Category: Theology
Understanding Calvinism (A Book Review on: The Joy of Calvinism By Greg Forster)
Elect or not elect, that is the question. For several years, the question of Calvinism and Arminianism has plagued my mind. By way of introduction, Calvinism is the Christian reformed belief system t... Read More
The Power of Contentment
There is a force so strong it threatens to destroy our nation, society, and the Earth itself. Many of the major religions have warned us against this force and offered advice on how to avoid this pitf... Read More
In the Strangle of Abuse: The Ethical Dilemma of Hero and Crook
Over the past several years, a moral and ethical dilemma has come up: how do we respond to the writings and works of great public heroes who have made significant contributions to their field of study... Read More
What Can Interfaith Dialogue Really Do? Part 3 of 3
Read Part I here, and Part II here. When I ate lunch with the rabbi he inveighed against interfaith dialogue and its inability to reach or transform the minds of those who are closed to dialogue. He s... Read More
St. Mary’s Shabbat
Having been raised in an observant Italian Catholic household, I understand the importance of family, food, holidays, and motherly guilt. This week marks the 10th anniversary of my conversion to Judai... Read More
What Can Interfaith Dialogue Really Do? Part 2 of 3
Read Part I here. At lunch after Purim, I heard the rabbi criticize interfaith projects for being “just another religious group.” I reflected on the irony of a religious clergy person dismissing t... Read More
“But Not in Number”: One and Many in Hebrew Grammar
Hebrew contains a feature which, to my knowledge, is unique among both Semitic and non-Semitic languages. That is, there is a small but significant class of nouns which are plural in form but singular... Read More
What Can Interfaith Dialogue Really Do? Part 1 of 3
After the most recent Purim morning service at my synagogue, I ate lunch with the rabbi. He told me he thinks interreligious dialogue is an in-group hobby, that interfaith groups become cliques. He fe... Read More