by Christopher Lind, www.christopherlind.ca

In a resolutely secular society like Canada, one of the jobs of a theologian is to point out where the new theological language is emerging. One of those places is in Jack Layton's final letter to Canadians. There he provides a synopsis of his own theology.

"Love is better than anger
Hope is better than fear
Optimism is better than despair"

What most Canadians will find difficult to articulate is where they've heard that language before. Consider the following passages from Christian and Hebrew Scriptures.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18)

Under 40? In ministry or theological studies? Interested in global justice and theology? Apply for the September Theological Institute in Santo Domingo, with the theme "Who Is My Neighbour?

Visit the Caribbean and North American Area Council (of which the UCC is a member) for the info sheet and application form--apply directly to CANAAC.

www.canaac.org/events/joint-canacom-canaac-meeting-santo-domingo-dominican-republic 

I have been reading Mark Mittleberg's Choosing Your Faith, and came across his argument that God is bound by what he calls "the law of noncontradiction".

Here is what he says:

This Sunday is the first Sunday of October.  As such it is Worldwide Communion Sunday.

Communion is one of two sacraments recognized by Protestant churches,  and one of 7 within Roman Catholicism.  SOme call it Eucharist, some call it the Lord's Supper.  Over the centuries there have been a variety of theologies and practices developed around the sacrament.

This Sunday many churches from many traditions will all celebrate the scrament.  Bread will be broken and wine/juice will be poured.  And so I ask:

We buy insurance of every kind. Fire Insurance but we never have a fire. Car Insurance and we never have an accident. Life Insurance that WE never collect on because we are dead.

For those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior is this another kind of insurance. If they happen to end up in a place called heaven - they are covered.

But what if they buy into the insurance and find they are in another place or no place at all, what then? Who do they sue?

For those who don't buy into this theology, are we under-insurred?

Hello all,

I just came back from attending the Leadership Development Module (LDM) from the Centre for Christian Studies (CCS). I would highly recommend that anyone wishing to engage in personal and spiritual development, in an environment is deeply inclusive, give this program serious consideration. It's a 12 day program that I experienced as demanding and challenging, while at the same time, profoundly encouraging.

I'm currently drafting my creed as a personal exercise in response to some reading and contemplation that I've done over the summer (and am itching to take the more formal route of completing the UU Building Your Own Theology course). And I'm finding that the word "God" isn't appearing in it. Nor is it likely to. And that doesn't bother me in the least. It's not that I'm becoming an atheist. As I read through the statements I'm making in it (I'll post it in a blog someday), there's more than a few that suggest a kind of pantheism or even panentheism.

There is much discussion about Calvinism on the boards. I've spent the afternoon doing some reading and reflecting, since, for now, my family's out of town and I have the whole house to myself. I don't call myself a Calvinist - partly because I wouldn't completely qualify and partly because I think it starts to fall into the trap Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians (you know - some follow Paul and some follow Apollos; or - today - some follow Calvin and some follow Arminius (not the one on this board - although he may well have followers :-) and some follow Borg and some follow Vosper, etc.

Anyone have any good religious podcasts to recommend? Could be interviews, sermons, talks, or whatever. I know CBC has podcasts of some of Tapestry's shows, but I wonder what else is out there. And while I prefer progressive/liberal material, I'm not averse to trying out some more conservative stuff if it is well done and thoughtful. Of course, given that I'm UU, there's no requirement that it be Christian.

Mendalla