Tuesday, May 29, 2018

A Politicized Faith



I offer this lament while attempting to channel William Barclay’s more generous spirit:

There are many ways to God. He has his own secret stairway to every heart. He fulfills himself in many ways; and no man or church has a monopoly of his truth.


Lord! Lord! 

I get so discouraged at the news media’s portrayal of faith.
Lately there’s a focus on “white evangelicals.”
I’m not even sure that represents a denomination or religion.
It’s a political party that meets in churches.
Their cultural leanings and political views have become their faith.
They weaponize the Bible.
Fear seems to be a greater inspiration than Spirit.
It’s not my version of the Christian faith. 

But you admonished the disciples...

Do not stop him for whoever is not against you is for you. (Luke 9:50)

Do not judge so that you will not be judged... Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:1-3)

Still, I get so discouraged... 
Lord! Lord!


As a postscript, this comes from my Scripture Union Bible study. Robert Parkinson is writing about Micah 6 (act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God) and how people of faith sometimes act abominably:

In my work as a Christian minister, I often come across people of other faiths, or of no faith at all, whose daily practice of kindness, fairness and humility is exemplary. They conduct themselves as they may perceive God requires, and I am pleased to acknowledge this. Conversely, however, people of faith sometimes act abominably. We learn from Micah that whenever faith makes a person unkind, violent or haughty, it is a spurious faith. God does not lead people to commit acts of violence or to behave unkindly towards others. The God of mercy and love requires the same of any who would claim to follow him.

Monday, May 21, 2018

Royal Tidings




My God, My King,

The Royal Wedding, 
not my cup of tea.
Extreme pomp.
The excess and celebrity,
like watery Earl Grey.

But my wife is enthralled.
Do not dismiss those romantic notions.
Intimacy. Mutuality. Security.
That needn’t be the stuff of fairy tales.
It’s the high bar of true, abiding love.

And surprisingly, powerfully,
a prophet steps forth. 
Bishop Michael Curry
convicts and inspires
a global audience of 1.9 billion.

There was criticism 
of a discourse too long.
No, he was true 
to a divine script:

...imagine a world where love is the way. Imagine our homes and families when love is the way. Imagine neighborhoods and communities where love is the way. Imagine governments and nations where love is the way. Imagine business and commerce when love is the way. Imagine this tired old world when love is the way, unselfish, sacrificial redemptive. 

When love is the way, then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever again. When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook. When love is the way, poverty will become history. When love is the way, the earth will be a sanctuary. When love is the way, we will lay down our swords and shields down, down by the riverside to study war no more. When love is the way, there’s plenty good room, plenty good room, for all of God’s children. Because when love is the way, we actually treat each other, well, like we are actually family. 

When love is the way, we know that God is the source of us all and we are brothers and sisters, children of God. My brothers and sisters, that’s a new heaven, a new earth, a new world, a new human family. 

Amen! 
To those Royal Tidings.
To that very Good News. 
Amen!


Bishop Curry's Homily: Text | Video