This past weekend I encountered a blog post that shared the leading causes of death in 1900 and in 2010 according to a recent piece in the New England Journal of Medicine. In 1900, five causes of death claimed at least 100 people per every 100,000: pneumonia or influenza: 202.2 tuberculosis: 194.4 gastrointestinal infections: 142.7 heart disease: 137.4 cerebrovascular disease: 106.9 By 2010 only two causes of death claimed at least 100 people per every 100,000: heart Read More …
Facebook Changed Your E-mail Address (#0772)
I was not as engaged in social media yesterday as I am most days, but noted one recurring theme: Facebook changed everyone's e-mail address. If you don't already know, be advised that your new e-mail address appearing on your timeline is an @facebook.com account. If you would like to restore your prior account simply Go to your profile page Click on About Click on Edit in Contact Info Click on the menu beside each e-mail address listed and choose your desired setting So What? I Read More …
Review of A Faith of Our Own (#0771)
Meet the Author Jonathan Merritt launched his career while still in seminary when he organized a group of leaders concerned with creation care, and founded the Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative. He earned a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology from Emory University. Merritt writes and speaks about a wide range of issues related to faith and culture. He has published over 300 articles and Read More …
From .org to .church? (#0770)
The continued growth of the internet means that if nothing changed we would run out of unique web addresses. Thankfully, those responsible for ensuring we can all continue to create new sites have solved this problem with something called IPv6. Earlier this month the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers or ICAN started accepting applications from companies seeking new domain suffixes that included .apple, .google, and .church. So What? Most congregations now have Read More …
Reorganizing Denominations (#0769)
In the "Under Discussion" column in the June edition of Christianity Today, six evangelical leaders responded to the question "Should denominations be organized geographically?" Their responses follow: Yes: Carl Trueman and Greg Peters Between Yes and No: Bob Thompson and R. Albert Mohler Jr. No: Will Willimon and Paul Detterman (p.12). So What? I often write about the future of denominations on this blog. The only thing about which I am certain is that the future will look Read More …
Is Technology Good for Religion? (#0768)
In a recent Washington Post article Lisa Miller argues that technology is good for religion. Building her argument primarily on the views of adherents rather than experts, she focuses on the value of apps to support rather than replace religious practices. In short, she believes: Technology can greatly enhance religious practice. Groups that restrict and fear it participate in their own demise. So What? Religion involves connection with the divine and with other people following Read More …
American Belief in God (#0767)
Americans have long been some of the world's most religious people. Wayne Baker, sociologist on the senior faculty of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, recently blogged about research that confirms America remains near the top of the list of countries when it comes to the percentage of people who believe strongly in God without any doubts. More specifically, of the 30 countries included in the International Social Survey Program, the United States Read More …
It’s Always Pentecost (#0766)
While Pentecost appears on the liturgical calendar just once a year, it is something we can (perhaps even must) experience daily. Watch my Pentecost sermon below and consider your experience of the Life-Giving Wind. So What? Wherever the Life-Giving Wind blows, the church is about unity not uniformity change not constancy renewal not repetition The Holy Spirit's activity is something worth pondering every day. Which of these is the most challenging for you? for your Read More …
Exploring God’s Activity (#0765)
J. Bennett Guess has served in the national setting of the United Church of Christ since 2000. He was the Director of Communications for the denomination from 2007-2011. In 2011 Guess was elected to his current position: Executive Minister of the United Church of Christ's Local Church Ministries and a member of the UCC's five-person Collegium of Officers. In the Spring/Summer edition of the Still Speaking magazine, Guess concluded his article about the denomination's Read More …
Review of Still (#0764)
Meet the Author Lauren. F. Winner is Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality at Duke Divinity School. She is the author of numerous books, including Mudhouse Sabbath (2003 - read my review here). Additionally, a number of her shorter pieces have been published, including a chapter in A Spiritual Life: Perspectives from Poets, Prophets, and Preachers (2011 - read my review here). Winner has appeared on PBS’s Religion & Ethics Read More …