Preaching Peace

Scripture Twists in the Wind

INTERVIEW EXCERPTS OF PRESIDENT BUSH AND THE FIRST LADY BY DORO BUSH KOCH, STORYCORPS

"Q What role does faith play in your day-to-day life?

THE PRESIDENT: I've been in the Bible every day since I've been the President, and I have been affected by people's prayers a lot. I have found that faith is comforting, faith is strengthening, faith has been important…."

Luther was once known to have said that "Scripture has a wax nose."  You can twist it into any form you want, in short, we not only make God in our own image, we justify our interpretation based upon the 'divinely inspired' text we read.

We cannot blame the President for his militant reading of the Bible.  He learned this method of reading from Billy Graham and other Christian fundamentalist preachers who had his ear (Rick Warren, et al.).  Just as Jesus excoriated the religious leaders of his time, so we ought to (gently and courageously) hold up to our Christian brothers and sisters the image of Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace, not God of War.

We can only do this if our theology, our lives and our worship demonstrate a congruity, that interlocking that comes from the work of the Spirit of Jesus in His Body, the church.  For too long we have had a piece meal peace theology.  Most historic peace churches have some sort of peace ethic that is muted by their largely Constantinian 'violent God' theological models.  Others have the ethic down cold but their worship is more remniscient of a funeral than a celebration of the Easter joy of the Risen Jesus!  Still others have little to no prayer, meditation or contemplation time as part of their daily routine.  It takes all three in close conjunction for the church to be an effective witness to Jesus.

As the President reflects on his legacy, so we might also reflect on the legacy of American Christianity, of our own churches and of our own lives. For in the end the most important words we shall hear are "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Michael

Pot Luck

As the world enters into a time of financial crisis, what will it take in order for the church to move through the crisis? Obviously, when crisis occurs we move through it one way or another. The challenge is to determine the outcome in terms of our condition on the other end. Will we be well and whole, stronger and wiser, or will we be broken and miserable?

During the 1980’s I served a united parish in the Iowa towns of Clarion and Dows. The economy was going through a crisis. Both land values and crop prices plummeted and the debt encumbered on inflated figures was unserviceable. It was a time of disillusionment in terms of the disappearance of a myth. The myth being the Grant Wood vision of the family farmer.

One of the elders in one of the churches I served shot himself in the head. It was the agricultural version of the Wall Street investor jumping out a window in 1929. That’s about as bad as it gets.

The churches I served back then managed to move through the crisis and come out on the other side well and intact. Granted, during those times there wasn’t a lot of money to go around. That was nothing new. Even in good times farmers are loathe to broadcast their prosperity. In agriculture there are no guarantees and the next crop is a purely hopeful venture.

One of the reasons those churches and others like them survived through crisis and thrived is because of their inherent sense of community. The church for them is more than a place of religious consumerism. It is part and parcel, heart and soul of their sense of community.

Earlier this year the local paper from that area reported on “Free Hot Dog Day.” The merchants sponsored an event whereby up and down Main Street free hot dogs were provided for shoppers. Sharing a meal is essential to community. They do that a lot in that part of the world.

Around 1990 a friend and colleague who served a neighbouring church moved up to the big city and a year or so later I followed to a church he described as the “shiny golden apple.” He said, “You can forget about the Iowa potluck.” My friend said that for potlucks at his church, people would buy something out of the grocery store deli counter, such as a quart-sized potato or three bean salad.

I was soon to see what he meant. The place I went to had a meal every Wednesday night. After many years we settled on paying someone to cook it because most people worked outside the home. Once a month for variety’s sake there would be a potluck. A few people had the right idea, but many brought slim pickings and some didn’t bring anything.

Some folks were disgruntled at all the youth in the place and would mutter, “Why should I shell out to feed them?” My tactic became to simply eat beforehand or later on at home. A telling event occurred on my last Wednesday in the place. As a combined going away and birthday celebration, my partner paid for a catered meal. There were heaping platters from a local soul food joint. I was busy meeting and greeting and by the time I got to the food line, it was all gone. Somehow it was apt.

It would seem that our sense of community is a reflection of our sense of God. If we see God as generous then we tend to bring a lot to the table ourselves. If we see God as stingy, then we act is if there is not enough to go around.

When crisis comes, and it’s always when and not if, churches with a sense of community will make it. Churches without a sense of community will be like failed businesses. That’s because you can’t put a price tag on community and it can’t be bought or sold. It either is, or it isn’t.

I had an idea about how to determine whether how a church will weather crisis. I realize it’s not a scientific formula, but in God’s realm the first shall be last and so forth. Think of the potluck or the community meal. At the end of the meal are there plenty of left-over’s, or are the plates fairly empty?

If there are left-over’s, then chances are you’ll be just fine. If the plates are empty? Well then, maybe it’s time to rustle up some grub.

Take Care – John Mann

Website Update

In a few days you will notice a new look on the Preaching Peace website.  Our goal is to make it less cluttered and more user-friendly.  I am asking all our bloggers for help if they find pages that need work or links that don't link.  You can just use the comments button which I will follow. 

Our committment to write commentary for the Epistles cycle is underway and we will begin posting commentary on the Epistles for the next three years.  We have a team of writers who will be engaging the text from the peace perspective informed by the mimetic theory and Nancy Hitt will be writing our So What? pieces.

The Conferences home page will begin posting our events for next year as well.  Please note our Book of Peace, Book of Power conference in June featuring Tony Campolo and Walter Wink.  Also, if you know of folks who might be interested in making a presentation at that conference, there is currently a call for papers.

