Each year in the December issue I include a brief description of winter solstice ceremonies and origins. As many of you know, I have formal training in theology and teach at two seminaries, so religious history and research is an important area of interest for me.

As you may not know, there are two primary methods for studying religion; a "devotional" approach, as you might find in a church bible study group, and a also "historical/critical" approach, where we explore sacred texts through the lens of culture, history, geography, language and other earthly perspectives.

For the studious among you (also reprinted from last year), HERE is a historical/critical article about the nativity, and this one about how Dec. 25 became Christmas.

Dr. Terri Daniel, CT, FFGT

Clinical Chaplaincy, End-of-Life Educator

Bereavement and Trauma Support

office@deathgriefandbelief.com

Christmas Trees Aren't Pagan?

I've been celebrating Winter Solstice for 35 years, with a "Solstice tree" every year, and I learned A LOT from this video!

END-OF-LIFE, AFTERLIFE AND BEREAVEMENT

Should we Tell Parents

What Their Dying Children are Saying?
by

Barbara Karnes, RN

"Each situation is unique. Some parents would want to hear what their child is saying, thinking and experiencing, others may not. For some, knowing will be comforting, for others upsetting which puts you in a no win situation. BUT, really, our work is a no win situation. We are the bearer of sad, generally bad news. That is what we do.

"... As a parent I would want to know what my child is experiencing, so I would want you to tell me my child is seeing angels. I would want to talk with them about their angels. They could teach me what the Other World is like. It would be very comforting for me (for others, however, it may not be). As a professional, I would tell the family about their child's seeing and talking to, whatever the child is saying and describing, but I would not add that in other, similar cases the child has died shortly thereafter." READ MORE...

More NDE Research from University of Virginia

"Dr. Bruce Greyson can’t say for certain what happens when you die, but he’s talked to many people with unique perspectives: They were technically dead before being revived.

'Most who have near-death experiences say, ‘I can’t tell you what happened. There are no words for it,’ and I believe that,” Greyson said. “So, I think that whatever happens after death – and I think something does – it’s so far beyond our imagination that there’s no point in trying to speculate about it.'

Near-death experiences -- NDEs -- may be hard to explain, but many have done their best to describe them to Greyson, the Carlson Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia and former director of the UVA School of Medicine’s Division of Perceptual Studies.” READ MORE...

Films About Mortality

"Taking inspiration from the Death Positive Movement, artists Ben Faircloth, Eilidh Nicoll, and Mariana Leal have made films reflecting on processing death anxiety, voicing personal grief communally, and queering funerary practice. The films have been developed through discussions with social anthropologist Dr. Hannah Rumble." WATCH HERE

SACRED ACTIVISM

What it Should Have Said

RELIGION REPORT

Spirituality for Atheists

"If spirituality is about oneness, transcending physical reality, or a quest for fundamental truths, can it be rational? I say yes. Even atheists fall prey to irrational thinking (sports superstitions come immediately to mind), but spirituality does not need to be unreasonable or supernatural." READ MORE...

Secular Supernaturalism

"... This is an example of what scholars are calling “secular supernaturalism,” as more people move away from regular attendance in religious institutions and toward individual spiritual explorations that don’t involve God or gods but could involve anything from internet rituals to palm reading " READ MORE...

The Brilliant Bart Ehrman

For those who love and follow the work of the great Bart Ehrman, you won't want to miss this... his retirement lecture from his teaching post at UNC. Absolutely brilliant, and a fantastic summary of his biblical scholarship over the decades.

WORKSHOPS, CLASSES

AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Nothing on the calendar right now. See you in 2026!

OTHER STUFF

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﻿SAVE THESE DATES! ﻿﻿March 4 -Online

More NDE Research from University of Virginia

SAVE THESE DATES!
March 4 -Online