irreverance

Hi @Anona Maus! Good to see another Wisconsinite here. I'm in Beloit. I recommend looking at the websites for the denominations your looking at. See if you can find clues there as to where they're coming from. Sorry, but that's the best I've got.

Contemplative prayer is something I strongly value. In case someone here is not familiar with it, I thought I'd share a video. Are there others out there interested in the contemplative tradition?

Wow, where to begin. So much has changed, and I feel like I'm constantly in flux. So, I think I'm just going to go with my understanding of the role dogmatic theology itself. I'm not saying dogmatic theology is bad. I think it's a great way to help people connect with others who are similar so that they can grow together. But it can also become a tool to nullify spiritual growth. I used to look at dogmatic theology as an attempt to be "right". And I back in the day I looked at different theologies to see which one was more "right". Now, I look at dogmatic theology as a dialogu

I just noticed the word "solely" in the title. That changes my answer a bit. I doubt that any religion has a claim to "solely" make the world better. Every religion has its dark side, and (outside of specific theological uniqueness) promotes values that are duplicated in other religions. I don't think you can say any cultural phenomenon (religion, political ideology, economic system, etc) can claim to have "solely" made the world a better place.

The problem with discussing "Christianity" is that it's a diverse religion. I do believe that the more compassionate versions of the religion promote values that make the world a better place. I also believe that there are versions of the religion that promote tribalized identities that can become defensive and authoritarian in ways that do damage to the body of humanity as a whole. Part of the issue here is human development. When looking at faith development, we see that one's ability to identify with others increases as the ability to process one's faith becomes more complex. The most

Dialectics in a nutshell: Affirmation-->Negation-->Negation of Negation...which becomes an Affirmation...

I think addressing racism involves many layers. Here's my really quick answer off the top of my head: First, recognize that racism (or any other form of bigotry) is ultimately an expression of fear. The answer to a fear-based problem is not more fear, which will cause them to become defensive, close down more, and dig in. That means while addressing the problem, it's important to avoid triggering fear in the audience you seek to open up. Second, rather than responding aggressively through force, find positive ways to affirm diversity that is attractive rather than repulsive. T

For what it's worth, several years ago I did a series on my understanding of hell from a progressive-Christian perspective. I have it on my blog in audio format. Here are the links to the blog articles. https://evolvingchristianfaith.net/2014/06/what-the-hell-do-we-do-with-hell-part-1/ https://evolvingchristianfaith.net/2014/06/what-the-hell-do-we-do-with-hell-part-2/ https://evolvingchristianfaith.net/2014/06/what-the-hell-do-we-do-with-hell-part-3/ https://evolvingchristianfaith.net/2014/07/what-the-hell-do-we-do-with-hell-part-4/ (Note: If it is not appropriate to

Here's some results regarding atheist and spiritual/religious bRaiNzz. Short version of what the data says (in this one, single study): "The more analytical you are, the less you believe in God." "The more empathetic you are, the more you believe in God." His theory, then, is that religion/spirituality promotes empathy. Of course, my big question is this: are we looking at the chicken or the egg here? Could it be that the more empathetic people are drawn more to religion/spirituality? For what it's worth, I don't think it has to be either/or, but rather hast the

I like to think of God as being at once... The life-giving Source of Creativity The loving Way of Interpenetration The Abysmally Absolute Other

"A theology where creativity, imagination, and embodiment is centered allows for theology to not be a thing that ends arguments, but rather opens up possibility for more conversation."

I see progressive Christianity as an approach to Christianity that takes seriously developments in the world around us. We don't prioritize tradition over insight. Yet, we don't simply accept new insights without critical thought.

I guess I see the main hook as being the general topic itself: The relationship between the Bible and Science. If someone from a more moderate perspective were to put a website together that was intentionally geared at helping people from a more conservative perspective appreciate science, it would be easy enough. In order for it to work best, I think that teasing blog articles could get attention and lead to signing up for a regular email. That email (which goes to private accounts so people could read in secret) would create a narrative over time designed to empower readers to question

I think this science vs religion divide is a major problem. But I think that part of the problem is that certain religious communities reject science and therefore delegitimize it as a source of truth...unless they get sick and have to go to the hospital. So, it's nearly impossible to overcome since they are exposed to the narrative from an early age. We see this rejection of science as an issue with how to prevent the spread of COVID and whether to accept vaccinations. I don't think the resistance to science is that unpredictable. After all, if your primary authority is the Bible, and yo

Merry Christmas, everyone!