Am I happier as a mother than I was as a married woman without children? Is my mom happier than she was decades ago, before her four kids came into her life? The thing is, being a mother involves the kind of love that Jesus called agape, self-sacrificial love, love that gets to work no matter what the circumstances. Guest blogger Amy Julia Becker considers the "happiness" factor of mothering. Read more
In my version of this poem, M is for the mixed feelings I have about Mother’s Day. Because no human mom fulfills her role as perfectly as the mom in that poem. A day when we moms suspect that your cards tell us who we are not but who society, our family, maybe even God wishes we were. Read more
For Mother’s Day, I invite you to consider an alternative Trinitarian formula from the Trinity Working Group of the Presbyterian Church (USA): Mother, Child, Womb. This maternal language for God has roots in many sources, including both the biblical book of Isaiah and the writings of the sixteenth-century Protestant theologian John Calvin. As the recommendation of the Trinity Working Group shows: “[Calvin’s Commentary on Isaiah 46:3] explains that God ‘has manifested himself to be both…Father and Mother‘ so that we might be more... Read more
Even though evolutionary biology is currently getting all the public attention about the relation of science to religion, an exploration of physics and astronomy seems appropriate given Stephen Hawking’s public reemergence with the series “Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking” currently airing on the Discovery Channel. Read more
What if Jesus wrote a letter to Mary Magdalene? What if that letter explained how each person must integrate their masculine and feminine sides in order to be whole? What if those teachings had the power to heal relationships, not only between individuals but also between Jews, Christians, and Muslims? Presbyterian Pastor Ruth Huizenga Everhart reviews the new book, The Galilean Secret. Read more
When I was a child, my mother made my brother and me memorize Bible verses on a weekly basis. I have to admit that we didn't take this practice too seriously, even though, at the height of the Cold War, my mother counseled us, "If they take away your Bible, you'll still have the word of God imprinted in your mind." Today, I have reclaimed the practice of Bible memorization but with a different twist. I call this practice "affirmative faith" or "spiritual affirmations." Bruce Epperly dishes some spiritual food for thought this Monday morning. Read more
"Pluralism toward other religions is an expression of the very essence of Christian faith." Did you know that this Sunday, May 2, is Pluralism Sunday? What does that mean, and what can we do in our church services to honor it? Jim Burklo, from The Center for Progressive Christianity, shares reflections and resources for celebrating religious diversity in churches around the world this Sunday. Read more
There is a simple fact being largely ignored by those engaging science and religion: it is not an exclusively Christian enterprise. Dialogue with other religions can make some of the work being done in the field look downright ridiculous. Read more
At first glance, it seems obvious that one Christian would pray with another, and that Billy Graham would pray with the President of the United States as he has done since the days of Truman. But, to paraphrase Vice-President Biden, in today’s political and religious climate, this was a “big deal.” Bruce Epperly reflects on the Graham-Obama prayer principle. Read more
I am troubled when religious extremists — Christian, Islamic, or otherwise — threaten violence against those exercising free speech. If someone offends you, engage that person in dialogue, avoid that person, and/or encourage others to avoid him or her; but don’t bully. Intimidation and violence are infantile tactics unworthy of a mature society. (more…) Read more
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