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From The Rev. John Thomas, United Church of Christ General Minister and President

Eternal God --

As individuals and as a nation, even as we have wrestled privately and publicly with the deepest complexities of life and death, bring us again to that quiet place that rests beyond political argument or religious platitude. Allow the stark reality of this moment to instruct us: Whether we live or whether we die, we belong to you.

We recognize and lament the death of Terri Schiavo and the legal battles and public controversy that have enveloped her and her loved ones during her final years and days. At the same time, we remember and grieve the loss of our own loved ones, as we are once again reminded that, despite your assurances, death remains a most suspicious stranger. We confess the pain, confusion and tension that death's reality stirs in us.

As Easter people, however, we would dare to live otherwise. Therefore, confirm in us the teachings of our resurrection faith. Remind us that death's sting is no match for your loving care. Comfort us in the knowledge that we belong -- soul, mind and body -- to Christ Jesus, our eternal abiding place.

Restore our trust, O God, in you.

Amen

From United States Congressman Tom DeLay, Republican Leader

Mrs. Schiavo's death is a moral poverty and a legal tragedy. This loss happened because our legal system did not protect the people who need protection most, and that will change. The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior, but not today. Today we grieve, we pray, and we hope to God this fate never befalls another. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Schindlers and with Terri Schiavo's friends in this time of deep sorrow.

From James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Schindlers, who have been made to watch their beloved daughter waste away for the last two weeks -- under not only the approval of the courts, but under their direct order."

"Every Florida and federal judge who failed to act to spare this precious woman from the torment she was forced to endure is guilty not only of judicial malfeasance -- but of the cold-blooded, cold hearted extermination of an innocent human life. Terri Schiavo has been executed under the guise of law and 'mercy,' for being guilty of nothing more than the inability to speak for herself."

During a time of tragedy Congressman DeLay and Mr. Dobson have put politics and retribution ahead of reconciliation. It is particularly hypocritical of the congressman. The LA Times reported this weekend that DeLay allowed life support to be removed from his own father several years ago after he sustained brain damage in a tragic accident. His statement released today borders on a direct threat towards Michael Schiavo and the judges and doctors involved in the case. DeLay and Dobson should be ashamed for how they have conducted themselves.  Notice how both men refuse to have the good character as Christians to offer prayers for Michael Schiavo as well as Terri Schiavo's parents.

Update:  The folks at the Center for American Progress released the following statement in regards to Delay's remarks:

DeLay's vague threat against judges yesterday wasn't just offensive, it was dangerous, especially given the serious threats against judges and others involved in the Schiavo case. Florida Pinellas County Circuit Court Judge George Greer has been "under 24-hour protection by two U.S. marshals due to increased threats against his life by those unhappy with his handling of the Schiavo case." Last Thursday, police arrested an Illinois man they said robbed a Florida gun store as part of an attempt to "rescue Terri Schiavo." The next day, FBI officials took into custody a North Carolina man for placing a $250,000 bounty "on the head of Michael Schiavo" and another $50,000 to murder Judge Greer. And police yesterday said they had "logged several bomb threats" to the hospice where Schiavo died and "the circuit and federal courts that refused to order her feeding tube restored."

You can read Tom DeLay's statement here.

Beliefnet.com published an article yesterday by Lisa Schamess on the Terri Schiavo controversy. Schamess lost her husband to cancer and faced some of the same end of life decisions faced by the Schivao family. The huge difference is that her husband was able to make some of those decisions on his own. In her article she asks that we put aside the political consequences of the story and remember something more personal about this issue:

There were times—many times—well before the fight was over, that I bundled the baby in her bouncy seat downstairs so I could go upstairs to administer Gil’s medications, and I thought to myself, “Let it end, let it end, this isn’t a life at all.” There were times I really wished I could leave. Other times, especially at the end, all I wanted was one more day, one more conversation with Gil, even the slightest hint of a normal moment, and I would have traded any amount of suffering for it.

