Sojourners Blog Feed

Afternoon Links of Awesomeness: Feb. 24, 2012

Joshua Witchger — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:46:53 +0000

A quick list of links to get your weekend off to a great start. First grade problems, Rev. Billy's latest display, Jon Stewart on GOP candidates, Ben & Jerry's new venture, Andrew Bird offers free music, and Kickstumblr.

Call to "Tone Down Religious Rhetoric"

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:13:37 +0000

In an op-ed published today in the Charlotte Observer, Mike Daisley calls for Christians to "tone down the religious rhetoric."

Of course, the influence of religious belief on political discourse is nothing new. In the Bill of Rights, the very first phrase of the First Amendment contemplates the delicate balance of church and state. It has been challenging us ever since.
The issue of school prayer is but one example. Never mind that the Supreme Court on numerous occasions has ruled that only government-coerced prayer or state-sponsored prayer is unconstitutional. This fact has failed to dissuade numerous conservative groups from raising millions by suggesting that little Johnny could be taken away in handcuffs if the godless secularists who "outlawed prayer in schools" aren't stopped.

Afternoon News Bytes: Feb. 24, 2012

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:43:02 +0000

More U.S. Kids Living In High-Poverty Areas: Study; Debunking Poverty Myths And Racial Stereotypes; How Does A Conservative Evangelical Become A Corporate Tool Supporting A System That Coerces Apple's Suppliers' Workers To Have Abortions? (OPINION); Gingrich Joins With Arizona Faith Leaders To Court Latinos; Why Are Young People Leaving Evangelical Christianity?

‘BUBBA’ and Other New Names Rejected by Southern Baptists

Adelle M. Banks — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:24:55 +0000

As the Southern Baptist Convention recently weighed changing its name, denominational leaders were bombarded with suggestions. Hundreds of them.

Most suggestions avoided the word "Southern" but one hinted at the denomination's regional flavor: Baptist Ultimate Bible Believing Alliance, or BUBBA.

In the end, leaders recommended the unofficial moniker "Great Commission Baptists."

Here's a sampling of some of the more intriguing rejected names...

Lutherans Find Common with Catholics on Obama Mandate

Tim Townsend — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:10:17 +0000

ST. LOUIS -- Lutherans and Catholics are not historically known for their theological sympathy, but earlier this month the president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod told the U.S. House that he will "stand with our friends in the Catholic Church" in opposition to a recent government ruling on contraception.

History aside, the Rev. Matthew Harrison made it clear that the Missouri Synod now has "large consensus with the Roman Catholic Church on moral issues."

"The Christian church is a billion times beyond the Missouri Synod," Harrison said. "Without the Roman Catholic Church in this country, our way would be infinitely more difficult."

For Atheists of Color, ‘Coming Out’ Can Be Painful

Kimberly Winston — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:02:54 +0000

Now, a growing number of African-American nonbelievers are reaching out to others in their communities to help them confront these challenges. They are calling on atheists of all colors to make the fourth Sunday in February -- Black History Month -- a "Day of Solidarity with Black Nonbelievers."

About 15 groups in as many cities -- Dallas, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles -- have scheduled events for Feb. 26. Some will share a meal, others will make formal presentations and discuss the role of African-American freethinkers in history. But the real goal is to let closeted black atheists know they are not alone.

How to Forget Paris

Todd Clayton — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:16:54 +0000

A friend of mine — one who’s wiser and kinder and more thoughtful than I — knows the difficult, painful unweaving I’m talking about. She, too, was carroted down the rabbit trail of a hope-filled future shared with someone, only to discover her bed was left just as cold as the promises she’d so earnestly trusted.

“Falling in love is totally magical and beautiful and gives you this insane ability to operate on 4 hours of sleep a night for a long time,” she said. “It chooses you and that gift is one of life’s best ones. You have to choose it back, though.” She paused, her voice cracking, and I knew she meant it. “At some point, you become more real to each other and the hard work sets in. So you try and try, and even then, sometimes it doesn’t work out. And when that happens, you’ll be ok.” I was looking at her across the table.

“Just let it be sad,” she concluded. “Ironically, sadness will be your guide out of sadness.”

Prayer of the Day: Guidance

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Lord, you are my God, my refuge and strength. Thank you for guiding me through this week, for being with me always. Amen.

Verse of the Day: Eating With the Poor

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"[Jesus] said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’" - Luke 14:12-14

Voice of the Day: C.S Lewis

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort, you will get neither comfort nor truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair." - C.S Lewis

The Top 10 Stories of February 24, 2012

Duane Shank — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"Hospitality is not at the margins of scripture. Jesus wasn''t kidding around when he said, ''I was a stranger and you welcomed me,''" - Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, at the G92 South Immigration Conference at Samford University, Birmingham, AL.
(Reuters)

Foreclosure Resistance: A Prayer

Jeremy John — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:24:46 +0000

The question is, are we listening? For God, who hears the prayers of God's people, is calling us to listen as well. God's justice is a collective project.

