The most recent short lived celebrity marriage lasted only two weeks: Rachel Snider is filing for divorce from Terrell Owens, claiming he only married her for her money. Yet, in announcing her plans to divorce Terrell, Rachel says this of their relationship: “I really valued his love and friendship for 5 years. Out of the love in my heart, I tried to help him. We had a secret relationship for 5 years and I married him for love.” We can’t... Read more
In his column for the New York Times called Alone, Yet Not Alone, David Brooks laments the “strong vein of hostility against orthodox religious believers in America today, especially among the young.” Even more disturbing for Brooks is that in his experience, the opinion of young people is too often justified. He observes that religious believers can be “judgmental,” “hypocritical,” “old-fashioned” and “out of touch” and he wonders why that’s so. Brooks, who is Jewish, knows that the Judeo-Christian tradition... Read more
I recently had the pleasure of discussing mimetic theory and scapegoating with our friends at the Metta Center in Berkeley. Michael Nagler suggested that our prison system in which African-Americans are incarcerated at six times the rates of whites is a good example of scapegoating. I agree. Michael understands something paradoxically true about scapegoating: that guilty people, even murderers, can be scapegoats. Having black bodies in prison does wonders for the self-esteem of whites. If “they” are guilty, and I... Read more
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” — Edith Wharton I discovered the celebration of Candlemas three years ago while doing research for my first book, and fell instantly in-love with this quiet mid-winter celebration of hope and light, that marks the presentation of Christ, barely over a month old, at the temple. Early February is generally the time of year when everyone begins to grow weary of winter’s persistent darkness,... Read more
By Jim Kast-Keat Associate Minister for Education Middle Collegiate Church, New York City People often speak about swords and plowshares as if one ominously threatens to poke your eye out while the other lulls you to cuddle up and go to sleep. The truth is that both these objects are deadly. Yet one threatens life while the other cultivates it. A plowshare is just as sharp as a sword, maybe even sharper. The difference isn’t in the blade but in... Read more
Evolution Sunday: Sunday, Feb 9, 2014 – an opportunity for serious discussion and reflection in worship on the compatibility of religion and science. My book, BIRDLIKE AND BARNLESS: Meditations, Prayers, and Songs for Progressive Christians, is a “book of common prayer” for progressive Christians. These “Sundays” are described more fully in it: Blessing of the Taxes: Sunday, April 13, 2014 – a time in worship to consecrate our tax payments for the work of the common good, and to pray... Read more
(Mimetic Theory and the Nonviolent God was delivered at the Christianity 21 Conference in Denver as part of the conference’s 7-21 Talks. Participants have 21 slides that automatically advance every 20 seconds, which equals 7 minutes. The talk describes why mimetic theory is essential to the future of Christianity. The text is below. For more on mimetic theory and Christianity, see the Patheos site Teaching Nonviolent Atonement.) When I was in seminary one of my best friends came up with a brilliant theological …... Read more
A message in a bottle In an ocean swirled with trash Would there be someone to read it If the ecosystem crashed? I could write that I was sorry That I left the earth a mess: And promise not to foul it Any more than all the rest. I could swear that this one bottle Was the last I’d ever toss, That next time I’d recycle – No more carbon would be lost. I could write a solemn promise Not... Read more
Each year I remix some of my hopes and dreams for the New Year, bringing some of last year along, and adding a few new ones… I realize this will become cumbersome in a few years. Nonetheless, here’s the latest remix, 14 Hopes for 2014: 1) SQUASH NEGATIVITY. I commit to shut down murmuring and cynicism and gossip and slander and all forms of passive aggression (even on the blogosphere!) – and to exorcise the demons of negativity. St. Benedict... Read more
As defined by mimetic theory, scandal gives offense and arouses indignation. Mimetic theory spells out its interactive core, involving a complex or structure of interpersonal relations that extends to all levels of social organization. From the Greek word meaning “stumbling block,” scandal names the offense that our conduct gives to others and that insidiously trips them up, as it models their hostile conduct towards us, whether it is by reproving or replicating, that is, unwittingly miming our own. Scandal names... Read more
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