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Opinion

 

Ethics and Religion Talk: Does Your Congregation Require a Financial Commitment for membership?

Submitted 03-17-2024 under OPINION

Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds: To be a Roman Catholic requires only baptism. Once baptized, there are no financial requirements to be members. The Church teaches a...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: When Your Religion Impinges on My Religion

Submitted 03-11-2024 under OPINION

Would you encourage members of your community to do business, or attempt to do business, with businesses who fundamentally disagree with some aspect of their lives? For example, to book a wedding at a venue which does not believe in the validity of...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What Frustrates You About Your Religion?

Submitted 03-05-2024 under OPINION

Linda Knieriemen, a retired pastor of the Presbyterian Church (USA), responds: Christianity is not a monolith! In terms of how faith is lived, there is as much variation within the body of those who identify as Christian as there is between world...

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In "Disney's Descendants: The Musical," youth choose their own path

Submitted 03-04-2024 under OPINION

In fifteenth century France, a seventeen-year-old girl was sent by the king to a battle—the outcome of which was very much in doubt. She arrived wearing armor and raising her banner high. The king's faith was justified. Rallied by the...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What Do People Misbelieve about your Religion?

Submitted 03-01-2024 under OPINION

The Reverend Colleen Squires, minister at All Souls Community Church of West Michigan, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, responds: The 3 misbeliefs about Unitarian Universalism are – 1. We can believe whatever we want. There is some...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Do You Visit Other Houses of Worship?

Submitted 02-20-2024 under OPINION

Linda Knieriemen is a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).  Absolutely. There are no restrictions to attending a worship service of another faith. If invited to participate in the leadership of that worship I would do so in humility and...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Do Non-Catholics Have Sacraments?

Submitted 02-12-2024 under OPINION

Linda Knieriemen, a retired pastor of the Presbyterian Church (USA), responds: Presbyterians name baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist, or Holy Communion) as sacraments because we see evidence in scripture that Jesus established and...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: How Do You Feel About Those Who Leave Your Religious Community?

Submitted 02-05-2024 under OPINION

I have heard from several sources that the penalty for leaving Islam is death. I have a hard time believing that, as one might assume that at least some Muslims here in Grand Rapid have left the fold. And I have never heard of anyone being killed...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Do You Need a Degree to Be Clergy?

Submitted 01-23-2024 under OPINION

Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., is a Dominican priest and serves as Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids. In the Roman Catholic Church, there are seminaries. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has published a document called Program of...

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Clyde's dramatizes the hopes and struggles of post-prison life

Submitted 01-21-2024 under OPINION

You made a mistake. And it's a big mistake – the kind they could throw you in prison for. So that's what they do. You grind your sentence out, keeping your head down, dreaming of freedom. Then, finally, you get that freedom. But here...

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