massachusetts that is. To the degree that the Obama administration has been content on backroom deals with the drug companies, bailouts for the banks, etc. in the midst of double digit unemployment, the easier it is for the GOP to run as outsiders. When the dems are identified with our messed up economy and the the industries who helped us get there, dems lose. Here's hoping that Obama and the

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-42124874335145998452010-01-18T00:01:00.000-06:002010-01-17T23:56:23.559-06:00

A few things worth noting for Martin Luther King today. Here's a link to some MLK quotes which highlight his thought. And here's a piece which situates King within a complex set of relations on the left, in the social gospel, and in the work of Reinhold Niebuhr. The only thing missing is the personalist tradition which King picked up from at Boston University. Personalism, has much of the same

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-35255135092802942362010-01-17T00:01:00.001-06:002010-01-17T06:43:41.633-06:00

This is to say that there are themes in the writings of John Calvin, a French Reformation leader, that I take as my own while leaving other parts behind. I thought I'd highlight what some of the themes I've taken.1. The natural world tells us all of God that we are in a position to know. That's a robust natural theology! Special revelation is not new information beyond our world. It illuminates

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-6702200240492457772010-01-16T21:14:00.003-06:002010-01-16T21:23:36.882-06:00

I'm torn between closing this site or revising it. But as one can tell it's in a holding pattern. But I've updated the links and the picture Unfortunately yahoo killed geocities which is where I was held my posts that I had written while I was at blogstudio.And the Church World Service page which has updates on the relief work being done in response to the earthquake in Haiti. It's in those

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-36148765884637221582009-07-07T21:58:00.002-05:002009-07-07T22:06:10.065-05:00

I'm going to, in the 6th year of operation, to try to restart and revamp this blog. I may stay here or move to a new location. But after a number of months of absence I'm missing an outlet for my theological quips. And seminary is providing more such thoughts.So something needs to be done. As that proceeds, I'll try to keep folks up to date.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-65900743381078881702009-04-05T16:43:00.004-05:002009-04-05T17:02:41.920-05:00

In response to Candace Chellew-Hodge's piece on the site, Religion's Dispatch, which claimed "Jesus never built a bridge with a Pharisee," I raised an issue that I think is key. Some liberals are apt to use the word pharisee for conservative but there's a polemic hidden in there. Pharisees are after all, the basis of what would become Rabbinic Judaism. If one put the headline "Jesus Never Built a

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-57194707827375456332009-03-16T08:45:00.003-05:002009-03-16T08:50:01.294-05:00

Here's a take on the decline of the mainline, the rise of folks not identifying with religion, the way the religious right has defined Christianity, and how that has closed off the resources and possibilities of the religion in the wider society.Key quotes:"The problem was the issues the evangelicals focused obsessively on- abortion, gays often seem warped to many others. Those who might once

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-89717709741296831252009-03-10T10:37:00.002-05:002009-03-10T10:42:07.280-05:00

”It looks like the two-party system of American Protestantism—mainline versus evangelical—is collapsing,” said Mark Silk, director of the Public Values Program. “A generic form of evangelicalism is emerging as the normative form of non-Catholic Christianity in the US.”What does that do? Anybody who is liberally minded just assume the religious right defines Christianity and will have nothing to

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-64097232479260843372009-03-04T20:38:00.004-06:002009-03-04T20:45:42.011-06:00

As a liberal protestant ; here’s my stab at the question of why we ought to engage the Bible even if it's all too human origins has become apparent.How is revelation determined? Presumably determining the good in life, the wise would be of a similar basis as how you would go about the same question. The difference is we’re engaging a particular story, the resources of a given tradition. What is

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-88146860326032333162009-02-22T12:42:00.002-06:002009-02-22T13:00:44.070-06:00

Wolfhart Pannenberg is a noted German theologian, along with Jurgen Moltmann, required reading among most Lutherans I know. I feel a bit embarrassed that I haven't had a chance to read him yet.Sadly, the first piece I read is one against gay marriage and the argument hinges on the most flimsiest of claims. Gender essentialism. Apparently Paul's "there is no male nor female in Christ" is thrown

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-62855017058224754152009-02-20T21:24:00.012-06:002009-02-20T21:49:50.449-06:00

This portrait of Jesus is from the BBC. It makes Jesus a bit less Anglo and a bit more connected to first century Palestine. Theologically I try to parse this out in my Jewish Christian dialogue course concluding:To critique and to seek to undo the damaging stories we Christians tell about our neighbors (ones which find their origins in the NT) would call for a fundamental recasting of the

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-82796822076031943622009-02-18T22:42:00.003-06:002009-02-18T23:04:17.384-06:00

Remember immigration reform? Bush and the Congress weren't able to reform the system in a way that could provide a path to citizenship. But the need remains. Does the will?A number of churches have worked together to lift up the issue. The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference has raised the issue of INS raids in workplaces. Churches are working on providing resources and support for

