As society, history and culture move, the function of religion has been to mark and sacralize change. But too often in recent generations both religious leaders and the people they serve have asserted that the purpose of religion is deeply conservative, to hold back change and to resist changing itself. This makes religion inauthentic, irrelevant and immoral, since such conservative theologies and institutions automatically exclude and marginalize people who find themselves in new social and cultural positions. Check out “Ritualwell.org” to get an idea of some of the ways Judaism has begun to address new constituencies and new life situations in a way that is inclusive.—Rabbi Kerry Baker
Ritualwell: Ritual for Jewish holidays and life cycles, including…