But when we listen, we hear stories of oppression, corruption, and injustice, in the face of honesty and hard work. But listening is not enough. When we listen, God calls us from the quiet of prayer to be a healing presence in the world.

"She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness." - Proverbs 31:27

Pews and Politics

Carrie Adams — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:09:13 +0000

If you’ve watched 6 minutes of news in the last few weeks, you know what this is all about: Christian leaders hurling attacks and using faith as a weapon to score political points. From presidential candidates to public leaders, rhetoric in recent weeks as gone from ‘heightened’ to ‘dangerous.’

To counteract this incendiary environment, prominent evangelical, mainline, and Catholic pastors, theologians and denominational heads have joined together to take a stand. The open letter, which currently has over a hundred signers, supports the President in light of the recent attacks by Franklin Graham (see clip below), but the letter also speaks to the larger issue at hand, specifically that, “No politician or government will ever reflect God’s will perfectly, but we prayerfully call on political leaders and members of the media to return to the issues Jesus and the prophets were most concerned about and to stop using faith as a weapon to advance partisan politics and self-interest.”

Prayer of the Day: Humility

God's Politics Editor — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

God, grant me humility, that I might have wisdom and that I might be able to seek you more and more. Amen.

Verse of the Day: Heed Admonition, Gain Understanding

God's Politics Editor — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,but those who heed admonition gain understanding. The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility goes before honor." - Proverbs 15:32-33

Voice of the Day: Kahlil Gibran

God's Politics Editor — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy." - Kahlil Gibran

The Top 10 Stories of February 23, 2012

Duane Shank — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“We must tell the story, the whole story of the last 400 years, without anger or apology.’’ - Rep. John Lewis at the groundbreaking for the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
(Washington Post)

Afternoon Links of Awesomeness: Feb. 22, 2012

Joshua Witchger — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:27:48 +0000

Education in urban ecology, children recreate a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, one goofy trip to the grocery store, art in the snow, Batman takes Toronto. Discover this and more in today's afternoon links round-up...

Afternoon News Bytes: Feb. 22, 2012

God's Politics Editor — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:35:59 +0000

Religion And Politics Don't Mix, Major Religious Groups Tell Presidential Candidates; 25 Percent Of Super PAC Money Coming From Just 5 Rich Donors; POLL: Men, Evangelicals Boost Santorum; Southern Baptist Leaders OK 'Great Commission'; Obama Budget: Grow Prisons and Keep Gitmo; The Failure Of Austerity Politics (OPINION); Atheist Alain de Botton Insists Society Needs Guidance From Religion; Access To Good, Healthy Food Should Be A Basic Human Right; Protesters To GOP Candidates: Don't DREAM Halfway.

The Bible is Not a Public Policy Manual!

Aaron Taylor — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:30:28 +0000

My pastor and I have a friendly tiff going on. He says that Jesus was strictly a-political; therefore Christians should abstain from politics completely. I say that Jesus challenged violent, poverty-inducing, socio-political structures throughout his life and ministry; therefore Christians have a duty to advocate for peace and to speak out for the poor and the oppressed. Both of us are hardheaded, and neither of us cedes much in our debates, but we always walk away as friends, because at the end of the day there’s a key component to the discussion that we both agree on: The Bible is not a public policy manual!

Why Ash Wednesday Belongs Out of the Church and Out on the Streets

Lauren F. Winner — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:21:29 +0000

Repentance has a public aspect and a private aspect. Jesus speaks very clearly about doing one’s repentance in secret -- not chattering on in public about how hungry your pious fasting has left you. At the same time, the church also has a ministry to call -- publicly -- for repentance, to sometimes play the role of John the Baptist. Calls for repentance happen every week, every day, inside religious buildings, inside religious communities. Sometimes calls for repentance need to happen out on the street corners, too.

Still, this is a strange thing to do, this liturgy outside a hospital. It does not feel entirely comfortable to me -- but I am not sure anything about Ash Wednesday ever feels entirely comfortable.

On Ash Wednesday, Episcopalians Take it to the Streets

Piet Levy — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:08:35 +0000

Five years ago, the Rev. Teresa K.M. Danieley had an epiphany of sorts. If people can grab breakfast on the go or pay a bill from their cell phone, she thought, why shouldn't they be able to get their ashes in a flash?

That's why, on Ash Wednesday 2007, Danieley planted herself in full priestly regalia at a busy intersection in St. Louis, smudging the sign of the cross on the foreheads of bicyclists, drivers and bus passengers.

This year, at least 49 Episcopal parishes across 12 states will offer ashes to passersby at train stations, bus stops and college campuses on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22) as Danieley's "Ashes to Go" concept spreads nationwide.

