Newman, reflecting on the pervasive presence of evil in the world, “the blind evolution of what turn out to be great powers or truths… the disappointments of life, the defeat of good, the success of evil… the prevalence and intensity of sin, the pervading idolatries, the corruptions, the dreary hopeless irreligion…” (Apologia pro vita sua,
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Newman and Chesterton on Original Sin
In the article “Religious Differences Between Married and Celibate Clergy: Does Celibacy Make a Difference?” in Sociology of Religion (1998), Don Swenson attempts to make an empirical argument against some of the reasons advanced by the Church for clerical celibacy. While the experiment itself is poorly constructed to the point of being ludicrous, the idea
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Empirical Comparison of Celibate and Married Clergy
True Tuesday allows students to learn about Hinduism MU The Parthenon “In a nutshell, Hinduism fits into anyone's schedule,” Velury said. “It teaches to be good to your fellow man, which I think every religion teaches. …
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True Tuesday allows students to learn about Hinduism – MU The Parthenon
Yesterday we suggested that preaching on a Bible narrative should include more than just elements based on the story, but should actually tell the story. Here’s another implication of the pervasive nature of narrative: 2. Don’t just enter the narrative as a means to an end, but see the entering in as a potential location of the “end.” That seems like a risky sentence, but I think it holds firm. Too easily we feel that a story is, at best, an introduction to our pontifications, applications and morals. But a well timed, well placed, well told story will often carry its own weight and do its own work. The listeners will enter into it, they will find themselves in the world of the story, and they will feel the story in their world. As they identify with the characters and feel the rising tension, as they see the tension resolved, as they feel the blessing of “their” character trusting God, or sense the emptiness of a character choosing the pain of sin, and so on, they will be impacted by the story, during the story. God invented narrative, trusts narrative and so gave us loads of it in Scripture, knowing people would hear it and read it, and knowing that there wouldn’t always be the helpful explanation we sometimes feel God “needs” from people like us. God knew what he was doing with the inspiration of narrative, perhaps our seeing story as effective communication in itself might be an act of faith that could bear fruit? I am not anti-explanation or suggesting that storytelling replace preaching. I am suggesting that in our preaching we don’t simply see narratives as illustration, or introductions to the “real stuff.” It’s tempting to move on to the next implication, but perhaps it would be better to let this post linger longer. Number three tomorrow.
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Preaching and Story – Part 2
One atheist pronounced my column two weeks ago “good,” but the overwhelming reaction from nonbelievers ranged from “rather unsettling” to “toxic shock.” The column noted that a recent study found that nonbelievers know more basic facts about religion than believers, but I questioned whether the “New Atheists” really understand religion itself.
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What sort of God do you believe in?
When it comes to religion, Ned Flanders generally steals all the thunder for references to faith and The Simpsons . L’Osservatore Romano , the Vatican’s daily newspaper, shook things up for a day, offering some quality fodder for religion blogs by declaring Homer Simpson as Catholic.
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Stop the presses! A Catholic Homer
Lawyers for a Dutch politician who has harshly criticized Islam argued at his trial Tuesday that he has the right to issue warnings about the religion’s spread in Europe and should be acquitted of inciting hatred and discrimination.
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Anti-Islam lawmaker asks for hate speech acquittal
SALT LAKE CITY — Attorneys for polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs are asking a judge to quash an extradition agreement signed by the governors of Texas and Utah, saying they are trying to destroy the prophet of an unpopular religion by denying him his right to a fair and speedy trial.
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Polygamist leader’s attorneys fight extradition
The headline on the recent Time cover story tried to set an epic tone, summing up a story that was going to courageously explore an election season that has intimidated politicians (mostly on one side of the political aisle) and, thus, has intimidated journalists. Cue the music. A fanfare please
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Time takes an American Journey (kind of)
Attorneys for Warren Jeffs, former leader of the polygamous FLDS Church, are seeking to quash an extradition warrant signed by Utah Governor Gary Herbert that would turn Jeffs over to Texas state authorities for trial on sexual assault and bigamy charges there. The move comes after the Utah Supreme Court overturned Jeffs’ Utah conviction on charges of being an accomplice to rape because of improper jury instructions. (See prior posting ).
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Warren Jeffs Fights Extradition To Texas