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-40073799454792261492009-02-16T10:59:00.002-06:002009-02-16T11:05:28.901-06:00

We can reinvest our resources into campus ministries — reviving existing ones and launching new ones. Is a college that lacks a Presbyterian witness located within ten miles of your church? Do any colleges existing within the bounds of your presbytery lack an active Presbyterian student organization? Then you have some work to do.This quote from Presbyterian Outlook could apply to all mainline

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-80526574188327411692009-02-14T19:11:00.017-06:002009-02-14T19:59:12.839-06:00

The Synod of the Pacific is holding a church trial against That All May Freely Serve's Minister Coordinator Lisa Larges and the decision of her presbytery to move forward her ordination in the PCUSA. The trial is because of Large's sexual orientation.Not so says Jim Berkley, it's really about Larges being "defiantly..sinful. Orientation is irrelevant. This is about homosexual practice." Isn't

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-25861061189966642012009-02-13T00:00:00.003-06:002009-02-13T00:07:59.200-06:00

Two stories: First was the decision to reinstate 4 bishops, one which is a holocaust denier, of the Society St. Pius X, a break away group which opposed the reforms of Vatican II.While there has been much outrage, appropriately so, from the Jewish community, with this reinstatement the rational given by Cardinal Kasper was that the Pope had wanted to bring them back into the fold to “reinforce

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-57703355669991169922009-02-12T10:05:00.008-06:002009-02-12T11:47:25.042-06:00

This is from Friendly Atheist's post on the myths of many Christians, he found from another site. A few things strike me as wrong about point seven and her further elaborations: Atheists are arguing with straw men: they criticize the ugliest, stupidest, most simplistic, most outdated versions of religion and ignore the thoughtful, complex forms of serious modern theology.But, Most atheists don’t

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-91906529426560816262009-02-11T20:46:00.000-06:002009-02-12T20:48:47.781-06:00

That's a goal of mine. I work full time and go to seminary full time and so I haven't had the means so far to do so. But this has been a helpful site to work out my thoughts and catch up with religious news and the thoughts of others. So I'll see if I'm able to give this site a new start.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-80472174334344314732009-01-08T11:23:00.004-06:002009-01-08T11:44:26.865-06:00

Atheist Ethicist raises an interesting idea: "Even if there were a God the moral implications would be nothing more than to note that the moral universe is larger by one person – a person who has no more rights than any other person"– a person who counts as one person in all moral calculations – a person that is good to the degree that he has desires that tend to fulfill other desires, and evil

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-52787733555094060322008-12-14T23:30:00.007-06:002008-12-14T23:45:44.242-06:00

First, there's the prospect for this blog. I've enjoyed the run since 2003 and envision wanting to do further blogging. But somehow I need to work this out in a way which fits with seminary and my job. I've thought of doing more links and less reflection. Often come across some great stuff even when I don't feel I have time to write but the appeal to that format can be limited as well. But

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-82923280557152433232008-12-06T22:43:00.010-06:002008-12-06T23:02:06.601-06:00

Get Religion has a piece on a pub church that is looking to affiliate with the Disciples of Christ because it's non creedal and a recognizable protestant denomination. What followed were snide comments about the 60s, liberalism, and creeds. My response: The Disciples of Christ’s non creedalism is not a new thing, it helps define almost all of the Stone-Cambellite churches since they originated.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-44974567551118218112008-10-20T23:13:00.008-05:002008-10-21T00:44:44.865-05:00

Just a few quips about a list put together by an atheist site on the differences between religious folks and atheists. Admittedly I'm coming at this from a liberal religious perspective.List A - Religious (faithful, believers etc..)Believes we are being watched by a supernatural entity. Might pray to a supernatural entity I don't believe God "watches" or is supernatural (outside of nature?)

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-25763918901615025432008-10-18T22:35:00.007-05:002008-10-18T23:25:46.425-05:00

One piece claims that freethinkers can never use words like right, wrong, moral, sin, etc. A cautionary note for those who trade in absolutes but hasn't discernment been compromised with the loss of such terms?How does one speak of profound evil, another word one is not supposed to say, in the face of the holocaust, the transatlantic slave trade, or young women killed for "honor" in many places?

