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A mosque near Ground Zero?
Wed, 06/09/2010 - 13:17 — Matt ShaferA discussion initiated by a friend of mine has brought to my attention the controversy in New York right now over whether to allow a mosque to be built a few blocks away from Ground Zero. Apparently this is a pretty high-profile issue the city at the moment.
I find it hard to conclude that the city government would be in the wrong, at least politically speaking, to deny permission to build the mosque, given the emotions conjured up by this issue and the repercussions that such a move could have.
That said, I believe that were NYC to decide, after appropriate deliberation and some semblance of consensus, that the mosque construction could go forward, it would constitute a tremendous act of moral courage and, in fact, a tremendous act of patriotism.... READ MORE.
Violence from the past
Thu, 06/03/2010 - 15:30 — Julie ClawsonThe day after we here in the U.S. paused to remember the men and women who had died fighting for our country, the fight continued from beyond the grave. On Tuesday in the town of Göttingen, Germany a World War 2 era bomb exploded killing three people and injuring six others. The strangeness of death coming from a conflict long resolved, the destruction of former enemies now become close friends, gave me pause as I read the headline.
My first thought in the “what a tangled web we weave” category, was to wonder if the Allied airmen dropping those bombs some years ago ever thought that their action had the potential to kill their unborn grandchildren. Or that one day we would live in a globalized world where the idea of Germany and America being at war with one another would be utterly preposterous. And still the violence and the hatred of a time gone by had its latest causalities in 2010. ... READ MORE.
Jennifer Knapp and a (very) short history of sexuality and Christian music
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 12:55 — David HensonI'd like to tell you a little story. It's about a woman who wrote and performed innovative Christian music, becoming arguably the most popular female Christian artist of her time. So successful was she that her songs were even used in hymnals and songbooks across the world.
But a few years after her success, she came out as a lesbian and was buried under a heap of criticism.
Sounds a bit familiar, right?
But this isn't the story of Jennifer Knapp, the popular Christian artist who came out this month as a lesbian. This is the story of Marsha Stevens, the woman who has been called the mother of Contemporary Christian Music.... READ MORE.
Prayer in the public square
Mon, 04/19/2010 - 10:52 — Debra Dean MurphyLast Thursday, a U.S. District Court judge in Madison, Wisconsin ruled that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. On Friday, Christopher Hitchens and Tony Perkins duked it out on CNN, rehearsing familiar arguments:
Hitchens: Court decision good. ”The first amendment is written with admirable clarity that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.’”
Perkins: Court decision bad. (He’s calling for the judge’s impeachment). “The National Day of Prayer goes all the way back to the founding fathers.”
Despite some hysterical emails, blogs, and Facebook status updates, President Obama still plans to acknowledge this year’s National Day of Prayer on May 6. (It seems there isn’t any issue which the President’s detractors won’t confuse or distort in order to demonize him).
Many Christians are outraged at Judge Barbara Crabb’s ruling. Tony Perkins and his organization, The Family Research Council, speak for a large segment of American church-goers who see Thursday’s decision as deliberate “judicial activism,” intent on leading the United States further down the path toward “godless socialism.”
But here, I submit, are five reasons why the National Day of Prayer, from a Christian perspective, has always been a bad idea... READ MORE.
Enough with the pride and stoicism
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 09:13 — Debra Dean MurphyIt started, as these things often do, on Facebook.
“Show your solidarity with WV coal miners,” urged several friends via their status updates. By early Monday evening you could do this by joining various Facebook groups: “Pray for the Miners in Raleigh Co. WV” or “Pray for the Coal Miners of the Upper Branch Mine,” to name two.
By Tuesday, many on Facebook were appealing to Americans everywhere to leave their porch lights on all night to show support for the victims of the mine explosion. I didn’t have the nerve to reply to several well-meaning friends with what seemed an obvious response to such a request: “Wouldn’t that actually benefit the coal companies more than the miners and their families? Is that what we really want to do at this particular moment?”
I am a native of West Virginia, having grown up in Pocahontas County, an area known more for tourism (skiing, hiking, biking, and trout fishing) than for the business of mining coal.... READ MORE.
International Women's Day
Mon, 03/08/2010 - 11:01 — Julie ClawsonMost countries around the world are celebrating a holiday today. While here in the United States we might have a few blog posts and an auxiliary lunch or two, other countries are hosting parades and setting aside time to honor women. For today, March 8, is International Women’s Day. A national holiday in some countries, this is the day set aside to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Of course, just mentioning the day’s existence prompts some to ask “well, why isn’t there an International Men’s Day?” In response I’d echo my mom’s reply when on Mother’s Day I would ask her “why isn’t there a kid’s day?” and she would say “because every other day is kid’s (men’s) day.”
But the fact remains, if women truly were treated as equals, valued for our contributions, respected for our ideas, and not assumed to be inferior or incapable in any way, then there would not need to be a day to bring attention to the achievements of women.... READ MORE.
Religious (il)literacy
Mon, 01/11/2010 - 10:39 — David LewickiThis past Sunday marked Peter Steinfels' last "Beliefs" column in the New York Times. It was one of the few place in the Times where religion wasn't treated as a curiosity, something for simplistic, naive, unsophisticated rubes. Read the last column here. Steinfels gives a glimpse into the endangered species that is religion writing for thoughtful religious people. Religion writing no longer has a place for general readership. Whole sections are dedicated to Business, Sports, the Arts, even Real Estate. But the newspaper can't even sustain a bi-monthly column on religion. This is not a good sign for the secular culture's ability to tolerate and sensibly engage religion--it's a further sign of an "us-them" rift.
I'm not going to lament the day when the papers on Monday covered the sermons by the "Avenue" preachers the day before. BUT, it's a damn shame when a journalist can't even use the phrase "Apostles Creed" without adding the descriptor “the ancient affirmation of basic Christian doctrines.” Steinfels notes that the religious illiteracy of younger Times readers was largely to blame.... READ MORE.
Culture war weary
Fri, 12/19/2008 - 10:20 — Carol Howard MerrittAs most of us know, Barack Obama asked Rick Warren to open at the Inauguration, and there has been a bit of frustration sparking around the Internet around the choice.
Why is it? After all, Obama also invited Rev. Joseph Lowery, a great Civil Rights leader, to close in prayer, showing a balance in judgment and religious convictions.
Warren is an affable guy, who has sold a gazillion books. He has a rigid stance against abortion and same-sex unions, but he has been willing to invite Obama to Saddleback (Warren’s mega-church), and sit at the table with Obama, even with many evangelicals... READ MORE.
Was Otis Moss III already booked?
Fri, 12/19/2008 - 10:19 — Jim WallWhen word came that Barack Obama had selected Rick Warren to give the opening prayer at his inauguration, you had to wonder, was Otis Moss III already booked?
Warren has been a leading warrior in the culture wars that have divided the nation. Reaction in opposition to Warren was swift and predictable. Many of Obama’s enthusiastic support base felt betrayed. Warren has every right to voice his opposition to the GLBT community and to speak out against choice. But that does not earn him the right to pray while the whole world watches on January 20
... READ MORE.
Rick Warren the invocator
Fri, 12/19/2008 - 10:07 — Bob CornwallAm I surprised that Barack Obama chose Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration? Well, yes and no. I guess I was hoping that he would branch out beyond the circle of evangelicals who have dominated the scene the past several decades. But, Warren has become something of the new Billy Graham. Yes, he's conservative on issues like abortion and homosexuality. But he's also taken the lead on a number of social justice issues. He has provided a couple of forums for Obama to speak -- though I did feel that the forum with McCain was stacked against him... READ MORE.
