""Whenever I speak on the subject of multiculturalism and the church, someone inevitably laments, 'But our church is not located in a racially diverse neighborhood ' I respond by asking, 'Should the Christian church wait for our neighborhoods to become racially diverse or should it be a forerunner in teaching people how to relate to each other so that they can live side by side?' If persons from diverse cultures can learn how to interact with each other and realize the benefits from doing so, then they will transfer this learning to other settings. The Christian church should be leading this...

Following the death of her best friend since high school, a religion professor re-examines her own personal beliefs about god. She realizes she doesn't want to be consoled by a 'transactional' god who exchanges 'right' belief and 'good' behavior for services upon request. She explores the concept of a 'transformative' god, one not aligned with any particular religion, who equips people to adapt to challenges and to spiritually grow from crises and traumas. Out of our experiences, something positive can emerge which helps us to be more empathic toward the suffering of others. Her story...