I am currently editing the essays (with Sharon Baker) from the Messiah Conference, working on my lectures (being taped) for the Jesus Driven Life (we have 16 in the can) and we hope to have two new DVD's out in the next two months, a five week study course titled How Jesus Read His Bible and an eight week course, Transforming our Minds: Imitation, the Human Brain and Discipleship.  These will join our ten week Nonviolent Atonement Seminar DVD as premiums for our donors.  For more information on the adult education curricula we are planning to produce this next year check out our annual report (found on the PP home page).

I'm grateful for the times you remember us before the Lord in your prayers. Those of you who read this blog and have benefited from PP these past years, please share our work with others you know and feel free to make a year end tax deductible donation.  This past year 34% of our funding came from our faithful donor base!

Grace and Peace on your ministries this holy season, may Jesus come to your communities and bring his blessings. Preach the good news!  It is the greatest gift we have this holiday season.

Michael

Different Scapegoats

It’s interesting living in a culture that has a different sense of who the scapegoats are.

 I went to the grocery store last week and upon hearing my accent the young man scanning my items congratulated me on the election of Barack Obama. He said he was working to put himself through school and his dream was to go to America and work as a film editor. Like many people in the world, he sees the U.S. as the land of opportunity.

His parting comment was, “Now, if they can only get socialized medicine like us.”

Indeed. Something has to be done, but who knows exactly what, how or when if ever. Socialized medicine, though? Some of our visiting friends who have to avail themselves of the medical services here have been greatly impressed. For a sprained knee on a rain-slickened sidewalk, no insurance cards, documentation or even proof of identity was required. A visit to the casualty (ER) resulted in prompt and thorough treatment. They even sent her home with a bottle of Percocet tablets.

But how far do we want to go with socialism? Is it a matter of the slippery slope?

I recently visited with one of the old dears in the church who thirteen years ago had surgery that resulted in a colostomy, which is a form of disability that made her eligible for a payment. She never applied, but the hip replacement physician informed a social worker who filled out the paperwork that resulted in a hefty back payment.

A family in my parish are known to receive around a thousand a week in government money. They have three cars. I queried as to what position one must be in to qualify for that level of support.

The head of the household is a registered heroin addict and is therefore legally disabled. His partner is his official carer, so she receives a benefit. She is also dinged up in some way so as to receive an additional stipend. Granted, there are people who will take advantage of a system that allows for advantage to be taken.

Some might say, “Why they ought to ….!?” But then one wonders what the cost of incarceration would be on a weekly basis.

One young couple I know (in America) are both working full time and going to school. One of them pulled a tendon in her foot and had to visit the ER. Having no insurance she is now saddled with a hefty medical bill. On top of everything else.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” was not a legitimate question, but rather an answer in response to, “Where is your brother?” The intent was to avoid responsibility. Just as the intent of “Who is my neighbour?” was to justify the social stance of the one who asked it.

Jesus altered the perspective a bit by turning the question around to, “Who was a neighbour to the one in need?” Lest anyone would muse on it and get off their hook by a chin rub whilst saying, “Hmm – interesting thought,” Jesus added, “Go and do likewise.”

Was he implying socialism or just plain social-ism – a sense that the well being of one’s neighbour is a shared responsibility? These are interesting times we live in. For me it’s almost Dickensian with a best of and worst of sense; as well as living in a different country for these five years now and hoping to stay on for some years to come. It will be interesting to see how it turns out, if and when it ever does.

Take Care – John Mann

Political Speech

Political speeches are notorious for their propensity for scapegoating, especially if they are campaign speeches. Although I've not finished working out some thinking in response to the comments to Michael's last blog, (Current Lingo For Scapegoating) I wanted to take the opportunity to point out that we have an excellent example of a public speech that addressed difficult realities without indulging in blaming, shaming, competing, or scapegoating. President-elect Obama addressed many problematic items in our history and in our current affairs without indulging in any finger pointing- perhaps the gestural precursor to negative mimetic dynamics.  His speech included a long list of difficulties that had been overcome in the past and a list of problems still very much with us, and in each instance, he identified a unified "yes, we can" as the response that had proved successful in the past and was called for now. He addressed those who had not voted for him, expressing respect and the commitment to be their president too. He did not play favorites, he did not divide or play with established divisions as he addressed the country.  He did not attempt to identify common enemies, but instead spoke to the need for common efforts.

I don't own a political T shirt, but if I did, it might be one of the ones that identify hope as the brightest outcome of yesterdays presidential election. I don't know how or why Obama decided to omit the customary political speech that slides so easily into scapegoating and sacrifice, but I'm very glad he did. I'm also glad that McCain met him more than half-way, silencing the jeers among his supporters when Obama's name was mentioned, and indicating that he, too, wanted unity. For our political leadership to aspire to a unity based on taking responsibility and working for our desired ends instead of identifying an enemy we must hate and/or declare war on is beyond refreshing.  To have two men who have competed for the same position drop the rivalry on behalf of the greater cause of national well being is almost alarmingly wise and mature.

I don't for a minute think that politics are going to change completely and that the kingdom of God will flourish among us unfettered, but I am heartened at the way in which both of these men are conducting themselves. Positive mimesis calls for followers to emulate leaders, and if this is an indication of where our leadership is headed, I am willing to hope along with them.  What they said was important, as well as expected and fairly predictable. What they did not say was amazing, and I hope it sets a new precedent for leadership, a new ethic in how we talk to ourselves and the rest of the nations of earth.

nancy hitt