Archive for July, 2005
« Previous EntriesBad News or Good Economics?
Saturday, July 30th, 2005An essay in the New York Times Book Review
presents an interesting overview of the pressures on the news media, the
influence of bloggers and the resulting attitudinal shifts in the audience for
news. It’s an instructive discussion.
Why are we more polarized in the U.S. than consensus oriented? Why do the Mainstream media seem unable to [...]
Hope or Cynicism–It’s a choice we all can make
Saturday, July 30th, 2005Mercifully, the weather cooled and we
experienced a glorious Fall day in Nashville in mid-summer. As a result, I
cooled off and have a slightly more positive take on the conflicts that divide
us as well.
Mercifully, the temperature changed in Nashville, the humidity dropped and today was an absolutely glorious Fall-like day. In the middle of [...]
Hate, Love and Christian Faith
Wednesday, July 27th, 2005Hateful words don’t reveal the love that is
at the heart of the Christian faith.
I’ll grant that I could be a little cranky today. As I write the temperature and the humidity in Nashville are almost identical. 97. So take that into consideration. But weather aside, I think it’s long past time [...]
Diversity is Important, Inclusiveness is Essential
Monday, July 25th, 2005Jim Winkler, General Secretary of the
General Board of Church and Society, delivered one of the clearest and most
cogent addresses at the Network for Spiritual Progressives. Among his points
was one that received precious little notice by other speakers, that the
progressive agenda must be owned by more than middle class white
folks.
In one of the clearest and [...]
Refreshed, Renewed, Hopeful
Monday, July 25th, 2005The meeting to create a network for spiritual
progressives has concluded and it left me feeling refreshed, renewed and
hopeful.
I write this on the flight back home after four days at the conference for the Network for Spiritual Progressives.
The conference was enormously refreshing, hopeful, intense and clarifying.
It was refreshing to hear informed, intelligent, committed resource leaders from [...]
Scripture and Its Continuing Story
Friday, July 22nd, 2005Bishop John Shelby Spong spoke eloquently
and movingly last night of the challenges of getting into scripture and
respecting the scriptural tradition of the Judeo-Christian faith
communities.
Bishop John Shelby Spong spoke eloquently and movingly to the Network of Spiritual Progressives on Thursday evening about the reclamation of the Bible by mainstream faith communities.
Bishop Spong told the group the [...]
Addressing Spiritual Crisis with Hope
Thursday, July 21st, 2005Rabbi Michael Lerner, leader of the Beyt
Tikkun synagogue and founder of the Tikkun magazine and community, told
participants that the political right has addressed the spiritual crisis people
feel in the materialistic society in the U.S. more effectively than
progressives. Progressives have not identified the crisis and responded to it
in a meaningful way, he said.
People in the [...]
The Waning Days of the Religious Right
Thursday, July 21st, 2005Jim Wallis, leader of Sojourners and a
progressive evangelical Christian told 1300 people last night that he believes
the model of the religious right is finally over and a new public dialogue has
begun.
Religion is not
The Source of Our Discontent
Thursday, July 21st, 2005Peter Gabel, president of New College of
California and associate editor of Tikkun magazine, told a meeting of spiritual
progressives today that the greatest source of pain today in our mediated
society is social separation.
Peter Gabel, president of New College of California and associate editor of Tikkun magazine, told a meeting of spiritual progressives today that the greatest [...]
Addictions and the Methamphetamine Epidemic
Tuesday, July 12th, 2005An epidemic of methamphetamine addiction is
putting families at risk and deteriorating small town and rural
life.
A frustrated small business owner in a poor town in central Oklahoma said to me last week, “This business has been a good investment, but I can’t find reliable, dependable workers. Around here they’re either stoned or drunk.”
Perhaps in frustration [...]