It takes no faith to insist that the Ten Commandments be carved over the courthouse door, nor does it take reason to insist that it be removed. Faith should care less about public prayers and slogans; reason should care less about the slogans of the faithful. (more…) Read more

UNICEF’s latest report on child well-being shows the U.S. failing miserably.    The report looked at six factors: material well-bring, health and safety, education, family and peer relationships, behaviors and risks, and kids’ own perceptions of their well-being.  The U.S. showed up 20th out of 21 countries surveyed.  We were dead last in health and safety.   Why is it that every time a list comes out comparing advanced countries on quality of life issues — health care, education, whatever... Read more

A debate about the “religious left” has raged in the blogosphere for a little over a day now, incited by a post at Beliefnet by Sojourners president Jim Wallis.    Wallis, in response to a piece by Kos, argued that religious progressives and secular progressives should unite in common cause rather than undermine each other.  That’s a fine suggestion.  I’m all for it.   The problem, as numerous blogs pointed out (see here and here, e.g.), is that Wallis himself... Read more

Find common ground to combat poverty on a congregational and individual level. (more…) Read more

Something exciting is happening in Oregon. (more…) Read more

Both the Christian Right and the Christian Left are making the same interpretive error of legalism, one tending toward the Old Testament law and the other toward New Testament ethics. (more…) Read more

Media Matters has picked up up a juicy nugget today.   On Sunday, Tim Russert reinforced the meme that Democrats never talk about faith.  In pointing out that Barack Obama referred to faith in his announcement speech on Saturday, Russert claimed he had not heard a Democratic candidate do such a thing “in some time.”    Russert obviously hasn’t been listening, because Media Matters laid out numerous instances when current Democratic presidential candidates have discussed their faith — including John... Read more

Methought I heard a voice cry, "Sleep no more! McChurch does murder sleep!" the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care, The death of each day's life, sore labor's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast. (more…) Read more