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History and Religion

2026-01-18T06:45:59-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Does Spirituality Look Like Without God?

Last updated on: January 18, 2026 at 6:45 am By Larry Jordan

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There are many ways to feel connected to something larger than ourselves. Many of them do NOT involve religion, such as art or nature; brain stimulations or hallucinogenic drugs; community or service; devotion or ritual; knowledge or wisdom; and meditation or prayer. My posts are more about asking interesting questions than about providing definitive answers. I like to question conventional narratives. I try to leave room for ambiguity, mystery, and paradox. At the extremes, atheists and theists seem... Read more

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Education and Religion

2026-01-08T07:55:22-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Is Bad Theology Responsible for the Metacrisis?

Last updated on: January 8, 2026 at 7:55 am By Larry Jordan

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Is it possible to resolve the metacrisis? I don’t know if it’s possible, but it’s necessary. There is no other way forward, and it requires big changes, starting with a major retooling of our bad theology. (The metacrisis refers to the underlying, interconnected web of root causes driving today’s global challenges, such as climate change, political polarization and economic instability.) I wrote about the benefits of deconstruction here. In that column, I contrasted the abstract, impractical nature of... Read more

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Education and Religion

2026-01-05T20:11:23-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Benefits of Deconstructing Our Beliefs

Last updated on: January 5, 2026 at 8:11 pm By Larry Jordan

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There are many advantages to faith deconstruction. Often, we experience or observe some of the disadvantages, such as anger, denial and depression. But for those who can navigate the process, many people who leave church can find connection, joy, meaning and service outside of church. The process of deconstructing our beliefs can be difficult. John of the Cross wrote about the “dark night of the soul,” a period of desolation without consolation. Before I experienced my dark night,... Read more

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Education and Religion

2025-12-25T13:02:14-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Is God or the Universe Intentional?

Last updated on: December 25, 2025 at 1:02 pm By Larry Jordan

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Is God or the Universe intentional? Like a song or a sunset, we can be awed by relational, but impersonal, experiences that connect us to the Whole. Last week, I wrote about a spirituality that is relational, but impersonal, here. Some believe that Ultimate Reality is benevolent. Beauty, goodness and truth are foundational. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Others believe that Ultimate Reality is malevolent.... Read more

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Education and Religion

2025-12-18T10:12:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Can Spirituality Be Relational, but Not Personal?

Last updated on: December 18, 2025 at 10:12 am By Larry Jordan

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What if our spirituality is like our connection to music or nature? Last week, I participated in a Zoom call at the Center for Non-Religious Spirituality (CNRS), which Jim Palmer founded. CNRS expanded its offerings recently. It is an engaging community with relevant and timely content. Danu Poyner facilitated the Zoom call. He is the founder of Grokkist, a learning community for curious and caring people who live outside the lines. Danu described a grokkist as a generalist,... Read more

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Education and Religion

2025-12-15T20:51:34-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why Would Anyone Spend a Week in Meditation?

Last updated on: December 15, 2025 at 8:51 pm By Larry Jordan

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According to Buddha, the three marks of existence are impermanence, no self and suffering. In my opinion, there is no better way to recognize these three attributes than to attend a sesshin. Modern society is increasingly coarse and contentious. For me, it helps to accept the three marks of existence, to acknowledge reality as it is, and to avoid clinging to our hopes and fears. I spent last week in a Rohatsu sesshin, a silent retreat that celebrates the... Read more

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Education and Religion

2025-12-04T07:23:04-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Free Speech, Harm, Privilege, and Truth

Last updated on: December 4, 2025 at 7:23 am By Larry Jordan

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“Truth with a capital T” is universal. If we are having trouble convincing someone of our “truth,” then it is probably NOT “Truth with a capital T.” (Or maybe we are trying to have a conversation with someone who does NOT want to listen to us, even when we are speaking the Truth.) A good friend sent me this quote from writer Ernest Hemingway. And it highlights the common thread in whatever success I might have enjoyed as an investment... Read more

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Education and Religion

2025-12-05T18:58:38-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We Can Change Our Beliefs. Sometimes, We Should

Last updated on: December 5, 2025 at 6:58 pm By Larry Jordan

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We can weigh our beliefs against our evidence and experience. If some of our beliefs do NOT make sense, we can change our beliefs, much like we can paint over our art or write over our words. Imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon where individuals doubt their accomplishments. They are afraid of being exposed as frauds, despite external evidence of their competence. According to Forbes, 70% of us have experienced imposter syndrome. Maybe we wonder whether we have... Read more

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2025-11-20T11:51:59-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Does It Mean to Believe Responsibly?

Last updated on: November 20, 2025 at 11:51 am By Larry Jordan

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Today, fewer people believe in virgin births and physical resurrections, which were common beliefs in many ancient religions. And many of us believe different things about the nature of God. So, if (or when) we find that our beliefs conflict with our reality, do we change our beliefs to conform to our reality? Changing our minds, when warranted, is a good thing. NOT a bad thing. Recently, I appeared as a guest on the “Funny You Say That”... Read more

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2025-11-16T20:33:51-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How Do We Cultivate Meaningful Connections?

Last updated on: November 16, 2025 at 8:33 pm By Larry Jordan

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Our society is increasingly divisive, individualistic and insensitive. And in this environment, some people struggle to cultivate meaningful connections and substantial relationships, especially people who used to find connections and relationships in church. I wrote about leaving church and finding community here. I wrote about leaving church and maintaining spiritual practices here. Some People Struggle to Cultivate Meaningful Connections Recently, I was on a Zoom call with some deconstructing Christians and ex-Christians who were lamenting the loss of... Read more

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