An artist's rendering of Joseph Smith's first vision

Karen Armstrong, a popular historian of religion whose bestselling A History of God brought her to national prominence in 1993, is back in the news. Her new book, The Case for God, revisits some familiar  territory in a stimulating survey of Western religious history, but this time Armstrong packages her message in an admonition to both conservative Christians and bellicose atheists, mutual antagonists in the cultural skirmishes over religion.  The Wall Street Journal recently commissioned Armstrong and Richard Dawkins, the most outspoken of the new atheists, to respond to the question, “Where does evolution leave God?” (one wonders why they did not also include an informed representative of conservative religion in their symposium).  The two answers were published together, and they make a most interesting study in contrast. Armstrong uses the platform to reprise the argument of her new book:

In the past, many of the most…

Many Religious communities in our modern culture use the words faith and belief interchangeably.  This seems a misuse of language that does not describe two distinct attributes of Spirituality.  By interchanging the word usage, we lose sight of the difference between faith and belief.

Two authors have influenced my thoughts.  Richard Bach’s Illusions,  teaches that faith is imagination. The other book, Faith As Imagination , is authored by Gerald Bednar, but the book is about the writings of William F. Lynch, S.J.  As a quick review, both books are excellent.  Illusions is an easy, quick read that need not be taken literally. Its beauty lies in its theme, not in the plot.  Bednar’s Faith As Imagination, is a scholarly enterprise that cannot be skimmed.  The book is filled with the valuable insights of a profound 20th century religious philosopher William F. Lynch.

Both authors teach that faith is Imagination. The notion seems be…

That’s the title of a summer workshop I will be leading later this month (July 27-29) at Concordia Seminary. It’s a topic I’ve studied, talked, and thought about for a long time. Peter Mead, senior editor at Creative Communications for the Parish, will lead some of the presentations too. Even if you’re not interested in the workshop, it will feature a public reading at 4:00PM on Tuesday, July 28.

Here’s the blurb I wrote for the brochure:

This workshop will delve into various kinds of creative writing—poetry, storytelling (for “page” and “stage”), and creative nonfiction—and what it means to write in these genres as a person of faith. What role does faith play in the creative process? What makes a piece of writing religious? How is faith expressed through creativity? Questions like these will be explored through presentations, close readings, conversation and creative exercises. Although not required, participants are encouraged to bring…

Abraham Lincoln media.photobucket.com

There is a saying attributed to Prophet Muhammad (I am paraphrasing a bit). Prophet Muhammad once said “Support your brother when he is right and support your brother when he is wrong”. His companions were puzzled (knowing that the Prophet always supported truth only) and one asked “what do you mean support your brother when he is wrong”.  Prophet Muhammad replied “Support your brother when he is wrong by correcting him”. Lets face it, hardly anybody likes being corrected. But to correct someone in a nice and gentle manner, where the person sees it as an act of a well-wisher, is a true act of friendship. To correct one’s nation (or work to correct it when needed) is also a true act of patriotism. Why should we support our nation right or wrong? Why not make sure our nation is always right? Which is a better act of patriotism,…

Kevin Grady at October parent forum at Normandy High. Photo by John L. White of Post-Dispatch

On Monday, November 17th from 6:30-8:00pm, Faith Communities United will convene a community forum to discuss issues related to the recent HIV/AIDS issues at Normandy High.  The event will be hosted by Normandy United Methodist church, located at 8000 Natural Bridge Road.  All are welcome and encouraged to enter into the dialogue from a perspective of faith.

Panelists include: Dr. Delores Gunn (St. Louis County Health Department), Dr. Denise Hooks Anderson (President, Mound City Medical Forum), Lawrence Lewis (Program Manager, In the Spot), Nancy Hatman (Board member, Normandy School District), Gloria Farr (Ministry Director, Normandy UMC), and L.D. McGee (Concerned Parent of a Normandy Student).  Clergy members from Faith Communities United will lead the program.

Faith Communities United, Inc. is a non-profit coalition and partnership formed by clergy, faith organizations, health professionals and advocates to raise awareness and work toward prevention of HIV/AIDS in communities…

Okay.  So, mixing the faith and politics, I was a BIG TIME Obama supporter!  Bumper sticker, buttons, voter registration drives and even an Obama action figure for my son (yes, I said action figure).  But, something continues to dog me about the movement for change that elected him to serve as our 44th P.O.T.U.S.  It seems that many were in search of a messiah, not a president. 

