Posts from November 2010 (Page 2)

Samir Selmanovic writes, An honest conversation about our religions is…an intimate endeavor.  Only when we believe the other is not there to hurt us – though they may struggle to understand us – can we begin to share not only the light but also the shadows of our religion.  To step into such conversations, we have to be ready to embrace the holy awkwardness that surrounds our God talk (It’s Really All About God, XVI). Reflect on some of the…

Below is a short video by Samir Selmanovic.  We’ll be exploring the themes raised by him this Sunday in worship.  How do you respond to this brief introduction to him?  What do you find exciting?  Concerning?  What questions does he raise for you? [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lKbwxn30Xs&feature=player_embedded#!]

In an interview with U.S. Catholic, Karen Armstrong is asked how should we respond to atheism.  She replies, We need a rethink. We can’t reproduce the spiritualities of the past because we are 21st-century people, but we can learn from history and make the huge creative effort to translate its wisdom into our own time. That’s going to be hard work, and people have gotten lazy about religion. They think it should be easy. They go in and sing a…

C.S. Lewis writes, I believe in God like I believe in the sun rise. Not because I can see it, but because I can see all that it touches. Where have you seen God’s touch this week?

Philip James Bailey writes, Who never doubted never half believed; Where doubt, there truth is — ’tis her shadow (from Festus: A Country Town) What role has doubt played in your own faith journey?

Peter Rollins writes, So the question remains… as a Christian, do I believe in God? Well, while I am drawn to the idea that there is a Supreme Being I must confess that I don’t believe in God, at least most of the time. But if you ask me whether I aspire to believing in God then, with all of my being I say yes, yes and again yes… (from blog post:  One day I hope to believe in God) What do…

William Sloane Coffin writes, It is often said that the Church is a crutch.  Of course it’s a crutch.  What makes you think that you don’t limp? (Credo, pg.137) When has the church helped you to walk?

In response to Anne Rice’s decision to “leave Christianity,” Brad Hirschfield writes, I think it would be more interesting for people to claim their “Christian’ness” or “Jewish’ness” or religiosity as they see fit and let those who oppose them deal with the fact that nobody deserves a monopoly on such big, important words. Of course there are people who are done with Christ, Torah, etc. and they will have no use for such terms. But for people like Ms. Rice…

Robert C. Fuller writes, Before the 20th century the terms religious and spiritual were used more or less interchangeably. But a number of modern intellectual and cultural forces have accentuated differences between the “private” and “public” spheres of life. The increasing prestige of the sciences, the insights of modern biblical scholarship, and greater awareness of cultural relativism all made it more difficult for educated Americans to sustain unqualified loyalty to religious institutions. Many began to associate genuine faith with the “private”…

The following is from an interview with Anne Rice in the Los Angeles Times by Mitchell Landsberg on August 7, 2010: Q) Two days before you announced on your Facebook page that you were quitting Christianity, you praised the Lutheran Church for welcoming gay pastors. So why not become a Lutheran, or a member of some other church that shares your views? A) I feel much more morally comfortable walking away from organized religion. I respect that there are all…

Anne Rice writes, My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn’t understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me…But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become. Is it really possible to follow Jesus on…

This Sunday’s worship will focus on what it means to be spiritual but not religious (SBNR).  We’ll explore what people of faith might learn from the SBNR and what our tradition might have to offer those who identify as SBNR.  We’ll be in conversation with Anne Rice, the popular author of Interview with a Vampire, as an example of SBNR.  Rice announced to the world on Facebook (read reflections on Anne Rice’s announcement here): For those who care, and I…