Clipmarks | enbar's 'religion' clips

"Ceremonial deism," U.S. civil religion, and the law

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:33:45 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: A Pew Forum backgrounder on the status of (supposedly) religiously-neutral invocations of a deity by government agents.

Clip Source: pewforum.org

On Ceremonial Occasions, May the Government Invoke a Deity?

Through these and many similar practices, the government invokes the concept of a deity. Opponents of these religious invocations say such proclamations promote religion and thus violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits all laws “respecting an establishment of religion.” Defenders of governmental religious invocations, by contrast, claim that such expressions do not explicitly promote religion; rather, defenders say, religious proclamations merely acknowledge the historical and cultural connections between the United States and belief in God.

In an influential 1962 lecture, Dean Eugene Rostow of Yale Law School argued that the government’s “conventional and uncontroversial” expressions of faith, which he called acts of “ceremonial deism,” do not violate the Establishment Clause.

A Supreme Court justice first used the phrase “ceremonial deism” in an opinion in Lynch v. Donnelly (1984)

Tags: religion, pluralism, america, church_and_state, civil_religion, god, politics, law

"Battle Cry," a short Christian video from Whitestone Motion Pictures

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:09:33 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Not sure what to say about this. It's stirring, it's well-made, it's strange, and I find it theologically and morally very objectionable. Your reaction may be totally different. It's been on YouTube for a while now.

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

Battle Cry

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Video showing the power of prayer from http://w...

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Video showing the power of prayer from http://www.whitestonemotionpictures.com/

Category: Film & Animation

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Tags: youtube, video, religion, christianity, violence, rels327

The Rev. Jim Jannotti on "the discipline of friendship," Pottstown Mercury (August 16, 2008)

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:39:29 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Hey, I know this guy! As in, I've actually met him. Good column. Check out his blog at http://serotoninrain.wordpress.com .

Clip Source: www.pottstownmercury.com

The discipline of friendship

By The Rev. Jim Jannotti

Friendship is a discipline. Maybe you've never thought of it that way. Meeting people and making friends might be easy for you; it is for me. Maintaining friendships however, is not as easy.

Similarly, friendship is a discipline. You've got to stick with it if you want to keep your skills. Being a true friend requires sustained effort, patience, forgiveness and most importantly a giving spirit. It's hard to overstate the importance of that last one. Truly being a friend requires a commitment to put the other person before yourself and your own needs.

I don't know about you, but it certainly takes work for me to give up my agenda. I have to keep practicing or I forget how. Fortunately, having even a couple of significant friendships gives me lots of chances to hone my agenda-dropping skills.

The Rev. Jim Jannotti is pastor of Temple United Methodist Church, 1390 Unionville Road, Pottstown.

JIM JANNOTTI

Tags: religion, personal, journalism, friendship

Excerpt from Irenaeus (ca. 120-202 AD), "Against Heresies"

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:45:30 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: A key excerpt from one of St. Irenaeus's key anti-gnostic writings in which he lays out the doctrine of "recapitulation," i.e., Jesus' reversal and healing of all the accumulated sins of human history.

Clip Source: www.ccel.org

IRENÆUS

Chapter XVI.—Proofs from the apostolic writings, that Jesus Christ was one and the same, the only begotten Son of God, perfect God and perfect man.

There is therefore, as I have pointed out, one God the Father, and one Christ Jesus, who came by means of the whole dispensational arrangements [connected with Him], and gathered 443 together all things in Himself.³⁵⁹⁸³⁵⁹⁸ Eph. i. 10. But in every respect, too, He is man, the formation of God; and thus He took up man into Himself, the invisible becoming visible, the incomprehensible being made comprehensible, the impassible becoming capable of suffering, and the Word being made man, thus summing up all things in Himself: so that as in super-celestial, spiritual, and invisible things, the Word of God is supreme, so also in things visible and corporeal He might possess the supremacy, and, taking to Himself the pre-eminence, as well as constituting Himself Head of the Church, He might draw all things to Himself at the proper time.

