Christianity

Christianity and the crash

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At The Immanent Frame thirteen esteemed scholars and journalists offer their responses to Hanna Rosin’s December 2009 Atlantic article, “Did Christianity Cause the Crash?” Below is an excerpt from Sarah Posner’s comments:
The prosperity gospel is a lot older than derivatives, credit default swaps, and other byzantine Wall Street “products” that leveled the financial markets. Moreover, the fact that humans – not God – dreamed up these contrivances doesn’t poke holes in the prosperity gospel at all, at least from its adherents’ vantage point. If you believe and sow your seed, God will reward you, even as the secular Masters of the Universe greedily orchestrate a global economic collapse. Surely the prosperity gospel plays a role in persuading its followers to buy into risky financial schemes, including sub-prime mortgages.

Christianity

The most politically dangerous Christmas carol

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I love a column by John Ortberg in last week’s Christian Century about the song of praise that Mary sang when she was told by an angel that she would bear the son of God. I wanted to link to it for this Christmas week, but it’s one of their few articles not online. Then I found this sermon, “That Mary Sure Could Sing,” that quotes Ortberg’s piece and riffs off it. Here are the opening lines from Ortberg’s piece, followed by some quotes from the sermon. The greatest Christmas carol in history was not written by Irving Berlin or Nat King Cole.

Christianity

Spiritual Wisdom of the Week

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This week’s spiritual wisdom is in our Guide to Christmas in the current Tikkun. It is by Al Fritsch, who is a Jesuit priest and public interest advocate, a co-founder of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and a writer (see www.earthhealing.info), pastor, and prison chaplain. The True Meaning of Gifts
by Al Fritsch

I distinctly remember one of my very early Christmases when stationed in the Northeast as a newly ordained priest. After the Midnight Mass I was invited by a local family for their gift-opening event, which was for them a traditional holiday affair. In the course of the evening I got a distinct feeling that members of this family were pretending to enjoy opening the many expensive gifts given to each other.

Christianity

Lawsuit threatened over atheist city council member

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Did you know that seven states have laws barring atheists from holding political office? I learned this while reading about newly elected Asheville, NC councilman and atheist Cecil Bothwell — both he and the city may face a lawsuit because of his lack of belief in God. Article 6, section 8 of the NC state constitution reads, “The following persons shall be disqualified for office: First, any person who shall deny the Almighty God.” While constitutional experts say the law is not enforceable Bothwell may have to defend himself from civil lawsuits. Bothwell is a Unitarian Universalist who celebrates Christmas and is not opposed to the council praying before its meetings.

Christianity

The Current Rise of the Religious Left = Back to Normal

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Despite its recent prominence, the religious right is only about thirty years old, while the religious left has a genealogy that stretches back more than two centuries. In every generation people of faith have brought their bodies and spirits to the causes of human freedom, racial and gender equality, economic solidarity, and global peace. Catholics and Calvinists, theological liberals and evangelicals, adherents of indigenous spiritualities and immigrants of every faith have worked to extend the radical vision of the American Revolution to all peoples. More here, from “The Religious Left: an Old Tradition for a New Day” in the Unitarian Universalist magazine. Saying the Religious Left only stretches back “more than two centuries” is a little thin, when one thinks of Cromwell’s Ironsides who cut off the king’s head, or the Anabaptists of the 16th century, or the medieval Cathars and Hussites and so on.

Buddhism

How to Reclaim Christmas, Chanukah, and Other Holidays

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Red-and-white striped poles spring up in the vacant lot on my block every year, even before I’ve fully digested Thanksgiving dinner. Topped by floodlights, these oversized candy canes tower over the neighborhood, a blinding reminder that Christmas is coming. Next time I check, the tree sellers will have finished setting up shop there, erecting their bristling forest of dead pines under the dazzling lights. Paired with the blitz of “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” ads that tend to flood my inbox and mailbox, this surreal invasion of my neighborhood always makes me feel like Christmas is breathing down my neck. How did the commemoration of a homeless baby’s birth turn into this garish and materialistic extravaganza?

Christianity

How to do Interfaith

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If you are interested in interfaith work don’t miss this: “Three Clergymen, Three Faiths, One Friendship.” So many interfaith efforts involve avoiding each other’s hot buttons. This is how to do it:
The three say they became close not by avoiding or glossing over their conflicts, but by running straight at them. They put everything on the table: the verses they found offensive in one another’s holy books, anti-Semitism, violence in the name of religion, claims by each faith to have the exclusive hold on truth, and, of course, Israel. “One of the problems in the past with interfaith dialogue is we’ve been too unwilling to upset each other,” Rabbi Falcon told the crowd at the Second Presbyterian Church here.

Christianity

Thanks for the Storytellers

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I loved the comments at yesterday’s post “What are YOU grateful for?” On Sunday I was thinking about how many things I have to be grateful for, and wondering which I would choose to mention if I wrote a gratitude post every day until Thanksgiving. Tony Roeber’s “I am grateful just for being alive and breathing…” has it all in a sentence. Jason Hamza van Boom’s items are wonderfully eclectic and specific.

Christianity

Launching my blog posts: A Sufi Look at Genesis, with a Tribute to King James

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When a couple gets married, they traditionally have a wedding. When a child is born, people usually throw some kind of celebration. When a ship sets out on its maiden voyage, it is customary to break a champagne bottle against its bow. A position as a blogger is, of course, nothing compared to those things. What are the opinions of one pundit, compared to a marriage, a new human life, or the ocean-crossing journeys of a ship?

Christianity

MLK's God on the Phone Forum tonight! And check out our MP3s of previous ones

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Well, God isn’t personally appearing so far as I know. But we’ll be talking about God as understood by MLK. We will hear insights based on new scholarship, and his theology will very likely surprise you. Almost every Monday night I interview a Tikkun author. Last Monday my guest was the remarkable writer and psychotherapist Kim Chernin, whose article “The Long Path Out of Denial: Zionism, Heartache, and a New Vision of Israel and Palestine” is in the current Tikkun print magazine.