It is a Shame for Women to Speak in the Church?
This article was first published at “The Bloviating Ignoramus,” a blog for politics and culture. I understand the Church of England’s stance against the ordination of women as an example of blatant gender oppression by a male-dominant Church that participates in the perpetuation of inequality. The Church of England’s recent decision to not ordain women to the bishopric is [...]
Religion, Gays, and a nice little B and B
This article was first published at “The Bloviating Ignoramus,” a blog for politics and culture. There are some arguments that people espouse that need to have a response, whether or not anyone ever hears or understands that response. The article that Mike Judge wrote for the Huffington Post is just such an article. Judge paints a masterful picture [...]
Suicide: Virtuous or Tragic?
Writing about the emotionally sensitive topic of suicide within the context of religion left me somewhat perplexed and uncertain as to where I personally stand concerning the controversial act itself. Before doing such extensive reading on the subject of suicide, I believed passionately that taking one’s own life is always destructive and negative, that it [...]
Homosexuality: A Microcosmic Electronic Post to a Virtual Wittenberg Church Door
The approach I took in writing this essay might be perceived by some as an ultimatum. I hope my decision to be utterly transparent and painfully honest will be seen as an opportunity for dialogue rather than defiance. As I began to compile these questions, most of my thoughts were aimed towards the challenging decision [...]
Joe Paterno is Not the Victim. Joe Paterno is the Perpetrator!
As it is reported, Coach Paterno was told, by a graduate assistant under his employ, that his Assistant Coach Sandusky was forcing sodomy upon a 10 year old boy in the shower. Coach Paterno referred the graduate assistant to the Athletic Director and the Senior Vice President for Finance and Business. This is where the situation becomes [...]
Christianity’s Role in the Occupy Wall Street Movement
As the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protests continue to grow, I have been asking myself what role religion should play or has played in this entire situation, particularly how we, as a society, got to such income inequalities and to a culture that values such high profits at the expense of the worker. Is religion [...]
Christian Values in American Public Policy
With the presidential campaign season in full swing, the politicians are out trying to promote their religious credentials to their potential constituents, which gives the citizenry the opportunity to, once again, process and respond to their comments and write about the ideas of religion and politics in American political affairs. Many of the politicians’ comments [...]
The Consequences of Rhetoric after 9/11
As our nation approaches the tenth anniversary of September 11th, we have the perfect opportunity to reflect on where we were socially, politically, and religiously prior to the attacks and where we are now. I would like to first state that despite the virulent rhetoric from the president, Congress, and the public talking-heads that followed [...]
Damien Arthur
I am a Husband, Father, Citizen, and Ph.D. Candidate. I do my best to think critically, analytically, and rationally about difficult questions of faith, justice, and truth as well as our responsibilities to one another.
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Contributing Scholars
Susan HarrisonI am a PhD candidate at the Toronto School of Theology - Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto. In addition to my current research in Christian Peace Theology and the Theology of Religions I teach, participate in and organize Interfaith dialogue events. I have an MDiv and a ThM in New Testament and have found leading Scriptural Reasoning groups a meaningful way of connecting with people, building community, and learning about how scripture shapes lives and gives meaning to people. I have served in different capacities as a pastor, chaplain and a cultural exchange program coordinator. Some of my writing includes "Interfaith friendship as a Bridge to Peace" in *Windows to World's Religions* (ed. Arvind Sharma), articles for the *Common Ground News* and I am one of the editor's and contributor's to the book *On Spirituality: Essays from the Third Shii Muslim Mennonite Christian Dialogue*.
Paul Joseph GreenePaul Joseph Greene is attending the second year of his doctoral program, seeking a Ph.D. in systematic theology at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota. "Let's talk interreligiously about liberation, identity, power, privilege, creative transformation, process, politics, and Glee! And by virtue of our relationship, let's become a new creation together."
Michael J. AltmanPh.D. student of American Religious Cultures in the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University. Specialization in American religious history and Asian religions in America. Twitter: @MichaelJAltman.