And so we the surviving, the caretaking, the huddled circle in vigil, we rage at each other, we argue and manipulate and bring up old hurts. We fight to be the one who knows a loved one’s wishes, the one who loves the best. It’s not pretty. Mostly, we try to see what we want to see: life as permanent and safe, as an unmitigated blessing, as a gift to which all other concerns should be sacrificed. We want this person to live, to live among us, to stay. Or we want to preserve our memories of better times, not face the living corpse stretched out in a hospital bed, put an end to the mockery of life that trauma has visited on us. Tube in or tube out, we are all of us pro-life.

So if I’d been faced with the choices Terri’s family has had to make, if Gil hadn’t been alert and clearly in a terminal condition, if the decision were left to me and to his parents, what would we have done?

And now, as the mother of a thriving six-year-old, a woman who has chosen to be a wife again, and a stepmother, what would I do if it was my little girl, if she seemed to see me, to know my voice, to feel my fingers in her hair?

I actually see great bravery and great love in both sides of the battle. None of Terri’s family has walked away from their responsibility to her. The tragedy is in the vast difference between them, and in the inability to reach Terri herself, to ask her: Do you want to stay?

On this day where Terri Schivao has died let us offer prayers for her and all her family.  May there be reconciliation between those left behind.

Related Post:  Time To Let Terri Schivao Go

Related Post: Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act: One Christian Perspective

Related Post: Governor Jeb Bush, Operation Save America & The Politics of Intimidation

Joseph Santos Lyons stopped by this site the other day to make a comment. You should take a look at his blog. Joseph is the Director of Campus Ministry and Field Organizing for the Unitarian Universalist Association and a seminarian studying at Harvard University. He has an impressive resume of working on important social justice issues in Portland. Check him out.

And while you’re checking out blogs go visit Danny Fisher’s Buddhist blog and read an interview Danny did with Acharya Judith Simmer-Brown, Ph.D., an important figure in American Buddhism. For those of us who do not know much about Buddhism this article provides the reader with some real insight regarding the theological issues involved. Make sure you check both sites out.

The Republican-party aligned Focus on the Family wants their followers to start blogs. An e-mail sent out to supporters today reads:

Want to increase your effectiveness as a public-policy/pop-culture activist?

Author Hugh Hewitt says it's all about the blogosphere…. Hewitt, a nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host who operates one of the Web's most-visited blogs, documents their rise and growing influence in "Blog: Understanding the Information Reformation That's Changing Your World." Part history, part how-to manual, Hewitt's book makes a fascinating case for the power of what those in the know call the "blogosphere," the interconnected network of Internet journals that helped re-elect George W. Bush and send Dan Rather into early partial retirement.

Focus on the Family is a powerful conservative group run by religious right icon James Dobson. Dobson received unflattering press attention earlier this year after asserting that the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants was gay.

"It is a sad day when Focus on the Family, a group claiming to speak for Christians in America, finds reason to celebrate assaults on tolerance in the name of its own version of family values," the Rev. John H. Thomas, the United Church of Christ's general minister and president, told United Church News at the time.

Rejecting tolerance in favor of a right-wing ideological agenda is what Focus on the Family is all about. Over Christmas and while most religious groups were responding to the tsunami crisis Dobson sent out letters to supporters urging the defeat of six democratic senators unless they voted to approve George W. Bush’s appointments to the federal courts. Bush’s appointments have a history of opposing civil rights protections for African-Americans, curtailing health care options for women, and limiting civil liberties in favor of intrusive government powers.

Don’t let these folks rule the internet. If you’re a progressive Christian start your own blog and tell the world that the Jesus who preached the Sermon on the Mount wouldn’t recognize the political activism of Dobson as a faithful response to the will of God.  You can create a free blog here.

