photo of Diane with her poster at the REA conference 2016

Seriously — Imaginary Sorrow (Obama) and Real Hope (REA)

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What would Obama say as Americans vote today? Watch this! You may find yourself, like me, playing it over and over. The words and their sorrow may be imaginary but they point us towards real hope. More than a captivating and inspiring song, this lamentation challenges our soul as a nation. When the election is over, may we all rise higher.

But how did we sink so low?

To answer that question, let me share a few notes from attending the REA Conference in Pittsburgh where I met Religion Educators from around the world including Belgium, Germany, Austria, England, Spain, Turkey, Nigeria, Canada, Israel, Australia, and the United States. Continue reading Seriously — Imaginary Sorrow (Obama) and Real Hope (REA) →

Election Fury or Forgiveness

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Keep Calm and Watch Fury.
Share your thoughts at the end of this post.

picture of movie poster for 1936 FuryFury

With recently heightened “suspense” from Donald Trump as we near the end of this election, it’s worth reminding ourselves of why populism, group think, and mob (or mobster) rule don’t work. For this reason, I suggest hosting a Movie Night Pre-Election Party featuring the 1936 drama and thriller, Fury. Continue reading Election Fury or Forgiveness →

Global Citizenship

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I am a world citizen logoA BBC 2016 poll found that more people identify as “global” rather than “national” citizens. I believe this phenomena is  evolutionarily appropriate for our times.

What does it mean to identify with 7.4 billion people on the planet? World citizenship is growing, although it is less common in industrialized nations. I could speculate as to why, but I want to focus on the meaning of identifying as a global citizen.

Who is a global citizen?

Continue reading Global Citizenship →

If You Meet a Religious Leader on the Road…

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bicycle riders over a bridgeIf you meet a religious leader on the road… and they tell you their congregation is shrinking… and youth enrollment is down… and you suggest they include an interfaith perspective in their religious school program, that leader will probably dismiss your suggestion without another thought. At least, this has been my experience. Why do so many clergy resist teaching interfaith perspectives to youth at a time when church/synagogue attendance is at an all-time low with nearly one in three Americans under age 35 identifying as spiritual but not religious? The clergy I have encountered typically give one or all of the following reasons:
Continue reading If You Meet a Religious Leader on the Road… →

New Buzzwords Changing Religion: #3 EVOLUTIONARY 

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A figure jumps in the air from one wall to another suggesting an evolutionary leap.Evolutionary is the last buzzword in this blog series on concepts with the potential to change how we view and teach religion. In previous posts, we looked at buzzword #1, integral, and buzzword #2, interspiritual. 

Introducing Buzzword #3: Evolutionary

Evolutionary has multiple meanings — it can be understood as an adjective AND as a  noun. It is sometimes used interchangeably with integral and interspiritual.

As an adjective, evolutionary describes our process of development — and I mean not just biologically, but also culturally. Unlike a Darwinian view of evolution that describes biology as being random accidents, I wish to talk about the view that evolution actually has an unmistakeable direction and purpose. In this view of evolution, we are not just becoming a different species. We are becoming a better species. Planetary goodwill is on the rise. And it is not accidental. As a noun, Evolutionary refers to one who actively and consciously participates in the evolution of our consciousness and ultimately, our culture. Continue reading New Buzzwords Changing Religion: #3 EVOLUTIONARY  →