Tuesday, 10 January 2012 06:42 Written by Jim Denison

"The world belongs to those who give it the greatest hope" (Teilhard de Chardin).

I watched Oprah Winfrey's hour-long interview with Joel Osteen last Sunday evening.  Osteen's Lakewood Church is familiar to me, as I grew up in Houston and watched his father's church grow into one of the first multi-racial congregations in our city.

Some say that he is a minister for our day, adapting his methods to the high-tech, media-driven culture we are called to reach.  Others argue that he adapts not just his methods but his message to our relativistic, pluralistic world.

Osteen came closest to that precipice last night when he answered Oprah's question about many ways to God.  He said that Jesus is the only way to God, but that there are many ways to Jesus.  I'm not sure if his answer was post-denominational or post-Christian.

Thursday, 15 December 2011 22:35 Written by Jim Denison

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."  Granted, but are there times when doing "something" makes things worse?

Case in point: Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee recently made national headlines by calling the State House's 17-foot spruce a "holiday" tree.  When critics complained, he urged them to volunteer to help needy people instead.

In response, the Providence Catholic diocese held their own tree-lighting ceremony.  At the State House event, a group of carolers singing "O Christmas Tree" burst in during a children's choir performance.  One critic of the governor said, "He's trying to put our religion down.  It's a Christmas tree.  It always has been and it always will be, no matter what that buffoon says".

Wednesday, 02 November 2011 15:15 Written by Jim Denison

Robert Jeffress made national headlines recently with his assertion that Mormonism is a "cult" and a "false religion." Peter Wehner, a political commentator whose blog I read regularly, immediately criticized what he termed "the theological and political errors of Pastor Jeffress."

What are the facts behind the firestorm? Is Mormonism a "cult?” The answer depends on your definition of the term.

If by "cult" you mean the popular caricature of a manipulative group that practices mind control and exploits its members, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints clearly does not qualify.