From the category archives:

THEOLOGY

MORMONS: are they Christians?

October 8, 2011

It was only a matter of time before the issue of Mitt Romney’s religious beliefs came up again.  In the last presidential election cycle it became a major stumbling block to his candidacy and may have been the deciding factor in his loss to John McCain in the primaries.   Many conservative Christians found his being [...]

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CHURCH & STATE: the confluence makes it confusing!

October 2, 2011

Today, all across the country, evangelical Christian preachers are breaking the law … intentionally. It is a protest, they say, against the unconstitutional IRS rules and regulations that forbid not-for-profit agencies from participating openly and visibly in political affairs.  For decades it has been understood that religious organizations could not endorse or otherwise promote the [...]

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ROSH HASHANAH: a new year for humans, animals and contracts

September 30, 2011

The ram’s horn is sounded and the annual observance of the beginning of a new year is announced by Jews throughout the world.  The shofar is an ancient instrument removed from the head of a ram and sounded after some practicing to gain the skill of breath-creating sound. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year has [...]

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“…IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH….”: wedding vow too familiar to be taken seriously?

September 18, 2011

Pat Robertson, the aging TV evangelist-political candidate for President, has never been one of my favorite people.  His simplistic theology seems to take delight in trampling on people who live in the margins of belief and life, particularly if those margins are far from his own comfortable location.  This past week he not only stepped [...]

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“ALL THE COMPANY OF HEAVEN”: a euphemism for all those who have died

September 12, 2011

In the liturgy of  The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church in the United States there is a phrase used when the Priest who is celebrating the liturgy of Holy Communion says, “…and so, with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of Heaven….” It is meant to indicate that what is [...]

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CONDOLENCES: expressions of sympathy at the time of death

August 10, 2011

Yesterdays poignant arrival of the caskets of the 30 military men killed in Afghanistan at Dover Air Force Base was sobering.   The President joined others in recognizing the sacrifice of their lives and the nation found itself almost speechless as it tried to sort out the meaning of this tragic loss. Sprinkled throughout the reports [...]

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WEDDING: time for a revision of thinking?

July 17, 2011

I’ve said it before in this blog, but I think it’s time for a revisiting of the issue of weddings. Note carefully:  I did not say it was time to revisit the issue of marriage. That was another blog.  This time I’m just focusing on the wedding, itself. My wife and I attended a wonderful [...]

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DESTINY: that which lies ahead and is tied to one’s present

June 10, 2011

Whether one’s destiny is programmed or unfolding is a question that has plagued philosophers, theologians, prognosticators, and regular people like you and me for years. There are some who believe that one’s destiny has been designed by God, or whatever one’s ultimate source of being is called.  It is “simply” a matter of reading the [...]

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RILLS: small rivulets or streams

May 31, 2011

Maybe you will recognize the second verse of the patriotic song usually referred to as “America”: “My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills, My heart with rapture thrills Like that above.” It is actually a Christian hymn, sung [...]

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MARRIAGE: the relationship between two persons who have committed themselves to each other without exception

May 25, 2011

Some would say that we have entered the “wedding season,” when weddings are happening all over the place.   The traditional month for weddings is June, but it is clearly more a “spring/summer” thing than a specific month. But not only is this a traditional season for weddings, it has also become a season for debate [...]

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