By Gregory One way of understanding Judaism is to see it as a vibrant, dialectical endeavor. Judaism is an ongoing conversation (one of many) about human dignity, love, and freedom. It’s a 3000 year old discussion about what matters – how to make sense out of the senseless, find meaning in the seemingly meaningless, and navigate the madness, joy, and tragedy of life. Judaism’s method is contemplative inquiry, in which meaning is best articulated through myth, metaphor, poetry, art, and... Read more

By Gregory I’m interested in engaging others concerning their views on Original Sin, the human condition, and meanings of salvation. Few disagree that we live in an imperfect, flawed, dynamic, beautiful world. Also, few disagree that human beings are amazing, conscious creatures possessing tremendous value and dignity, demonstrating incredible abilities, including the potential for genuine goodness and serious evil. Within each human heart runs the potential for sacrificial love, kindness, war, cruelty, and selfishness. Most people recognize that we humans... Read more

By Gregory A few of my recent posts have dealt with the notion of narrative – what story or stories provide you with meaning and identity in your life and relationships? Humans identify deeply with stories, and without narrative, it becomes difficult to meaningfully find our place in the world. Judaism is centered on a series of narratives contained in what Jews call the Hebrew Scriptures and Christians tend to call the Old Testament. The sacred writings are mixture of... Read more

By Gregory Anyone who engages in conversations about theology or spirituality has most likely had encounters with people who assert their views with absolute certainty. You know – people who say things like “Only the blood of Jesus saves” or “Muhammad is God’s final prophet” or “the waters of the Red Sea really did part” and who tell anyone who doesn’t agree how wrong they are. Such assertions don’t bother me; however it’s the manner of the assertions that sometimes... Read more

by Gregory The following conversation begins with some reflections on today’s Jewish trends, but I think there is much that is applicable to Christians, Neopagans, and other religious groups. The folks at the Pew Charitable Trust’s Religious Research Center put out an extensive survey of American Jews about two weeks ago. The result has been ongoing conversation, blogging, Facebook posting, and debate within Jewish circles. (http://forward.com/tags/JewishAmerica2013/) The study confirmed what most Jews with their finger on the pulse of American... Read more

by Gregory When someone asks you to explain your spirituality, where do you start? How do you put into words your worldview, your sense of God, your core values and convictions? It’s not easy, for sure. My tendency is to begin offering theological and philosophical insights, to launch into metaphysics or questions of existentialism. This is not what most people are after when they ask about your spirituality. Sure, these issues matter to the answer, but they aren’t the crux... Read more

By Gregory I am occasionally accused of being a religious relativist. I see value in many aspects of various religious traditions. I am comfortable talking positively about Jesus or the power of mitzvoth.  I see worth in forms of Neopaganism and maintain a healthy respect for several branches of Buddhism.  But I’m not a relativist – at least to my way of thinking. I see common aspects that transcend particular religious traditions and therefore allow us to engage them without... Read more

by Gregory Principles don’t immediately lead to policy, but they do offer guidelines for crafting positive, healthy, humane policies. Judaism in all its instantiations is inclined to a strong sense of social justice – a vibrant call to heal the world and ensure human dignity is protected and affirmed. The prophets – which form a large part of Judaism – are consumed with justice, issues of fairness, the affirmation of human dignity, and the fulfillment of a Divine vision of... Read more

By Gregory Sh’ma Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad The Shema is the central prayer of Judaism – Hear Israel, the Lord is God and the Lord is One. The classical interpretation stresses monotheism – there is one God, not many – and highlights early Judaism’s struggles against polytheism. Yet this isn’t the only valid interpretation – as with most things in Judaism, there are multiple ways to approach the meaning of this prayer. Another approach stresses the avoidance of idolatry. We... Read more

By Gregory Wisdom People receive and shape their worldview in relationship to others, in community, and in a given culture. Culture is the outgrowth of humanity’s social nature and is the totality of customs, practices, values, and communal structures that shape a people’s daily life. Culture’s function, in the general sense, is to promote wisdom – knowledge of how to live a full life. Religion tends to be the promoter/keeper of most forms of higher wisdom in any given culture... Read more