Prayer of the Day: Ash Wednesday

God's Politics Editor — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

O Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. As we begin the Lenten journey, make this season holy by our self-denial. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, for ever and ever. Amen. adapted from International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL)

Verse of the Day: 'Blot Out All My Iniquities'

God's Politics Editor — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities." - Psalm 51:6-9

Voice of the Day: Emily Vizzo

God's Politics Editor — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"Carefully I crafted a loop with the string and tossed it into the river. / I never caught a fish with buttercups or a knotted string. / But I saw them swimming by in fleets of flashing silver / And for me, that was enough." - Emily Vizzo

The Top 10 Stories of February 22, 2012

Duane Shank — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"The ashes are an invitation, opening the door for us to the practices of Lent, a first step, a reminder of our mortality and God's creative power. We take that invitation and that core truth out into places where people really need that.” - Rev. Emily Mellott of Calvary Church in Lombard, Ill., joining more than 70 Episcopal parishes in 18 states to bring Ash Wednesday to the streets by offering the Christian sign of repentance to anyone who seeks it at train stations, coffee shops, and street corners.
(USA Today)

How (Not) to Judge a Christian

Michael Hidalgo — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:01:31 +0000

Graham's thinking is dangerous. What he has failed to realize is that he, like many, is guilty of having a biased, preconceived "kind" of Christian and “brand” of Christianity. Often, these preconceptions fall along partisan lines. This was seen clearly in his willingness to affirm the Christian faith of candidates that share his political viewpoint (Gingrich, Santorum), but open the door for speculation on those (Obama, Romney) who do not. We can never forget that Jesus never demanded a “one size fits all” kind of faith. We must always allow room for disagreement and live with the tension of multiple opinions.

Honoring the Lives of Japanese Americans on the 70th Anniversary of Internment Camps

Jessie Choi — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:45:06 +0000

Sunday, February 19, marked the 70th anniversary of the Japanese Internment Camps. In honor of the many Japanese Americans affected, the Japanese American National Museum partnered with Ancestry.com to start the Remembrance Project to ensure these Americans were not forgotten.

It’s important for Americans to remember this part of their history, George Takei tells The Washington Post.

I’m astounded by the number of people — particularly east of the Rockies — who say to me, aghast, ‘I had no idea such a thing had happened in the United States.’

Afternoon News Bytes: Feb. 21, 2012

God's Politics Editor — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:45:45 +0000

The Problem With Rick Santorum’s Holy War; Rick Santorum: 'If Government Is Going To Get Smaller, Then People Have To Get Bigger'; G.O.P. Campaigns Grow More Dependent On ‘Super PAC’ Aid; The Real Defense Budget; EU To Vote On Oil Sands Pollution; Christians Should Not Be Political Pacifists, Says Megachurch Pastor; Latino Mormons Speaking Out Against Romney Over Immigration Issue; Training Afghani Imams To End Violence Against Women (OPINION); Franklin Graham: Obama May Secretly Be A Muslim, Santorum And Gingrich Are Definitely Christian.

The Santorum Question: Should Theology Affect the Way We Vote?

Tim King — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:13:14 +0000

Does theology matter when it comes to evaluating political leaders? How does this whole faith and politics thing work?

Both Barack Obama and Rick Santorum have strong records on supporting legislation and funding policies that fight global poverty and pandemic diseases. Both men have talked about how their concern for the poor is motivated by their faith.

I feel comfortable with that and I think most people do. It is an example of political figures expressing their personal motivation behind widely held values that aren’t exclusive to a particular religious tradition.

There are some religious beliefs, such as a particular stance on infant baptism, understanding of the Trinity, or belief in what occurs when Christians observe the Lord’s Supper that are significant theological claims. But they aren’t good or appropriate benchmarks by which to evaluate political candidates.

TRANSCRIPT: Obama's 2006 Sojourners/Call to Renewal Address on Faith and Politics

God's Politics Editor — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:36:16 +0000

Editor's Note: Following here below is the text of Barack Obama's keynote address at the Sojourners/Call to Renewal "Building a Covenant for a New America" conference in Washington, D.C., as he delivered it on June 26, 2006.

TRANSCRIPT: Barack Obama and The God Factor Interview

Cathleen Falsani — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:20:05 +0000

Editor’s Note: At 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2004, when I was the religion reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times, I met then-State Sen. Barack Obama at Café Baci, a small coffee shop at 330 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago, for an interview about his faith. Our conversation took place a few days after he’d clinched the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat that he eventually won, and four months before he’d be formally introduced to the rest of the nation during his famous keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Conventio.

We spoke for more than an hour. He came alone. He answered everything I asked without notes or hesitation. The profile of Obama that grew from the interview at Cafe Baci became the first in a series in the Sun-Times called “The God Factor,” which would eventually became my first book, The God Factor: Inside the Spiritual Lives of Public People, in which Obama and 31 other high-profile “culture shapers” — including Bono of U2, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, the author Anne Rice and President George W. Bush's speechwriter Michael Gerson — are profiled.

Because of the seemingly evergreen interest in President Obama’s faith and spiritual predilections, and because that 2004 interview remains the longest and most in-depth he’s granted publicly about his faith, I thought it might be helpful to share the transcript of our conversation — uncut and in its entirety — here on God’s Politics.

