By Gregory In previous posts, I’ve discussed how I find most mainstream views on God unsatisfactory – I also believe growing numbers of people do, too. This trend, in my opinion, underlies a few of today’s common spiritual realities: The popularity of the New Atheism – these thinkers have made clear, solid arguments against Santa-God and have shown belief in such to be a form of magical thinking that cannot endure in the light of honest questioning.  The emergence of... Read more

By Gregory Many of us have read the work of the New Atheists or encountered those influenced by them. I’d imagine many of us have replied to their assertions with a phrase similar to, “I don’t believe in that sort of God either.” The phrase indicating that we don’t ascribe to the immature, unrealistic visions of Divinity that the New Atheists usually attack. Admittedly, such gods are soft targets. Yet that phrase represents only half the matter – only half... Read more

By Gregory  Have you ever endured an extended period of turmoil or put up with a problem that wouldn’t go away? While you’re in the midst of the struggle, everything seems to narrow and your focus is only on your situation. Fortunately, bad times tend not to last forever. There comes a point when the struggle subsides and we can simply be – at peace again. Once again, we notice the world around us; becoming aware of the leaves blowing... Read more

By Gregory Rabbi and scholar, Arthur Green makes a fascinating claim in his book, Radical Judaism. Green argues that the Jews are not so much the chosen people as a choosing people. As he wrestles with the meaning of covenant and the myth of Sinai, Green argues, as do I, that the vast majority of modern Jews have moved beyond simplistic notions of God. Too much water has passed under the bridge of suffering for most of us to think... Read more

By Gregory A central Jewish-Christian myth is the giving of the Covenant at Mt. Sinai, fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. Here’s the gist of the story – the Jews are freed from the slavery of Egypt – liberated from the restricted, narrow ways that enslaved them. They’re reborn through their passage through the waters and sent to wander in the purifying and focusing experience of the wilderness. The Jews finally arrive at Mt. Sinai. Moses ascends the mountain... Read more

By Gregory The notion of Natural Law or more specifically, the Natural Moral Law gets much traction and attention in certain Christian and Jewish circles, especially among Catholics. Despite its widespread mention and use, those who appeal to the Natural Moral Law often use the term incorrectly or make unwarranted assumptions. I’d like to call attention to some of these after I offer a basic overview of the Natural Law Tradition. What is the Natural Law Moral Tradition? Every ethical... Read more

By Gregory Genuine religion and a genuine engagement of such, in theory, should be transformative – prayer, liturgy, study, meditation, self-reflection, repentance, and engaging myth and meaning in a communal context should yank us out of our selfishness and mitigate against the ego-reinforcing, community destroying tendencies of many aspects of our contemporary culture. I’m always fascinated, therefore, by people who seem to have been warped or made into worse human beings by their religion. We all likely know people who... Read more

By Gregory I’ve been getting a lot of intellectual mileage out of thinking about religion and spirituality as art. And this ongoing meditation is helping me sort through my lack of clarity on many things. What is the human impetus to create art? To draw? Paint? Sing? Write? My sense is that the creative impulse is very similar to the religious impulse. Both human activities originate from similar roots. To pray, to worship, to commune – are acts with deep... Read more

By Gregory It seems to me that all the world’s great religious traditions have similar structures, core elements that comprise the tradition and give it form. I’ve spoken of these before, so I’ll be brief: The Core Elements of Religion Myth – great stories and narratives that convey fundamental truths that help a people form an identity, discern right from wrong, find their place in the world, and offer wisdom on how to live. Myth tends to blend history with... Read more

By Gregory My social world looks like it went through a theological blender. When I survey those closest to me, I find several hard-core atheists, many sincere Christians (particularly Episcopalians, Catholics, and Evangelicals), several confused folks, a handful of seasoned Neopagans, and a few Jews. I even dare throw parties where these folks mix and mingle. Some of these parties have even been religious in nature. I’ve had Hanukkah parties where Christians, Pagans, nonbelievers, and Jews lite the Menorah. I’ve... Read more