Message from Clergy and Laity Network United for Justice

Iraq War and Beyond

       A Community of Conscience is gathering across our country!  In a witness to the nation it will convene at the Riverside Church in New York City, on April 4, 2005. The date reclaims the great antiwar sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence!"

       For too long, attacks on freedom and justice by religious voices from the right have gone effectively unanswered. Greed, fear and imperialism have been endorsed. Beginning now progressive religious communities are organizing.  Their respected leaders are speaking out.  Others are joining in.  Please add your voice!

Service and Rally
April 4, Riverside Church, New York City

       On Monday, April 4, at The Riverside Church in New York City, as the climax of initiatives across the country, an open gathering will come together in a service and rally of public witness. First proposed by Rabbi Arthur Waskow on behalf of Clergy and Laity Network, it has now been embraced by an inclusive body of co-sponsors.   

       Led by interfaith leaders, antiwar and social justice voices, young and old, it will claim for our time the faith and courage voiced in Dr. King's prophetic sermon. It was delivered from the pulpit of Riverside Church on April 4, 1967. Insert "Iraq," change a few words, and his antiwar heritage and social justice commitments speak strikingly to our day. This service marks a new beginning in the public witness of A Community of Conscience, including progressive religious and ethical communities.

April 4, Schedule of Events

       The April 4th event will begin at 7 pm with service in the Church and concludes at 8 pm with a rally in the street and the Break the Silence Bus Tour send off. A press release of the event can be downloaded here.

       Speakers will include Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Senior Minster, Riverside Church; Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families For Peace, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow Push Coalition, Honorable Jane Campbell, Mayor of Cleveland; Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Shalom Center, Sister Joan Chittister, Catholic OSB, Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Secretary General of the World Sikh Council, Imam Feisel Rauf among dozens more from the inclusive religious coalition. A full list of speakers for the event can be downloaded here.

       The Riverside Church is located at 490 Riverside Drive, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City. Driving, bus and subway directions are available on the Riverside Church website.

       In anticipation of April 4 at Riverside, one million committed Americans of conscience are being drawn together to write a Declaration to the Nation. It is made possible through Internet technology.  So, get this Write-In invitation to everyone:

Join a virtual "Write-in Rally"

Send a declaration to the nation against the Iraq War and affirm God's future for us all.

       One million Americans committed to peace and justice will share their ideas, faith and vision online. The write-in uses a friendly new collaborative writing system. You can participate from any Internet computer anywhere. You can focus your passion and concern over the Iraq War, share your insights, and create fresh new ways of speaking for peace and justice in our time, all while participating from your own computer space. You will need to register March 20-27 at www.peacenotpoverty.org. You can also receive further details from that site.

"Break the Silence" Bus Tour

       From Riverside on April 4, the "Break the Silence" Bus Tour kicks off. A national bus tour, it represents taking the peace and justice message back home. It provides a rolling forum for hundreds of thousands of caring Americans who want to speak out against the Iraq War and its conduct, and to speak out as well for economic, civil and social justice in our own land.

       The "Break the Silence" bus tour will leave from New York April 4 and initially visit Philadelphia, Washington. Later is will visit Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. Then it will head south to Memphis, Nashville and Atlanta. It will be stopping for rallies along the way.  Suggestions for route stops are welcome.  To learn more about "Break the Silence" bus rides and how you can make them happen visit drivedemocracy.org.

Public Witness

       Simultaneously CALC-I (Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq) will be launching its prophetic public witness.  Starting on March 20 with a dramatic gathering in New York, it will bring a spiritual voice to condemn the continuing Iraq violence.  CALC-I will be taking peace and social justice teachings to every local faith community where its witness is welcome. It looks ahead to initiating a "sanctuary movement" of pastoral care for those who resist participation in the Iraq War. 

Contribute and Learn More

       To contribute and learn more about this emerging progressive interfaith movement, visit drivedemocracy.org. More information is also available from Clergy and Laity Network (CLN). A schedule of events for CLCI's social justice witness is available here. And for direct information about the Write-In, contact: www.peacenotpoverty.org.