~ Cathleen Falsani 

Stolen Valor and Government's Moral Authority

Christian Piatt — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:11:34 +0000

But what about when the government itself asks us to lie, or at least to not fully disclose the truth? Consider the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which the military had in place for many years. What if a soldier argued that not knowing the person serving next to them was actually gay caused them irreparable psychological or emotional harm? Not that I think such a case holds any water, but I’m using this to make a point; once you allow the government to have legal authority over personal speech, it’s a difficult box to close back up once it’s open.

I think it’s a particularly compelling question given the debates about placing the Ten Commandments in public buildings. Yes, there are many parallels between those biblical laws and the laws enforced by the government. However, they are not the same in all cases. And the distinction is important not only with regard to the separation of the powers of church and state, but also in maintaining the sovereignty of the individual in the face of a powerful government.

Fat Tuesday and Skinny Wednesday

Shane Claiborne — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:45:27 +0000

All the major world religions have an element of self-denial at their core. Jews have Yom Kippur.Muslims have Ramadan.Christians have Lent.

In a world filled with clutter, noise, and hustle, Lent is a good excuse to step back and rethink how we think and live.In a world of instant gratification, it’s a chance to practice delayed gratification – to fast -- so that we can truly appreciate the blessings we have.In a world where virtual friends are replacing real ones, it is an invitation to turn off TV and computer screens so we can spend time with real people again.

It’s an opportunity to give up something that is sucking the life out of us so that we can be filled with God, with life, with love again.

Conversation on Prayer with President Obama

Eugene Cho — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:10:59 +0000

In fact, President Obama, himself, had a puzzled look as he said, “Hello Eugene.” So, I had to introduce myself to him and explained to him that I was a pastor here in Seattle and involved with some other work. We chit-chatted briefly about stuff but there is something I very specifically remember and I don’t know if I’ll ever forget this portion of our conversation.

I shared with President Obama that I occasionally but regularly prayed for him and this is how he responded:

“Thank you, Eugene. I really appreciate that. Can you also please pray for my wife and children? Pray for their protection.”

His demeanor changed. Perhaps, this is just me. Perhaps, I’m reading and analyzing too much into all the non-verbal cues but then again, I’m a pastor and after 21 years of doing ministry, you develop a “pastoral sense” and I genuinely sensed his gratitude for prayer and his request for prayer for his family.

MUST LISTEN: Alec Baldwin and Rob Morris on Sex Trafficking

Joshua Witchger — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:38:23 +0000

Last week Alec Baldwin, host of WNYC’s Here’s the Thing, featured an interview with Rob Morris, president and co-founder of Love 146, an organization that fights sex trafficking and works to care for victims.

In this half hour conversation, Morris shares the deeply horrifying experience of going into a brothel as a secret investigator, the evils of this multi-billion dollar industry, the exploitation of children at home and abroad, preventative measures for change and education, and how his work is impacting his family.

Prayer of the Day: Honduran Families

God's Politics Editor — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

God, we pray today for the families of those who died in the prison fire last week in Honduras. Comfort all in their time of mourning and distress. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.

Verse of the Day: Seeds of Purpose

God's Politics Editor — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it." - Isaiah 55:10-11

Voice of the Day: Gayle Brandeis

God's Politics Editor — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"Come back to the heartbeat, the pulse, the rhythm we all walk to, regardless of nation or color. Come back to the breath – inhale, take the world deep into your lungs; exhale, give yourself back fully. This is what the body says: release the peace that lives within your skin." - Gayle Brandeis from, The Body Politic of Peace

The Top 10 Stories of February 21, 2012

Duane Shank — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
“It doesn’t matter who the dead are or who they belong to. They deserve a proper Islamic burial.” - Abdul Hakim, who retrieves insurgents’ bodies from American and Afghan authorities and returns them to their families and comrades.
(Washington Post)

Afternoon Links of Awesomeness: Feb. 20, 2012

Joshua Witchger — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:44:33 +0000

Students protest cafetera food, the art of snowboarding in LED, one man a capella showtunes, spoof street artist Hanksy, and more! Plus, an Animal Extravaganza: Maddie the Coonhound travels the country, remarkable footage of some of the world's strangest creatures, and fashioning an animalistic hair style. All this and more ... inside the blog.

Lent (or Why I Need a Break from the 'Like' Button)

Jack Palmer — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:09:35 +0000

Consciously or not, when we recognize the need to step away from social media, it is because we are questioning who is in control.

If our default is to ask life’s big questions on Twitter before we offer them in prayer, then someone other than God is in control. If we "Like" what someone is doing of Facebook before we recognize everything God is doing in our lives, maybe we need a social media time-out.

Lent is the right time to realign ourselves with the fact that God should be in control in our lives.

Afternoon News Bytes: Feb. 20, 2012

God's Politics Editor — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:49:31 +0000

The Surprising Faith Of 8 American Presidents (OPINION); Santorum Questions Obama's 'World View,' Not Faith; Educating Two Generations (OPINION); The Inside Story On Climate Scientists Under Siege; Obama's 'Radical' Option For America's Nuclear Future; Pain Without GainFacing Death, A Top Pastor Rethinks What It Means To Be Christian; The End Of Church (OPINION).