Clearly, folks don’t think he’s Jesus or any second coming.  But, consistent with the more traditional Judeo-Christian (Hebrew Scriptures/Old testament) concept of a promised, prophet-king as son of God who would care for the widow and the orphan, instituting God’s reform agenda, many believe the President-Elect fits the bill.  My caution for this (small ‘m’) messiah is that this role is never completely filled in this realm.

The good King Hezekiah comes closest in the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament tradition.  This youngster on the throne gathers a team…

http://stlouis.missouri.org/parks/tower-grove/images/treesflowers

The first time I saw the brilliant color change of fall was at Penn State University. The flaming red colors were very impressive. But I prefer the fall colors we have the mixing of reds, yellows, greens and browns producing a wide variety of exquisite hues bright and dark. A feast for the eyes.

Fall though always is a reminder of the passage of time and somehow feels a more appropriate time to take stock and think of how to improve ourselves. And it brings to mind a small chapter from the Qur’an and its reminder to in our struggle to self correct and improve firstly and mainly ourselves and also perhaps a little the

http://stlouis.missouri.org/parks/tower-grove/images/treesflowers

environment around us.

IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE:
(1) CONSIDER the flight of time!
(2) Verily, man is bound to lose himself
(3) unless he be of those who attain to faith, and do good…

A friend was visiting Cape Cod recently and brought me a most unusual gift. It was six inches in diameter and formed from two concentric disks, the top disk slightly smaller than the bottom disk. The two disks were held together by a rivet which allowed the disks to turn freely, either clockwise or counter clockwise. The top disk bore the title: CHOOSE YOUR RELIGION: A GUIDE FOR THE SAVVY CONVERT. A large red arrow enabled the top disc to point at any one of thirty “religions” by name. The reason I put the word religions in quotes is because some readers would be quick to declare one or two of these as, “not religions at all.” Consumerism is on the chart, along with Atheism, and Psychoanalysis.

Cut into the top wheel are six openings which are labeled: Description; Accessories/Paraphernalia; Afterlife Promises; Potential New Friends; Drawbacks; and finally, Perks. The device is…

So, a few nights ago I did something I had never done before. I watched a full episode of Desperate Housewives from start to finish.

The re-run hooked me in because one of its central plot-lines concerned faith and religion (”Sunday” was the title). After enduring several traumas in her life, Lynette (Felicity Huffman) decides to coerce her family into joining Bree (Marcia Cross) at church. And in the process, the episode took up a fundamental question: What is church for?

The crux of the drama was whether church was for “questions” or “answers.” Ultimately, of course, church is all about both. But in trying to answer the question, Housewives touched on many of the reasons many of us religious types find ourselves – in more ways than one – within religious communities.

Tradition and community. Forgiveness and reconciliation. Friendship and meaning. And a source for trust. This last value is particularly important for those who…

Did you feel the earth shake?

I grew up in California, I have felt several earthquakes, so when it hit us last week I knew what it was. But I wondered if my Midwestern native friends knew what hit them. Some thought it was a tornado…maybe some thought the sky was falling. It is a scary thought to think we are not only in for tornadoes in the Midwest, but we live close to an active fault line.

At times like these, emergency preparedness comes to the forefront of our minds.

Are we prepared?

My church takes a special interest in emergency preparedness. We have a website — providentliving.org — with resources that can be used by any church or group.

We are not, by any means, the only church preparing its flock for disaster or those events like loss of job or illness that can set a family back.

Recently Fenton ward of The Church of…

My last post received a comment that was so important, I thought it deserved a whole post. A person asks about a Catholic friend who seems to have a mistakenly optimistic belief about his own chances for salvation. Here is the comment:

This person does not even attempt to lead a Holy life, much intentional lack of self control and mortal sin in his life. The danger I feel for this person is that he in all sincerity feels that he will receive salvation if he were to die in this state of his life.

He says, he realizes that he is living a life of sin, but as long as he repents before he dies, or even on his death bed that he will just have to spend some time in purgatory, but he will receive salvation (Heaven).

The reader asked about about both “salvation” and “purgatory” and I want to say…