Given that this seems true...

...how do we respond as a church? I think Susan Jacoby is right on the mark in her LA Times article yesterday - we don't tend to really engage with ideas and perspectives we don't already agree with. And this is no less true for us as Christians. I know that I don't do this as much (or as intentionally) as I should.

So, again, how do we do a better job of this?

Sharia - it's apparantly not what you think it is

I enjoy the Diane Rehm show (on NPR), and heard a great episode (via podcast) on my way into work the morning (real audio link; windows media link). A law professor at Harvard Law has written a new book on the idea of the Islamic state and its relationship to Sharia law.
He's not, apparently, without his detractors and critics, but fascinating stuff all the same.