       Co-sponsors include the National Council of Churches, United for Peace and Justice, Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq (CALC-I), Fellowship of Reconciliation, Unitarian Universalist Association, The Shalom Center, Faith Voices for the Common Good, Drive Democracy, Disciples Justice Action Network, Pax Christi USA, Progressive Christians Uniting, Baptist Peace Fellowship,  Christians for Justice Action, Rainbow-PUSH Coalition, World Sikh Council - America Region, Faithful America, True Majority, Tikkun Community, Bruderhof Communities, Protestants for the Common Good, WHALE Center, Call to Action, Church of the Brethren Witness / Washington Office, The Witness Magazine, Global Justice and  Peace Ministry - Riverside Church, Episcopal Divinity School, Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education, Lutheran Human Relations Association, People for Peace and Justice, Gold Star Families for Peace, Peace and Security Project of Iowa, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Mercury Public Media, House of Imagene Shelters, Jewish Voice for Peace, African American Women's Clergy Association, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Disciples Peace Fellowship, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Episcopal Peace Fellowship of East Carolina, Plowshares Institute, The Witherspoon Society, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries, Independent Anglo-Catholic Church of America, OneLife Institute for Spirituality & Social Transformation, American Ethical Union, Dare to Dream Network, Interfaith Alliance, The Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers, South Texas Alliance for Peace and Justice, Word and World, Starr King School for the Ministry, Lexington Diocesan Council for Peace and Justice (Catholic Diocese of Lexington, KY), Peace and Justice Committee of the First Congregational Church of Berkeley, CA, and a growing number of religious and social justice bodies. The Riverside Church is graciously serving as the April 4 host church.  Clergy and Laity Network (CLN), also a co-sponsor, serves as coordinator. A regularly updated word document is also available that contains the growing list of co-sponsors. For links to the co-sponsoring organizations visit http://www.peacenotpoverty.org/.

The South Carolina legislature – a governmental body with a long history of opposing equal rights – is getting read to make another historic mistake. Members of the Circular Congregational Church in Charleston e-mailed me this week with information on an anti-gay marriage state constitutional amendment that has already passed the House and is now being considered in the Senate – without the benefit of public hearings. Circular Congregational Church is an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ and their members have voted as a church to oppose this legislation. A group of Christians and Jews organized by the South Carolina Alliance for Full Acceptance have also issued a statement that reads they “affirm the inherent equality, worth and dignity of South Carolina's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender citizens. Our faith not only permits, but requires that we acknowledge that all people are equal in God's eyes.” Gays and lesbians face an uphill battle in their quest for equality. Let us pray for those willing to oppose discrimination in all forms.

Related Post:  Homosexuality and the Bible

Statement from the National Council of Churches USA

On Monday, an 8.7 magnitude aftershock of the devastating earthquake that triggered the December 26 tsunami killed hundreds of people on Indonesia's Nias Island. NCC's Interfaith Relations Director, Shanta Premawardhana, was in Sri Lanka preparing for the Ecumenical Assembly in Thailand (see story below).  He remarks: "Nias Island is 95% Christian -- mostly Lutheran -- and is very remote. Roads and telephone service are in bad shape. Evacuation and rescue will not be easy."  Tsunami warnings went out all over Asia, but the latest quake apparently did not generate tidal waves endangering the coastline. In the aftermath, however, tens of thousands of people scrambled for higher ground.  Church World Service (CWS) staff reported electricity off in Banda Aceh and frightened people fleeing their homes. CWS Emergency Response Program staff is in contact with personnel throughout the region.

DENVER -- The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday threw out the death penalty in a rape-and-murder case because jurors had studied Bible verses such as "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" during deliberations.

Full story.

