Presidential candidate Barack Obama was recently ridiculed for suggesting that five year olds should be taught comprehensive sex education. But one of the first tenets of comprehensive sex ed is to teach at the comprehension...

Are we always rational? No. Do we always do what is even in own best interest? No. In fact, sometimes we do the exact opposite. And we all know that college education does not guarantee people become wise.  However, it is...

She wants to talk about both sides of the issue; those who support pending legislation in a state that already discriminates against gays and lesbians but now wants to put this discrimination into the state constitution and she...

On February 12th, Lawrence King, age 15, from Oxnard, California was shot in the middle school where both he and his murderer were classmates. The shooting, apparently prompted by King’s open admission to being gay and his...

Vibrator: n. an instrument used for sexual pleasure

Although in our culture vibrators are often sold supposedly for medical and/or massage purposes, they have a well-earned reputation for being used for sexual pleasure. And it...

I recently attended a workshop where a woman stated she had been abused as a child. Given the context of the group this revelation was appropriate. However, the extent of her tears revealed not only the pervasiveness of...

Part3 in a series of what defines (progressive) Christianity

The fourth in a series of reflections entitled "For the Love of God"

that explore Erotic Love as an appropriate love Christians need to have for the world

The third of a series of reflections entitled “For the Love of God” that explore Erotic Love as an appropriate love Christians need to have for the world

The second of a series of reflections entitled “For the Love of God” that explore Erotic Love as an appropriate love Christians need to have for the world

The first of a series of reflections entitled “For the Love of God” that explore Erotic Love as an appropriate love Christians need to have for the world.

The tragedy that we know as “9/11”  was the catalyst for the re-emergence of the 1950’s era mythology of damsels in distress and the great male rescuers according to Susan Faludi in her new book, "The Terror Dream: Fear and...

The following essay is the text of Rev. Dale’s testimony on House Bill 288 (5/29/07) that would require medical facilities to offer emergency contraception to women who are victims of sexual assault. Currently almost ½ of the...

It is not unusual for a college student, usually a very religiously observant, Christian male, to seek me out as a pastor to talk about what he considers to be a deep, dark, and difficult secret. In the manner of a confessional...

I’ve been rehearsing for my bit part in the Penn performance of the Vagina Monologues. My part is to reveal the “not-so-happy” fact of 130 million forced clitorectomies in 28 countries at a rate of 3 million a year. This...

It seems the newspaper world has gone crazy. Various newspapers publish offensive and disrespectful cartoons to act out their religious bigotry then hide behind the excuse of “free speech.” Then, crazy people, enraged at being...

I agree with the courts in California that there is no rational reason why marriage must be between a man and a woman.  Rearing children can occur between two people who commit themselves to the strenuous task....

I feel like I'm living in Salem circa 1692 instead of in Philadelphia in the 21st century. In the past week, the Rev. Irene Elizabeth "Beth" Stroud of Philadelphia was convicted in a United Methodist Church trial of violating...

“Thus says The Most High,             who opens a way I the sea             and a path in the mighty waters, who leads...

He thought they were having a theoretical conversation on the evils of abortion though she said this was not a theoretical issue for her. She told her story of becoming pregnant far too young and as a result entering a marriage...