Category: Intra-Faith
The Hajj – Revisiting Commonalities
On the 14th of October 2013, Muslims celebrated the second most important holiday in their religious calendar, the Eid ul Adha (or the festival of the Hajj) which is the culmination of the annual pilg... Read More
Saving Conservative Judaism: A Response to the Religious Landscape Survey
This essay was inspired by the following article: “Conservative Judaism turns 100 and Works to Reverse its Decline.” Back in 2009, when my fiancé and I were searching for a synagogue to a... Read More
On Disability and Brokenness: A Letter to My Fellow Clergy and Clergy in Formation
This may not be an easy discussion, but it is a deeply, deeply necessary one. The subject I wish to broach today is one that is tremendously difficult for me personally, as it is for many people whom ... Read More
A Visit Christian Family Bookstore by Nathan Hershberger
“Full Armor of God. $19.99” This small figurine caught my eye just as I entered the “Family Christian Bookstore.” Happily, it confirmed everything I wanted it to confirm about American eva... Read More
The Yoga of Ecology and the Anticipatory Community
This past summer I got over my nature-deficit disorder. As I have been sharing here on State of Formation, my time serving as an apprentice in communities at the forefront of the eco-theological and e... Read More
A Drash on Parashat Noach
This drash (commentary on the weekly Torah portion) was delivered at JTS on October 5, 2013. Shabbat shalom! In reading and rereading this week’s parsha (portion), I was struck by what our parsha ca... Read More
Why Religion Should Not Try So Hard to Be Cool
Every September college students confront a myriad of student activity organizations, each competing for student loyalties. While campus religious groups might be considered realms for quiet reflectio... Read More
Who decides who can be in a dialogue?
Not long ago I was in a conversation where we were brainstorming about a potential dialogue when my Muslim colleague surprised me by saying “I heard that Dr W (name withheld) is a lesbian, so don’... Read More