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Ethics and Religion Talk: What Makes Music a Universal Language?

Submitted 05-23-2022 under OPINION

Linda Knieriemen, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Holland, responds: “The Protestant Reformer Martin Luther wrote ‘Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of...

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The Return of Absurdism

Submitted 05-20-2022 under OPINION

I’m writing this on the toilet. Maybe you’re reading this somewhere like that, too. Maybe we’re connected somehow by our Catholic-imbued terror of an idle mind.  Absurdism characterizes our time. I don’t just mean 2022,...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What is Monotheism?

Submitted 05-16-2022 under OPINION

Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds: “Merriam-Webster Online defines monotheism as ‘the doctrine or belief that there is only one God.’ I may get myself in...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Why Can't I Sell Parts of My Body?

Submitted 05-09-2022 under OPINION

Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, responds: “You seem to be unaware that laws to the contrary, there is a ghastly trade of harvesting and selling human body parts that flourishes in the...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Do I Tell My Friend That Her Husband is on Tinder?

Submitted 05-02-2022 under OPINION

The Rev. Steven W. Manskar, a retired United Methodist pastor, responds: “I think the person to talk to is your friend’s husband. Do not triangulate your friend. Go directly to the person who is causing harm first.” The Rev....

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Ethics and Religion Talk - What If There Were No first Amendment?

Submitted 04-19-2022 under OPINION

The Reverend Colleen Squires, minister at All Souls Community Church of West Michigan, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, responds: Unitarian Universalists are strong believers in separation of church and state. Therefore, it would be seen...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: 500th Column: Florida Man vs. Tiger!

Submitted 04-18-2022 under OPINION

Welcome to the 500th Ethics and Religion Talk column. Every once in a while, I like to present a question that breaks the boundaries and challenges our ethical norms, to keep things interesting. The following question is in response to the tragic...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Have a Dog for Dinner?

Submitted 04-11-2022 under OPINION

Linda Knieriemen, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Holland, responds: “In Christian scripture, (I Timothy 4:4) I read ‘everything (all plants and animals) created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: How are You Connected to Co-religionists Around the World?

Submitted 04-04-2022 under OPINION

The Ethics and Religion Talk panelists periodically reach out to their networks of coreligionists, congregants, and students to solicit questions for the column. Questions ought to be addressed to multiple faith traditions (i.e., questions about...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Crises of Faith, part 2

Submitted 03-28-2022 under OPINION

Eight of our panelists responded to this question. I shared the first four responses last week, and are are the rest: Imam Kip Curnutt, Director of Religious Education and Associate Imam of Masjid At-Tawheed in Grand Rapids, responds: “When it...

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