Commentary

Christian tradition talks about life after death quite a bit, in fact a lot of faith communities focus on the saving act of God in Christ is to keep our toes out of the fires of hell.

Is it possible to transcend one’s personal beliefs and opinions, and to what end?

In a series of posts, based on a paper I presented recently at the Pacific Northwest regional meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (May 11, Concordia University Portland), titled “Ways of Believing,” I will address this question.

This weekend we celebrate Pentecost and Memorial Day, so there’s lots to do.  On Sunday The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes will have a Pentecost concert at 2 p.m.

Elke Thompson and Sam Quinn got engaged the old-fashioned way: their parents arranged it.
Quinn, 23, a quiet engineering student from Springfield, Mo., wanted to settle down, and asked his parents to play matchmaker.

The Founding Fathers were well read in the areas of economics, political separation of powers, and the rule of law with an in-depth knowledge of history. Understanding their background may be why W.C. Skousen in "The Five Thousand Year Leap" commented,

Someday, when I am The Mother of The Country (or the world, but I don’t want to sound greedy), this will be one of my rules regarding political campaigns: No candidate, or his/her supporters, get to use the word “patriot” to describe people who vote for that  candidate...

The argument goes like this: religion is dangerous to the poor because it works against population control. It is a prime reason for the population explosion.