Lace M. Williams

In part 1 of my series, I shared a story involving two of my former students, one an agnostic young woman, the other a young Islamic man from Pakistan, and how we experienced a rare and profound moment of transcending our differences to discover each other’s humanity.

“My mom died when I was 3 and a half” a nine-year old girl told me.

“Do you remember your mom?,” I asked.

Is it possible to transcend one’s personal beliefs and opinions, and to what end?

In a series of posts, based on a paper I presented recently at the Pacific Northwest regional meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (May 11, Concordia University Portland), titled “Ways of Believing,” I will address this question.

Born and raised in the Christian faith, I have never changed religions. When I was an infant, my parents had me baptized at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Coeur d'Alene.