This is a court decision that should be praised. Death sentences shouldn’t be determined on the basis of Bible studies conducted by jury members during a trial. People obviously make judgments based on their religious beliefs but it becomes problematic – and clearly unconstitutional – when jurors study the Old Testament instead of the law in a pluralist democracy during a court case. The other problem is that they misread the Bible. Nearly all Christian churches agree the death penalty (a penalty used against Jesus himself) goes against the teachings of Christ.

An eye for an eye? Not according to Jesus:

‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

- Matthew 5:38-41 (NRSV)

Yikes. These jurors should have read a little further before condemning a man to death. The United States Conference of Catholics Bishops has just launched what they call a major campaign to end the death penalty in our country. “We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing. We cannot defend life by taking life,” said Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington. The United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, and most other Protestant denominations also support the abolition of the death penalty. This is an area where Christians who often find themselves in disagreement over social issues (abortion being the big one) often find themselves in agreement. In this case, the courts indirectly affirmed biblical teachings.

This is the sermon that I gave during the Easter sunrise service this morning at St. John United Church of Christ in Manchester, MO.

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” - Matthew 28:1-10 (NRSV)

Celebrations like Easter that take place annually sometimes loose their significance to us.  We become so accustomed to repeating phrases such as “he died and on the third day rose again” that the startling nature of this faith claim can become lost in the repetition of the words.  Easter worship gives us the opportunity to reflect once again on the astounding story of resurrection that put “fear and great joy” into the hearts of the earliest disciples and ultimately brought about a new religion founded on the radical wisdom of Jesus who declared that human institutions built on power and pride were (and are) perversions of God’s will and in opposition to God’s kingdom where the “least of these” always come first.

Our reading from Matthew this morning reminds us of the central role played by women during the time of Jesus’ ministry.  Women were present with Jesus during his life, during the dark moments of crucifixion and death on Good Friday, and in the first moments of new life after the resurrection.  Matthew tells the story of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary being the first to remember Jesus’ predictions of death and resurrection and the first to worship the risen Jesus and the first to be commissioned by him.[1]  Mary and Mary are the two of Jesus’ followers who have the strength of faith not to abandon hope.  When they entered the tomb both these woman walked into a place where others feared to go and then walked out to tell the people the world was forever changed. 

Thomas G. Long, a biblical scholar who has written on Matthew, writes of Mary and Mary that “without even knowing that they had crossed the border, they left the old world, were hope is in constant danger, and might makes right, and peace has little chance, and the rich get richer, and the weak all eventually suffer under some Pontius Pilate or another, and people hatch murderous plots, and dead people stay dead, and they entered the startling and breathtaking world of resurrection and life.”[2]  It is easy to understand the mixed emotions of being both fearful and filled with great joy at a moment such as this.  God had just intervened in human history in an amazing way and turned death – the ultimate reality – into new life. 

The core story of both the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament is that God calls humanity to live purpose filled lives where justice for the oppressed is central to they way we are suppose to live.  Jesus lived in a time with many parallels to the period in which the people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt.  In both the Exodus story and in the Gospel account of Jesus’ life the Jewish people lived under oppressive governments that deny God’s calls for justice.  God is seen in these stories and others throughout the Bible as sending messengers and prophets to act as both guides and God’s partners in liberating God’s people from sin.  God’s call to service produces mixed emotions in those asked to come forward.  Serving God’s purposes may be the right thing to do but it puts you in conflict with human authorities that worship power and wealth – the false idols of every generation – and the work is difficult.  You’ll remember that even Jesus was mocked by his own people and that in the Exodus story even Moses tried to talk his way out of serving God.

That Mary and Mary are chosen to be the first to announce the resurrection speaks both to their strength of faith and to the nature of God.  There was no equal rights movement in ancient Israel.  Women were considered unclean and had no control over affairs of state or even their own homes.  Paul tells us in Galatians 3:28: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  Part of Jesus’ mission was to break down the barriers that divided humanity – and that included gender barriers.  Women were called just as men to serve God’s kingdom.  God calls all of us to be partners in accomplishing God’s mission.  Those who resist, like the Roman guards outside Jesus’ tomb, will simply become like dead men. 