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-16892626152915462152008-10-17T23:03:00.003-05:002008-10-17T23:51:05.315-05:00

One site asks: "I doubt Jesus was born of a virgin. I doubt the bible is an accurate representation of events. I doubt we can really know exactly what Jesus did or said? Am I still a Christian?" The short answer is: could be.It's not the answers you give to these questions that determines one status. Most biblical scholars would share your doubts. I suspect the Bible reflects more how Christ was

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-75164479265679201202008-10-16T08:33:00.006-05:002008-10-16T10:11:48.513-05:00

I've been largely absent from the blog as I've been going to seminary full time and working full time. I'm trying to figure out how to situate the blog in that kind of schedule. We'll see how that goes. On to politics:Obama is doing pretty well with Christian voters. Obama is winning mainline Protestant voters by 53% to 44%. He's leading among Catholics 49% to 44%. The only religious group that

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-44591198263406781672008-09-18T19:52:00.004-05:002008-09-18T20:50:16.425-05:00

A new survey came out that discovered the largest support for torture is found among southern white evangelicals. Almost 60% support the use of torture. And almost half of all Americans support it. I'd be curious to find out support for torture among varying religious groups. The study that mention of the golden rule made support for torture decline a bit. But the fact that Christianity and

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-75748746282099087352008-09-08T00:47:00.003-05:002008-09-09T10:04:18.936-05:00

In seminary I'm reading a fairly mainline book on spirituality that doesn't connect with what we might be known through evolution. It's not that he asserts a literal Adam or 7 day creation, he's mainline after all.But he does seem to assert things about the cosmos; it's created to love us, to "rock us in joy", etc. While there are many factors which act to sustain us, we live in a world that also

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-52347702387167110672008-09-05T20:27:00.003-05:002008-09-05T22:43:21.198-05:00

Came across an atheist site who raises a question about the science standards in the Ontario school systems. The source of the question came from an article from the United Church Observer.United Church Observer, a magazine of the largest protestant church in Canada, the United Church of Canada. Sometimes that gets lost. The fact that many churches and Christians are concerned about the quality

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-64117878227771935582008-08-14T16:34:00.010-05:002008-08-14T17:53:12.188-05:00

I just got tickets to see Bill Maher here in Indy. He's funny, has great political observations, and enjoys skewering religion. But if there's a Q&A I might ask about his take on religious liberals.The Disciples of Christ is considering doing away with "sense of the assembly" resolutions at the General Assembly. Avoids controversy but it also takes away one of the only instruments in the

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-85226590872952414402008-08-13T23:59:00.000-05:002008-08-14T16:33:55.564-05:00

McCain argues that the recent incursion of Russia into Georgia is the first test of his and Obama's foreign policy experience and that their respective responses indicate how they would govern.If so, McCain's response alarms me. There was McCain's casting his stance as a defense of a Christian nation. A troubling rationale. There was no effort to acknowledge some issues in the conflict. And there

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-47333140743015106602008-08-10T22:29:00.006-05:002008-08-10T23:10:20.582-05:00

To the question of the commitments of anti-abortion folks to children after they are born, one evangelical site has a response; look at the acts of charity done by various pregnancy centers and individuals. But it’s helpful to have a distinction between justice and charity. Justice as moral requirements for a community which includes ensuring that all have access to the basic goods of life.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-57430834095332654902008-08-05T22:01:00.004-05:002008-08-05T22:34:22.951-05:00

Silent Dave raises questions about hell to Christians, so I figured I'd try to take a shot at it. Of course I'm a liberal protestant so my view may not be very representational but here's a proposal:I don’t take hell or heaven to be spatially located. To the degree that the past is taken up in the future then our actions for ill or good somehow become permanent facts in the history of our

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-72669349670451251012008-08-01T23:03:00.003-05:002008-11-12T20:26:10.764-06:00

So I've been absent from the blog with my recent move and job hunting. But I miss blogging because it keeps me engaged with a range of religious questions and the excellent writing of others.Some new blogs that I hope to keep up with include Fr. Jake Listens to the World, the Gifts of God which are positive reflections on faith and the world.Theology Schmeology are the reflections of a new

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-82383309135867961102008-07-28T18:11:00.008-05:002008-11-12T20:26:11.029-06:00

"An unemployed man accused of opening fire with a shotgun and killing two people at a Unitarian church apparently targeted the congregation out of hatred for its liberal social policies, police said."The Unitarian Universalist Association has set up a condolences website. And as this story has unfolded, Philocrites has been covering it. This story like too many others suggests the danger

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-65190547166888239092008-07-27T19:43:00.007-05:002008-11-12T20:26:11.148-06:00

Cardinal Ivan Dias, the highest representative of the Vatican attending the Lambeth Conference said a number of things which don't give me much confidence about Roman Catholic Church at this point. He accused the Anglican church of "spiritual Alzheimer's". Not sure if that was Dias' way of showing ecumenical regard. His other comments struck me as well. Liberalism is a form of secularism, which

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-34346666017708835522008-07-25T19:59:00.008-05:002008-11-12T20:26:11.250-06:00

This site is now 5 years old. It started with the Episcopal Convention that allowed Gene Robinson to become a bishop. There I saw charity towards conservatives combined and a commitment to justice.I wish I could say the responses after the convention was marked by either charity or justice but already volumes have been written indicating why and how this has not occurred. Despite the contentious

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-73350418078207936962008-07-24T19:09:00.008-05:002008-11-12T20:26:11.354-06:00

