Sarahbeth Caplin's Blog, page 21

Interfaith dialogue is necessary for peace

If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you may be aware of the controversy regarding Donald Trump declaring Jerusalem the official capital of Israel. This is a controversial move for spiritual reasons as well as political ones. It’s … Continue reading →

The revolution needs dish washers

This may sound strange, but when I was growing up, I wanted to be Joan of Arc. Or rather, I wanted all the fame and glory that comes with being Joan of Arc (minus the arrest, trial, and tragic execution). … Continue reading →

Environmentalism isn’t just for secularists

Growing up Jewish, it was not unusual to hear about humanity’s mandate to care for the environment in synagogue, in addition to hearing about God. In fact, I learned more about basic ways of caring for the earth in Sunday … Continue reading →

How did you decide to stay in your religion?

I recently conducted an informal survey on social media: If you were raised within the belief system you are currently in, how did you decide whether to keep it? Here is a sample of some of the answers: For me, … Continue reading →

Hold fast to what is good

White Evangelicals Are the Most Fragile of all White People is a bitingly brilliant article by Brandi Miller, which I highly recommend. Linked within the piece is an older article by Miller, published on The Salt Collective: The Chasm Between … Continue reading →

Behind the scenes of ‘Things You Can’t Un-see’

I had the privilege of being a guest on the Author Action podcast last week to talk about my most recent book, Things You Can’t Un-see: an essay collection. Host Richard Keller asks about the inspiration behind the book, how … Continue reading →

When spiritual nourishment comes from two different places

Some people can be fully nourished from a bible study, singing worship songs, or just being around fellow believers. When your identity is interfaith, it’s not always that simple. After several disappointing experiences with Christians (more about that in Confessions of … Continue reading →

Why the Episcopal church?

One thing that scared me away from the chaplaincy program at seminary was the requirement of having the support of a specific denomination. I lived under the “It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship” banner at the time, so the … Continue reading →

On cultural appropriation: how much do intentions matter?

I read with interest a Washington Post article about a white teenager who wore a traditional Chinese dress to her prom: Like many other teenagers preparing for prom, Utah senior Keziah Daum wanted to find a dress that would stand out, “something … Continue reading →

I’m not a “real” anything

The fear is mostly internal, but it’s been authorized before: “You’re not a real Christian.” I’ve heard it out loud in Bible studies; I’ve received it in my mentions on Twitter, and in comments on this blog. Conversely, I also … Continue reading →