Category: Popular Culture
A Failed Interfaith Encounter at Starbucks
Here is a story about why deep thinking about religious pluralism doesn’t get you out of tight spots with actual people. The scene: I am at a Starbucks in San Diego sipping my giant American coffee ... Read More
Google, Artificial Intelligence, and What Makes Us Human
While the debate about internet-based technologies and the plasticity of the brain rages on, we find ourselves drawn to Google’s quest to master artificial intelligence. What kind of brains are we ... Read More
Faith in Space
When it comes to believing that Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi-horror classic Alien is one of the best movies of its kind ever, I have discovered that I am not alone in the universe. I have also dis... Read More
Including Ourselves: A Lesson from an Elevator-Ride
It’s not uncommon for kids to ask their parents about “that thing” on my head. In most instances, the parents look at me uncomfortably, embarrassed that I might be offended in some w... Read More
Wanted: More bully pulpit, less bullying
In ranking American presidents on the he-man macho scale, Theodore Roosevelt will score pretty high on almost any judge’s sheet. But when he talked about using the “bully pulpit,” he was using t... Read More
Call for Submissions: Religion and Politics
Call for Submissions for the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue™ Issue 11: Religion & Politics Given the undeniable impact of political affairs upon religious matters and of religion upon such ... Read More
Meet the press (what’s left of it)
“It’s 3 a.m., and your children are safe and asleep. But there’s a phone in the White House, and it’s ringing… Who do you want answering the phone?” Thus began a Hillary Clinton ad during ... Read More
Are We Married Yet?
Since returning home to work for the summer, I have been asked on numerous occasions, the most dreaded questions of them all, “Are you married yet?” Or attempting a rather more polite posing, “Y... Read More