This is in response to negative response that "Rose" received on a Christian apologist site: I'm apt to believe that Rose is more right than most of the commentators on this site. If we believe that transformation and good does not happen without God than: Of course there are people of other religions who have experience God's salvation; simply because folks of other religions can give evidence

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-83349406796901694392008-06-27T19:05:00.004-05:002008-11-12T20:26:11.505-06:00

I haven't been following the Presbyterian Church USA as often as I should. I was surprised that the General Assembly voted today to drop the prohibition of GLBT non celibate clergy. The removal of the prohibition is a change of the constitution which requires support from PCUSA's regional bodies called presbyteries. I'm not sure that the support is sufficient in these presbyteries but the last

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-28012686206034629422008-06-25T22:41:00.008-05:002008-11-12T20:26:11.747-06:00

James Dobson's recent radio broadcast lambasting Obama was disconcerting but the issue which struck me, as a Christian, was how religious discourse in a democracy was being conceived by these two men. Obama spoke of a universal language which we are all able to speak to communicate the commitments we have. Dobson mocked the idea that we have to adjust anything to speak with each other. While I

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-86861776569316849772008-06-22T21:23:00.007-05:002008-11-12T20:26:11.953-06:00

"There are plenty of examples of science proving a religious claim wrong. There are no examples of religion proving a scientific claim wrong. Are there any examples of religion proving science wrong?"This was raised by Friendly Atheist. But it buys into the science vs. religion frame. That's not a good opposition. As a religious person I believe we ought to work with the best of what we know.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-58782211527956950412008-06-21T08:38:00.007-05:002008-11-12T20:26:12.126-06:00

I wanted to comment on a ruling a month ago. "The highest court of the PCUSA found that a Northern California minister did not violate church law when she officiated at the weddings of two lesbian couples."That's a good thing. Ministers should not face church trials for solidifying the love between people. When they bless mutual love they appear to be living out the Gospel, more so than the

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-79447371395695025452008-06-19T07:10:00.002-05:002008-11-12T20:26:12.372-06:00

Sorry for the blogging hiatus. But I have made the move to Indianapolis. Still looking for a job.I'll be attending Christian Theological Seminary in the fall but now trying to get myself situated now in the city. Blogging will resume in the next day or so.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-46069508392714500962008-05-20T23:59:00.003-05:002008-11-12T20:26:12.645-06:00

When I first saw the pictures of Obama and 75,000 supporters at a rally in Portland a few days ago, it confirmed to me that the dems don't just have a nominee, they have a movement. A movement one hopes that can begin to address the unmet needs, challenges we face.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-23709982355617866632008-05-17T10:54:00.006-05:002008-11-12T20:26:12.749-06:00

So I've been working with finals in the two community colleges that I've been adjuncting with. At the same time I'm trying to find affordable housing in Indianapolis. Any ideas in that regard?I'm moving there by the end of the month, beginning of June to get myself established there so that I can begin to take courses at Christian Theological Seminary this fall as a MDiv student for the Disciples

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-44578604640595043902008-05-16T23:59:00.005-05:002008-11-12T20:26:13.003-06:00

The CA supreme court decision opening up gay marriage in the state has received a bit of press. I'm curious if such press coverage will note the support for gay marriage that a number of religious communities have expressed. Or will the press coverage pit gay folks against religious groups in the way that it's been done in the past? I did find one piece noting how several United Church of Christ

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-30629816709527081182008-04-26T19:12:00.016-05:002008-11-12T20:26:13.117-06:00

Friendly Atheist asks what books played a role in his readers thoughts about religion. In that vein, though I remain a theist, I figured I'd post a few books that were significant in my journey.Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism by John Spong, gave me permission to have doubts and rethink things about my faith without feeling that I needed to leave the church. Even if one cringes at his

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-61106882859382904092008-04-22T19:28:00.008-05:002008-11-12T20:26:13.349-06:00

Peace Bang raises some thoughtful concerns about the new ad campaign of the Unitarian Universalist Association in that it does not emphasize the positive content of UUism. Nonetheless I can see how this ad can work. It may play on the idea that UUism is not like other religions but the problem is folks on the whole only seem to know of fundamentalism or no religious option. That’s it. There

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-90336068248893248172008-04-17T18:52:00.004-05:002008-11-12T20:26:13.473-06:00

Adler, the gray cat on the left was born on this day in 2005. The tan cat on the right Talula. I don't know her birthday but I know she was born in 1997 so I invented April 19th as her birthday. In any case, my vision of the good life includes having my cats around.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-76213799681719188562008-04-13T23:57:00.004-05:002008-11-12T20:26:13.723-06:00

If you click on the painting above by Lucas Cranach, you'll see the altar he made at Luther's church in Wittenburg. It represents a time period in which protestants understood and used iconography. This makes me want to hunt for protestant icons now. This picture portrays the last supper. What's interesting is that all the disciples are in a circle. And Judas is being fed first! Talk about grace.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-51310539473607641512008-04-10T23:59:00.007-05:002008-11-12T20:26:13.965-06:00

