The major religions of the world came into existence hundreds of years ago. While in most ways we don’t behave like individuals living hundreds or thousands of years ago, many of us still shape much of our lives using the guidelines set forth by ancient religions. What do you think makes religion an apparently permanent dimension of human life? Can religious beliefs survive in the scientific age? Are they resoundingly outdated? Or, is there something in them of great importance, even if the way they are expressed will have to change given new scientific context?

In this week’s readings, questions about the nature of love and marriage are raised. The legitimacy of same sex marriages as well as the changing nature of the American family are topics that policy makers and moralists are discussing just about everywhere. Indeed, many feel that even considering the legalization of same sex-marriages is a symptom of the changing meaning of family in America. What do you think about same-sex marriage? Why do you feel this way?