I shudder when folks praise Ronald Reagan’s definition of government as a national problem, just as I hate when lawmakers threaten to undermine Social Security or food stamp programs. After all, what critics smear as “big government” made all the difference in my life. My father died when I was ten, and we carried on [...]
Note from Managing Director: Every so often, we welcome a guest post! Drew Jacob is a philosopher, adventurer and polytheist priest. Travel is his spiritual practice, adventure is his religion. He believes we can live for our ideals, chase our bliss, seek out challenge and make change in the world. He’s walking/bicycling 8,000 miles to [...]

This is a guest post by Chris Highland, a professor at Cherry Hill Seminary. A former manager at Forbes magazine gave me a copy of the October 15, 2012 issue of Newsweek (via The Daily Beast) with the startling cover story “Heaven is Real.” She said, “You might find this interesting.” I did. Amazing; simply [...]
(Pamela Jay Gottfried is a rabbi, parent, teacher and student of religion. She is the founding mother and editor of the interfaith blog She Answers Abraham and the author of Found in Translation: Common Words of Uncommon Wisdom.) I am a Jew by choice. Not because I converted to Judaism—I was born to a Jewish [...]
On January 31, 2012, just a few days ago, my family’s financial plans were unexpectedly upended by the Federal Department of Education. For nearly the last two years, we had planned to enroll in the Department’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program as a means of coping with the over $150,000 in education debt we [...]
Originally posted on Groundswell Movement, February 8, 2012, By Jessica Jenkins Macky Alston’s new film Love Free or Die chronicles the life of Bishop Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop. Bishop Robinson’s 2003 consecration in New Hampshire brought to a head tensions in the U.S. Episcopal Church, and throughout the worldwide Anglican communion, [...]

What are we?! – MEN! What are men?! – RESPECTFUL!!!! Let’s hear it louder! What are we?!!! – MEN!!!! What are men?!!! – SENSITIVE!!!! WHAT ARE WE?! – MEN!!!!!! WHAT ARE MEN?!!!!??! – COMPASSIONATE!!!!!! I will always remember “Boy’s Night” at the Face to Face/Faith to Faith intensive, during summer 2010. That is a vivid, [...]

On occasion, State of Formation is pleased to offer its readers and contributors selections from guest bloggers. Over this week we will publish four part series containing excerpts from a recent book authored Rajiv Malhotra entitled Being Different: An Indian Challenge to Western Universalism. More information about Rajiv Malhotra is located at the bottom of [...]

On occasion, State of Formation is pleased to offer its readers and contributors selections from guest bloggers. Over the next week we will publish four part series containing excerpts from a recent book authored Rajiv Malhotra entitled Being Different: An Indian Challenge to Western Universalism. More information about Rajiv Malhotra is located at the bottom [...]

On occasion, State of Formation is pleased to offer its readers and contributors selections from guest bloggers. Over the next week we will publish four part series containing excerpts from a recent book authored Rajiv Malhotra entitled Being Different: An Indian Challenge to Western Universalism. More information about Rajiv Malhotra is located at the bottom [...]