Superheroes and Spirituality: The Religion of the Comic Book
“Superman turns 75 this year, and in the latest cinematic retelling of his story, Man of Steel, Clark Kent is looking as youthful as ever. In fact, the coming Superman movie is one of a number of new superhero and sci-fi epics that demonstrate again our appetite for action flicks – and religious themes.”
Articles & Essays
Vocation + Profession
Exploring the Equation
What would happen if more professionals understood their work as a calling? The Seminar on Faith, Vocation and the Professions is exploring the relationship between vocation and profession to retrieve a sense of calling and the common good that could promote greater well-being among professionals, their institutions, and the culture at large.
In the News for May 7th
What is Interfaith Cooperation For?
by Eboo Patel
“I do not believe that interfaith cooperation should contribute to widening these divisions. Instead, I think interfaith work is about building positive relationships between people whose diverse religious convictions shape their dramatically different politics. I believe that is both an end in itself, and a means to another useful end—expanding civic space, strengthening social cohesion and increasing social capital. How else do you have a thriving diverse democracy unless people who have deep disagreements on some issues are able to work together on other issues?”
by Eboo Patel
“I do not believe that interfaith cooperation should contribute to widening these divisions. Instead, I think interfaith work is about building positive relationships between people whose diverse religious convictions shape their dramatically different politics. I believe that is both an end in itself, and a means to another useful end—expanding civic space, strengthening social cohesion and increasing social capital. How else do you have a thriving diverse democracy unless people who have deep disagreements on some issues are able to work together on other issues?”
Why Congregations Shouldn’t Work So Hard to Keep Their Young People
In an era where there is no shortage of speculation about why religious institutions are failing young people, Heidi Haverkamp tells a story of a young man who feels welcome, fully engages with his community and its worship, is recognized for his gifts and leadership, and still doesn’t plan to continue being “religious.”
Story-telling and the examined life
Our new video narrative project—Lives Explored—takes Socrates’ wisdom to heart. By sharing everyday stories of how people understand the concept of calling in their own life, we hope to energize and inspire others to do the same.
In the News for April 30th
Forming Our Souls with Facebook
By Shane Hipps
“The narcissism created by these technologies is unique. It encourages not just self-absorption, but more accurately self-consumption. We become creators and consumers of our own brand. We become enamored by a particular kind of self, a pseudo-self.”br /> “We are living as unpaid journalists who chronicle life as it passes by.”
By Shane Hipps
“The narcissism created by these technologies is unique. It encourages not just self-absorption, but more accurately self-consumption. We become creators and consumers of our own brand. We become enamored by a particular kind of self, a pseudo-self.”br /> “We are living as unpaid journalists who chronicle life as it passes by.”
God Brings Down the House
Not long ago my family and I stumbled into the Sunday morning worship service of a moderate mainline congregation. We soon found ourselves perched in front of a jazz-handed youth choir singing “God Brings Down the House” as the grand finale of a musical about the story of Samson. Listening to the choreographed Samson ditties, my husband leaned over and whispered, “Is this really how we want to package the acts of an ancient equivalent of a suicide bomber?”
Defining vocation: guideposts and potholes
Kathleen A. Cahalan, director of the Collegeville Institute Seminars, has developed five points on the theology of vocation that is emerging in our project. These characteristics of God’s call can be guideposts for our journey of discerning what is and is not vocation.
In the News
Christians Should Give Up “Christianity”: An Interview with Peter Rollins
“For Peter Rollins, Belfast native and leading writer and thinker in the Emergent Christian movement, “God” has fallen prey to our grasping, market-driven existence—just another shiny thing we acquire to make ourselves feel OK.”
“For Peter Rollins, Belfast native and leading writer and thinker in the Emergent Christian movement, “God” has fallen prey to our grasping, market-driven existence—just another shiny thing we acquire to make ourselves feel OK.”
Ecumenism at the Coffee Shop
What does ecumenism look like in our coffee shops, in our intentional communities, and on our city streets? With latté in hand, a new generation of ecumenists carries on.