Category: Challenges
Looking Beyond “All-American Muslim”
A few weeks have gone by since the November 11 premier of the TLC reality show “All-American Muslim.” I have only just found some time to sit down and watch the first two episodes of the show. Hav... Read More
Transforming Fear into Action
The three boys walked up the road, smiling, sometimes laughing, maybe on their way home, maybe on their way to buy groceries on the other side of the checkpoint. They must have been 10 or 11. A bit ... Read More
Church of Depression: Negative Cognitions and a Fundamentalist Theology of Sin
While modern mental health care has recognized the incredibly dangerous and often paralyzing effects of depression characterized by low self-esteem, feeling worthless, and feeling as if one is being r... Read More
‘Tis the Season to Consume
‘Tis the season to spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need. The twelve days of debt are upon us and the annual festival of fights has begun. Apparently pepper spray will be... Read More
Touring the Ironbound: Environmental Justice Made Real
I was on a chartered bus with about 40 other people—Christians, Jews, Muslims, Unitarian Universalists, one Buddhist, and one Wiccan priest. We were united in being people of faith, in being mostly ... Read More
Seven Types of Scholarship
What are scholars for? I offer for your consideration seven types of religious scholarship: priest, scribe, gnostic, revolutionary, rabbi, scientist, and contemplative.... Read More
Learning to climb
Having just returned from my first AAR experience at this year’s annual meeting in San Francisco, my mind is still spinning. For me, it was five glorious days of nerd-heaven where theological reflec... Read More
“Muscular Christianity” and the Penn State Scandal
University of Nebraska Assistant Coach Ron Brown prayed on behalf of his football team and that of Penn State prior to their game on November 12th, in the wake of the latter university’s scandal... Read More