Tags: religion, christianity, theology, classic, primary_source, brilliant, history, rels333, jesus

"Religious literacy" courses now required in Modesto, CA public schools

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:43:11 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: More religious knowledge has got to be a good thing, I think. On the other hand, a course like this has got to be fantastically easy to screw up. It would be interesting to study what they're doing and how it's working out. Thanks to ~C4Chaos at Friendfeed for the link.

Clip Source: www.cbsnews.com

Teaching Not Preaching In CA Bible Belt

Most Schools Avoid Religion, But It's Required In Modesto Schools

Modesto, Calif., is home to the only school district in the country that requires the teaching of world religions to high school students. (CBS)

Like many other places, Modesto is becoming more religiously diverse.

But unlike any other place, religion is a required course in high school here.

"And now we're going to be looking at Judaism, Christianity, and Islam," Taylor said to her class.

"The United States is one of the most religious countries on Earth. And yet Americans know almost nothing about religion," said Stephen Prothero, author of a new book, "Religious Literacy."

But in Modesto, the lessons aren't about distant cultures, so much as about the student at the next desk.

While there are many religions here, the goal is to create one community where everyone is accepted.

Tags: religion, schools, education, teaching, california, pluralism, america, news

Christianity Today on torture

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:12:54 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: David Gushee for the evangelical Christian magazine Christianity Today on five theological grounds for the unequivocal and universal condemnation of torture by Christians, and why, from a Christian perspective, no exceptional circumstances can ever justify the use of torture. From February 2006.

Clip Source: www.christianitytoday.com

5 Reasons Torture Is Always Wrong

And why there should be no exceptions.

Clip Source: www.christianitytoday.com

Furthermore, while all "cruel, inhuman, or degrading" treatment of detainees has been officially rejected by the administration (under pressure from Sen. John McCain and others), it is not clear who defines when treatment crosses that line. It also remains unclear how much latitude those on the front lines of interrogation have, and if and how they would be held accountable if they were to cross the line. In other words, there remain a number of loopholes for torture to be practiced in the war on terror.

Yet the prohibition on torture in international law admits no exceptions. The U.N. Convention Against Torture puts it this way: "No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification for torture."

Tags: torture, religion, christianity, evangelicalism, commentary, opinion, gwot, violence, rels327

Homepage of the National Religious Campaign against Torture

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:00:54 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: This group has achieved some visibility by distributing simple black banners with the words "torture is wrong" to houses of worship.

Clip Source: www.nrcat.org

Torture is a Moral Issue Sign the Statement of Conscience

Tell the President: Ban Torture

Lobby Against Torture

Investigate US Interrogation Practices

Tell your Congressperson that we need to investigate U.S. interrogation practices and the treatment of detainees. Click here to access our form letter.

Take Action

Urge the presidential candidates and both political parties to include planks rejecting torture in their party platforms.

Tags: torture, activism, religion, christianity, interfaith, violence, gwot

California State Legislature instructs health-care licensing boards to condemn torture

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:39:34 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: California licensing boards are instructed to inform doctors and other health-care workers holding state licensures that any involvement or complicity in torture or coercive interrogations may result in prosecution.

Clip Source: www.afsc.org

News Release

CALIFORNIA BECOMES FIRST STATE
TO CONDEMN USE OF TORTURE IN ‘WAR ON TERROR’

Senate Joint Resolution 19 instructs the state’s licensing boards to inform California doctors, psychologists and other health professionals of their obligations under national and international law relating to torture. The boards will warn the licensees that they may one day be subject to prosecution if they participate in interrogations that do not conform to international standards of treatment of prisoners.

“As professional licensure and codes of ethics are regulated by states, California has the obligation to notify members of laws concerning torture that may result in their prosecution,” said Ridley-Thomas.

“No government has the authority to legalize torture,” Miles added

“Torture is much more than a political issue,” Ridley-Thomas said. “It is an ethical, moral and spiritual issue that has not only become a shame, but it is an evil in our midst.”

