An article in the Arizona Republic points out that more and more it is the voices of the clergy that are dominating the ethical discussions surrounding comprehensive immigration reform in the United States. And most of those voices are coming from mainline clergy.
Whatever name is chosen, it would be a fitting day to celebrate the people who first inhabited the land and remain today as living, vibrant cultures. Whatever we call it, this renamed holiday would be an excellent time for us all to learn not only about the rich heritage of America’s indigenous peoples, but also about the lives and accomplishments of contemporary Native Americans.
Seminarian Mike Angell drew homiletical duties for the day. He stuck to the assigned lections, preaching on the dangers of being defined by wealth and of being defined apart from one another.
You know that society is moving toward the acceptance of gay relationships when Joint Force Quarterly , a prestigious journal published by the National Defense University Press for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gives the top prize in its 2009 essay contest to a systematic dissection of Don’t Ask. Don’t tell.
But at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, the Rev. Susan Beem Beery said she asks herself, “What would Jesus do?” and comes up with a totally different answer regarding guns in church. She said a few years ago when universities were addressing whether to allow concealed weapons on campus, the Episcopal churches passed a resolution not to allow guns in their buildings.
Sanctuaries that once left their doors open all day now employ armed guards, off-duty police officers, surveillance cameras and even undercover plainclothes guards who mingle with the congregation.
Saying that it would violate long-held legal principles and cause the state to delve into the minutiae of church polity and theology. Oklahoma church leaders spoke in opposition to legislation that would change the terms of church property ownership across the board.
In a somewhat surprising development, given the secular world’s decision to use climate change as a political “sorting hat” of people into camps of good and bad party members, the religious community seems to have found broad based agreement and is now working in concert to lobby in Washington.
This week, the Guardian asked the question “Have extremists retaken American Christianity?”