The children's classic "The Runaway Bunny" might seem an odd place to begin a theological reflection. But for a child who has ever tested the strength of a parent's love, this story offers both reassurance and challenge.

Why do Republicans of this fundamentalist strand feel they have a monopoly on God? Isn't it convenient that God always comes down so definitively on the side of their beliefs?

We need to nurture our ability to hear as well as to speak, to learn as well as to teach, and to do our best to enhance the quality of life for all people. This requires a radical transformation in our understanding of the meaning of religious truth.

Today the word "faith" is often understood in the popular mind with something that I consider a caricature of real faith. Real faith, in my opinion, is complex, transformative and dynamic

Is it really such a healthy thing to feel oneself to be inadequate, judged and deficient? Does it make us better people, or does it make us more judgmental ourselves? And does God judge us, or only love?

For the modern reader, Deuteronomy's strict doctrine of reward and punishment can be troubling: Obey God and prosper; disobey God and suffer. But is that the way the world works?

I am often struck when reading through our commentators how unabashedly they speak in terms of faith, God and prayer. And how awkward it makes so many people feel today.