A quote from Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. Perhaps Shuck and Jive and others participating in evolution Sunday were expressing a feature to be found in the reformed protestant tradition? Whenever we come upon (art and science) in secular writers, let the light of truth shining in them teach us that the mind of man is clothed and ornamented with God's excellent gifts. If we regard

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-61179594996558103912008-04-08T21:46:00.011-05:002008-11-12T20:26:14.240-06:00

Friendly Atheist has highlighted an atheist who is visiting various churches in Mississippi. Obviously he's had a rough time of the experience so far. So the question is whether there are liberally minded churches in the state.I tried to find public liberal churches in Mississippi, something you can find easily in most parts of the country. Not very easy in though that state besides a few UUA

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-17180022184586275682008-03-30T23:59:00.000-05:002008-11-12T20:26:14.437-06:00

Several blogs have been praising Fitna, a film by Dutch politician Geert Wilders. I'm not one of them. I support free speech, oppose intimidation, and believe in criticism of any religion including my own.But that doesn't mean I'm going to endorse everything that tries to come under the heading of criticism. In this case we have a film which juxtapositions violent passages in the Qur'an with

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-33446062137737224322008-03-26T17:34:00.006-05:002008-11-12T20:26:14.667-06:00

Martin Marty has a piece defending Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright. It's worth reading in understanding Wright, Trinity UCC, and a tradition that has understood the Gospel as addressing social problems.But over at the blog MyDD one author writes: "The politics of acquiescence by liberals to Wright's words continue to amaze me. Today we have theologian Martin Marty defending Rev. Wright. The lack

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-6328811164586667252008-03-20T00:02:00.008-05:002008-11-12T20:26:14.766-06:00

Shuck and Jive has several posts about the destructive war in Iraq and what the church can do about it. Chuck Currie has a response to Obama's speech on race. In a different vein some thoughts on one way to take up the meaning of resurrection that I wrote back in 2005: "as 1 John 2:17 puts it this 'world is passing away with all its allurements, but he who does God's will stands for evermore'""

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-80888288147041123172008-03-19T00:00:00.005-05:002008-11-12T20:26:14.914-06:00

Chris Tessone posted these set of questions. I'm a sucker and of course want to have a go at these questions. 1. What translation of the Bible do you like best?I still have the NRSV Bible my pastor gave me when I graduated from high school but in the last number of years I've been taken by the majesty of the New English Bible. It's the UK equivalent to the RSV, but it sounds like the language of

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-3358917266526622612008-03-17T23:10:00.014-05:002008-11-12T20:26:15.134-06:00

There's been a lot of media exposure concerning Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright. Some of his politically charged sermons have been played on the networks. Few candidates have gotten this much exposure on religion.I'd recommend Bob Cornwall's comments on this controversy. like him, it's hard to accept every claim of Wright's at face value. I couldn't affirm everything said. But the general

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-69484766570846314212008-03-13T23:59:00.007-05:002008-11-12T20:26:15.255-06:00

John Haught has written a new book: God and the New Atheists. The need for good literature which responds to such folks is welcomed but unfortunately this book seems to suffer in it's central thesis."Has Harris thought about what would happen if people adopted the atheist's belief that there is no transcendent basis for our moral valuations?" Haught lauds Nietzsche and others who were aware of

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-23412985595270331802008-03-10T05:54:00.005-05:002008-11-12T20:26:15.408-06:00

I created my first blog in 1995. It was a lefty faith site and at that time there were very few of us mainline and progressive religious sites. So I started collecting links to all I could find.A few sites stole my list :) But it was worth it to get the word around since the evangelicals were the first to swamp this medium. I'd say it wasn't until the late 90s before there was a sufficient

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-82813974995684722322008-03-09T09:44:00.011-05:002008-11-12T20:26:15.547-06:00

There are a number of troubling themes coming out of the Hillary camp these days. But the one which claims that Obama supporters are effeminate is something taken out of the GOP talking points. "I've got news for all the latte drinking, Prius driving, Birkenstock wearing, trust fund babies crowding in to hear him speak! This guy won't last a round against the Republican attack machine. He's a

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-9870706493889186022008-02-29T23:59:00.005-06:002008-11-12T20:26:15.756-06:00

It's has been remarked by various commentators how every area of government has been politicized under George Bush. But the affects this has had on the mainline church has not recieved much notice. A few years ago, mainline churches were declared not religious bodies by the US government so as to allow for more restrictions in terms of contacts with Cuba. The mainline church's support of foreign

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-15183217620136468502008-02-27T16:02:00.005-06:002008-11-12T20:26:15.983-06:00

Apparently a Pittsburgh Presbytery committee plans to pursue new charges against the Rev. Janet Edwards for officiating a wedding between two women. And the top court in the Presbyterian Church USA made clear that ordination of non celibate gay and lesbians is forbidden by the constitution. The local option is dead unless something changes at General Assembly. Back to square one.More Light argues