Tags: torture, california, states_rights, politics, gwot, law, health, quakerism, christianity, religion

René Girard, theorist of religion and violence: links and resources

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:48:18 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Just discovered this list of links. Very handy. Girard is probably the premier theorist addressing issues of religion and violence.

Clip Source: www.theology.ie

René Girard (1923–)

Colloquium on Violence & Religion (COV&R): "Official website for exploration, criticism, and development of René Girard‘s mimetic theory". A good place to start with many links; Includes link to "Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture"

The Scapegoat: René Girard's Anthropology of Religion and Violence: an introduction based on a CBC radio program

Anthropoetics II, no. 1 Special Issue on René Girard: from "Anthropoetics — The Electronic Journal of Generative Anthropology" ; very helpful
Interview with René Girard

René Girard on imitatio Christi: an excerpt from Girard's essay "Violence Renounced: Response by René Girard" as found in the book Violence Renounced

Excerpt from René Girard's Things Hidden since the Foundation of the World

rené girard: a presentation from Philippe Cottet (available in English and French

Religion Vol. 27, No. 3, July 1997: an issue related to many of Girard's themes; abstracts of articles available

Tags: religion, violence, theory, method, academe, research, rels327, links, resources

Bonhoeffer's 1934 sermon at Fanø, Denmark, on peace

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:12:40 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: I posted parts of this a long time ago, but the original page disappeared. I'm now posting this new link.

Clip Source: changetolink.com

Bonhoeffer - The Church and the Peoples of the World
Fano, Denmark - Ecumenical Conference of 'Life and Work'

August 1934,

Once again, how will peace come? Who will call us to peace so that the world will hear, will have to hear, so that all peoples may rejoice? The individual Christian cannot do it. When all around are silent, he can indeed raise his voice and bear witness, but the powers of this world stride over him without a word. The individual church, too can witness and suffer - oh, if it only would!- but it also is suffocated by the power of hate.

Why do we fear the fury of the world powers? Why don't we take the power from them and give it back to Christ? We can still do it today.

The world is choked with weapons, and dreadful is the distrust which looks out of all men's eyes. The trumpets of war may blow tomorrow. For what are we waiting? Do we want to become involved in this guilt as never before?

Who knows if we shall see each other again another year?

Tags: religion, christianity, peace, war, violence, primary_source, rels327, brilliant

"Lost" (the TV show) and religion

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:23:59 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Bookmarking this mostly to read later.

Clip Source: www.beliefnet.com

The 'Lost' Tribe

One of TV's most popular shows is also one of the most spiritual. So why aren't the Jews getting any love?

Lilit Marcus

One reason that Lost resonates with so many viewers is that it incorporates elements from many world religions. The show frequently refers to a mysterious string of numbers that add up to 108, a sacred number in Buddhism that represents the number of beads on a mala, or prayer necklace. A secretive group that might be behind the mysterious happenings on the island is called the Dharma Initiative. Lost boasts one of the most diverse casts on TV, with the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 coming from a variety of backgrounds (Nigerian, Korean, Iraqi, etc.) However, religious diversity is where the program fails. Because the majority of the passengers are from the United States, the show assumes them all to be Christian or nonreligious. The Iraqi soldier, Sayid, is Muslim, and has been shown praying on several occasions.

Tags: via:friendfeed, religion, popular_culture, television, media, contemporary, commentary, !toread

Building bridges between Jews and Latino Pentecostals

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:28:27 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: In L.A., a Jewish group has been mounting outreach efforts to Latino Pentecostal congregations and organizations, including a Spanish-language 'Essence of Judaism" course. The piece suggests the outreach has been pretty successful.

Clip Source: www.startribune.com

Los Angeles Jews forge bond with Pentecostal Latinos to counter anti-Semitism

By CHRISTINA HOAG , Associated Press

Last update: July 31, 2008 - 11:22 AM

"I was amazed at the affinity these congregations have for Israel," recalled Brown, director of interreligious affairs for the Los Angeles chapter of the Jewish advocacy group. "I wanted to take this to the next level."

