The War in Afghanistan has been raging for more than nine years. Yet, we still regularly hear shocking remarks such as "If I had to choose sides today, I'd choose the Taliban" from figures as prominent as Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Such comments raise ever more sharply the question of “Why are we still in Afghanistan?” As for fodder for thinking theologically about conflicts like Afghanistan and Iraq, I find compelling the following reflection from Roman Catholic theologian Bill … [Read more...]

Yesterday, The New York Times reported on the evolving focus of Save the Children: Over the last year, Save the Children emerged as a leader in the push to tax sweetened soft drinks as a way to combat childhood obesity.... At the same time, executives at Save the Children were seeking a major grant from Coca-Cola to help finance the health and education programs that the charity conducts here and abroad, including its work on childhood obesity.... In October, Save the Children surprised … [Read more...]

As reported in The New York Times, plans are underway in Kentucky to build an amusement park based on the story of Noah's Ark to supplement the state's already-existing "Creation Museum." I will leave it to others to focus on the obvious first amendment violation of using state money to fund a tourist attraction with the sole agenda of promoting fundamentalist Christianity: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." Instead, I would like to say out loud and in public … [Read more...]

My first impression of Brent Landau’s Revelation of the Magi was incredulity. The subtitle, “The Lost Tale of the Wise Men’s Journey to Bethlehem,” caused me to wonder about the book’s legitimacy. My curiosity was piqued when I saw the HarperOne imprint (a top-shelf publisher of popular, accessible religious titles); accolades on the back cover from major scholars such as John Dominic Crossan, Marvin Meyer, and Karen King; and the biographical citation that the author completed his … [Read more...]