Thanks to Skeptics

My latest read: The Practicing Congregation by Diana Butler Bass. It's about the shifting climate in mainline churches (Methodist, UCC, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, etc.). About 50 years ago, mainline churches had a lot of clout, politically and socially. This is why it was a big deal that JFK was the first Catholic president--before then someone from the Protestant (WASP) establishment had always held that position.

Things have changed a lot since the fifties, obviously, and for churches that has meant that baby boomers and their kids have been less and less involved in regular church life. Some of the reason behind this, I suspect, is that people are less community minded, and are spending more time at the office and in front of the boob tube. But the other side of it is very encouraging to me: people are no longer willing to accept traditions and authority unquestioningly. They expect church people to practice what they preach, and for religion to be both a safe place to learn, grow and question AND a way of life that makes a difference.

According to Diana Butler Bass, some mainline churches are starting to make changes in this direction. They're becoming multi-ethnic communities that act kind of like open monasteries, training people in spiritual practices and rhythms, and building an authentic Christian life together.

I think the gift the skeptics have given these churches is this: it has pushed them to reorganize into something new and beautiful. So while it's a hard thing to deal with, I think it's led to a lot more authenticity, focus on spirituality, and other good things in the church.

Here it is:

The NYTimes op-ed piece I've been waiting for.

Onward Moderate Christian Soldiers

Will have to actually comment on it later. Happy Monday, everybody.

For the Church Nerds

The UCC's bi-annual meeting is coming up--I'll be in Atlanta over the 4th of July weekend. One of the favorite pastimes of most big church meetings like this is to debate what the position of the church is on various current issues. In the UCC these stances (resolutions) are not law, but recommendations. (One of the many reasons I love the UCC--freedom of conscience) Anyway, the three big issues coming up for us in July are:

1. Ministry: should all ministers be required to have a Master's of Divinity? Or does that create an economic roadblock for people God is calling into ministry?

2. Marriage: Should gays have the same civil rights as straights? What about marriage in the church? (UCC churches currently can marry gay couples if they so choose, but the debate is far from settled on this issue)

3. Mideast: Should churches and people of conscience be investing their money in companies that have a hand in settlements on Palestinian land?

For me, this is the trickiest one, because it has the potential to alienate our Jewish friends, but at the same time there are things being done to the Palestinian people that are not just. In fact, these policies may be exacerbating the problem rather than keeping the Israelis safe.

Some less predictable resolutions up for debate:

--Freedom of religion for native Hawaiian prisoners
--The Cross Triumphant as the symbol of the United Church of Christ (Here's a picture of it)
--Becoming a Fair Trade denomination
--Support for Campus Ministries
--Accessibility of churches to people of all abilities

Read through the resolutions yourself here.

God Hates Wack Jobs

So, uh, Fred Phelps of "God Hates Fags" fame tried to protest my brother's graduation. (My alma mater as well) Here's their fancy flyer. Please be sure to note the "Sodomite Death Dance" at the bottom of the page.

John's blog has good news, though--because EPHS has its graduation on the University of Minnesota campus, the would-be protestors got lost and went to the wrong place. I guess God also hates people who can't read maps. Sorry, folks!

So, now, let's talk strategy for just a minute:

I can understand it if Fred Phelps is going to protest at places like Gay Pride parades, and national church meetings like the UCC's General Synod two years ago--a lot of people are going to be there, and they're events specifically about faith and gay rights. But people, are you really going to protest A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION?

Oy vey.

Cachet

On the way to work yesterday morning, I saw an 8-year-old waiting for the school bus and talking into a cell phone. I think that at this point, unless you are under 12, having a cell phone is no longer a high-end fashion accessory. Just thought you all should know, as long as we're working so hard on our coolness points.

New Sermon Up

Hey folks--I preached yesterday, and I've added that sermon to my sermon archives.

Happy Monday!

Amy

Op-Ed on Class

Here's a NYTimes reaction to the articles on class and mobility. Basic gist: tax policies of the last 15-20 years have expanded economic inequality at the expense of the middle class.

In better news, it looks as the the US and Britain are taking some real steps to forgive burdensome Third World debt. I think this is where the greatest need is and consequently the highest priorities should be--in the developing world, so this is very good news indeed.