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-71578134566476904552008-02-24T23:59:00.003-06:002008-11-12T20:26:16.153-06:00

Deep Thoughts asks "They claim that thinking about robbing a bank, is the same as robbing the bank. What does it matter what I think?" Actions matter more than thoughts but I don't think thoughts can be dismissed.There must be a difference between being having a brief desire to "kill someone" while driving in traffic versus someone who sits down to plot how such a murder might take place and

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-46918742705498354952008-02-20T23:59:00.009-06:002008-11-12T20:26:16.373-06:00

Here's a post at Shuck and Jive about how the right assumes everyone who has left the Presbyterian Church USA did it in protest against the presence of liberals and gay people in that denomination. I'm certain that can be the case for some, but I suppose such folks could never consider the idea the opposite occurs as well. I grew up in the PCUSA (and whatever the northern church was pre-1983) but

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-72081278096569035622008-02-18T06:22:00.011-06:002008-11-12T20:26:16.711-06:00

Even the Devils Believe has a thought provoking post on the question of love, rights, and mutual sacrafice in community and explores the thought of Katheryn Tanner and Rowan Williams. The distinction I work with is Aristotles: there is a different way of ordering life among friends and the wider society. One is defined by love while the other has an element of justice. Justice is necessary when

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-5357854082402278612008-02-15T23:59:00.001-06:002008-02-16T09:14:21.645-06:00

The UCC is starting a campaign to connect religious faith and science and to bypass the old conflict between the two. Evolution Sunday is another attempt, by honoring the work of Darwin and biology in our attempt to understand God's world.If we agree with Augustine that truth is undivided, that knowledge gained from other disciplines should have significance for our religion, that faith should

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-39547033952148122482008-02-13T13:59:00.006-06:002008-11-12T20:26:16.905-06:00

There has been some discussion on the way some Christians are able to exploit human weakness, get folks who are down and out, and use that as a reason why they need God and the church.I have no doubt that God and the church can make a way for people in desperate straits. But we can't reside there. Faith and God doesn't begin and end in crises situations, but rather over the whole of life, in the

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-63248071317780314862008-02-09T23:55:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:17.016-06:00

Altoona Atheist has been highlighting a baptist pastor in Kentucky who seems to work at outdoing Fred Phelps. He's been holding mock funerals of key people he hates including Hillary Clinton. He's recently turned his sites against a "sodomite" United Church of Christ congregation that is open and affirming because of their welcome of gay and lesbians and their work with a number of churches in

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-35432822814772092092008-02-07T03:14:00.001-06:002008-11-12T20:26:17.409-06:00

Chris Tessone made me aware of a another site's post concerning the place of Christianity as it engages others. The author of the blog Diaspora writes:"It seems that Christian convictions require that we refuse to be just one voice among many within a neutral or secular public sphere. We must refuse a rationality or narrative that is prior to or more fundamental than Christianity."I may be

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-44256407389023779612008-02-04T16:42:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:17.653-06:00

Here's a piece on several women who have been dismissed from their positions in conservative congregations because they believed in women's equality and the church took a different view.One of the stories is shocking: You have to imagine a 71-year-old woman showing up for church, one she attended for 50 years, and being arrested because she refused to leave.As worshipers settled into the pews at

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-48236874687412309712008-02-02T17:44:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:17.877-06:00

Shuck and Jive and Faithfully Subversive highlighted the news that historical theology professor Paul Capetz, who is openly gay, had his ordination restored in the Presbyterian Church USA. While a lot of progressives followed this as a justice issue, for me, there was another dimension. Paul Capetz was my academic advisor at United Theological Seminary and in large measure was the person

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-52951304012218512772008-01-31T11:59:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:18.173-06:00

This post is in response to Shuck and Jive's post on original sin and my own musings on the subject. His site always provokes religious ideas in me. Given an evolutionary account of the world, there is no pre-fallen world to harken back to. There's no individual moment that the strife, problems came to be. Suppose original sin is not indicating origins but instead is a descriptive account of

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-30125929837299390082008-01-30T23:08:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:18.304-06:00

I usually don't pay attention to endorsements but this is one that matters. More than eighty attorneys volunteering on behalf of detainees at Guantanamo Bay have endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president. They write:The writ of habeas corpus ..was enshrined by the Founders in our Constitution. The Bush administration's attack on habeas corpus is dangerous and wrong. (These) policies have

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-2052874189098136132008-01-26T21:10:00.001-06:002008-11-12T20:26:18.442-06:00

Obama's dramatic sweep of South Carolina, one hopes, is a rejection of the politics "that tells us that we have to think, act, and even vote within the confines of the categories that supposedly define us." Update 1/30 With John Edwards dropping out of the race, I'll be joining the ranks of a number of fellow progressive Christian blogs in supporting Barack Obama for president, a candidate who

