"Why Does MSNBC Invite Hateful, Anti-Gay Liars on TV to Represent Christians?" is a question I cannot answer and the title of Nick Sementelli's recent post on Faith in Public Life's blog. MSNBC recently responded to critics by severing ties with Pat Buchanan who has written and said things that are troubling, prejudiced, and un-Christian. They have, however, as of this writing, continued to welcome Tony Perkins as a regular contributor. Perkins is the president of Read More …
faith
Your Unique Story (#0521)
Every person I have ever met who is seeking to follow the way of Jesus has a unique faith story -- an account of her or his life to date and how it has been impacted by one or more religious traditions. Some of these stories begin with or feature a moment of conversion (often an event on a specific day), but many more explain the transition to becoming a Christian as a long term process. Reflection on one's own journey to date is an important aspect of knowing one's own Read More …
In 5 Words or Less (#0502)
Jonah preached what is arguably the shortest sermon in the Bible (Jonah 3:4): just 8 words in the NRSV: Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown! just 7 words in the Message: In forty days Nineveh will be smashed just 5 words in the original language (Hebrew) So What? One need not be long-winded to be effective. The results of Jonah's five word sermon were nothing short of amazing. In our sound bite culture where big ideas are often conveyed or Read More …
Viral Misattribution (#0352)
On Sunday night, an unusual name appeared on my Twitter stream: Osama bin Laden. Through a number of tweets I learned that the United States military had killed this terrorist and of President Obama's televised address. On Monday morning I found myself paying less attention to social media than I normally do after experiencing several friends who were using uncharacteristically strong language of patriotism and of faith. Later that day, I noticed that a number of friends had posted the Read More …
Theology on Tap / Theology Pub Discussion Starters (#0344)
Adam Walker Cleaveland is Minister for Youth and Young Adults at Asbury United Methodist Church in Livermore, CA. At 31, he is among the younger voices of note in the emerging church movement and a co-founder of Presbymergent. Adam is a candidate in the Presbyterian Church (USA) ordination process as well as a prolific and thoughtful blogger, writing primarily on his sites: PomoMusings and DazedDad. To connect with him, view his flickr stream, follow him on Read More …
Statistical Surprises: Marriage and Divorce (#0317)
The Daily Number is provided by the Pew Research Center that "highlights an important finding or trend." A few days ago, the number looked at the unusually high rates of both marriage and divorce in the United States. When compared to the European Union, Americans are far more likely to experience marriage (51% higher) or divorce (76% higher). Interestingly, however, American divorce rates in the sample year (33% of the measured events) were similar to those in the EU Read More …