Not only I, but people of my acquaintance who profess religion, are functional a-theists. Even if the word God is still used, the assumed literal realities to which that word points have evaporated—father and mother, king and lord—as have the actions of that God—residing in the sky, keeping records of who’s naughty and nice, and [...]

With my son doing public health work in Uganda, my eye automatically is drawn to headlines that contain the name of that country. Of note was the stoppage of a bill in Parliament that proposed the death penalty for some gays and lesbians and long prison sentences for all the others. All agree that wide [...]

The public flashpoint between religion and science is found in the issue of creationism and evolution. Other issues, such as the sun revolving around a stationary earth, are now found in the dustbin of history. As visible as this issue is in public life, I have come to believe that other, more subtle, factors fuel [...]

Once, on leaving a gathering, my wife commented: “Scientists are so much more alive when they talk with each other than are ministers.” Taken aback, but alerted, I began to pay attention and discovered that her observation was largely correct, and I began to wonder why that was the case. On further listening, I believe [...]

The judge in California has made his decision on the California law banning same-sex marriage. Now the decision will wend its way though the Court of Appeals and to the Supreme Court. One person, who has been a champion for homosexual rights has been Bishop Spong of the Episcopal Church. (I first heard him in [...]

Anne Rice has made news again. She is mainly known for her gothic novels. Her books have sold around 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history. It came as a shock in 2005 when she returned to the Roman Catholic Church, which she left at 18. Now, [...]

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, was recently back in the news. The president of an organization wanted Wright’s help in obtaining government funding for African relief and earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Wright wrote back saying that he finds himself “toxic,” being “thrown under the bus.” He further stated: “No one in the Obama administration will respond to me, [...]

One movement that seems to have gotten little attention is the growing ‘renunciation of baptism.’ In Britain one can download de-baptism forms, and apparently 100,000 or so have done so. A similar movement is active in Italy, and in Argentina the secularist movement is called ‘Not in my name.’ One report states that the British [...]

Glenn Beck and Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) expressed harmonized outrage on Beck’s radio program Thursday about news that the House might vote on the health care reform package this Sunday. Voting on a Sunday, they said, was offensive and heretical. “They intend to vote on the Sabbath, during Lent, to take away the liberty that [...]

This is an article by Martin E Marty, Professor emeritus at the University of Chicago. He is one of the leading religious scholars and commentators in America today. Lauren Ashley, self-proclaimed Miss Beverly Hills, now rejected by Hills officials, is drawing more media attention as an oracle than anyone else since another would-be Beauty Queen, [...]