Category: Philosophy
We transforming Me
Honesty does strange things to people. Apart from being wonderfully cathartic, honesty is contagious. When you sit across from another person and share a moment of honesty that transcends superficial ... Read More
Do Only Religious People Have a ‘Calling’?
This post originally appeared on the Huffington Post Religion. In a recent interview with BBC Radio 4, musician Jack White (of the White Stripes and other bands) reflected on his “calling.R... Read More
Contemplation, Introspection, Removal, Denial, Monk-Rock, et al.
I feel compelled to write about contemplation. I am so compelled because the room that I now occupy reminds me too much of a monk’s cell to not write about contemplation. I’m at Andover Ne... Read More
Dynamic Stillness
The State of Formation seeks to provide a platform for emerging religious and ethical leaders in formation. But what does it really mean to be in formation? This personal reflection looks at reconcili... Read More
Atheists, Christians, and Fact Fundamentalism
In 1910 Harvard Professor Charles Elliot advocated for a new form of Christianity, a Christianity that would have only one commandment, “love of God expressed in service to others.” At the time, m... Read More
Respecting the Faithful, Respecting Faith – Part 1: Strength in the Face of Despair
In January 1956, Martin Luther King was in despair. His decisions as a civil rights leader in Montgomery, Alabama were being questioned, even by former supporters. He had been receiving anonymous deat... Read More
I Accept the Other, But I Fight with My Brother: why intra-faith relations can be the biggest challenge of all
When I am invited to attend Muslim salaat (one of the five daily prayer sessions) I sit in the back with the other women. I comply with gender customs as a guest. I cover my hair under hijab without h... Read More
Tea with Hezbollah
Last Thursday, the New York Times reported that the Shi'i military and political movement Hezbollah, which many would classify as terrorist, toppled the Lebanese government just six months after the d... Read More