Content about Business

In an article published in 1996, English Theologian, Don Cupitt, said that "Christmas is the Disneyfication of Christianity." I winced when I read that characterization of Christmas. It hurt because it contains an embarrassing element of truth. Almost all of us participate in the commercialization of Christmas.

As the Occupy Wall Street movement grows, an increasing number of Republican legislators and media personalities are claiming that the members are overwhelmingly anti-Semitic. From Newt Gingrich to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck to Bill Kristol, the charge of anti-Semitism is becoming a common trope.^[i]

There's lots of church-state intersection in Faith and the Common Good on this first official day of fall, so let's get right to it.

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A case involving the firing of a teacher with a disability from a religious school has gone before the U.S. Supreme Court in what many see as a test of the traditional "ministerial exception" regarding hiring practices for religious organizations.

As part of its observance of the tenth anniversary of the Sept., 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, The National Council of Churches has revived a statement of pastoral concern and peacemaking signed by nearly 4,000 people of faith in the weeks after the attack.

Denominational disaster relief agencies are gearing up to help those communities devastated by the massive inland floods caused by Hurricane Irene, later a tropical storm. The New York Times reports that Irene could rank among the nation's top 10 costliest storms. The news outlet also has some truly stunning photographs of the power of rushing water to wash away homes, businesses and entire towns.

More than 100 activists, including people of faith, have been arrested since Aug. 20 at an ongoing sit-in outside the White House seeking to stop the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline from crossing the United States. Some 2,100 people, including actress and environmental activist Darryl Hannah, have signed up to participate in the daily demonstrations through Sept. 3.

Schooled as an attorney and professionally successful as a real estate developer, Jeffrey Small's real passion is religion.  A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, he earned a master's degree in religious studies from Oriel College at Oxford University in England. He is active in the Episcopal Church, serves on the Board of Trustees at General Theological Seminary in New York, studied Yoga in India and practiced Buddhist meditation in Bhutan. He writes frequently for The Huffington Post. The Breath of Godis his first novel.

Lutheran Bishop Mark Hansen invites the Rev. David Beckmann of Bread for the World to get on the bus taking religious leaders to a meeting with President Obama at the White House.

Christians, other people of faith and concerned citizens continue to stand up to the special interests that are holding the nation hostage to actions that seriously threaten the common good. Here are some of the latest developments:

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As the nation broils in triple-digit heat, a new grassroots effort has emerged to stop a development that could accelerate global warming even faster: the Tar Sands Project in Canada.

One of the most important themes in the classic Hollywood movie was the corruption of ideals in the ethical human being. Given the current state of morality and ethics in American politics and society, now might be a good time to look back on the moral lessons of these mid-20th century movies and ponder the moral dilemmas they raise.

With President Obama and congressional leaders preparing to face off over the federal deficit, here are some summaries and links to recent articles that go behind the scenes of the moral and philosophical fight over the U.S. budget. Excerpts courtesy of Faith in Public Life.

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A Moral Budget

By Bob Abernethy
PBS, Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly July 5, 2011