Personal Growth and Change
Nov 2014 Connections. Much as I hate to realize it, I’ve gotten old. So have a lot of the people closest to me. I’ll be 81 next month, my husband turned 85 a few months ago, and many of… Continue reading →
Oct 2014 Connections. Given our Constitution’s requirement that church and state remain separate, religion should appear in public schools only in a balanced historical context that informs students about the world’s religions. But too often, Christian evangelism is allowed… Continue reading →
Mar 2011 Connections. What makes a protest produce real change? How can church members nudge pastors forward? Can they do it effectively within the church system? From outside? Read/download 3-2011 Connections >
Feb 2011 Connections. Literalist Bible interpretations and person-like portrayals of God keep many older Christians, as well as younger ones, from finding Christianity credible. Read/download 2-2011 Connections >
April 2010 Connections. Theologian Joerg Rieger’s life story shows the value of getting up-to-date information about the Bible and being challenged by one’s church early in life. Read/download 4-2010 Connections >
Feb 2010 Connections. Progressive Christians who feel alone must search to find kindred spirits. An official prayer service violates our nation’s guarantee of religious freedom. Download/read 2-2010 Connections >
Nov 2009 Connections. Barbara’s current religious beliefs – her “credo.” I believe that maturing involves continually revising one’s beliefs to take new information and insight into account. I didn’t dare to start doing that with my religious beliefs… Continue reading →
Oct 2009 Connections. Willingness to change usually requires feeling the status quo as painful. New information can be motivation for change, but so can new practice. Has your time to blossom come? “The time came when the risk it… Continue reading →
Sept 2009 Connections. Progressive friends have created the Progressive Christian Center of the South. Recently, I’ve been working on a new connection. A Gorup of friends and I share a vision of a new way to help people help… Continue reading →
Feb 2009 Connections. Banned and forbidden books often turn out to be the books that we most need to read, that are likely to influence our spiritual journeys in helpful ways. On a recent evening I was in an… Continue reading →
May 2005 Connections. If you’ve been raised a Christian,” writes Episcopal clergywoman Cynthia Bourgeault, “chances are you’ve never heard of the Wisdom tradition.” Read/download 5-2005 Connections
Feb 2005 Connections. How do you define religion? Huston Smith, a lifelong Methodist and perhaps today’s leading authority on the world’s religions, says, “Religion is for me the search for the Real, and the effort to approximate one’s… Continue reading →
Aug 2003 Connections. Several books I’ve read recently have made me think again—for the jillionth time, it seems, and undoubtedly not the last—about the need to keep maturing in faith. I like to read about other Christians’ spiritual journeys partly… Continue reading →
Mar 2001 Connections. This month I’m writing about some books I’ve recently read and liked, which I think you might like too. They’re not all brand-new, and they’re a mixed bag with regard to styles and subjects, but I’ve… Continue reading →
May 2000 Connections. To Quaker author Parker J. Palmer, following God’s call means letting your life say what God wants it to say. Palmer finds that we don’t always let that happen. “It is indeed possible,” he assures us… Continue reading →
Dec 1999 Connections. How do you celebrate Christmas? How did your family celebrate it when you were growing up? Read/download 12-1999 Connections
Sep 1993Connections. In the church, we often give the false impression that being a good Christian is possible only for people who aren’t actively involved in the real world. One way we do this is by portraying silence,… Continue reading →