Bayer, Knees and Contraception

Ed Spivey Jr. — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:53:41 +0000

I was intrigued by a recent comment from a major political contributor when he suggested using Bayer aspirin was a viable birth control method for women. Mega-contributor Foster Friess was being interviewed by MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell when he referred to bygone days when “the gals put it between their knees, and it wasn’t that costly.”

He later claimed the remark was just a joke, but not before I’d spent a half hour trying it out. I wouldn’t have wasted my time seeing if it was possible which, according to my unscientific test, it’s not. Of course, it could have been the slacks I was wearing, which sometimes gather at the knees, or the angle in which I was sitting. But the darn thing just kept falling out.

Prayer of the Day: Endangered Species

God's Politics Editor — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

God of all creation, you created animals to roam the earth and fish to fill the seas. We pray for creatures on the verge of extinction, specifically that those responsible for poaching and polluting will be held responsible. Help us to live in a way that does not endanger life, but cherishes and nourishes the life in and around us. Amen.

Verse of the Day: 'Whatever is True...'

God's Politics Editor — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you." - Philippians 4:4-9

Voice of the Day: John Muir

God's Politics Editor — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"In God's wildness lies the hope of the world—the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness. The galling harness of civilization drops off, and wounds heal ere we are aware." - John Muir from Alaska Fragment, 1890

The Top 10 Stories of February 20, 2012

Duane Shank — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"When you know about those situations those kids are bringing into the school and we are asking them to sit down and concentrate and do their work, and they might be hungry and we haven't been made aware of it yet - we definitely want to do everything we can to help the kids.” - Doug White, principal of Garfield Elementary School in inner-city Kansas City, on why his school, like many others, is now providing three meals a day to eligible students.
(Miami Herald/McClatchy)

Anthony Shadid, 1968-2012

Duane Shank — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:55:16 +0000

Late last Thursday evening, getting one final fix of news before going to bed, I saw it. Anthony Shadid, the New York Times correspondent and Beirut bureau chief, had died from an asthma attack while ending a clandestine reporting trip into Syria. He apparently suffered the attack in a reaction to horses being used by smugglers helping him and a photographer leave the country.

When you read the news as much as I do, you learn which bylines to look for if you want the most comprehensive and well-written coverage of a story. Mr. Shadid was one of those correspondents.

In a career that included stints with the Associated Press, Boston Globe, Washington Post, and The Times; Mr. Shadid covered one of the most dangerous parts of the world — the Middle East. He was shot in the West Bank in 2002, kidnapped and beaten in Libya in 2011. He won two Pulitzer Prizes, in 2004 and 2010, for his reporting on the Iraq war; and has been nominated by The Times for a 2012 prize.

Ash Wednesday: Restoring the Right to Vote

Myrna Perez — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:32:27 +0000

On Ash Wednesday, Catholics and many others will walk around with ashen crosses (or, by the end of the day, what look like indeterminate smudges) on our foreheads. Those ashes are strong symbols of core principles of the Catholic faith — symbols of repentance, identity, reconciliation, and renewal of baptism in the faith.   

As a voting rights lawyer who is about as passionate about my work as I am about my faith, I can’t help but see parallels between the moral guidance I am given by my faith, and the policy choices that confront us in the secular world. These principles are reflected in the way we worship – and also in the actions we take in the secular world. This has led me and others to the conclusion that the 4 million Americans who lost their voting rights while incarcerated, and now live in our communities, deserve the chance to vote again upon release. It is both the just and the moral thing to do.

As we approach Ash Wednesday during this Holy Season, I encourage all Christians, guided by their core beliefs, to consider this idea.

N.J. Lawmakers Approve Gay Marriage, But Veto Looms

MaryAnn Soto — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:18:13 +0000

TRENTON, N.J. — Even as Gov. Chris Christie's threat of a "swift" veto looms, gay rights activists are celebrating after the state Assembly voted last week (Feb. 16) on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New Jersey.

With supporters imploring lawmakers to make history, the lower house passed the bill after hours of debate on a day that began with protests and prayer vigils under gloomy skies outside the Statehouse.

"Without question, this is a historic day in the state of New Jersey," said Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, who, along with Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a fellow Democrat, made the measure a top priority.

The Senate, which failed to pass a gay marriage bill two years ago, easily approved it Monday. The governor's office would not say when Christie would respond.

Nonprofits Oppose Obama's Charitable Deduction Changes

Annalisa Musarra — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:53:08 +0000

For the fourth year in a row, President Obama is proposing lower tax deductions for the wealthy on donations to churches and other nonprofit organizations. And for the fourth year in a row, nonprofit groups say the change would lead to a dramatic drop in charitable giving.

The reduction, included in Obama's 2013 budget proposal, rankled the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

"We were hoping this would not come up again this year. We asked that they not renew it, but unfortunately the request was not taken," said Nathan Diament, the group's Washington director. "It's a real concern."

