By Gregory The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil. – Gerard Manley Hopkins The focus of my spirituality has shifted, incrementally, but steadily, over the past several years. I once sent my prayers heavenward, into the skies, believing that meaning was “up there” beyond the firmament. I practiced a predominantly vertical spirituality. Now, my gaze is outward, but not necessarily up – and in nature I sense a subtle... Read more

By Gregory Despite serving as the foundation for Christianity, Judaism is generally not well understood by Christians. For example, many Christians think of Judaism in terms of what is described in the New Testament. But modern Judaism is radically different than in the days of the Pharisees. Here are some basic insights about Judaism – that can help clarify things a little. Liberal versus Orthodox Judaism – prior to the 1800s there was essentially a united Judaism – scattered throughout... Read more

By Gregory I do not think that raising questions about fundamental religious convictions should be necessarily taken as an attack on religion or anyone’s core beliefs. Questioning, after all, is natural for inquisitive humans. Speaking for myself, I raise the questions below with an open mind, hoping to learn something by reading the responses of others. My questions are  sincere –  I’m not looking to score points or seeking to justify disbelief in God, rather, I am looking for insights... Read more

By Gregory Religious conversations tend to be peppered with talk of “the truth”, sometimes written with a capital “T” for added “umph”. Let’s toss around some ideas about truth. First, what is it? I understand truth as the adequate correspondence between judgments (sometimes called propositions) about reality and reality itself. If I encounter a tree and I judge it to be a maple, we determine if my judgment is correct (true) by examining the tree to see, if indeed, it... Read more

By Gregory I’ve found that when I engage others theologically, it’s usually helpful to have a sense of where a person is “coming from” theologically – what is the basic religious outlook – what are their religious fundamentals? Knowing these basics saves time later when discussing issues where a person’s religious fundamentals determine what or how a person thinks concerning topics such as salvation, abortion, marriage, politics, and so on. For me, addressing a set of five basic questions can... Read more

By Gregory Religion, as the Latin root word implies, is a tying together, a binding – of myths, assertions, values, hopes, and practices – into a more or less coherent tradition that at the end of the day is intended to provide meaning. Meaning refers to a sense of identity, place, and belonging, a foundation from which to begin attempts at answering the “why?” questions in life. For some religions, but not all (think Buddhism, Taoism, Religious Naturalism, etc.) God... Read more

By Gregory Ethical Thinking Ethics (or morality, I use the terms synonymously) – is essentially criteria concerning the rightness and wrongness of human actions aimed at understanding what constitutes a good life. A significant component of most religions is an ethical vision that is directly tied to that religion’s larger worldview. And while each religious tradition has its own ethical flavor – the common elements stand out – love your neighbor, be kind, don’t steal, live according to your word,... Read more

By Gregory Human beings have always been religious – there is something about being human that predisposes us toward religious behavior and expression. Therefore, it’s valuable to explore the essential nature of religion as a way of better understanding ourselves as well as our chosen traditions. Religion is an integrated way of looking at the world. By integrated, I mean that religion is more than a complex explanation of the nature of reality – the sciences do a relatively good... Read more

Open Table Judaism is a vision of a Judaism renewed, of a Judaism that practices audacious hospitality, and of a Judaism that is true to its ancient roots but also relevant to today’s realities. Open Table Judaism is a broad and generous vision of a laden table where people of differing views can sit and be nourished. At table together we engage, we converse, and we are fed by food, ideas, and the love of one another. Open Table Judaism,... Read more