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-12245970841235556722008-01-25T21:59:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:18.583-06:00

If the Bible is not infallible, sometimes the question is asked: why not throw out the Bible and Christianity as not worthwhile and start fresh. This is one answer I posted on friendly atheist: It may be that I find more resources in the Bible than some folks in this discussion even as I acknowledge that not everything in the text is helpful. But my religion does not center on the Bible, one’s

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-29714599962346596862008-01-23T06:20:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:18.886-06:00

It's not in the best interests of Canadians to have "faith" or "religious arguments" come to be seen as inadmissible in public discourse about public policy options. Questions of peace and war, the economy, and the environment are issues to be informed by faith. But there are appropriate and inappropriate ways of speaking in an explicitly faith-informed way in the public square. The task at hand

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-22373430324268135412008-01-21T13:46:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:19.223-06:00

A few quotes by Martin Luther King which indicate to me a feature of his thought and life that rarely receives comment: he drew from and maintained commitments coming out of the liberal protestant tradition. "The universe is on the side of justice. One knows that in the struggle for justice he has cosmic companionship. Some creative force that works for togetherness, a creative force in the

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-12143655920741054492008-01-20T23:10:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:19.415-06:00

I apologize for the absence of posts. I didn't have internet access over much of last week. Also I've started teaching a few community college courses. I've enjoyed the History of Christianity course. We've been exploring Greek and Jewish influences that led to the formation of Jesus' world. The Greek background was never spoken much of when I was in seminary but now it has really affected my

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-37834501921299761982008-01-19T17:29:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:19.588-06:00

A few atheist blogs have begun to notice the existence of a religious left. Not maybe as potent politically as the right but one that is beginning to be heard, even as it's been around longer than folks imagine.Atheist revolution highlights the Institute for Progressive Christianity, with it's goal to present an alternative face to religion. Friendly Atheist has found a compelling progressive

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-46296500864781489232008-01-09T10:28:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:19.750-06:00

I apologize for the lack of posts. Gmail and therefore blogger was causing me problems over the last week. But now I have access back. So a quick thought about the New Hampshire results. I've been impressed with a number of the candidates on the democratic side. Obama's ability to attract independents, young people, new voters, and to move folks about the prospects of a new America has been

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-32048966960293976512007-12-28T23:13:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:19.920-06:00

"We are told by a delightful expert that we ought not really teach our children about God lest we rob them of the opportunity of making their own discovery of God, and lest we corrupt their minds. If we continue along these lines the day will come when some expert will advise us not to teach our children the English language, since we rob them of the possibility of choosing the German, French, or

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-8492626073010286242007-12-26T12:17:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:20.108-06:00

The blog Friendly Atheist asks the question: Is it better for atheists to pursue the we must "end all religion" bit of Sam Harris or a Christopher Hitchens(confrontational).Or should they seek to support progressive values (in and out of religion, less confrontational). As a liberal protestant, I’m keen on the first strategy: reforming churches so as to be welcoming of gay people, women, science,

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-61044781809297377082007-12-24T15:24:00.000-06:002007-12-24T15:25:10.502-06:00

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-41248444069834261172007-12-21T23:04:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:20.241-06:00

I finally fixed my car radio. It's been on hiatus for the time since I've owned it. So I decided to have a listen. I was amazed by the fact that at least half of the radio stations in our area are Christian.And what kind of Christianity is being presented on the radio waves? The religious right kind. It's wierd shifting your radio by a few numbers and hearing the bashing of other religions, the

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-77244523666730491952007-12-16T01:37:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:20.427-06:00

The IRD attempts to shock their readers in noting a Methodist church shares its space with an anarchist group. But what's fascinating is the new joint ministry that's occuring between that group and the parish. But that's ignored because the point is to score some points against a liberal congregation, in this case one with a transgendered pastor. And the lesson which is the same for most IRD

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-46979663160375008552007-12-14T01:40:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:20.584-06:00

I've commented on the primary season but have never waded into who my choice would be. I figured I'd be open and declare my support for John Edward's candidacy for the Democratic nomination. There are several reasons:Edward's embrace of the trade labor movement as the building block of a shared prosperity. And that includes concrete proposals on reforming labor laws, trade laws, and ending

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-13745170172810410652007-12-12T18:46:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:20.677-06:00

The US House has just had a lopsided vote to defend Christmas. They did it by resolution, stating how important Christmas was and how great Christianity is as a religion. As a Christian, I'm not impressed.For one, they identify Christmas with December 25th while ignoring our Orthodox brothers and sisters who celebrate Christmas on Jaunary 7. It may sound nitpicky but for a congress that wants to

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-50749660374645481682007-12-11T22:14:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:20.873-06:00

