Chicago Network for Justice & Peace

Religion, for better and for worse, is a fundamental force in all human cultures, including our contemporary 'secular' civilizations, allegedly built upon non-religious principles. Religion, for better and for worse, is a fundamental force in all human cultures, including our contemporary 'secular' civilizations,...

The historical existence of many of the saints we cherish has been called into question by modern scientific-critical methods. But, not to worry, this is not the problem with St. Valentine ( Latin name: Valentinus ). In his case, we have at least two, and perhaps three, candidates for the title. The good news is...

When I came to Chicago in summer of 1966 to enter a PhD program at the University of Chicago in the Divinity School, Chicago embraced me as a long lost son come home at last. When I came to Chicago in summer of 1966 to enter a PhD program at the University of Chicago in the Divinity School, Chicago embraced me as a...

In Luke 2 and Matthew 2, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary journey to Bethlehem, their ancestral home town, in order to register for the census decreed by Caesar Augustus. If you have ever been to Bethlehem, you know that the people of Bethlehem scoff at the idea that Mary and Joseph had to apply to an inn for...

Mary, the mother of Jesus, enjoys a unique status in the Quran where she ( as Maryam or Miriam in Arabic, Aramaic and Hebrew ), the mother of Isa( Arabic for Jesus ) is mentioned 34 times, more times than she is cited in the New Testament. Mary is the only woman to have a Surah ( chapter ) of the Quran named after...