religion
Ethics and Religion Talk: How Does Atonement Work?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 06-08-2020 under OPINION
The Reverend Colleen Squires, minister at All Souls Community Church of West Michigan, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, responds: “We must own our mistakes without excuses. We need to offer an apology to those we have harmed. We...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Can we have both Justice and Peace?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 06-01-2020 under OPINION
My tradition teaches, Tzedek, Tzedek, Tirdof, “Justice, justice, shall you pursue!” Police officers who violate the boundaries of their training when using deadly force and cause injury or death should be prosecuted. Former police...
Ethics and Religion Talk: The Morality of Politics
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 05-25-2020 under OPINION
The Reverend Colleen Squires, minister at All Souls Community Church of West Michigan, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, responds: "Yes, I believe the ideology that expresses the most compassion for others takes the moral high ground...
When will the COVID-19 pandemic disappear?
by (Kaufman Interfa...)
Submitted 05-25-2020 under NONPROFITS
Written by Aly Mageed, M.D., Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital To say that our lives have dramatically changed over the last few months is an understatement. Globally, we currently have more than 4.3 million people infected with the virus and...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Celebrating our 400th column!
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 05-18-2020 under OPINION
This column is the 400th appearance of Ethics and Religion Talk in the Grand Rapids Press since we began on July 31, 2012, almost eight years ago. My initial vision, when creating the column, was to model a kind of respectful interfaith dialogue, in...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Is God's Role to be Fearsome or Loving?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 05-11-2020 under OPINION
The Rev. Sandra Nikkel, head pastor of Conklin Reformed Church, responds: “Yes, God is a divine power to be feared, a holy Being, and a loving creator. Most people believe all, or some, of these descriptions about God. But people have a harder...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Is Family Important? Why?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 05-04-2020 under OPINION
Fred Stella, the Pracharak (Outreach Minister) for the West Michigan Hindu Temple, responds: “I can’t imagine any of my colleagues arguing with the spiritual, social and evolutionary reasons why family is critical to our existence. I am...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Where does Morality Come From?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 04-27-2020 under OPINION
Chris Curia, the Director of Youth Ministries at Fairway Christian Reformed Church, responds: “The American Psychological Association defines morality as the belief or value system(s) that pertains to right conduct and distinguishes acceptable...
Make the arts part of your stay-at-home routine
by (Kaufman Interfa...)
Submitted 04-22-2020 under NONPROFITS
Today we begin introducing you to some of the Kaufman Interfaith Institute staff who are working to expand our programming. Allison Egrin, our newest member, graduated from GVSU last December with majors in both marketing and dance. She also...
Ethics and Religion Talk: Is Divorce OK?
by (Rabbi David J.B...)
Submitted 04-13-2020 under OPINION
Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, responds: “ ‘OK’ is hardly the right word for divorce. The prophet Malachi lived in a time when many thought that divorce was ‘...