Gotham is No Gomorrah: New York's New Cardinal Timothy Dolan

Alessandro Speciale — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:39:25 +0000

VATICAN CITY — On the eve of his elevation to cardinal, New York's Archbishop Timothy Dolan said he would like to change the caricature of his city as a modern-day Gomorrah.

"New York seems to have an innate interest and respect for religion and I'm going to bring that up because I don't like that caricature that New York is some neo-Sodom and Gomorrah," Dolan told Reuters after celebrating Mass here on Friday (Feb. 17).

"I have found the New York community to be very religious and innately respectful of religion, interested in religion," he said.

Jeremy Lin and Jesus: A Round Up

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:27:29 +0000

Jeremy Lin has been all the hype this week, but in case you’re still not familiar with him, or are still navigating the waters, we’ve rounded up some of the best coverage of Lin and his faith from the past week. But before diving in, you can read a bit of Lin’s background story and see how he compares to the popular Christian athlete Tim Tebow, in Sojourners’ assistant’s Joshua Witchger and James Colten’s article “The Lin-carnation of Tim Tebow?” And for a little exploration on crafting our own heroes, see God’s Politics contributor Christian Piatt’s “Jeremy Lin and Messiah Formula.”

Afternoon News Bytes: Feb. 17, 2012

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:35:33 +0000

What War On Religion?; America's Youth Uprising Ending Poverty Need Not Be At The Expense Of The Environment; The Jeremy Lin Problem (OPINION); Globalization 2.0: Democracy's Coming Demise (OPINION); A Blueprint For A 21st Century Workforce; This Is What Job Creation Really Looks Like; Contraceptives, Religious Freedom: Are We In A New Culture War?; From Bad To Worse In Egypt; Very Religious Rate Higher On “Well Being” Scale.

Prayer of the Day: Racism

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

God, we confess that we still allow ourselves and our neighbors to be divided--by race and culture. We yearn for the day when the evils of racism will cease to exist, when your love will reign over all. Amen.

Verse of the Day: Grow in Love

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into [God] who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love." - Ephesians 4:14-16

Voice of the Day: Martin Luther King Jr.

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"Truth crushed to earth will rise again. How long? Not long! Because no lie can live forever. How long? Not long! Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne. Yet that scaffold sways the future and behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch over [God’s] own. How long? Not long! Because the arc of the mortal universe is long but it bends toward justice." - Martin Luther King Jr.

The Top 10 Stories of February 17, 2012

Duane Shank — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Quote of the day.
"Anthony died as he lived — determined to bear witness to the transformation sweeping the Middle East and to testify to the suffering of people caught between government oppression and opposition forces." - Jill Abramson, executive editor of The New York Times, announcing the death of foreign correspondent Anthony Shadid while on a reporting assignment in Syria. Shadid’s dispatches for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe and The Associated Press covered nearly two decades of Middle East conflict.
(New York Times)

God's Glory — It's Epic

Elizabeth Palmberg — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:53:26 +0000

The approach of Transfiguration Sunday reminds me how, all through my evangelical upbringing, all those Bible passages about God's glory, and especially the parts where God demands glory, made me a bit uneasy. For example, Sunday's reading from 2 Peter 1 doesn't exactly hide anything under a bushel: Jesus “received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, my Beloved...'"

Divine love? Great. Family relationship? Warm and fuzzy.

But the double helping of glory with honor on the side and majesty on top — doesn’t that come off as, well, a trifle narcissistic?

The root of my misperception was that our culture doesn't have a concept of glory at all. We just have celebrity, which is way, way, different. While giving someone celebrity can get degrading to all concerned (insert your own Jersey Shore joke here), God demanding glory is actually a deeply relational act.

I didn't realize my cultural blind spot from any church sermon or from 10 years of small group Bible studies or from getting my Ph.D. in literature, so thank God that I eventually found myself trying to teach the epic of Gilgamesh. That’s when I realized how central the idea of fame was in many ancient cultures.

Catholic Bishop on Contraception Mandate: Not Kosher.

Lauren Markoe — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON — Exhibit A in the fight over President Obama's mandate for religious institutions to provide insurance coverage for contraception: a ham sandwich.

At a hearing Thursday convened by House Republicans to cast opposition to the mandate as a matter of religious liberty, Roman Catholic Bishop William E. Lori invoked the image of a kosher deli forced to sell ham sandwiches.

"The mandate generates the question whether people who believe — even if they believe in error — that pork is not good for you, should be forced by government to serve pork within their very own institutions.

"In a nation committed to religious liberty and diversity, the answer, of course, is no," said Lori, the bishop of Bridgeport, Conn., and the point man on religious liberty for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Whitney Houston's Funeral Saturday: No Fans Allowed

James Queally — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:58:00 +0000

NEWARK, N.J. — With TV trucks and camera crews clogging the streets and thousands of fans hoping for a glimpse of the event, Whitney Houston's family has decided that no one but invited guests will get near her funeral on Saturday.

