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A Long String of Atrocities
A few days ago I was with a group of people when the topic of the Armenian genocide came up. The immediate reason for the topic to come up was the action of several European legislatures to declare that the … Continue reading
Posted in Christianity, Culture, Judaism
11 Comments
Christian Voices on the Anniversary of September 11
There are three Christian journals that I peruse regularly—National Catholic Reporter (liberal Catholic), Christian Century (liberal Protestant) and Christianity Today (conservative Protestant). The adjective “liberal” in the first two journals refers both to their theological and political orientation; Christianity Today … Continue reading
Posted in Christianity, Military
7 Comments
Is the Only True Church in Milwaukee?
In its issue of August 9, 2011, The Christian Century reported that Michele Bachmann, the Republican presidential candidate, had resigned from her church six days before launching her campaign. (This was also reported in some secular media.) The church in … Continue reading
Posted in Catholicism, Christianity, Lutheranism, Protestantism
16 Comments
Confucius and Religious Freedom
It seems that I suffer from a condition not yet included in the list of officially recognized psychiatric maladies: Manic Associational Syndrome (MAS). This is the irresistible urge to perceive things—like news items—as belonging together that are normally perceived as … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Christianity, Freedom
11 Comments
Roman Hospitality and Its Limits
The Roman Catholic Church is famous for its hospitality. Its arms are always wide open to receive converts or repentant schismatics, and it is ready to make all sorts of compromises to make them feel welcome. But there are limits … Continue reading
Posted in Catholicism, Christianity
6 Comments
Guidelines for Gynecologists and Biblical Scholars
How can a gynecologist manage to have sex? Presumably by resolutely switching from one mindset to another. How can a New Testament scholar manage to be a Christian? Presumably by a similar exercise of mental compartmentalization. I don’t know whether … Continue reading
Posted in Christianity, Culture, Evangelicalism
7 Comments
Who are the Copts?
The Copts have featured repeatedly in media reports about Egypt. Before the recent revolutionary events the reports have been about murderous attacks on Coptic churches and homes by Islamic fanatics, unhappily in line with similar attacks on Christians in Iraq, … Continue reading
Posted in Christianity
8 Comments
Religious Double Citizenship
In its January 25, 2011 issue, The Christian Century, the banner publication of liberal Protestantism, carried an interesting cover story (subscription required) by Amy Frykholm with the title “Double Belonging”. Not only did the cover contain a graphic illustration for … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Christianity, Inter-faith Dialogue, Islam, Judaism
7 Comments
Virginity, Polyamory and the Limits of Pluralism
The German news magazine Der Spiegel, in its issue of January 3, 2011, has two separate stories that become more intriguing if one reads them together. (In a recent post I noted that I have finally discovered my mission in … Continue reading
Posted in Christianity, Europe, Islam, Secularism, United States
28 Comments
In Defense of a Commercialized Christmas
Many retail stores depend on Christmas shopping for their survival. Economists tell us that the current uptick of this seasonal shopping is good news for the recovery from the recession. Christian clergy and secular culture critics tend to have a … Continue reading
Posted in Christianity, Culture, Europe, United States
5 Comments
