Earlier this year, author Karen Armstrong addressed TED conference participants with a plea for the world to embrace the Golden Rule as called for by faith traditions. Her speech was part of TED’s annual conference, which features more than 50 keynotes from influential thinkers and leaders that are then distributed online over the course of the year.
Andrea Useem recently attended a service at the Second Life church that’s tied in with an evangelical church 2.0 mission that’s launching later this year. In a recent blog post, she likens the service itself to another real-life evangelical service she’d recently attended. In fact, the similarities—and the surprising differences—make up a compelling critique that gives insight on how churches can and should be taking advantage of the platform, rather than building an “in-world” church and hoping people come
The Washington Post today examines the downsizing and program-trimming trend among Episcopal seminaries, noting a correlation between that trend and the dynamics within the denomination. But the more likely causal factor, the article continues, is, quite simply, money.
So is The Cat in the Hat really the Christ who arrives with a “BUMP” and turns the world upside down for God’s children? Is the mother in the story a symbol of the old religious law? Are the fish in the bowl representative of churches that adhere to a restricting version of the Gospel? Did Dr. Seuss really intend for his stories to be interpreted this way?
Brian McLaren, well known here as a leader of the Emerging Church movement, has written a new book that argues that “Christians must move beyond traditional charity and work for systemic change that addresses the causes of human suffering.” Earlier this week, Rachel Zoll interviewed McLaren about this book, Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises and a Revolution of Hope.
Paul Moore was always conscious of, and in conflict with, his own sexual nature, considered deviant and sinful during the decades he served his church. He suffered his transgressions with the understanding that his fallen human state offered him the one experience he could share with his God, who had been crucified for man’s sins. Standing nearly 6-foot-5, regarding the world from pulpits that granted him national and sometimes international attention, Bishop Moore was a gifted preacher who projected a palpable sympathy by placing himself among “the sinful brotherhood of mankind, so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs, and received their pain into itself.”
Dave Munger of Cognitive Daily summarizes some interesting research on teens and lying. The research focused on the issue of when teens thought it was okay to lie to their parents or to their friends. The results are interesting: teens are much more likely to think it is okay to lie to their parents when their parents direct them to do something immoral (such as not to be friends with a person of another race) than other circumstances, but teens are much more likely to lie to their parents than to a friend
The Rev. Susan Russell of All Saints Pasadena has been recognized by the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center with a LACE award, which honors “local lesbians and bisexual women who have distinguished themselves by making particularly significant contributions to the local LGBT community.” Russell received the award in a ceremony last weekend along with three other women, each with contributions in a specific arena; hers was the spirituality award.
More and more people are making their own sets of prayer beads and using them to structure their prayers. An article in the Grand Rapids Press, in Michigan, examines the phenomenon by talking to some of the beading faithful, including two Grand Rapids sisters who were running a small beading business. They watched demand for the beads grow exponentially after they started their shop in 2001, possibly as a result of the events of that September. Another of the women in the article, author Kimberly Wilson, recently wrote a book about prayer beads that traces the origins of rosary prayers as well as noting the near-universality of prayer beads as traditions in other faiths.
The Most Rev. Desmond Tutu, archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, addressed University of the South’s School of Theology on Friday, and Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori delivered the commencement address earlier today. Tutu talks about thanksgiving, and about being agents to fulfill God’s purpose. Calling on the graduates to heed the cries for help from those in need, he notes that our greater cause is to bring about more compassion, love and laughter in this world.