Spirituality and Religion
The NONES
In my first semester at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, where I earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in pastoral counseling, I took a class called “The Spirituality of the Nones, Dones and SBNRs.” I couldn’t have wished for a better introduction to a progressive seminary education. That was 2017, and since then, the…
Read MoreDoes the Hebrew Bible Sanctify Mass Murder… and Disregard the Resulting Trauma?
by Terri Daniel, DMin, CT, CCTP Excerpted from the Grief2Growth Podcast – Nov. 9, 2022 . At the 2022 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, attendees had the privilege of listening to a presentation by grief counselor and religious scholar Dr. Jamie Eaddy. She made a point that was mind-blowing to me, and as a…
Read MoreRapture Anxiety
By AJ Willingham from CNN September 27, 2022 Thirteen-year-old April Ajoy had a sense something wasn’t right. It was quiet in her Dallas house. Too quiet. Her brothers were gone. Her parents were gone. On her parents’ bed, a pile of her mother’s clothes signaled something terrifying. Ajoy’s mind began churning, trying to remember, trying to…
Read MorePondering the Death Penalty
In the wake of the recent trial for Nikolas Cruz, who killed 17 people in the Parkland, Florida school shooting, debate about the death penalty has reached new heights. He was sentenced to life in prison, and there is a loud outcry from those who feel that he should be put do death. The ACLU…
Read MoreLeaving Christianity is a Lot Harder than it Looks
by Clint Heacock, PhD If you are in the process of deconstructing your belief system, and possibly thinking of leaving your Christian faith behind, be aware of one sobering reality: it is potentially far more difficult than you might think, for a variety of reasons. Disentangling oneself from one’s religion can be incredibly difficult and…
Read MoreWhat the Bible Says About Abortion
by Dr. Terri Daniel Ooops. I did it again. I got caught up in a stupid argument on NextDoor.com. But my response was so good that I just had to share it here. Some guy posted about how “God said” something about some issue or another, quoting some scripture passage that he felt made a…
Read MoreReligious Trauma is Real
Photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash by Christine Greenwald Many folks are familiar with the kind of trauma referred to as “shock trauma.” This is the classic terrible-event-occurred and now the individual is suffering symptoms because of what happened. We call it “shock” because it is a shock to the nervous system. It can result in classic post-traumatic…
Read MoreThank God I’m Atheist
Meet Frank Feldman and Dan Beecher, hosts of the brilliant podcast, Thank God I’m Atheist. Frank and Dan will be keynote presenters at our upcoming Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, and also guests of honor at our post-conference Atheist After-Party. From their website: You ever feel like the only rational, thinking person in…
Read MoreGrief and God: When Religion Doesn’t Help
In many religious traditions, God is believed to be responsive to the needs of believers, and in difficult times, the faithful turn to God for comfort and guidance. When God is viewed as a benevolent protector that can shield us from harm, what happens to faith — and healing — when God fails to…
Read MoreThe Thinking Atheist
Meet Seth Andrews, host of The Thinking Atheist podcast, and a keynote presenter at our 2022 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief. Plus, he’s one of the guests of honor at our post-conference Atheist After-Party! Seth is a broadcaster, storyteller, author, activist, and thought leader in the Atheist community. Originally the product of Christian fundamentalism,…
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