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THE QUESTION
About On Faith
Religion is the most pervasive yet least understood topic in global life. From the caves of the Afghan-Pakistan border to the cul-de-sacs of the American Sunbelt, faith shapes and suffuses the way billions of people-Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and nonbelievers-think and act, vote and fight, love and, tragically, hate. It is the most ancient of forces. As Homer said, "All men need the gods." Even the most ferocious atheists find themselves doing intellectual battle on a field defined by forces of the faithful.
And so, in a time of extremism -- for extremism is to the 21st century what totalitarianism was to the 20th -- how can people engage in a conversation about faith and its implications in a way that sheds light rather than generates heat? At The Washington Post and Newsweek, we believe the first step is conversation-intelligent, informed, eclectic, respectful conversation-among specialists and generalists who devote a good part of their lives to understanding and delineating religion's influence on the life of the world. The point of our new online religion feature is to provide a forum for such sane and spirited talk, drawing on a remarkable panel of distinguished figures from the academy, the faith traditions, and journalism. Members of the group will weigh in on a question posed at least once a week, perhaps sometimes more often, depending on the flow of the news. We encourage readers to join the conversation by commenting on what our panelists have to say, offering their own opinions and suggesting topics for future discussions.
From the nature of evil to religious reformation, from the morality of fetal stem-cell research to the history of scripture, from how to raise kids in multi-faith households to the place of gays in traditional churches -- of the asking of questions, to paraphrase Ecclesiastes, there shall be no end. We think that the online world, with its limitless space, offers us a unique opportunity to carry on a fruitful, intriguing, and above all constructive conversation about the things that matter most.
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham on November 9, 2006 10:19 AM
FEATURED COMMENTS
jenniferjbland: A good topic that does need to be discussed more, there have become so many ANTI-ISSUES that "man-made" rules and laws have permitted to be ...
I have been a Presbyterian Minister for over 25 years, both in the United States and in Australia. This included having the privilege of representing Australia as an official greeter in receiving new ambassadors into the country as they started their new assignments. At a reception held in Cairns, Queensland, my wife and I spent time personally speaking to Alexander Downer, Australia's, then, Secretary of State, as well as new Ambassadors from all over the world who were coming to serve as their country's representatives.
But in returning from 13 years overseas ministry, and having seen how important it is to work with other Christians and see them as equally fulfilling their calling as Christ's ambassadors, I have been left saddened with Christianity in modern America.
Believers seem to have forgotten that they are to be Christ's ambassadors in how they love and respect one another. How is it that believers have become so polarizing in their faith? If they seek to make Jesus the issue, for he should be the issue in all of our lives, then that is one thing. But it is tragically evident that they are making everything "the issue," regardless whether it is one's personal political persuasion or their view of health care. They manage to separate Christians from one another by establishing their own personal views as the only possible "Christian" one.
Have we forgotten that past Presidents have made their Christian commitment clear and yet they were on opposite sides of the political debate? Just in the modern era, Presidents Carter, Regan, both Bushes, Clinton, and now President Obama have all made it clear that they are committed Christians. How is it that we still don't realize that in a free country, people may actually hold to different political views without becoming hostile to the opposite party's positions? But we demonize one another and do so in the name of God.
Jon Meacham's "American Lion" made it clear that this is not a new problem. It was as true during the presidency of Andrew Jackson, as Sally Quinn points out, it being true of Sarah Palin's boast of going rogue.
But when all of us go rogue, no matter what "the issue" may be, we cease being Christ's ambassadors and are reduced to the pathetic posturing of being our own.
Rev. Donald Broadwater
November 18, 2009 7:45 PM | Report Offensive Comment
A good topic that does need to be discussed more, there have become so many ANTI-ISSUES that "man-made" rules and laws have permitted to be "omitted", that we now face only what "man-made" views see, think, hear, and say. We have no "morals" backgrounds that lead our country anymore, children being abducted, killed, missing, crime on every street corner, with "man-made" police officers that have even been known to be right in with the crime as criminals themselves. Where and what are we safe today to say, to do, to go, to see? It is our Religion, and our "beliefs" that take us to our destination and from there I will leave the reader with the word of The Holy Bible (that is for all humnans to read and believe), as it is written in Gods word, Gods will, and in the name of Jesus Christ.
*There are NO EXCUSES to people and their actions, we have commandments and laws to live by, love thy neighbor as thyself, and many more "morals" of good human nature to follow Gods will and to live by each and everyday - until "we" as a World Population can agree and come to these terms, the World will live in continuous termoil, until the Savior Returns, and the bad are condemened, and the good are rewarded.
*Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.
Ms.Bland
November 12, 2009 5:30 AM | Report Offensive Comment