That means no procession, no video screens outside the New Hope Baptist Church for the noon service — and no fans who want to pay their respects.

City streets will be locked down for six square blocks around the church beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio said.

Celebrities from Aretha Franklin (who is Houston's godmother) to the Rev. Jesse Jackson have been invited to the funeral. Others confirmed on the guest list, according to CNN, are Chaka Khan, BeBe and CeCe Winans, songwriter Diane Warren, pop singer Darlene Love, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Antonio "L.A." Reid, Ray J and Brandy.

No one without an invitation will get into the service for the 48-year-old singer who died Saturday in her Beverly Hills Hilton hotel room.

Southern Baptists Mull Whether 'Southern' Still Fits

Roy Hoffman — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:30:31 +0000

FAIRHOPE, Ala. — For the Rev. Jerry Henry, pastor of First Baptist Church of Fairhope, being Southern Baptist is a defining aspect of life.

He embraces the denomination's conservative social values, extols its evangelism — "We reach out to people instead of waiting for them to come to us" — and identifies with its name.

The Rev. Jerry Henry, pastor of First Baptist Church Fairhope, Ala., has struggled with whether the Southern Baptist Convention should change its name to reflect greater geographic diversity.

Jeremy Lin and the 'Messiah Formula'

Christian Piatt — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:45:00 +0000

No, he doesn't go down on one knee every time he nails a dunk or a perimeter shot. And as far as I know, he’s not building any hospitals in far-off countries. But the 23-year-old point guard for the New York Knicks suddenly finds himself in a spotlight familiar enough to Tebow that the pair should consider a face-to-face lunch to compare notes.

Like Tim Tebow, Jeremy Lin “rode the pine” as a bench-warmer for years. Unlike the star quarterback, Lin was cut by two other NBA teams before landing a supporting role on the Knicks bench.

So why do we know about him all of a sudden? Although Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni would love to claim credit, he admits the only reason the American-born player of Taiwanese parents got his shot was because so many players ahead of him were injured.

Then, as if storing up his energy for months in anticipation of his big break, Lin lit up scoreboards, followed by sports talk shows and endorsement deals. Eleven days ago, he was a relative nobody. But it seems all it takes is leading your team to a six-game winning streak, posting 38 points against Kobe Bryant and snagging a buzzer-beater three-pointer against the Raptors to get the public’s attention.

So long Tebowmania; enter “Linsanity.”

A New Hymn for Ash Wednesday

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:43:44 +0000

This coming Wednesday, Febr. 22, is Ash Wednesday. The following new hymn is based on the Revised Common Lectionary’s assigned reading of Isaiah 58:1-12 with its social justice themes.

O God of Love, the Fast You Choose

KINGSFOLD CMD (“Today We All Are Called to Be Disciples”)

O God of love, the fast you choose is not some great display.

It’s everything we gladly do to serve you day by day.

It’s not a moment set apart when we will mourn our sin;

For you require a change of heart— a change from what has been....

The Kingdom of God Belongs to Them

Duane Shank — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:23:12 +0000

Today: As Jesus is traveling around, crowds gather, important leaders want him to come speak in their beautiful churches; all are eager to hear the teacher’s wisdom. Suddenly, as far as the eye can see, there is a huge crowd of children slowly coming toward them. Some are trying to walk, some are crawling, some are being carried. Most are stunted — their bodies and brains haven't developed properly because of a lack of food, and the necessary protein, vitamins, and minerals it provides. All of them — 2.6 million every year — are slowly dying from malnutrition.

British High Court Rules Against Prayer at Town Meetings

God's Politics Editor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:01:06 +0000

LONDON — A British High Court justice has triggered dismay and anger across England and Wales with a recent decision that declares prayers at town hall meetings are against the law.

Justice Duncan Ouseley ruled late last week that local government councils were violating a 40-year-old law if they conducted prayers "as part of a formal local government meeting."

But the judge added that prayers could be allowed if they were held before the town hall meeting officially began, and if councilors were "not formally summoned to attend."

FBI, Muslim Groups Report Progress in Training Materials

Omar Sacirbey — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:54:56 +0000

FBI officials say they are willing to consider a proposal from a coalition of Muslim and interfaith groups to establish a committee of experts to review materials used in FBI anti-terrorism training.

The coalition raised the idea during a Feb 8 meeting with FBI Director Robert Mueller, who met with the groups to discuss pamphlets, videos and other anti-terrorism training materials that critics say are either Islamophobic or factually incorrect.

"We're open to the idea, but they need to submit a proposal first," said Christopher Allen, an FBI spokesman who was in the meeting.

Groups at the meeting included the Islamic Society of North America, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Interfaith Alliance, and the Shoulder-to-Shoulder campaign.

Shane Claiborne: Occupy Nonviolence

Shane Claiborne — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:16:46 +0000

Amidst the recent police violence in Oakland and the sure temptation of some protestors to resort to violence, I wrote this little reflection inviting all Occupiers to a renewed commitment to nonviolence.

