Can you be Buddhist and Christian at the same time?

Duane Bidwell is Buddhist. He's also Christian. 

To him, this isn't about blending the two traditions together to make some kind of religious smoothie. Bidwell believes that you can be both Buddhist and Christian and not compromise or dilute either religion.

``I think it`s really important to hold the distinctions in order not to erase difference.  Difference is very important.`` he says.

Bidwell isn't alone. On Twitter, you'll find people sharing their own religious hybrids with the hashtag #being both or #hyphenatereligion.

Duane Bidwell is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church and an associate professor at the Claremont School of Theology in California.