Gay marriage in a positive religious light

Gay marriage is not going away as a national issue (rightfully so), and Newsweek takes a look at the frequently overlooked religious dimension of the pro-gay-marriage advocates. The author explores the biblical references to family, marriage, sexuality, and love, and how the biblical interpretation has evolved over the centuries. In support of gay marriage, the following excerpt summarizes the article:

People get married "for their mutual joy," explains the Rev. Chloe Breyer, executive director of the Interfaith Center in New York, quoting the Episcopal marriage ceremony. That's what religious people do: care for each other in spite of difficulty, she adds. In marriage, couples grow closer to God: "Being with one another in community is how you love God. That's what marriage is about."

(Photo by tico24; used by permission.)

Brutalism as an architectural style may not survive

A few months ago, this story was on National Public Radio about a Christian Science church in Washington, D.C. It was built in 1971 in a style known as Brutalism, which is characterized by raw concrete in a modern, often stark, presentation. The Christian Science congregation wants to tear down the building and build new one it considers more appropriate to its current need and mission, but historic preservation is holding them up.

A recent story on Slate.com asked whether a newly restored Brutalist building at Yale will help preserve the style. (Yale's reasons for renovating the building were more financial than historic.)

Finally, here in Madison, Wisconsin, the University has its own Brutalist behemoth to contend with--the Mosse Humanities Building. Actually, that building is slated to be demolished, both for functional reasons and because few people will miss its aesthetic. Here's a link to an academic architecture blog that has a photo and short discussion of the Mosse Building.

(Photo by Heidi Glenn / NPR.)

Father Damien's mission continues

In 1873, Father Damien, a Belgian priest, arrived in Hawaii to begin a mission for those permanently exiled from society, patients suffering from leprosy, now known as Hansen's disease.

As the New York Times reports, a community of patients remains in the village on Molokai where the mission began. "Today, just 24 patients are left: 24 people who experienced the counterintuitive twinning of loneliness and community, of all that dying and all that living. Here, you may have grieved over the forced surrender of your newborn; you may also have rejoiced in finding a life partner who understood. "

The story of the survivors is a testament to their dignity, which was first championed by the nineteenth century missionary who lived, served, and died among them.

Proponents of gay marriage cannot automatically rely on interracial marriage supporters

This opinion piece in the New York Times attempts to explain why African-American women, often regular church-goers, overwhelmingly supported the California referendum to ban gay marriage in that state.

Here's an excerpt:

[C]omparing the struggles of legalizing interracial marriage with those to legalize gay marriage is a bad idea. Many black women do not seem to be big fans of interracial marriage either. They’re the least likely of all groups to intermarry, and many don’t look kindly on the black men who intermarry at nearly three times the rate that they do, according to a 2005 study of black intermarriage rates in the Wisconsin Law Review. Wrong reference. Don’t even go there.

Interesting perspective. One also shared by a writer for Slate.com, which I noted in my other blog. Plus, it was a nice reference to the Wisconsin Law Review's symposium on the fortieth anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned state prohibitions on interracial marriage. The symposium issue of the review is here.

Jonestown confusion remains even after 30 years

Even thirty years after the mass murder and suicide in Jonestown, few details and reasons are any clearer. The sadness only lessens because of the natural fading of memories. Hopefully, history will keep enough of the story to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.


This article in the Washington Post gives a profound a personal reflection on Jonestown from 2008 perspective.

Modern politics and early Puritans

I greatly appreciate the wit and viewpoint of writer and commentator Sarah Vowell. A recent interview of hers was introduced this way: "Vowell's work investigates how American history is intertwined with our popular culture, often to amusing effect. Vowell recently sat down with Smithsonian Magazine to discuss her newest book, The Wordy Shipmates, which focuses on Puritan settlers in New England."

Vowell compares the early religious colonists of America with current political and religious issues. As she puts it, there is something in our "DNA" that we've inherited from those early settlers.

Christian reflection on the 2008 election

Jim Wallis, of Sojourners, shares his thoughts on the role of religion in the recent elections in this San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate interview.

Here is part of Wallis' comments, reflecting on his religious upbringing and his current outlook on religion and politics:

They basically said that Christianity has nothing to do with racism - "that's political, and our faith is personal." And that's the night that I left, when they told me that. They had a very privatized [notion of] faith, whereas I thought that the faith I was taught as a kid was for the world, not just for our inner lives, not just for our relationship with God. The kingdom of God breaks into the world and can change everything - spiritually, personally, socially, economically, and politically.

I came back to [Christianity] after many years in the civil rights and anti-war movements. I didn't have words to go around that then, but I do now, and they would be that God is personal but never private. And so my faith is very personal, but it's also public.

(Photo by joebeone; used by permission.)

Episcopalians continue to divide over gay issues

According to the New York Times, " the Fort Worth diocese amended its constitution to shift allegiance from the Episcopal Church to the Anglican Communion, its parent body." By doing so, the group of Texas Episcopalians has now affiliated with a more conservative province in South America until a similarly conservative province can be established in the U.S.

Suing God

Reading about suing God was just the impetus I needed to finally begin blogging about religion. (What else do you expect from someone with a religion degree and a law degree?)

Many people get angy at God for one reason or another during their lives. But isn't this taking it a bit too far? Slate.com reported of a former state senator in Nebraska suing God to end natural disasters. The case was dismissed on procedural grounds because the plaintiff did not serve notice on God. (In turn, the plaintiff claimed that God did indeed have notice because God is omniscient.)

This reminds me of a similar case from 1971 (United States ex rel Mayo v. Satan), where a man tried to sue Satan, alleging that Satan had "placed deliberate obstacles in his path and has caused plaintiff's downfall." Predictably, this case was dismissed on procedural grounds--the court did not have jurisdiction over Satan.

(Photo by Hrychowian; used by permission.)