Tag: Scripture
Some Biblical Reflections on Refugees
The Biblical story of salvation begins with a community of refugees. The book of Genesis recounts how Jacob and his family sought refuge in Egypt from a severe famine. The book of Exodus begins–... Read More
“Right View” and Interfaith Dialogue
One “fold” on the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path toward enlightenment is Right View. “Right view” is the skill of dissolving interpretations in favor of drawing closer to the reality of the wor... Read More
Should Civil and Church Marriage be Separated?
Some Christians have responded to the court's recent ruling in favor of same-sex marriage by calling for Christians to totally separate 'civil' marriage from 'church' marriage. But this position is to... Read More
On Irreconcilable Differences: My Interreligious Dialogue with Mormon Missionaries
Since I’m conducting field research on interfaith dialogue in Rome, I thought it would be an important part of my participant-observation to embark upon a dialogue. I met some Mormon sisters conduct... Read More
The Peace and Violence of Christmas
At church this Christmas Eve, we read one of my favorite passages. Isaiah 11:1-10 begins by prophesying the coming of the Messiah, the Rod of Jesse, and it ends with that unsurpassable vision o... Read More
Thanksgiving Just For Christians?
Several friends and I have debated the nature of Thanksgiving for years. My friends contend that it is a Christian holiday. I disagree. Thanksgiving is in no way intrinsically religious. Of course, no... Read More
Interpretweeting: An Experiment in Social Media
What can you say worth saying in 140 characters? I used to think: not much. But if the ancient wisdom of the great Scriptural commentators could be expressed in less than 140 characters, why shouldn... Read More
The Good Samaritan: Knowing our Strengths and Weaknesses for Care
This past week, I had the great honor of leading an alternative spring break trip of ten undergraduate students to Philadelphia, with an emphasis on interfaith encounters and social justice. We focuse... Read More