RELIGION

Missy Buchanan of Rockwall is the author of the new book "Talking with God in Old Age: Meditations and Psalms," and it's been favorably reviewed by Publishers Weekly. Click here, and scroll down a bit.

Buchanan says this about her book: "Many times people want to know how a Boomer like me got involved in writing for seniors. In a nutshell, my books and columns were born out of real life experiences with my own elderly parents. Though my folks are no longer living, I still visit a number of older adult friends each week at several different senior residence centers in the Dallas area. They are my inspiriation. In a culture that values youth, it is important that the spiritual needs of our older adults be addressed."

The Rev. Roy Bourgeois, a Catholic priest and peace activist who favors women's ordination to the priesthood, will give a program in Dallas tomorrow (Sat., 2-27) titled "Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling."

It's at White Rock United Methodist Church, 1450 Oldgate Lane. The program will run from about 8:30 a.m. to about 3:30 p.m., and walk-in cost is $25.

After a year in office, President Obama is coming under scrutiny from both left and right for his leadership. But so is Congress. The public's faith in it as an institution is not so great. And, for that matter, the public seems non-plussed with the leadership of large businesses.

We go through periods like this from time to time, so we may not be having a unique crisis in confidence. Still, the question about leadership -- and leadership styles -- is an important one. While the Psalmist warned about putting one's faith in princes, our society depends in part upon the ability of leaders to, well, lead our institutions.

Looking at your own faith traditions, and the stories that inform them, what models of leadership would you suggest for our political and corporate leaders? What examples would you recommend?

Read ahead for some interesting suggestions:

Dillon International is an adoption agency affiliated with Buckner International, the Dallas-based charity that was for many years known as Buckner Baptist Benevolences. Dillon will have an information meeting March 18, at Buckner's Children's Home, for those interested in international adoption. Details below:

Patty Griffin is a singer-songwriter whose latest recording, "Downtown Church," was done at the Downtown Presbyterian Church in Nashville. It includes some wonderful covers (beginning with Hank Williams' "House of Gold") and some of her fine tunes, too.

Click here for a piece from her Web site in which she talks about the recording and her own religious roots.

The release below gives details on a fast-approaching program at Southern Methodist University:

On Tuesday evening (Feb. 23) at 7 p.m. at SMU's Hughes-Trigg Theater in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center (http://smu.edu/maps/flash/) , the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance (www.dallasholocaustmuseum.org) is hosting a special program exploring the role of the newly-established Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission.

The program is free and open to the public, and complimentary valet parking is provided.

The Commission was established during the last session of the Legislature and signed into law last summer. State Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) and State Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) co-sponsored the bill creating the commission, which was passed unanimously.

Texas is the nation's 13th state to establish a commission or council devoted to Holocaust and genocide education. By law, the commission--considered the most important development in Holocaust education in Texas in years--is to help preserve information and experiences of the Holocaust and other genocide events. The commission will also work with organizations, agencies, museums, survivors and liberators to provide information and experiences and to coordinate memorial events in the state.

The SMU program will explore the commission's purpose in a Q&A format moderated by Texas Tribune Editor Evan Smith, formerly president and editor-in-chief of Texas Monthly. The panelists include Senator Shapiro; Peter Berkowitz, a Houston business executive who chairs the commission; Amy Fisher-Smith, an associate professor of psychology at University of Dallas, and a Holocaust educator; and Elliott Dlin, Museum Director of the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance.

Texas is home to several hundred Holocaust survivors, and a few are expected to attend the event, co-sponsored by the Memnosyne Foundation (http://memnosynefoundation.org/) and the SMU Human Rights Program (http://smu.edu/humanrights/)

The American Psychiatric Association is proposing a new version of its manual that classifies various personality disorders. Quite a few disorders were reclassified. For example, the reviewers of the existing manual felt that too many children were being misdiagnosed with an early onset of bipolar disorder. So, they created a category called "temper dysregulation disorder with dysphoria."

We're not here to debate whether those categories are accurate or not, but the existence of so many disorders of the mind does raise a question with serious theological underpinnings:

The more we learn about the mind, the more it seems like it can predetermine our behaviors. Is that so? Or are we still primarily moral responsible for our actions, even with a genetic disorder?

