Karen Armstrong Builds A Case For God

In a recent interview of Karen Armstrong by Terry Gross on National Public Radio Ms Armstrong talks about her concepts of God and religion. Her comments are thought provoking and, some would say, controversial. If, however, one is willing to approach her concepts with an open mind (to use a current popular phrase and think outside the box) the interview is well worth reading, or listening to if you link to the audio version. The transcript can be accessed by going to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112968197.

I would suggest getting in a quiet place, alone if possible to listen to and think (meditate?) about what is contained in this transcript. As waitresses all seem to say after they have served you a meal, "Enjoy!"

Matthew 25 and Health-Care

This article was taken from the Sojourners web site from the "God's Politics" a blog by Jim Wallis & friends.

Judgement Day: Does Matthew 25 Apply to the Health-Care Debate?

by Valerie Elverton Dixon 09-03-2009

Yesterday, I heard a Christian leader say that the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 25 is not a reason for Christians to support universal health care guaranteed by their government. His argument was that this text is Jesus' instruction to the Christian community for the Christian community. This sounded like an error of interpretation to me.

I read the biblical text through the lens of ethics. I am not a biblical scholar. So, this morning, I called my friend and colleague Allen Callahan to ask him about this interpretation of Matthew 25. Dr. Callahan is an ordained Baptist minister, educated at Princeton and Harvard. He has taught New Testament at Harvard Divinity School, Macalester College and now at Seminario Teologico Batista do Nordeste in Bahia, Brazil. He is an international lecturer and has appeared in television documentaries about the early church, and about politics and spirituality.

Read the balance of this article at http://blog.sojo.net/2009/09/03/judgement-day-does-matthew-25-apply-to-the-health-care-debate/

Dr. Valerie Elverton Dixon is an independent scholar who publishes lectures and essays at JustPeaceTheory.com. She received her Ph.D. in religion and society from Temple University and taught Christian ethics at United Theological Seminary and Andover Newton Theological School.