As a Christian, how do I reconcile stories from the Bible with current scientific thought?
The Bible contains many stories that contradict each other, and that very fact tells us something important.
Do Christians believe followers of other religions are doomed?
Christianity consists of people who disagree diametrically on many subjects. Some take the Bible so literally that they include in God's plan only a small minority of the world's population. Other Christians, however, view Christ in a larger perspective and emphasize inclusion rather than exclusion
Partaking of the Eucharist may be the one moment in the week when my willingness to believe and my desire to connect with a power greater than myself outweigh my self-will and late 20th century cynicism.
Do I have to believe that Christ literally rose from the dead to be a Christian?
I believe God will strengthen our faith if we are on a journey to find Him. If someone disagrees with my belief that Christ literally rose from the dead, that does not mean they are not a "real Christian" and I am. I think the only thing you "have" to do in order to become a Christian is simply to seek God.
All spiritual practice in the West and the East is based on the desire to dip one's foot into the water of holiness and there is much we can teach and learn from one another about doing just that.
We do not know what lies ahead, but putting our faith in God's love is our only real hope for change.
Christianity is a religion of love because Jesus reveals God to be Ultimate Love.
To be Christian in today's context means to be deeply committed to one's own tradition, even as one recognizes the validity of other traditions.
How can I better understand the concept of the Holy Spirit?
The image of the unexpected arrival of the mother and daughter in the film Chocolat gives us a clue about the nature of the Holy Spirit.
How can I find a denomination that fits my beliefs?
You might start by examining how you came to those beliefs. If it was through a certain church during your childhood, then that church (or its local affiliate) might be a good place to start.
We can take seriously a different kind of knowing. It's a very ancient kind of knowing. The ancients called it intuition.
I don't think God is concerned primarily about the beliefs in our heads, but about something much deeper within us.
The Church has really never been of one mind doctrinally—we have been tinkering with the faith ever since we received it, exploring its implications for life in the world, often coming to different conclusions about what they are.
Is going to church necessary for salvation?
One of the saddest things in the world is for someone to lose faith in God because they have lost faith in a church. The two are not the same.
What can Christians learn from other religions?
The wisdom and tradition of other religions help expand the arena in which God lives and moves and has being.
For reasons that I think we are still straining to understand, the Bible and its attendant institutions—Judaism and Christianity—are highly conflicted over women.
What if I strongly disagree with the views of someone who professes to be a Christian?
Disagreement is a fact of life. There is no family, and certainly no church family, free of disagreements. The question should be, "How can I strongly disagree in Christian charity?"
What is Christianity's stance on homosexuality?
Most Christians hold one of three views regarding this divisive topic. The following excerpt from What Do Our Neighbors Believe? Questions and Answers on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam presents a balanced summation of the three convictions most commonly held.
What is Holy Eucharist and why is it so significant?
Holy Eucharist is, among other things, a way Christians remember together what Jesus did for us and give thanks.
What is the heart of Christianity?
Christianity is not primarily about believing; a relationship involves a much deeper part of ourselves than simply the content of our minds.
What is the significance of the cross and the crucifixion of Jesus?
The cross in the New Testament also has a... personal and individual meaning as a symbol or an image for the path of transformation, for what it means to follow Jesus. It means to die and rise with Christ.
What proof is there that Christianity is not a myth created to assuage our fears about death?
Christianity doesn’t propose proof; instead it invites faith. Faith in what? Not in facts and data, but in truth—which is often to be found in myth.
What's most important in stories about miracles?
I wonder what is more important: the factual accuracy of the story or the Truth of God that the story tells? Must we know HOW God does God’s works, or is it our greater yearning to know that God is able to do and does great works?
Why are there so many disagreements about certain passages in the Bible?
The short answer is because there are so many people! At least in my experience the question goes back to differences over what the Bible is, how much authority it should have in our lives, and what it means, exactly, to say that the Bible is "true."
Why does the church put so much emphasis on the formal rites of worship?
The worship of God needs to be continually and intentionally expressed and held up in honor and in awe, lest it become assumed or taken for granted.
Why not emphasize the afterlife as the best reason for becoming a Christian?
When the afterlife is emphasized as the primary reason [for being a Christian], it inevitably turns Christianity into a religion of requirements and rewards.
Why would a Christian object to posting the Ten Commandments in public places?
If he were alive today, the loudest voice protesting the idea of placing the Ten Commandments on public buildings would probably be St. Paul.