That phrase – becoming like dead men – suggests to me that the guards did not actually die when confronted by the angel.  Can those who deny God’s purposes really be alive in a meaningful sense?  If we spend our days trying to acquire wealth and power while ignoring God’s purposes for us are we really living?  How can you die if you aren’t alive in the first place?  We learned from God on that first Easter morning that new life is always possible.  Let us hope that these guards experienced a moment so profound that they found new life in Christ and abandoned their life of sin in service of oppression. 

The notion of sin is very important on this Christian holiday.  We commonly claim that Jesus died for our sins.  These days when sin is discussed it is normally to point a finger at this individual or that individual for acting in a way that is somehow considered destructive.  There are, however, different ways of defining what is sinful.  Walter Rauschenbusch, a Baptist minister who was a key figure in American Protestant church history,  discerned that there were three different levels of sin: “sensuousness, selfishness, and godlessness, - are ascending and expanding stages (of sin), in which we sin against our higher self, against the good of men, and against the universal good,”[3] he wrote. It was these last two categories of sin that he primarily concerned himself with.  His 1910 book Prayers of the Social Awakening attests to this.  He wrote few prayers about individual sin (sensuousness) but offers a long list of prayers concerning the plight of children, workers rights, and for immigrants.  Issues like alcoholism and other “personal sins” take a back seat to his concerns about social injustice.  Even his one prayer against alcoholism is directed more at those who sell alcohol than those who consume it.  “May those who now entrap the feet of the weak and make their living by the degradation of men, thrust away their shameful gains and stand clear,” Rauschenbusch prays.[4]      

Sin is essentially selfishness.  That definition is more in harmony with the social gospel than with any individualistic type of religion.  The sinful mind, then, is the unsocial and anti-social mind. To find the climax of sin we must not linger over a man who swears, or sneers at religion, or denies the mystery of the trinity, but put our hands on the social groups who have turned the patrimony of a nation into the private property of a small class, or have left the peasant labourers cowed, degraded, demoralized, and without rights in the land.  When we find such in history, or in present-day life, we shall know we have struck real rebellion against God on the higher level of sin.[5]

Rauschenbusch’s definition of sin is important because it shows us that that to be faithful Christians truly concerned with sin we need to stop pointing fingers at others and look at our own institutions to see how we might benefit from sin without even knowing it.  How will we respond to God’s call when we hear it?

Thomas Long looks at the story of resurrection and writes: “The way the world used to be, if something troubling got in the way, like a call for racial justice or a worker for peace or an advocate for mercy, the world could just kill it and it would be done with. But Jesus is alive, and righteousness, mercy, and peace cannot be dismissed with a cross or a sword.  We have to decide where we stand and what we will do in this new and frightening resurrection world.”[6]

This Easter morning we are called once again to consider seriously what our response to God will be.  How will we live in the resurrection world?  Do we stand with Pilate and the oppression of human institutions or do we stand with Jesus?  Do we take the gift of new life offered to us?  Do we have the courage of Mary and Mary?  It is a pretty stark choice.  Part of the words to Geoffrey Studdert-Kennedy’s hymn “Awake, Awake, to Love and Work” provide us with the answer we should give this Easter morning. 

Awake, awake to love and work!

The lark is in the sky;

The fields are wet with diamond dew;

the world awake to cry

their praises to the Fount of Life:

Christ Jesus passes by.

Come, let your voice be one with theirs,

Shout with their shouts of praise;

See how the great sun soars up,

God’s gift for all your days!

So let the love of Jesus come and

Set your soul ablaze.

To give and give and give again,

As God’s own grace is free;

To spend yourself nor count the cost;

To serve most gloriously

The God who gave all worlds that are,

And all that are to be.[7]

Amen. 