Sometimes the Bible is really sick

So I'm preaching on Sunday, and my text from Matthew references Sodom and Gomorrah, which I've looked at in the past since it is so central to the gay/Bible question.
This is a really disturbing story:

Angel messengers from God come to town and plan to spend the night out in the town square. They look like regular people, and would be in a very vulnerable position, since there are only two of them, and since people in those days didn't travel very much. The honor code of the time demanded that you take care of travelers, because otherwise anyone traveling on their own was sure to die. Lot, fortunately, sees them and gets them to come and stay with him. When night falls, every single man in town shows up at Lot's door to get the guests from him so that they can gang rape them.

In a blow for feminism, Lot offers his virgin daughters instead, which they refuse.

Fortunately, the angels have powers, and they blind the attackers before they can break down Lot's door. Read it for yourself here.

This reminds me of something from the movie Deliverance, or Pulp Fiction. Creepy.

And while I'm on the topic, it's not really a story about sex or sexuality. It's a story about literally raping vulnerable people. It's about total humiliation and abuse of the weak and the stranger. Using this story as an argument against homosexuality is like using the fact that there are men who rape women to argue against the institution of marriage.

For a disturbing parallel where a woman gets raped to death, try Judges 19:15-30.

I repeat: sometimes the stories in the Bible are really sick.

*end rant*

Shannon

Has tagged me to tell you my 6 current favorite songs. Unfortunately, I don't "listen" to lots of "music," so I can't answer that question. Okay, not true, it's just that some of them won't be very new:

(In no particular order)
1. Ballad of Mary Magdalene, as sung live by Dar Williams
2. Breathe by Anika something-or-other
3. Michele by the Beatles
4. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
5. Beauty of the Rain by Dar Williams
6. Give a little bit -- whoever's doing the new remake, hopefully not Uncle Cracker, because that would just be embarrassing.

Favorite hymns:
1. Holy Spirit, Root of Life (New Century Hymnal verson)
2. Psalm 23 from First Church in Cambridge's hymnal
3. How Can I Keep From Singing?
4. My Song is Love Unknown
5. Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
6. This is My Father's World

Signed,

Amy
Church nerd

Speaking of Body Image

While I'm on the topic, Heather and I watched the strangely compelling MTV series TrueLife the other night, and the real-life story was about three people who went to "fat camp." Fortunately it was not as disturbing as "The Biggest Loser" and they didn't have lots of XTRA BIG XTRA CHEEZY Pizza Hut Pizza ads at the break. Still, it was strange to see that the one who enjoyed camp the most (and was there for the first time) had the hardest time sticking with the program afterwards.

It also made me think about who we decide is an outcast in our society, and I think that overweight people (especially very overweight people, and young overweight people) get ostracized, or at least treated like second-class citizens. Somewhere I read an article on secularism that suggested that being overweight was a kind of moral failing or sin in that philosophy. (Here's the article. I realize now that it's a little more touchy and editorial that I remembered.)

I want to tread lightly here, because I'm talking about an issue I don't have a lot of direct personal experience with here, but I think that obesity does have this kind of strange position as secular "sin". Should it have the shame attached to it that it often does? No. Is it productive or helpful to make people feel bad about themselves and their bodies? No.

One of the girls on the TV show tried to get at why weight was a problem for her, and she said that she thinks it's because she's always talking about food. She talked about how much she was eating as much as she talked about how much she wasn't eating.

But I think diets are, for the most part, unnatural and harmful, too. Our bodies are designed with a natural ability to gauge when we've had enough and what we need to eat. Denying those urges throws us as off-balance as overindulging them.

Anyway, I'm not sure where I'm going with this, except to say that our bodies are a gift from God, that proper care of them is important, but that God judges us based on our hearts and our actions, not on our appearances.

Of course then there's this whole other thing about the extravagant availability of high-calorie food in the US, in the face of starvation in the 3rd world. That's more of a widespread, social analysis kind of a question. This post may need some revisions. Any thoughts?

Traveling Mercies, the second time around

I'm rereading one of my favorite books: Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott. It has all these poignant moments, and I feel like she's really got a way of describing those times when the divine breaks close to the surface. I'll usually get all teary about four pages into each little chapter.

I also realize on the second read-through, since I am reading it for a book club that is more men than women, that it is very woman-specific in some ways. i.e., there is a lot of discussion about body image that I think may be a stretch for the men. Which could explain why they haven't signed up for the next month of discussion yet. Ah well. Back to the more "intellectual" approaches to faith & doubt.