Volume 4, Issue 1, October 1995

Article Summary:

HUNGER FOR SPIRITUALITY GROWING

Today a paradigm shift is taking place between institutional religion and personal spirituality. The new paradigm is all about wholeness, mysticism, creativity, compassion, cosmology, creation-centred spirituality. Many people feel the churches have lost the capacity to lead them to the kind of self-transcendence or wholeness they feel a need for. More . . .

UNIVERSAL MEANING

There is no need to be concerned about a conflict between science and the spiritual life. People have turned to the spiritual in many ways since the beginning of humanity. More . . .

A PLACE FOR PRAYER

The following quote is from a letter written by Alfred Bader in his autobiography, Adventures Of A Chemist Collector, (Little, Brown). More . . .

THE GIFTS

The Giver of the gifts had been
Most generous with me;
Along life's road
He had bestowed More . . .

A WORLD TO CARE FOR

The following poem was submitted by Dr. Bruce McDonald, New Brunswick.

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey... More . . .

CHRISTIAN ADVOCACY

It has been assumed by some that although Christian theology might be difficult and unattractive its ethical teaching is so simple and satisfying that it only has to be stated to win admiration and assent.

Now, however, there are many to whom the ethical teaching of Christianity seems to conflict with their experience of reality, and for others an assumption its ethical demands are now impracticable. More . . .

WHAT WE NEED IS JOB CREATION, NOT WORKFARE

Working for minimum wages pays poorly, but working for welfare is even worse. The proposed workfare programme in Ontario, if a job can be provided for a single, employable person, will earn them $3.71 an hour. As a society that's something to be proud of to support. More . . .

REINVENTING THE WELFARE STATE

While appearing to be falling into disrepute with the majority of our society today, welfare has had a beneficial and meritorious contribution to our social order.

At its best, it has been making available funds to help protect citizens and promote their social well-being. More . . .

JESUS, A SOCIAL REFORMER

Authorities seldom like to be challenged. When a crowd gathers outside Queens Park, barricades and riot police are brought out.

Jesus was watched carefully by both the civil and religious rulers of his day when he stood up for the poor, downtrodden and needy, and became popular with the people. More . . .

NEO-CONSERVATISM

William H. Whyte Jr., in his book, "The Last Landscape", has pointed out that, if you examine the thousands of plans that now exist for shiny, new, wonderful cities, there is always one thing certain to be missing. That one thing is a cemetery. In a properly planned city, the fact that people die is taken to be such unwarranted intrusion into an otherwise marvellous equilibrium that city planners simply cannot face up to it. More . . .

BEGINNINGS WITHOUT END

I remember the past with gratitude because it brought me to this moment.
I look to the future with excitement because it allows me an open space in which I am free to become. More . . .

SPIRITUALITY VITAL PART OF TODAY'S JAIL PROGRAMME

More and more, religion is becoming a serious part of our prison system and programme. In fact, a religious renaissance is sweeping prisons across the land. And our multicultural society is demanding opportunity for the variety of faiths to be able to perform their own faith practices and beliefs. More . . .

 

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"Religion NOW" is published in limited edition by the Rev. Ross E. Readhead, B.A., B.D., Certificate of Corrections, McMaster University, in the interest of furthering knowledge and participation in religion. Dialogue is invited and welcomed.