On Faith Panelists Blog: Archives by Date - On Faith at washingtonpost.com

Reasoned Argument

Reasoned argument is essential for the preservation and advancement of both civility and civilization

By William J. Byron | November 17, 2006; 3:40 PM ET | Comments (81)

Grapes By Any Other Name

It’s crucial to begin with understanding each other's cultural perspectives.

By Salman Ahmad | November 17, 2006; 1:00 PM ET | Comments (183)

Starhawk's Winter 06-'07 Schedule Online courses, talks, workshops and intensives: For full descriptions and contact information, go to: www.starhawk.org/ http://www.starhawk.org/starhawk/schedule.html...

By Starhawk | November 16, 2006; 8:21 PM ET | Comments (13)

Seeking Truth Requires Internal Courage

Serious conversation always provides the opportunity to enter into another’s world

By Mark S. Sisk | November 16, 2006; 5:30 PM ET | Comments (67)

Diversity Brings Resilience

In human society...diverse viewpoints and approaches to the sacred can broaden our perspectives and give us more tools for grappling with the uncertain and challenging future

By Starhawk | November 16, 2006; 4:35 PM ET | Comments (618)

Telling the Truth About Truth

Let the conversation begin . . . and let us show up as who we are, beliefs and all....The reality is that too many "interfaith" discussions are held among those who have only a tenuous hold upon the faiths they claim to represent.

By R. Albert Mohler Jr. | November 15, 2006; 5:45 PM ET | Comments (708)

Faith Is Necessary

The Supreme Transcendent One longs for us to live amicably together in harmony with all other creatures...No religious faith I know proclaims that violence is right, that it is right to steal, to be cruel, to oppress another

By Desmond Tutu | November 15, 2006; 5:30 PM ET | Comments (55)

We Are Already In The Conversation

We are already on common ground, and I don’t believe we’re alone. The monopoly has been broken

By William Tully | November 15, 2006; 4:30 PM ET | Comments (14)

Engaging Without Rancor

Jesus talked to anyone He thought would listen, sometimes adding “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

By Michael Otterson | November 15, 2006; 3:45 PM ET | Comments (74)

No Time for Arrogance

There are very good, Christian reasons to believe that a serious, broad-ranging conversation about matters of common concern can produce better understanding

By Richard Mouw | November 15, 2006; 3:40 PM ET | Comments (2346)

Concern for Neighbor Can Trump Belief Monopoly

Those who feel they have a monopoly on truth can be an obstacle to...understanding needed in today's world. However, this need not be so.

By John Esposito | November 15, 2006; 3:30 PM ET | Comments (251)

Dialogue of the Dumb

One of many naive American beliefs is that all we need to do is talk to one another and our differences will somehow morph into "common ground." But blind faith is impervious to evidence and cannot be swayed by argument--however...

By Susan Jacoby | November 15, 2006; 3:22 PM ET | Comments (13)

Finding Common Ground on Higher Ground

Religion must be disciplined by democracy...meaning that we don’t claim that our religious authority must be everyone’s or dictate their moral or political fate

By Jim Wallis | November 15, 2006; 3:10 PM ET | Comments (11)

Not With Fanatics

The fanatic does not believe in dialogue; I do. How then is conversation between us possible?...

By Elie Wiesel | November 15, 2006; 3:00 PM ET | Comments (67)

Real Conversation is Truth-Centered Conversation

Tolerance doesn’t mean ignoring differences, as if differences didn’t matter. It means engaging differences, in the calm confidence that everything that is genuinely true ultimately directs us toward the God who is the world’s source and the world’s destination.

By George Weigel | November 15, 2006; 2:55 PM ET | Comments (8)

Some Basic Definitions

Because Pagan and Wiccan spiritual traditions are unfamiliar to many people or misunderstood, I’m going to post here some basic definitions of some of the terms we use....

By Starhawk | November 14, 2006; 11:40 PM ET | Comments (358)

No One Can Have the Last Word on God

The reality we call God, Brahman, Nirvana or the sacred is transcendent. That is, it goes beyond our mundane experience. If we imprison ourselves in dogmatic ideas, we are closing our minds to the divine.

By Karen Armstrong | November 14, 2006; 9:30 PM ET | Comments (46)

Faith Won't Heal a Divided World

If there is common ground to be found through interfaith dialogue, it will only be found by people who are willing to keep their eyes averted from the chasm that divides their faith from all others.

By Sam Harris | November 14, 2006; 9:00 PM ET | Comments (949)

Dumb Dialogue

Bind faith is impervious to evidence and cannot be swayed by argument

By Susan Jacoby | November 14, 2006; 8:00 PM ET | Comments (70)

Democratic Etiquette and the Religious Right

I really didn’t expect the Religious Right to climb out of the Republican Party’s cozy bed. But I did think they might stick out a foot and maybe wiggle a toe or two.

By Randall Balmer | November 14, 2006; 7:30 PM ET | Comments (184)

Religious Convictions Need Not Impede Search for Common Ground on Societal Issues

God alone has a “monopoly” on truth. He is Truth—which means that truth is defined in relation to the God revealed in Scripture

By Richard Land | November 14, 2006; 7:00 PM ET | Comments (147)

God's Greatness Defeats All Efforts to Monopolize Truth

If we believe that God is so great that our best thought of God is like a child's crayon picture of the sky ...then we'll know that however true, beautiful, and good our knowledge of God may be, it is nothing close to a monopoly

By Brian D. McLaren | November 14, 2006; 6:30 PM ET | Comments (49)

About Jon Meacham

For as long as I can remember, I have been endlessly curious about the past -- or, put more precisely, about how the things that are came to be the way they are. Southerners -- I am from Tennessee --...

By Jon Meacham | November 14, 2006; 6:20 PM ET | Comments (348)

No Vegetables, Please

So what if the Bible, or the Quran, says something? Since not everybody accepts that these texts are infallible, citing them as if they were is just rude

By Daniel C. Dennett | November 14, 2006; 6:00 PM ET | Comments (416)

The Christian Faith...Offers Hope Founded in Objective Truth

Truth has taken a beating in our relativistic, pluralistic and politically correct age. Rather than give offense by claiming to know the truth, we prefer the age-old admonition of hostesses for polite conversation: discuss neither religion, nor politics at the...

By Cal Thomas | November 14, 2006; 5:45 PM ET | Comments (42)

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Archive: November 12, 2006 - November 18, 2006