Fear drives gun sales. Love drives religion. Americans don’t NEED guns. We WANT guns and use “freedom” as cover to buy more weapons than any nation in the history of the world. The avalanche of guns in our homes, on our streets, and by our beds is not a political issue; it is a societal [...]

The biblical word for hope, “Tikvah”, is derived from the word for a thread (kav). Hope is always there for those who seek it, even if it literally hangs from a thread. This season teaches that no matter how dark it is outside, it is always possible to find light. We don’t need God, though, [...]

Sanguinity (hopefulness, cheerfulness, confidence, optimism) with our model faith community as the focal point — and not just because of our great gospel music or sizeable Southern Baptist presence. Our mosques are beautiful, the Hindu Temple is magnificent, the renewed Roman Catholic Cathedral is breathtaking, the Greek Orthodox Church is…[Read more]

Which Memphis-area house of worship do you find most beautiful, spiritual, sacred? And why? Our region’s faith community is warm and welcoming, mirroring a close and immanent relationship to God. Rare are worship spaces, however, which also remind us of God’s transcendence. The word “awesome,” for instance, rarely carries with it deep meaning…[Read more]

What should we – individually and collectively – be doing differently about hunger issues in our community? How can any religious person in Shelby County sleep soundly when over 250,000 Memphians need food stamps in order to eat? People of faith are all well-intentioned but the hand doesn’t always follow the heart. East Memphis grocery stores [...]

How do you define dying well? As I see it, the most any of us can hope for when we leave this world is to die peacefully and surrounded by loved ones. The mitigation of pain is paramount in Judaism as I learned from my experience working in Jewish Hospice. In truth, there is very little [...]

What is your favorite verse of holy scripture and why? “God is close to the brokenhearted, and helps those crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:19). I love this verse because it teaches that God is as close as the air we breathe, the One whose mercy and compassion never end, the God whom Scripture calls the “Hope.” [...]

Memphis is the second most generous city in the country, according to a new survey by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. According to the publication: “Religion plays a major role in how much money Americans give to charity. The parts of the country that tend to be more religious are also more generous.” Why is this true? [...]

What is your reaction to the Freedom from Religion Foundation suing the Memphis City Council? Does the theological diversity of the faith community preclude any possibility of formulating a collective prayer that will be acceptable to all and offensive to none? It’s possible but hard to do. I pray often yet still believe that when people [...]

Are you concerned about new voter ID laws? Are we doing enough to prevent fraud and other problems? How can we make voting as accessible as possible while still safeguarding the democratic process? It is undeniable that new voter ID laws will make it harder for hundreds of thousands of poor Americans to vote. Many citizens [...]

The ethics of anonymous online commenting: The purpose behind the Bill of Rights and of the First Amendment in particular is to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation at the hand of an intolerant society. But what if the people hiding behind the First Amendment are not only the intolerant ones, but also individuals whose words incite [...]

This week the Faith in Memphis panel reflects on the movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colo. Aurora demonstrates the damage one evildoer can literally do in an instant. All the good the dead and injured did for others was swept away in seconds by the horrific deed of one individual. So often we ask ‘”Where Was [...]

The Episcopal Church will now allow priests to conduct services blessing same-sex relationships. The denomination’s House of Bishops approved the policy Monday, and delegates to the national convention approved the measure on Tuesday becoming the largest U.S. religious denomination to approve such a ritual. What’s your response? Is this an…[Read more]

Who/what is an American? What does America mean to you and your faith? To be an American is to believe that every person can make a difference and that the future is ours to create collectively even more than individually. To be an American is to tear down the barriers that keep us stuck in our [...]

According to the 2010 Census, of the 168,000 children living in Memphis, nearly 67,000 — about 4 in 10 — are living in a family with a female householder and NO FATHER PRESENT. Later this month, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton will host the Second Annual Memphis Training Camp for Dads. (Wharton is writing a [...]

The primary justification for marriage is that it satisfies the need for companionship. Abraham exiled his fertile wife Hagar and stayed with the presumably infertile one, Sarah. Why? Because she was his companion and he loved her. Fertility tests are not a requirement for marriage. The obligation to “be fruitful and multiply” is not always [...]

In a world in which most religions begin with God the Father or some sort of male image of the divine, and are founded by male figures such as Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad, do we undervalue Motherhood or the role of women in faith? There are 70 different names for God in the Hebrew Bible [...]

Why do we pray in public? When and where is public prayer inappropriate? Are there too many restrictions on public prayer? Too few? Public prayer is supposed to be a way of connecting us to something larger than ourselves. Sadly, public prayer is often the most alienating experience for listeners. “Public” implies the broadest and widest [...]

Gov. Haslam is expected this week to sign a new law that would require public schools to allow science teachers to discuss purported weaknesses of theories such as Evolution and Global Warming in their classrooms. What should we do about teaching evolution? Is the theory of evolution a scientific controversy or a social/religious controversy?…[Read more]

Earle Fisher will note in a guest column this Saturday, “One of the most prevalent and plausible critiques of the faith community is that when it comes to matters of sexual abuse and domestic violence, the church practices ‘sacred silence.’ ” Do you agree? What can we do to provide a safe place for dialogue regarding [...]