The Los Angeles office has since worked to forge new bonds: They recently took a group of Pentecostal Hispanic pastors to Israel, offered a course called "The Essence of Judaism" at a Southern California Pentecostal seminary, and invited Hispanic pastors and their families to Passover seders and Sukkot harvest celebrations.

Jewish leaders are building on Pentecostal pro-Israel sentiment to dispel stereotypes between both groups. Many Jewish groups in recent years have accepted such support without questioning the theology behind it, which says that all people, including Jews, will ultimately accept Christ.

Tags: via:pewforum, religion, christianity, judaism, evangelicalism, pluralism, interfaith, news

"Muslim Day at Six Flags"

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:53:48 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: A slightly puffy human-interest story on a recurring event at various Six Flags locations around the country, in which an amphitheater is used as a masjid and halal caterers are brought in.

Clip Source: www.chicagotribune.com

Muslim Day at Six Flags a time to relax and connect with others

Gurnee park expects about 1,200 Muslims to attend Saturday

For the fourth time since 2004, Six Flags in Gurnee is sponsoring Muslim Day, bringing in outside caterers to provide halal food and turning an amphitheater into a makeshift mosque to accommodate Muslims who observe dietary laws and strict prayer schedules. Muslims who plan to go say they appreciate the sense of community the event creates as well as the opportunity to talk about Islam with curious non-Muslims at the park.

Started in New Jersey by an interethnic Muslim organization called the Islamic Circle of North America, Muslim Day at Six Flags has grown from a one-time gig focusing on youth—which took place a few days before the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy—into a popular annual family event at several of the company's theme parks, Muslim organizers and park representatives said.

Tags: islam, religion, america, pluralism, via:religiousdiversitynews

American Sikh immigrants fear their tradition is slipping away

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:46:44 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Many Sikh temples in the U.S. are alarmed at the relative absence of young people (mostly immigrants' children), who don't speak Punjabi and aren't interested in the old-country traditions.

Clip Source: www.myrtlebeachonline.com

Sikhs losing their tradition

By Vanessa Colon - McClatchy Newspapers

FRESNO, Calif. --

Over the last two decades, the Indian immigrants in California's Fresno area have built at least a dozen Sikh temples to serve a growing community.

But many temples are often short of one thing: young adults, some of whom say they feel like outsiders.

They don't like the temple politics and don't have command of Punjabi, the primary language of the service.

Singh said most of the parents are immigrants who observe the religion as they did in India, reciting memorized verses. Many of the youths want a more Americanized service that allows for discussion and explanation.

"The parents are not worried about that or are busy with other things - working and trying to settle down," he said. "That's what's causing the feeling among the youth."

"This is very typical of what happens in the second generation. The usual model is the immigrant church or religious institution is tied to the old country," Busto said.

Tags: religion_news, religion, sikhism, america, pluralism, immigration, south_asia

U.S. mainline Protestantism and the Institute for Religion and Democracy

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:12:11 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Frederick Clarkson, in a 2006 article, outlines the activities of the Institute for Religion and Democracy since the eighties. Mainly funded by right-wing think tanks, he says, it has attempted to foment schism and disrupt governance in the largest denominations in the National Council of Churches.

Clip Source: www.publiceye.org

The Battle for the Mainline Churches

By Frederick Clarkson
The Public Eye Magazine - Spring 2006

The Institute remains a well-funded and influential hub for a national network of conservative factions called the Association for Church Renewal. The member organizations, called “renewal” groups, variously seek to neutralize church tendencies of which they don’t approve; drive out staff they don’t like; and seek to take over the churches, but failing that—taking as many churches and assets out as possible. The network’s spokespersons are treated as credible voices of conservative dissent by mainstream media.

IRD’s program is currently focused on the NCC’s three largest denominations, together comprising 14 million members: the United Methodist Church, The Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA). They also find the time to target the NCC, and the World Council of Churches.

Tags: religion, america, protestantism, evangelicalism, church, conservatives, contemporary, criticism, politics