2009 April | Religion Transcends

Archive for April 2009

Obama’s Faith-Based Council Includes Diversity of Religions

April 10, 2009

In February, U.S. President Barack Obama established the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

In his press release, Obama admitted that people’s needs for purpose and expressions of faith are stronger forces than government. While this office existed under President Bush, it was mainly for purposes of ensuring charities had access to grants. Under Obama, the office is meant to allow religious groups to have the ear of the president — not to allow the government to funnel funding to religious groups. The council will consider issues surrounding the family, teen pregnancy, poverty, and interfaith dialogue.

The council comprises 25 members from different religious backgrounds including Catholic, Protestant, Reform Judaism, Interfaith, Secular, Hindu, Islamic, and more. The group also includes a magazine editor, a gay rights activitist, and representatives from various charities.

Read the full list of names online.

Posted in Politics & Religion |

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Early April Religious Holidays

April 9, 2009

Following are some upcoming (and current) religious holidays.

JUDAISM:

Passover (or Pesach): April 8-April 16

Commemoration surrounding Passover relates to Exodus 1-15. In the Exodus portion of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament), Moses tells the story of his and the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. God inflicted 10 plagues on the Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The 10th was the plague on the firstborns. In this plague, God said he would pass over the houses in Egypt and all firstborn sons within those homes would die. But he told the Israelites to put blood of lambs on their doorways and he would pass over their homes. After this came to pass, the Israelites were led out of Egypt. Today, Passover is a remembrance of both God’s sparing the Jews and the Jews escape to freedom. Learn about specific Passover rituals and traditions online.

CHRISTIANITY:

Holy Week: April 5-April 11; Easter April 12

Holy Week marks the last week of Lent, just before Easter. Events during Holy Week commemorate events leading up the crucifixion of Jesus:

-Palm Sunday (April 5): Last Sunday marked the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.
-Spy Wednesday (April 8): This isn’t really celebrated, but this marks the day when Jesus’ disciple Judas Iscariot betrayed him to the chief priests; read about this in the Bible’s New Testament.
-Maundy Thursday (April 9): Thursday commemorates the Last Supper which led to the Christian ritual of communion or the Eucharist. Jesus was initially commemorating the Passover feast (the Jewish seder).
-Good Friday (April 10): Friday commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion.
-Holy Saturday (April 11): This is the night before Easter; Christians, particularly Catholics, often attend worship services on this night.

Holy Week leads up to Easter Sunday, April 12, when Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. Learn more about Easter online.

SIKHISM:

Baisakhi: April 14

Learn about this Sikh holiday on ReligionTranscends.com.

Posted in Catholicism, Christianity, Holiday Information, Judaism, Protestantism, Sikhism |

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Sex and the Seminary

April 9, 2009

Some religious leaders are concerned that students in theological seminaries (including future rabbis and pastors) aren’t learning enough about sex and gender issues, according to a recent program from Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.

According to the program: “The Religious Institute on Sexual Morality is a nonprofit group that helps promote sexual health in faith communities. The Institute recently studied 36 seminaries across denominational lines. The study found an ‘overwhelming need’ to better educate and prepare future religious leaders in the area of human sexuality.”

While seminaries may discuss sexual harassment, pastors say these additional topics might be important to learn about, in order to be prepared to minister to people of all sexual orientations or to know how to counsel those with sexuality-related problems:

Teen sex
Infidelity
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues, including gay marriage and gay clergy
Cohabitation

Others argue that it’s not the seminary’s job to provide such education – it should be learned on the job. Regardless, the Religious Institute received a grant to introduce sexuality courses to seminaries and practicing ministers.

What do you think? Would you go to your religious leader for help regarding issues of sexuality? Do you expect your leader to have the knowledge to counsel on such issues if necessary? If so, where should they learn about sexual topics?

Posted in Christianity, Judaism, Protestantism |

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British Org. Offers De-Baptisms

April 7, 2009

Ever heard of “de-baptism”?

According to Religion News Service, Britain’s National Secular Society offers certificates of de-baptism for people who have been baptized as Christians and would like to remove themselves from the faith.

The society also supports the production of “There’s Probably No God” banners on British busses. Produced by the British Humanist Association, the busses made headlines just weeks before NSS began printing their certificates.

Learn more about NSS and the certificate initiative.

What do you think? If someone doesn’t believe in God, wouldn’t that imply they don’t believe the act of baptism was valid? And if that’s the case, would de-baptism be necessary? Or is this a way for the anti-religious to publicly separate themselves from religion?

Posted in Atheism, Christianity |

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