I don’t often write specifically about Unitarian Universalism, but can’t talk about my own reflections on Easter without doing so. As a very brief background for those who are unaware, Unitarians and Universalist were liberal Christian denominations for hundreds of years. In the early 20th century they began expanding their practice to a more pluralistic

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. This verse in the Christian scriptures, John 14:6, is perhaps the most quoted passage by those attempting to offer irrefutable truth that Jesus and Christianity are the only path to salvation. I’ve been asked many times

In much of western religion and culture, faith has become synonymous with belief. When questions can’t be simply answered, the answer simply becomes, “you just gotta have faith.” William James said, “Faith is when you believe something you know ain’t true.” But blind faith has little to do with belief. Being a person of faith

My recent post, “Spiritual, but not religious?” post attracted interest from all camps, theists, non-theists, atheists, agnostics, the spiritual, and the religious, to name a few. Not long ago, in a different blog discussion, a reader said the following about religion: I am personally struggling with wrapping my head around the purpose of religion in

Living in Houston for the past six years, I’ve come to expect road rage. I’ve been the victim of minor acts of road rage, and have learned not to do anything that might upset or provoke other drivers. We were tragically reminded that this is a real problem last week when a 13 year old

When I was a teenager in the 1970s, I remember a book on my parent’s shelves on the subject of being spiritual but not religious (SBNR). I can’t recall the title, and it doesn’t really matter now. Today, there are several books on the subject, and if you google “spiritual but not religious,” you’ll get

Let me be clear. Anyone who believes that the United States of America is a Christian nation is mistaken. In fact, our nation was founded on the premise that a state church was unconstitutional. The founders were maintaining the spirit of those religious refugees who came to North America seeking religious freedom. If we were

My previous blog post seems to have caused quite a stir. I’m always interested in why people react so strongly to such a simple call to accountability. If my views are false, or weak, silly, or irrelevant, then why bother to even respond, especially so vehemently as so many have done. On the other hand

I understand and am a staunch defender of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and academic freedom, but Liberty University should, quite frankly, lose its accreditation both from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the American Bar Association. This weekend, February 12-13, the Liberty University School of Law

In the Christian Scriptures, in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, shortly after Jesus arrives in Jerusalem amid a great fanfare just one week before he would be crucified; his first act was to go to the temple, which he found had been overrun by merchants, causing him to lose his temper. He overturned

Sometimes when we are overwhelmed, we need some time to get away. This is a poem I wrote many years ago sitting on the shore of Lake Michigan: silence is mine, and yet my silence is never quiet, filled with memories of those who have gone, with memories of who i have been, of this

In the Christian Scriptures, in the King James Version of the Book of Matthew (5:17-18), during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is recorded as having said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you,

If another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21-22) There’s a transformational story in the book of Luke in the Christian scriptures. Jesus is in the synagogue teaching, and there

Forty two years ago this April, one of the greatest prophets of modern times was silenced after only 39 years on this earth. It has been another entire lifetime since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed on that Memphis hotel balcony in April of 1968. Although we have achieved much in the

This is the second in a series of blog posts about the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti. I am always deeply touched by the outpouring of help in the face of a disaster. It is an indication of the inherent goodness of humanity. We take care of each other unconditionally in our times of

This blog post will be the first in a series that I will post over then next several days about the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti. Five years ago this month, after the tsunami in the South Pacific, I preached a sermon titled, “Unimaginable Suffering.” I knew then that I would preach this sermon

You may have noticed that I haven’t been blogging much over the past month or so. I’ve been very busy with major transitions in my and my family’s life. Last month, I submitted my resignation as senior minister of Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church in Houston effective this coming summer. And so, in addition to

The following story provides great insight to human assumptions about the divine and creation… We can neither go it alone in this world, nor can we assume that we humans have the undivided attention of the divine. One day there was a gathering of scientists. They spoke about all they had learned and what they

I’ve always been interested in space exploration because my grandparents worked at Kennedy Space Center when I was young. Today, living near Johnson Space Center, and hanging out with a bevy of space geeks, offers new insights. New truths about the origin of the cosmos as we currently know it are being revealed through the

A disciple asks the rabbi,”God, who is perfect, took six days to create a world that is not. How is this possible?” The rabbi scolded him, “Could you have done better?” “Yes, I think so,” said the disciple. “You could have done better? Then what are waiting for? You don’t have a minute to waste.

I’ve invited my colleague, Rev. Phil Schulman, minister of Northwest Community Unitarian Universalist Church in Houston, to blog about a recent attack on a gay teen in northwest Houston. Whom Shall I Send Last week, we heard news that a teen from Langham Creek High School was allegedly chased down by other teens, beaten with

One of my favorite Biblical stories comes from chapter 11 of Numbers: After the Exodus from Egypt, Moses and the Israelites set out into the Sinai wilderness where they wandered for forty years, eventually crossing the Jordan River near the plains of Moab, east of the Dead Sea, before going on to Canaan. During their

This Thanksgiving, here is an exercise in reconciliation that I offer in hopes that you can mend a conflict with someone in your life. 1. Affirm someone by saying, “Thank you for….” 2. Offer your own humility and claim what you bring to the problem by saying, “I am sorry that I…” 3. Offer a

Unforunately, HIV/AIDS has sometimes been considered the “leprosy” of our times. Interestingly, even though leprosy is not easy to contract (HIV is even more difficult), most people still think of leprosy (which still exists) as highly infectious. Actually, only about 5% of those who come into direct physical contact with leprosy contract it, because most

I had already been preparing a Veteran’s Day sermon with an emphasis on restorative justice for this Sunday when the shootings occurred at Ft. Hood. I had already posted a Veteran’s Day blog entry as November 11th approached. There has been senseless tragedy at home before. The list is too long to name…Oklahoma City, Columbine,

November 11th is Veteran’s Day. As we honor those who have served and are still serving, I offer this reflection, which will soon be published as part of a military meditation manual for members of the armed forces that my wife and I are editing. Journeys When I was a child, I spoke like a

If you see your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering away, you must return it to him. If you see that your enemy’s donkey has fallen because its load is too heavy, do not leave it there. You must help your enemy get the donkey back on its feet. (Exodus 23:4-5, NCV) You have heard that

I began this blog three years ago this week! “Keep the Faith” was the second-ever religion blog at chron.com (before houstonbelief.com existed) and is the longest-standing blog at HoustonBelief! It has been, and continues to be, an honor and an incredible experience. What I have learned over the past three year, and what this blog

Dear President Obama, This weekend, you promised an end to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that forbids gay members of the armed forces from revealing their sexual orientation. Please follow through on this promise immediately. I am a retired Navy Commander. I was still on active duty when the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was

When I was a teenager (and a Southern Baptist) I remember asking a deacon and a teacher why the Bible was called the “holy” Bible. They laughed at me and said, “Because it is God’s word.” But they couldn’t tell me why it was God’s word. I was reminded of this story when a blog