The following churches, cathedrals, synagogues and shrines are featured in The Complete American Pilgrim: NEW ENGLAND FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH – Kittery Point, ME BOWDOIN CHAPEL – Brunswick, ME NEWINGTON TOWN CHURCH – Newington, NH SHAKER MEETINGHOUSE – Canterbury, NH ROCKINGHAM MEETINGHOUSE – Bellows Falls, VT FIRST PARISH CHURCH – Plymouth, MA OLD … [Read more...]
WERE THERE EGYPTIANS AMONG THE ISRAELITES OF THE EXODUS (continued)
Akhenaten was one of Egypt’s greatest and most controversial pharaohs. During his reign he established, among other things, a monotheistic religion around the deity Aten, pushing all other Egyptian deities out of public life. It has been suggested that Akhenaten was strongly influenced by the ideas of the Hebrew slaves, and that the deity Aten (a sun god) may have been the … [Read more...]
HOW MANY CHURCHES AND DENOMINATIONS ARE THERE IN AMERICA AND THE WORLD? (continued)
Google did not yield much in the way of specific numbers for the entire globe, but according to the World Christian Encyclopedia there are at least 33,000 Christian denominations in the United States. Going out on a limb and assuming that there is at least one person from every Christian denomination in the world living in America (not unreasonable), then we can … [Read more...]
MOVIES THAT NEVER NEED TO BE REMADE AGAIN
Last week Hollywood celebrated the 90th Academy Awards. In honor of this annual event, I usually write a piece on movies of religious interest. This year, I’m doing something a little different. A rant if you will. As I get older, I find myself harder and harder to please at the movies. With a few exceptions (notably the Marvel cinematic universe), I have gotten tired of … [Read more...]
WHAT WOULD JESUS BAKE?
This last week, the case regarding the baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple based on religious grounds began moving towards the United States Supreme Court. While The Complete Pilgrim will not comment on the merits of this case, The Complete Pilgrim’s wife did. In an effort to lighten the tone of comments on a Huffington Post article, she wrote the … [Read more...]
TEN THINGS I MISS ABOUT NEW YORK CITY
I grew up in and around New York City. In my youth I lived in Northern New Jersey, Queens, Westchester, and after college I even spent a few years in the heart of the Big Apple itself, Manhattan. Growing up this meant many trips in to one of the greatest cities on Earth, and access to some of America’s best historic sites, neighborhoods, restaurants, shopping, sports teams, … [Read more...]
NEWER COLOSSUS
A mostly original poem by Howard Kramer (with apologies to Emma Lazarus) . Like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed shore, a great great wall shall stand A mighty man with a reality show, whose legacy Are the failed businesses, and his name Father of Apprentices. From his oddly small … [Read more...]
FIVE LESS DISCUSSED FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO CLINTON’S LOSS
Well, Inauguration Day is upon us, and Americans from Sea to Shining Sea are still doing a lot of soul searching, especially Hillary Clinton supporters. Among mainstream Democrats, who generally supported Clinton, the list of excuses is varied: she lost because she had been vilified by political enemies for decades; American men are not ready for a female president; Russian … [Read more...]
REVIEW – “THE PILGRIM JOURNEY” BY JAMES HARPUR
I never thought it likely that I would stumble upon another writer who was as fascinated by the history and trivia of religious pilgrimage as I am. But alas, friends, I have met my match and in fact been bested by one James Harpur in his new book, “The Pilgrim Journey: A History of Pilgrimage in the Western World.” Mr. Harpur, whose previous published works span a variety of … [Read more...]
HOW THE CONSTITUTION STUCK US WITH CLINTON AND TRUMP
As the two major political parties wrap up their respective primary seasons, we are presented with what I personally believe could be the worst choice of presidential candidates ever presented to the American people. On the left is an entrenched establishment politician with a sketchy track record who may soon be indicted for some very poor decisions made in her role as … [Read more...]
