religion
Ethics and Religion Talk: What Do People Misbelieve about your Religion?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
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...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Do You Visit Other Houses of Worship?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
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...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Do Non-Catholics Have Sacraments?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
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...
Ethics and Religion Talk: How Do You Feel About Those Who Leave Your Religious Community?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
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...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Do You Need a Degree to Be Clergy?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
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...
Ethics and Religion Talk: How have your religious beliefs changed over time?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 01-16-2024 under OPINION
Linda Knieriemen is a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). As the years have passed I have become less rigid in my beliefs, I now accept more mystery, and am more of a ready to say, “I don’t know” when it comes to...
Ethics and Religion Talk: What Should Religious Practice Look Like at Home?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 01-08-2024 under OPINION
Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds: The question presumes the practice of faith in the family. The Catholic Church teaches that parents are the first to teach their children...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Foster Parents and Religious Beliefs
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 01-02-2024 under OPINION
Should potential foster parents be turned away because of their religious beliefs? For example, if they believe that a LGBTQ+ orientation violates their religious beliefs, should they be disqualified from fostering a child? Or should a Jewish couple...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Do You Need a Personal Relationship with God?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 12-28-2023 under OPINION
The Rev. Sandra Nikkel, head pastor of Conklin Reformed Church, responds: It's the most important thing there is! The God who made the Heavens, the Earth, the moon, the sun and the stars, the God who made our souls and formed us, longs to have a...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Christmas and non-Christians
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 12-18-2023 under OPINION
Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds: No! I am more bothered by the reduction of Christmas to a secular holiday with no spiritual meaning. For Roman Catholics, Christmas does...