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Pastor Knows Best

I’ve had the good fortune of enjoying healthy, positive relationship with my pastors over the years, relationships that have left me with enormous respect for church leaders and the challenges they face daily. Having befriended a lot of pastors’ kids, I know that pastors and their families are often held to impossibly high standards that leave them constantly striving for perfection and subjected to great scrutiny. That kind of pressure is enough to strain marriages, hurt chi... read more

Bush and the "decline of Christian America"

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The recent Newsweek cover story, “The Decline and Fall of Christian America,” has generated a lot of interest (and some controversy) over the Easter holidays. If you haven’t had a chance to read the story, check it out. It’s well worth it. I’ve always really enjoyed reading Jon Meacham’s stuff. An editor, commentator, and best-selling author, he’s a great storyteller with fantastic insight into faith and religion in America. A practicing Episcopal... read more

Finish the Sentence Friday: Confession

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So Bob Jones University issued an official apology this week for its racist policies. Believe it or not, Bob Jones refused to admit black students until 1971 and banned interracial dating until 2000. A statement on their Web site said that these rules were shaped “by culture instead of the Bible.” Lest we get too proud and look down our noses at the “fundies,” let’s remember that all Christians carry the burdened of a troubled history. I’m reminded of t... read more

Fundamentalism, Evangelicalism, and the Palin/Bryan Factor

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A few weeks ago, just when I’d decided I’d had enough of lipstick, pigs, and the feigned outrage of the suddenly feminist Republican Party, I picked up the local newspaper to read: “Dayton invites Sarah Palin to Speak.” “Ahhhh! She’s everywhere!” I screamed. I’d already glanced through two Newsweek cover stories about her, read a lengthy Time piece, suffered through seemingly endless TV news coverage…and now here she was on the front ... read more

Your Spiritual Journey: Send Me a Postcard!

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So recently I’ve been bumping into a lot of old friends on what was once a lonely and frightening path away from religious certainty. While most of us share a common starting point, we are often headed in different directions. I’ve talked with some who have given up on faith altogether, others who have shifted allegiance to another religious tradition, and a lot who (like me) are still a little uncertain about which road to take next. We’re an eclectic troupe of misfits, ... read more

A little mindfulness never hurt anyone

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Once again Oprah Winfrey has generated a lot of interest (and some controversy) regarding spirituality as she recently launched a worldwide discussion about Eckhart Tolle’s book "A New Earth." Folks who know me know I’m a big Oprah fan. I watch the show nearly every day while running on the treadmill in my basement, and I really enjoy her magazine, which I feel has raised the bar intellectually for other popular women’s magazines. I also admire her philanthropy and her ability ... read more

Can I go to mass if I'm not Catholic?

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While driving around LaGrange, Georgia in desperate search of the local Wal Mart, I found myself in the parking lot of St. Peter’s Catholic Church during its Saturday night mass. The place was packed, and from the outside I could hear the muffled harmonies of a choir. It’s hard to explain, but I suddenly felt the urge to go inside. I’m not Catholic or Anglican, but I’ve recently felt a strong pull toward more traditional, liturgical expressions of worship. App... read more

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