For four years, I’ve been driving around with one of those “01/20/09” stickers on the back of my car.   However, with the exception of election night and the inauguration, I haven’t really, truly believed that there has been a change in the White House–there have been way too many painful challenges left over from the…

Like Paul, I grew up in a tradition that didn’t pay much if any attention Good Friday, or see anything terribly ironic about the adjective “Good.”  I’ve come to see that omission (and with it the implication that the crucifixion didn’t really happen on any meaningful level, or represented sort of a magic trick played on…

Today Christians observe what is known as Good Friday.  I grew up in a Protestant church that didn’t put much stock in dwelling on the crucifixion, preferring to stake our faith flag in the fertile ground of the resurrection.  It was in seminary when I began to attend Good Friday services and became increasing drawn…

All day Wednesday, MSNBC advertised a discussion about the “new role” of religion and politics to be aired on the Chris Matthews Show.   When the show began, guest host Mike Barnicle announced that the debate would feature atheist Christopher Hitchens and Religious Right activist Ken Blackwell.  Why does the media insist on believing that American…

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