Category: Social Issues
Social Work as the Physical Implementation of Theology
Editor’s note: all Contributing Scholars begin writing by answering the following question as their first post: Why are you committed to building relationships with those from different religious or... Read More
Careful Forgiveness: Atoning with Life in the New Year
“Let us forget with generosity those who cannot love us.” Pablo Neruda Yom Kippur is the Jewish day of atonement between humanity and the divine. Jewish tradition dictates that atonement between h... Read More
Religious Freedom to Discriminate: Unraveling Archetypes, Anachronism, and Apartheid for Our Collective Survival – Part V
What if it were no niggas Only master teachers? I stay woke (dreams dreams)…[1] – Erykah Badu Introduction As an Alice Walker[2] Womanist pastoral theologian, I draw on the lives of African... Read More
Love the Other as Yourself: Religious texts and peacemaking
Pope Francis recently denounced the use of religion to justify war, in comments addressed to faith leaders and victims of the conflicts in the Middle East, who are assembled for this year’s World Da... Read More
Holy Transformation: Visiting the Ill and New Ritual
“Thus only shall Aaron enter the Shrine… He shall be dressed in a sacral linen tunic, with linen breeches next to his flesh, and be girt with a linen sash, and he shall wear a linen turban. They a... Read More
Religious Freedom to Discriminate: Unraveling Archetypes, Anachronism, and Apartheid for Our Collective Survival – Part IV
(photographer unknown) Warning: This essay contains content intended for mature audiences. Parental supervision is advised. Somewhere, on the edge of consciousness, there is what I call a mythica... Read More
Power, Post-structuralism, and Zombies: How a Canadian Zombie Film Helped Me Understand Violence in My Hometown
If you are into smart zombie movies (yes, there is such a thing!), I’ve got a recommendation for you: a Canadian independent film called Pontypool, complete with creepy zombies and lots of poststruc... Read More
Pluralism in Light of Spiritual “Shoppers”
I begin this post with a confession: I am a spiritual shopper. By a spiritual shopper, I am referring to those who are in flux between different traditions, but searching for a place among them. Much ... Read More