Christianity

The Current Rise of the Religious Left = Back to Normal

By |

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.

Judaism

Standing Before the Divine

By |

Hi all! I wanted to share with you a recent piece I wrote for the Theology of Prayer class I am currently taking with Rabbi Art Green. This piece is another segment in the exploration of traditional Jewish prayer and embodiment. For those who are unfamiliar with the framework and language of traditional Jewish prayer, the “Amidah,” which I am writing about in this piece, is known as “the standing prayer,” “the silent prayer,” or sometimes even just “the prayer.” It is the central point of the traditional service, the crescendo in a long flow of liturgy.

Culture

"Lights" and the "Dinner Party"

By |

When I take a vacation, I love the freedom it offers. And the experiences I would otherwise miss. This time those events included hearing our daughter Linnea sing and play drums with her band Lights (magnificently, I might add). They were at the end of their eastern tour and it was her 28th birthday, so all-round it was a unique occasion. If you want to hear (and see) them, check out their music video.

Buddhism

How to Reclaim Christmas, Chanukah, and Other Holidays

By |

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?

Rethinking Religion

Spiritual Wisdom of the Week

By |

This week’s spiritual wisdom comes from psychotherapist and online columnist, Allen Roland. Dr. Roland is best known for his work on the Unified Field. More information on Dr. Roland and the Unified Field can be found on his blog. THE UNIFIED FIELD
The basic underlying and uniting force of the universe is a psychic energy field of love and soul consciousness (the Unified Field), which lies not only beyond time and space but also beneath our deepest fears ~ and whose principle property is the universal urge to unite. Finding the Unified Field was an act of surrender.

Politics & Society

The Feast of Life

By |

Commensalsim is a relationship where living things live in close association. They benefit from each other without causing parasitical harm. The concept is kin to the idea of communion. It is mutual participation. It is Eucharist. It is a reciprocal indwelling of the divine in the human. It is gratitude. It is grace.

Christianity

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

By |

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?

Culture

The Sacred Feminine

By |

I love reading emails from the GoddessScholars list serve. This group of women includes some of the most knowledgeable people in the world when it comes to the divine feminine. The core members — out of several hundred women — are scholars, but the e-list contains artists, musicians, story-tellers, and ritualists as well. Reading their posts, I discover what’s new in the “Goddess Sphere.” I discover where the current controversies lie.

Politics & Society

A Real Thanksgiving, 2009

By |

No matter how difficult it may be in a world filled with pain and cruelty, a world facing ecological devastation, wars, global malnutrition and starvation, torture, slavery, and political craziness, there are moments when it is important to stop looking at all the problems and just to focus on all the good. The psalmist said that this is what the focus of the weekly Sabbath or Shabbat celebration should be: “It is good to give thanks..” And that’s part of what Thanksgiving could be about. (Our friends in Canada, or those around the world who celebrate a Thanksgiving at other times or as part of their own spiritual or religious tradition, can still use these ideas). I don’t mean only a moment of sharing “something we all appreciate” as people are chomping down the traditional meal.