There is a verse in the Bible that says, “Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers of this dark world.” It is a reminder that there are people behind oppressive structures — people who laugh and cry and bleed just like everyone else — and those people are not the enemies, but the systems are.

I was reminded of this when I went into Bank of America on Move Your Money Day, and transferred my money to the non-profit credit union here in Philadelphia. As I went into the bank, I saw the smiling faces of Bank of America tellers who have become friends over the past decade. When I told them I was closing my account, one of the women asked jokingly, “You don’t like us anymore?” At first my heart sunk, but then I said, “No way, I love the heck out of all of you. I just don’t like the values of the bank you work for.” To my surprise, they all smiled. In fact they may not like the values of the bank they work for either. Even though I’ll be leaving Bank of America, I’m hoping to stay in touch with my friends there. I may even take them some coffees next week, which I’ll charge on my new credit union debit card.

It is always tempting to demonize people and humanize corporations. It’s easy to forget that we are up against something bigger than flesh and blood people. And it’s particularly easy to forget that people are not the enemy when people are shooting pepper spray in your face.

Afternoon Links of Awesomeness: Feb. 16, 2012

Joshua Witchger — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:34:16 +0000

Over the Rhine's husband/wife duo talks music and life together, old CDs are turned into remarkable animal sculptures, Chipotle takes new strides toward humane practices, a spark of fun in family pictures, restaurant serves edible balloons for dessert... and Disney's Lady and the Tramp is given new life. All this and more ... inside the blog.

Faithful America to MSNBC: Stop Inviting Tony Perkins to Speak for Christians. He Doesn't.

God's Politics Editor — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:46:57 +0000

Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, New York faith leaders, and members of Faithful America delivered a petition with 20,000 signatures to MSNBC studios in New York City's Rockefeller Center on Tuesday asking that the network stop inviting Family Research Council President Tony Perkins on its programs as a "Christian" spokesman.

U.K. Innkeepers Fined for Turning Away Gay Couple

God's Politics Editor — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:02:54 +0000

LONDON — Britain's Court of Appeal has ordered a pair of Christian innkeepers to pay 3,600 pounds ($5,800) in damages to a gay couple that was told they could not share a room in the couple's guesthouse.

The three-judge panel rejected an appeal by the innkeepers, Peter and Hazelmary Bull, in their conviction of telling Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy they could not share a double room.

The court in London told the couple, who ran the Chymorvah House in Cornwall, England, to pay the penalty.

Earth Mother: My Definition of Pro-Life

Kristen Hayes-Yearick — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:48:05 +0000

As a Pro-Life Catholic Mother of three beautiful children, I was surprised by the joint statement released by The Cornwall Alliance about the Rev. Mitch Hescox and the Evangelical Environmental Network's mercury campaign. I was shocked when the Cornwall Alliance joint statement declared the definition of Pro-Life as merely an "opposition to a procedure that intentionally results in dead babies."

I am an ardent Pro-Life and Children's Environmental Health Advocate. In the Cornwall Alliance statement they note that "most environmental causes promoted as pro-life involve little threat to human life itself, and no intent to kill anyone." I have spent the 6.5 years researching environmental toxins and their impact on our born and unborn Children's health. The toxic environmental exposures, like mercury, are directly linked to many life ending, life threatening or life altering diseases in our children.

Gospel Great Marvin Winans to Lead Funeral for Whitney Houston

Barry Carter — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:36:13 +0000

NEWARK, N.J. — Grammy Award winner and longtime family friend Marvin Winans will deliver the eulogy for Whitney Houston during her funeral Saturday (Feb. 18) at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, the church pastor said Tuesday night.

Houston’s family rejected a public final farewell to the pop icon, choosing instead to hold a private, invitation-only funeral at New Hope, the singer’s childhood church, which seats about 1,500. The Rev. Joe A. Carter, pastor at New Hope Baptist Church, said he will officiate the service, scheduled to begin at noon. Houston was born in Newark and raised in nearby East Orange.

Winans, who also serves as the lead pastor at Detroit’s Perfecting Church, told the Detroit Free Press that he felt like he had lost a sibling when he learned the 48-year-old singer had died Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Houston’s mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston, her cousin Dionne Warwick, and other family members gathered at Whigham Funeral Home in Newark well into the early morning hours Tuesday to shape plans for the service, funeral director Carolyn Whigham said.

Company Touts 'Medical Tourism" in Israel for Sick Pilgrims

Michele Chabin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:21:19 +0000

JERUSALEM — Every year, thousands of Americans travel abroad for less-expensive fertility treatments, hip replacements and other medical procedures. Now, an Israel-based tourism company is offering a package that combines medical care with a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

IsraMedica plans to unveil the initiative Thursday (Feb. 16) at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville, Tenn.

Eli Knoller, the company's vice president of operations, said IsraMedica already brings about 6,000 nonmedical tourists to Israel every year, the majority of them Christian pilgrims.