ethics
Ethics and Religion Talk: Should genetic testing be mandatory before conceiving children?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 06-11-2018 under OPINION
Doug Van Doren, the pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ, responds: “I think this is strictly a matter of choice by the couple. Here, the important ethic for me is one of choice on the part of the couple. They, and the child, are the...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Why is God gendered?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 06-04-2018 under OPINION
Father Michael Nasser, who writes from an Eastern Christian perspective and is Pastor of St. Nicholas Orthodox Christian Church, responds: “While many religions assign gender to transcendent divinity, Christianity is unique in that we refer to...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Is it selfish to enjoy our own resources when others are in need?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 05-29-2018 under OPINION
Doug Van Doren, the pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ, responds: “Care for the marginalized was clearly Jesus’ example and is absolutely central to the Gospel. Thus it must be the orientation of a follower. Here are but a few...
Ethics and Religion Talk: What are your requirements for ordination?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 05-21-2018 under OPINION
Doug Van Doren, the pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ, responds: “In the United Church of Christ, the minimum educational requirement for ordination are a four year undergraduate degree, followed by a three year Master’s of...
Ethics and Religion Talk: How do we fairly allocate our charitable giving between local needs and others?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 05-14-2018 under OPINION
Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, responds: “In my experience Christians do have a blind spot in this area. Many ‘middle class’ Christians don’t seem to realize that...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Guns, violence and pacifism, Part 2
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 05-07-2018 under OPINION
Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Adjutant Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds: “Pacifism ‘is opposition to war or violence by means of settling disputes; specifically, refusal to bear arms on...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Guns, violence and pacifism, Part 1
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 04-30-2018 under OPINION
The format for our column this week is a bit different. This week, we invite R. Scot Miller, an ordained minister of outreach and education at Common Spirit Church of the Brethren in Grand Rapids, to share a long-form essay on the topic of guns,...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Holding leaders accountable without judgement
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 04-23-2018 under OPINION
I asked the panel to consider Karla’s question against the backdrop of the verse from Christian scriptures, Matthew 7:1, "Judge not that you not be judged.” Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Must one confess past violations of sexual boundaries?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 04-16-2018 under OPINION
The Reverend Colleen Squires, minister at All Souls Community Church of West Michigan, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, responds: “Yes, I believe that clergy have an ethical obligation to acknowledge behaviors that they might have...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Does tolerance lead to complicity?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 04-09-2018 under OPINION
Jacob L.H. asked the Ethics and Religion Talk panel, “Where is the line between tolerance and complicity? I try very hard to be respectful of people’s views that are different than mine, but I feel there is definitely a point where I...