Unfundamentalist

Above All, Love

Review: "The Showings of Julian of Norwich"

by in Book Reviews

Julian of Norwich freaks me out. Are her writings actual supernatural revelations from God as conveyed to a 14th-century English woman? Or merely fever-induced hallucinations that should be set aside in favor of a safer orthodoxy? Reading Julian and pondering these possibilities leaves me with a sense of unease and exhilaration not far removed from the feeling induced by that delicious pause at the top of a roller coaster.

What weight should we give to the spiritual visions of a woman living in the Middle Ages? If someone today had such experiences, we’d refer her to a psychiatrist, not pore over her words seeking spiritual truth. Does God really reveal himself in such ways? Is there divine truth contained in these 600-year-old words?

Mystical versions of Christianity confound me — they’re simply not part of my personal experience — and I think it’s wise to evaluate such accounts of the supernatural with a generous dose of skepticism. But despite my misgivings, Julian’s thoughts still resonate with me, as they have with so many others over the centuries. Her words merit critical reflection and offer important challenges to common conceptions of God.

Julian’s biography is thin — we don’t even know her real name, only that she was born in England in the mid-14th century, and that, at the age of 30, she was taken ill, and while near-death she experienced sixteen visions, or “showings” from God. She went on to become an anchoress, dedicating her life to God through… [Read more…] about Review: "The Showings of Julian of Norwich"

Keep the X in Xmas

by in Uncategorized

I recently created this meme for the Unfundamentalist Christians Facebook page:

The intent of this picture was to refute the silly notion that replacing “Christ” with an “X” is part of a sinister plot against Christianity.

The truth of the matter is that abbreviating nomina sacra (sacred names) is a tradition that dates to the earliest days of Christianity. To preserve space and save valuable writing resources, scribes often used such abbreviations for references to God and Christ, usually by writing only the first and last letter of a word with a bar across the top.

In the meme above I included a transcription from Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th century manuscript of the Bible. Here’s the actual text from Matthew 16:16b as it appears in Sinaiticus:

In this verse we find three nomina sacra: ΧC, short for χριστὸς (Christ); ΥC, short for υἱὸς (son); and ΘΥ, short for θεοῦ (God). If you’re reading carefully you’ll notice that the letters in the abbreviations don’t seem to quite match up with the letters from the full word. That’s because Siniaticus is written entirely in uppercase letters, also known as uncials. Just as in English, many of these letters change form from uppercase to lowercase. In the nomina sacra above, C is an uppercase sigma (ς) and Υ is an uppercase upsilon (υ).

But enough with the Greek lesson. The important point is that the Greek letter X has been used as a substitute for the name of Christ since Christians started writing the… [Read more…] about Keep the X in Xmas

The "War on Christmas" from a retailer's point of view

by in Christian Issues

This guest post is by J. Howard Boyd.

As we enter the holiday shopping season, I would like to call out a few points about the whole “Merry Christmas” vs. “Happy Holidays” debate.

This is an extremely stressful season for those of us who make our living in the retail marketplace. Most of us rely on sales from this season to make up for the poorer sales that occur throughout the rest of the year. Many of my customers this season I see throughout the year, but the vast majority will be people I see only once a year, if that.

My biggest pleasure in serving you this season will be to help you find just the right gift for that special someone on your list. In order to do that, I will have to learn some things from you about the intended recipient. I will ask about their likes and dislikes, but I probably won’t ask about their religion, and I certainly won’t be asking you about yours. It’s just not relevant to the task at hand (and there are a lot of other people whom I also need to help!)

At the end of our time together, hopefully I will be tallying up your purchase. As we both are aware, this is a season of giving as well as shopping, so I may take the opportunity to wish you well as you go on your way. If  you made it clear to me in our conversation that you are a Christian, I will probably wish you a Merry Christmas. If you have indicated you are Jewish, I may say Happy Chanukah. If you have shared that you are a Pagan, I will wish you Good Yule, or Happy… [Read more…] about The "War on Christmas" from a retailer's point of view

Review: "The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World"

by in Book Reviews, Islam

In the West, Islam is popularly depicted as a religion rooted in hate and violence, as a belief system inherently antagonistic towards other religions — particularly Christianity — and as synonymous with terrorism and totalitarian theocratic rule.

But there is another face of Islam, a face that garners little attention on the evening news and is virtually ignored by those who traffic in — and profit from — divisive fear mongering. This is an Islam practiced by millions around the world, an Islam defined not by violence but by respect, an Islam that remains true to its founder’s revelation.

In The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World (Angelico Press), John Andrew Morrow sets out to offer concrete textual reasons, from the Prophet Mohammed himself, for an understanding of Islam that moves beyond stereotypes and reasserts the truly inclusive foundations of Islamic belief.

Morrow presents six covenants written by Muhammad to Christian communities and argues that these letters and treaties, which proclaim and define peaceful and mutually respectful relationships with Christians, have the potential to serve as a foundational source of Islamic belief and practice, on equal footing with the Koran and the hadiths.

Bringing modern historical scholarship and textual criticism to bear in his study of these rare and largely forgotten documents, Morrow refutes the notion that Muslims and Christians necessarily stand at odds with one another,… [Read more…] about Review: "The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World"

The Methodists, slavery, and homosexuality: is history repeating itself?

by Don M. Burrows in Christian History

I grew up United Methodist. I was baptized and confirmed United Methodist, and remained a Methodist until my early adulthood, when I attended the Disciples of Christ briefly before joining my current denomination (the United Church of Christ).

One of the main reasons I have not considered rejoining the UMC in recent years is because of its stance on GLBT matters: in short, the current (2012) Book of Discipline states that… [Read more…] about The Methodists, slavery, and homosexuality: is history repeating itself?

Killing us with kindness

by in Uncategorized

Last night I was hanging out at the corner of faith and sexuality. There I witnessed a violent mugging. The perpetrator pretended to befriend his victims before suddenly attacking them with a crowbar. He smiled his toothy grin, and assured his victims of his love for them—and then left them bloodied, broken and writhing on the ground. It was monstrous.… [Read more…] about Killing us with kindness

The Beatitude Attitude: 9 Tips for Managing Your Family Stress Over the Holidays

by in Uncategorized

This is the time of year when I start getting emails from people looking for tips on how to remain in a healthy emotional space whilst visiting with family over the holidays. So this is also the time of year that I republish the piece below. It’s a way of looking at each of the Beatitudes delivered by Jesus in his famous Sermon on the Mount, and finding there wisdom that anyone can use to make visiting their family over the holidays something they can not only endure, but great enjoy.… [Read more…] about The Beatitude Attitude: 9 Tips for Managing Your Family Stress Over the Holidays