Apparently the author of Shuck and Jive, a PCUSA pastor, has been deemed a heretic. But I have to admit: the quotes that were lifted reminds me of the distinction that Augustine gives between the created and the creator. Between the finite (the rituals, symbols and practices) vs. the infinite (God). One is contingent, changing, measured by how it increases love of God and neighbor. The other is

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-81273767948113559952007-12-02T17:37:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:21.110-06:00

As I was watching tidbits from the most recent GOP presidential debate a thought came to mind. I wonder when Mary fled into Egypt, did she have papers? Or was she illegal? Did that make Jesus an illegal?Dinesh D'Souza wonders where all the smart atheists have gone. But it made me think of a different question. Where did the Christian theologians go who did not see atheism as an enemy and was not

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-20667458539656157402007-12-01T23:06:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:21.224-06:00

"I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute--where no Catholic prelate would tell the President how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote...where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference--and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-75982891432644353362007-11-25T11:50:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:21.321-06:00

"It is the month of December, and yet the whole city is in a sweat! Festivity at state expense is given unrestricted license. Everywhere there echoes the noise of preparations on a massive scale.The man who said that December used to be a month but is now a year was not far wide of the mark!" Seneca (4BC-65AD) Apparently things don't change much. Is there a way we can find God in the oddness of

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-7047032741841502042007-11-21T17:20:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:21.397-06:00

I ran across a few pieces on evil and religion that raised the question of how to relate the two. There was a piece by a reporter who after reporting on the abuses in the church walked away from his faith and his beat. The reporter asks a presbyterian pastor how to reconcile church abuse cases and rip off artists and the response was to "acknowledge that He (God) is in charge. He knows what I

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-74881819499126269592007-11-12T01:08:00.001-06:002008-11-12T20:26:21.666-06:00

"..these folks read more from the old testement than they do from the new testement.The reason being, the old testement has lot of hate and vengence in it. A lot of the letters are less forgiving as well. The new testement is all about love and forgiveness and separation of church and state. For Christians the 10 commandments are replaced by 2: love god, love each other."- comments found on a

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-50982845778729848332007-11-10T23:38:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:21.858-06:00

Can you believe that we are having a debate in America about what kind of torture is tolerable? I will tell you what kind of torture is tolerable - no torture is tolerable.- John EdwardsThe new attorney general cannot tell us whether waterboarding, a practice dating back from the Inquisition to Pol Pot, is illegal. It's almost a given in many GOP circles that it's legit. So much so that I've

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-72238853541875712192007-11-06T20:37:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:22.083-06:00

I've been trying to make sense of the relationship of church and state. It's clear that government endorsement of religion, one or many of them, crosses the line. But what limits exist for the church?It's certain that people of all walks of life, including those from our religious communities, ought to be involved in the political process. We need more, not less voices in this process. At the

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-51017900362928388442007-11-05T01:27:00.000-06:002008-11-12T20:26:22.350-06:00

My two cats, Adler and Talula hanging. Also I hope to have a post on faith and politics. I visited a local UU church yesterday that advertised a petition for the Green Party. More material to draw from.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-38666808258421629412007-10-30T16:57:00.000-05:002007-10-31T20:43:48.583-05:00

"We have had a faith outreach in our campaigns precisely because I don't think the LGBT community or the Democratic Party is served by being hermetically sealed from the faith community and not in dialogue with a substantial portion of the electorate."This was Obama's response to the criticism of his decision to give a platform for his gospel campaign tour to a preacher who spoke of changing gays

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-63986752420399854732007-10-07T16:14:00.000-05:002008-11-12T20:26:22.620-06:00

"When people talk about further destabilisation of the region and you read some American political advisers speaking of action against Syria and Iran..I regard that as criminal, ignorant and potentially murderous folly.We do hear talk from some quarters of action against Syria and Iran. I can't understand what planet such persons are living on, when you see the conditions that are already there."

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-71326956468177659592007-10-02T22:13:00.000-05:002008-11-12T20:26:22.819-06:00

The Anglican Church in Australia has given the go ahead for women bishops. Something to cheer about. In other news, I'll be gone for a trip to visit the author of Lonely Goth and participate in a job interview. *crosses fingers* I'll be back next week.

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-3732178626514932772007-09-30T18:32:00.000-05:002008-11-12T20:26:23.029-06:00

Tim asks about the immanence of God, as found in discovering the wonders of the universe. More often than not, when I read stories about the universe I get more impressed on how small we are in relation to it.Dailykos had a piece on how about three quarters of the mass of the universe is literally a void, of matter and energy. That's a universe where much of the language about God as Tim has

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567830.post-15822930071692785282007-09-26T19:12:00.000-05:002008-11-12T20:26:23.146-06:00

"The sense of dependence that is bred by recognition that the intent and effort of man are never final but are subject to the uncertainties of an indeterminate future, would render dependence universal and shared by all. It would terminate the most corroding form of isolation that divides man from man at the foundations of life's activities. A sense of common participation in the inevitable

Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022414933969854363noreply@blogger.com0