Hearing a still, small voice: Yours or God’s? A historic set of events has taken place this week. For the first time, candidates from the Democrat and Republican parties have been invited to participate in televised forums about matters of faith. I was pleased, not only that the forums took place, but also that female religious leaders were included in the conversation. On a personal note, I was especially excited to see Sharon Watkins, the general minister and president of... Read more

Fallen icons provide no cause for celebration There’s a curious part of human nature that celebrates the struggle of the underdog, cheering on the little guy against all odds. Then, when said underdog overcomes adversity and rises to the top ranks of its field, we find an equal amount of pleasure in tearing it back down. Organized religion lost one of its pre-eminent conservative icons recently with the unexpected death of Jerry Falwell. Though he was felled by a heart... Read more

The challenge: Work, regardless of the fruits The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred text in the Hindu religion, particularly for those who are devoted to the god Krishna. There are many parallels, both theologically and philosophically, with Christian, Jewish and Muslim texts, such as the immortality of the soul, differences between the physical and spiritual worlds, and a call to prayerful action to enable global harmony. “Bhagavad Gita” is Sanskrit for “Song of God,” and is part of a greater... Read more

Though I enjoyed this episode, it effectively ended up being a lead-in to the finale and little more. It was cool to learn of the Looking Glass station – another Alice in Wonderland reference. I could have done with a little less pathos surrounding Charlie’s decision to take a dive, though I’ve read posts online where people boo-hooed their way through the whole hour.  I will point out, for what it’s worth, that none of them was male. I think... Read more

Our son, Mattias, is three and a half, which he will gladly – and rather assertively – tell you, whether asked or not. To say he is gregarious would be underplaying his outgoing nature. He knows no strangers, which is a regular challenge for his parents, but it also means he makes friends on the spot. He’s not so good with names, though. It’s not that he has a poor memory for names. On the contrary, once he has a... Read more

Isn’t it time for church to embrace diversity? We are witnessing a popular divide within the greater church. As ministry begins to reflect the pluralism of the American culture, impasses arise with respect to traditional values, morals and guidelines about who may and may not serve as leaders. While in some cases we have moved assertively toward a more diverse body of church leadership, there are others who resist such change. Gender issues still pose a major point of potential... Read more

Well, if nothing else, things certainly are moving forward. Jack and Juliette finally gave up the ghost and explained what they were up to, which was…(drum roll). We haven’t decided yet. Wha?  Seriously? This weeks-long drama leading up to whether or not Jack has turned to the Dark Side is revealed to be a profound lack of decisiveness, and htis coming from the guy who always has a plan in his back pocket. I’m all for the “who’s good, who’s... Read more

Etiquette Why is it That when we try to establish rules About the nature, placement, disposal of, Masking of related odors, and general attitude We carry when divesting ourselves Of our bodily fluids, that we feel the urge to be cute, To make little rhymes out of our rules? Let me offer a few examples For the purposes of illustration: “If you sprinkle when you tinkle, Be a sweetie; wipe the seatie.” “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s... Read more

It’s no surprise to anyone who attends church on a regular basis that women outnumber men in the pews in many congregations. There are many theories about the attrition of males in church, from the swell of female ministers to paradigmatic changes in the social role of religion in our lives. Regardless of the cause, the numbers don’t lie. In response to this trend, some ministries are making a point of reaching out specifically to men. From biker ministries –... Read more

Taoist Philosopher Lao-tzu once wrote that weapons are instruments of misfortune, and that those who are violent do not die naturally. The recent events at the Virginia Tech campus attest to this truth. Cho Seung-Hui, a native of South Korea, moved to the United States at age 8 with his family. At the time of the shooting, he was a senior in the English department with a chronicled history of abnormal behavior and a particularly violent writing style. All told,... Read more