Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in Americaby Christian Smith, Oxford University Press, 440 pp., $34.99. The main premise is: For a growing number of Americans, traditional religion, particularly Christianity, has simply become obsolete. Smith’s judgment of obsolescence does not imply that most people have come to view religion as false or disproven, brought down … Read more
This week was the birthday of Thomas Kelly (June 4, 1893 – January 17, 1941). Thomas Kelly was an American Quaker who wrote about his mystical experiences and his direct experience with authoritarianism. When Hitler rose to power, he traveled to Germany to encourage Friends who were living under Hitler’s regime. His book, A Testament … Read more
Another list of what might be done:ON TYRANNY-Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy SnyderQuick read “The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew, the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy. Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of the twentieth century. We are no wiser than … Read more
I have just finished re-reading Walter Wink’s THE POWERS THAT BE and am astounded at how fresh and relevant this book is to our time, 25 years after it was written. I enthusiastically commend it to you. In The Powers That Be, theologian and biblical scholar Walter Wink helps us reformulate our ancient concepts – … Read more