Ray Suarez of PBS's The NewsHour will be among the Lenten speakers in a series organized by the Episcopal Diocese of Forth Worth - those local churches remaining a part of the Episcopal Church.

Details in the press release below:

Christian speaker and author Thelma Wells will speak to the DFW Christian Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.

The event begins at 11 a.m., and will be at Calvary Church. 4401 N. Hwy 161 at Walnut Hill, in Irving. Catered lunch and trade show are part of the event. $17 members; $20 non-members and guests. Reservations are suggested.

www.DFWChristianchamber.com

info@dfwchristianchamber.com

The Rev. Wally Chappell is a longtime United Methodist pastor who served churches around the Dallas area. He's also a veteran teacher of the the Intensive Journal Workshop.

He'll be giving the course at Highland Park University. Details below:

The Intensive Journal Workshop
At Highland Park UMC
Led by Rev. Wally Chappell
Friday, March 12- 5:45-9:00 pm (dinner at 5:45)
Saturday, March 13- 8:30 am-1:00 pm
(continental breakfast at 8:30)
Sunday, March 14- 2:00-6:00 pm

Cost: $155
Contact:
214-523-2231 or 214-523-2296

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is strong on statistics, and doesn't shrink from sharing them, even when they show the denomination is graying rapidly.

Here's a report:

Dallas-based Women in Christian Media is honoring Terry Meeuwsen of the 700 Club.

Details in the press release below:

In a recent decision, the Supreme Court opened the door for corporations and labor unions to contribute directly in support of political candidates. Some conservative Christian political organizations have been critical of federal limitations affecting their ability to campaign for a candidate by advancing a particular message before an election. As expected, Focus on the Family Action spokesman Tim Goeglein said his group is happy with the court's ruling.

"Organizations like Focus on the Family Action, the family policy councils, all of our allies-- this (Supreme Court decision) will give us an incredible voice in the great issues of our time," he said. On the other hand, liberal Sojourners founder Jim Wallis warned the ruling will just make it easier for the wealthy to dominate the debate.

But is there another way to look at this? Might all religious groups - conservative or progressive - now be freed of past restrictions limiting advocacy on behalf of a candidate they like? Churches can't support candidates, but why not faith-based groups - whatever their ideological stripe?

Here's the question: Should religious organizations view this ruling as an opening as well to engage directly in financial support of, and advocacy for, specific candidates?

Our panel of experts weighs in:

The 4th Annual Faith Community Leadership Summit, sponsored by Texas Health Resources, will be held Feb. 16th, in Fort Worth. The theme is end-of-life care and ministry. For details, click here.
Details below:

Mary DeMuth of Rockwall is a veteran author of Christian books, and her latest is a memoir. She'll be at Legacy Books in Plano on Feb. 18th, at 7 p.m. to talk about that book, "Thin Places," and about the craft of memoir writing. Details below:

John L. Allen, Jr., writes for the National Catholic Reporter, and did a long, interesting story for that publication about the growth of Catholicism in Texas. Bishop Kevin Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas was part of that story.

Allen spoke earlier this week at the University of Dallas, a Catholic school known for its conservativism. Now Allen has blogged about the experience of visiting UD, and in his post comments on the school, on Farrell's challenge to it in a commencement address, and on tensions more broadly among Catholics. Allen also reports that he got some heat at UD for using the phrase "Taliban Catholicism." Click here for Allen's report.

The Rev. Drake Torp-Pedersen of Terrell Bible Church brought to my attention the death of Bible scholar Donald Wiseman, a key figure with Tyndale House, a biblical research center in England. A UK blog site reports the death, quoting a statement from Tyndale.

Below is a remembrance:

Louis Moore covered religion for the Houston Chronicle for many years, then moved into book writing and publishing. He does a blog, and his latest entry draws on his reporting experience to note that the trouble the Southern Baptists are in in Haiti is not without precedent. Very interest tale, so keep reading:

Sally Reilly began teaching at St. Monica Catholic School in Dallas in 1960. She's still at it, and has no plans to retire.

A special Mass honoring her will be said tomorrow at 8 a.m. It will be at St. Monica Catholic Church, 9933 Midway Road.

Details in the press release below: