2010 January

A Case of the Human Condition: The Center of the Universe? It’s a Little Beach in Michigan, of Course

January 30, 2010 By Barbara Leave a Comment

My son Peter gets to know the outlet at Lake Michigan.

By Barbara Falconer Newhall, The Oakland Tribune, August 9, 1987

Up in Siskiyou mountain country, in the northwest corner of California, there is a spot known to the Karuk tribe as Kota-Mein. In the Karuk language, Kota Mein means “center of the world.” Like their ancestors before them, the Karuk people hike up to sacred spots like Kota-Mein, Chimney Rock and Doctor Rock to talk to the Great Spirit and to receive power.

I have never been to Kota-Mein, but I have been to Bass Lake, Mich.

If I were drawing a map of the world, its center would be at Bass Lake, just where its outlet flows into the great, blue Lake Michigan. [Read more...]

Filed Under: A Case of the Human Condition Tagged With: bass lake michigan, beauty, children, don't miss, family, family traditions, grandparents, Karuk, Kota-Mein, lake michigan, sacred sites, scandia wind LLC, thin places

God’s Big Blog: I’m Convinced — Doubt Is Good

January 26, 2010 By Barbara Leave a Comment

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

No doubt about it. After opening up the short, sweet and succint In Praise of Doubt by sociologists Peter Berger and Anton Zijderveld, I’m feeling really good about my doubter status.

Doubt is what makes the difference between a person of faith and a fanatic, the authors assert. Faith is different from knowledge, as in, ”I know that I’m in Boston; I believe that my life is in God’s hands.”

This is a fascinating book that touches on everything from the Enlightenment, Calvinism and the scientific method to Marxism, modernity, fundamentalism, and the trend toward the secularization of everything.

The two authors make some useful, thoughtful distinctions along the way — for example between the words plurality and pluralism. Plurality describes a situation in which diverse groups live together and interact together, the authors note. Pluralism connotes a value judgement; it welcomes the reality of plurality.

Two very interesting minds are at work in this book. Enjoy!

In Praise of Doubt: How to Have Convictions Without Becoming a Fanatic, by Peter Berger and Anton Zijderveld, HarperOne, hardcover, 179 pages, $23.99, 2009.

Filed Under: Book Openers Tagged With: anton zijderveld, conviction, faith, fundamentalism, harperone, in praise of doubt, peter berger, religion, secular, sociology

A Case of the Human Condition: Another Threat to Lake Michigan — Asian Carp

January 26, 2010 By Barbara Falconer Newhall Leave a Comment

My Michigan friends are emailing me about the Asian carp threatening to enter Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes from the Illinois canal system. The carp would seriously endanger fish and other wildlife in the Lakes and local rivers.

Book Openers: A Progressive Protestant Reclaims Christianity

January 26, 2010 By Barbara Leave a Comment

By Barbara Falconer Newhall

I know way too many people whose impression of Christianity has been shaped either by media accounts of the (noisy) Religious Right or by books written the (equally noisy) New Atheists.

As the saying goes, where religion in America is concerned, the loudest noise is coming from the shallow end of the swimming pool.

So many of my otherwise well-informed friends seem to be unaware of the vibrant progressive movement that is alive and well today in America’s Protestant churches.

Open James A. Forbes Jr.’s new book, Whose Gospel? for a brisk tour of the progressive Christian take on sexuality, gender, race, justice and war.

Whose Gospel? A Concise Guide to Progressive Protestantism, by James A. Forbes Jr., with a forward by Bill Moyers, The New Press, 2010, 176 pages, $23.95.

Filed Under: Book Openers Tagged With: bill moyers, james a forbes jr, progressive christianitiy, protestantism, religion, the new press, whose gospel?

Want to Read More? You Can Subscribe to My Blog

January 24, 2010 By Barbara Leave a Comment

If you’d like to get my posts regularly — just click on that big orange button to your right and subscribe. Unfortunately, the Subscribe button does not usually work for AOL users. Sorry!

Filed Under: A Case of the Human Condition