Tonight we returned from a one-week visit to South Carolina. Liz and I brought the twins to visit Rock Bright, their great-grandfather, and to see other relatives. My mother (who lives in Puget Island, Washington) and sisters (from Oregon), along with my three nephews in tow, also made the trip. While there we just went from one meal to the next. My cousin Susan had everyone over to her place one night for a huge barbeque feast. There were so many people there introductions had to be made to get all the family relations correct. We spent a great hour that evening just reminiscing about Velma Manley, my late great-grandmother. Velma was something of a living legend. She died after reaching the age of 101 and we all felt cheated there wasn’t more time to be had with her.

A highlight of this trip was the 2-nights we spent in Charleston. Charleston is one of the cities I lived in as a boy. My mother (who attended nurse midwifery school at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston) kept the twins for us and that meant Liz and I had a wonderful day of sight-seeing followed by nine-hours of uninterrupted sleep. Whenever visiting Charleston a special pilgrimage should be made to the Circular Congregational United Church of Christ. This historic church is in the heart of downtown. For over 300 years they have brought a progressive voice to theological debates about the nature of god, slavery, racism, gender identity, and environmental issues. I was able to see the inside of the  sanctuary on this trip and look forward to the day I’m actually in town when they’re holding services. This is one of only two United Church of Christ-related congregations in all of South Carolina. I very much admire their long history of progressive ministry in Charleston. Their members work proactively to support social change efforts in a city filled with great wealth and great poverty.

Liz and I had so much fun just hanging out with all my relatives. Running around with my nephews was a joy. Family pictures will be up on our homepage sometime later next week. In the meantime a couple of tourist notes for those visiting South Carolina:

Four Oaks Farm is always the place we stop off at for food supplies. They have the best country ham and bacon, perseveres, pecans and pies. You can also get some really good grits there – both white and yellow.

The South Carolina State Museum is another real treat. I still remember a display there about a decade ago on WPA-era murals. Right now they have a display on dinosaurs that my nephews loved.

A big group of us when off to the Columbia Zoo for an afternoon. This has always been one of my favorite zoos. You’re right up close to the animals – but still at a safe and respectful distance.

When in Charleston my family eats at only one place: The Trawler in Mt. Pleasant. We’ve been going to this restaurant for their she-crab soup, fried flounder, and hush-puppies for ever. Would you know the place was closed down for renovations this week? Well, it just gives me an excuse to get back their soon.

Almight God,

we ask you to look with mercy on your family

for whom our Savior Jesus Christ was willing

to be betrayed,

to be given over to the hands of sinners,

and to suffer death on the cross;

who now lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Reprinted from the UCC Book of Worship.

The re-release of Mel Gisbon’s interpretative film on the death of Jesus is out in theatres this week. The Passion of the Christ made lots of money for Gibson and his associates but it was a flawed filmed that took the four basic gospel stories and made them into a composite story– and then added extra-Biblical material never heard in the Bible. The Passion story has been used for thousands of years to blame Jews for the death of Jesus and Gibson’s film promoted that anti-Semitic viewpoint. The National Council of Churches USA has information on their web site that will help viewers of the film and churches assess the theological message Gibson has been working to spread. Click here to learn more.

A few days ago this blog registered it’s 200,000 hit. It took a year to register the first 100,000 hits and just five months for the second 100,000 hits to be counted. Thanks to all who visit and contribute.

The decision by the US Supreme Court not to hear the appeal of Terry Schiavo's parents to overrule her wishes not to be kept alive by artifical means- as expressed to her husband and reaffirmed by court after court - is a welcomed one. This is a tragic case that should never have become a political football. But Tom DeLay and George W. Bush - who say they support a culture of life at the same time they work hard to cut health care programs for the poor to pay for tax cuts for the rich - used Ms. Schiavo's case to to pander to their political base. Now we know the Republicans in Congress are willing to interfer in personal medical decisions to score poltical points. You can bet this sorry episode will show up in their fund raising literature as they seek money from the extreme right in American politics for the mid-term elections. Pray for Ms. Schiavo today and her family that they might finally find some measure of peace.

