by William Powell Tuck www.friarsfragment.com One of the most powerful movements sweeping across the Christian world is the quest for Church unity. Since the Second Vatican Council and the establishment of the World Council of Churches, many Christian bodies have labored diligently to see if the broken body of Christ, the Church, could be united. Many…
by Elgin Hushbeck, Jr. For me, one of the most important moral teachings of Jesus, and in fact one found in various forms in a number of religions and moral philosophies, is his words in Matthew 7:12, “Therefore, whatever you want people to do for you, do the same for them, because this summarizes…
by Bruce Epperly One of the great joys for many parents is the day that they become grandparents. Grandparenting gives us a fresh start, and the opportunity to nurture new life, usually without the obligations of day to day care. My wife Kate and I looked forward to grandparenting, and we have been blessed…
by Bob Cornwall In a previous post I argued for the adoption of a completely open Eucharistic Table. I made this argument on the basis of Jesus’ own practice of Table Fellowship. In the practices of most American congregations, at least Protestant ones, the Table is completely open. That is, rarely does a congregation…
BY Chris Surber For the first time in my life I’ve experienced something bigger than words. I’m writing a section of “A Cup of Cold Water” tonight. Keyboards and computers are inadequate vessels for some things. Even words can only contain so much of an idea. God has reshaped everything for me. How do…
by Doris Murdoch The Gate of Mercy, found in Old Jerusalem, is also called The Golden Gate. It is the only eastern gate of the temple mount. The Lions’ Gate is on the eastern side but enters into the Muslim Quarter instead of the Temple Mount. The Golden Gate has been walled up since…
by Drew Smith I teach a survey course on world religions each semester. In that course, we begin with discussions on defining religion and how we can approach the study of religion. The university is an academic setting and in the course we approach the study of world religions from an academic position that is…
by Rev. Dr. Robert R. LaRochelle The following are some rather established facts regarding the current state of institutionalized religion in the United States: 1. Traditional mainline denominations have experienced a significant decline in numbers. 2. Mergers and cooperative arrangements between/among denominations have raised questions regarding the relative importance of denominations and whether affiliating with…
by Allan R. Bevere Recently, I went to the Cleveland Museum of Art with my daughter, Alyssa to see a special exhibit. If you love art museums and find yourself in Cleveland, Ohio you need to put its art museum on your itinerary. It is one of the best art museums in the country…
by Bob Cornwall [Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared in “Ponderings on a Faith Journey,” Bob’s personal blog, on March 7, 2016. Used with permission.] The charge of heresy is a strong one. In the past charges of heresy could get one thrown out of the church if not worse. It’s probably not a word…
