Ethics and Religion Talk
Ethics and Religion Talk: What Scripture Upholds Your Faith's Teaching on Abortion? part 1
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 08-10-2020 under OPINION
In 2013, this column has address the question of abortion. We are revisiting the question for two reasons. First, the composition of the panel (other than myself) has completely changed. Other than me, there is no one on the panel from our first...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Does Your Tradition Support the Separation Between Church and State? part 1
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 08-03-2020 under OPINION
Taylor’s question elicited responses from nearly every member of the Ethics and Religion Talk panel. We’ll open our ninth year of the column this week with half of the panel’s responses. Watch for the other half at the beginning of...
Ethics and Religion Talk: What did Clergy do during the Pandemic?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 07-27-2020 under OPINION
The Rev. Rachel J. Bahr, pastor of Plymouth UCC, responds: “I’ve learned an incredible amount about digital film production and editing. The value of a good mic, and green screen. As many went down the sourdough starter hole, I’ve...
Ethics and Religion Talk: What are the Benefits of Religion?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 07-20-2020 under OPINION
Fred Stella, the Pracharak (Outreach Minister) for the West Michigan Hindu Temple, responds: “Having a spiritual life has many wonderful benefits for those who seek the transcendent in community. But for those who are secular minded, many of...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Is God Calling Out To You?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 07-13-2020 under OPINION
God uses common vessels to deliver uncommon messages. In 1 Samuel chapter three, we read about a boy whom God called to deliver a very important message in his generation. Eli, the priest of the story, was not living according to his calling. He had...
Ethics and Religion Talk: How Does Religion Spread?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 07-06-2020 under OPINION
Fred Stella, the Pracharak (Outreach Minister) for the West Michigan Hindu Temple, responds: “When someone thinks of a Hindu they often visualize an Indian. And for the most part they are correct. The reason that Hinduism is not as...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Are those who took own life resurrected?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 06-29-2020 under OPINION
The Reverend Colleen Squires, minister at All Souls Community Church of West Michigan, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, responds: “The Universalist part of our faith believes in universal salvation, no one would ever be denied...
Ethics and Religion Talk: What is the place of Religious Institutions in Society?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 06-22-2020 under OPINION
Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, responds: “Presbyterianism teaches that ‘the visible church … consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion,...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Which Religion is the most correct?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 06-15-2020 under OPINION
Fred Stella, the Pracharak (Outreach Minister) for the West Michigan Hindu Temple, responds: “Well, in reality how would anyone really know? I can say that there is a built-in humility in Hinduism (but by no means are all Hindus humble!) that...
Ethics and Religion Talk: How Does Atonement Work?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 06-08-2020 under OPINION
The Reverend Colleen Squires, minister at All Souls Community Church of West Michigan, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, responds: “We must own our mistakes without excuses. We need to offer an apology to those we have harmed. We...