Related Post: Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act: One Christian Perspective

Related Post: Governor Jeb Bush, Operation Save America & The Politics of Intimidation

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A new group of religious young people are working to help make sure that women’s reproductive choices remain safe and legal:

Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom (SYRF) educates, organizes and empowers youth and young adults (ages 16-30) to put their faith into action and advocate for pro-choice social justice.

SYRF is a program of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. SYRF creates venues for youth education and activism, designs youth-specific materials, and builds lasting relationships with youth oriented organizations, campus clergy, and youth programs of our denominations. Since young people lead this program, SYRF lifts up pro-faith youth and young adult perspectives on reproductive choice issues and provides young people with tools and opportunities to advocate for choice on their campuses, high schools, congregations and communities.

Check out their web site. Are you 16-30? Then join up. This is a great new project with tremendous potential for organizing young people in our faith communities to be advocates for choice. If you aren’t in this age group make sure that people you know who fit the bill find out about this site.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Psalm 46: 1-3 NRSV)

The National Council of Churches USA has made available a bulletin insert for churches to use during Good Friday and Easter services that reflects on the 3-month anniversary of the tsunami.  You can download it by clicking here.  The insert updates readers on the recovery effort and gives information on how Christians in the United States can respond to the tragedy.  Help is still need throughout southeast Asia and will be for many years to come. 

Statement from Church World Service

All Faiths Join Together to Persuade the Food Industry to Donate 1% of Proceeds for Food to Eradicate Hunger

NEW YORK — Church World Service announced today a strategic new partnership with WorldManna.org as part of a growing movement to involve the public sector and faith communities in eradicating world hunger. Church World Service (CWS), the ecumenical humanitarian agency representing 36 Christian denominations, joins the UN Foundation, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Beliefnet.com and Hillel, who are working together with WorldManna.org to persuade the food industry to donate 1% of its proceeds to international non-profit organizations that have systemic approaches that will help to reach the UN’s Millennium goal to cut hunger in half by 2015.

Visit WorldManna.org to learn how to get involved.

Despite the advances in all walks of human life, hunger remains among the most devastating and widespread problems facing the world today. More than 840 million people worldwide and 35 million people in the U.S. go to bed hungry each and every night. With foreign aid and current food assistance programs dwindling, ecumenical organizations under the aegis of WorldManna.org are stepping up to the plate to urge those with the ability to purchase and/or produce food to assist those who cannot.

"We are convinced that the public and private sectors together must take proactive steps to eliminate hunger and malnutrition," said Diane Kolb, Executive Director, World Manna.org. "We are very excited about the involvement of Church World Service in our campaign. Through its CROP WALKS, CWS has worked for almost 60 years nationwide to create awareness of hunger and poverty, and to raise funds to provide for those in need both domestically and globally."

Church World Service is the latest of the organizations to become involved in WorldManna.org's growing effort.

CWS Executive Director and CEO the Rev. John L. McCullough, says, "We are pleased to join this growing interfaith movement. By amassing the collective purchasing power of consumers, faith-based organizations are sending a clear message to food manufacturers to compel them to join us in the worldwide effort to alleviate and prevent world hunger."

Featured in the recent production "Hunger No More: Faces Behind the Facts," shown on ABC in the fall of 2004, Rev. McCullough said, "What is it going to take to for American Christians to become so repulsed that they finally demand of themselves and their government that hunger becomes a major public policy issue, and that they demand that the bane of hunger is ended here and now?"

Established in June 2004, WorldManna.org was founded as a multifaith partnership to raise money and awareness for the issue of hunger each time a consumer purchases his or her groceries. Consumers are encouraged to visit the www.worldmanna.org website to sign the pledge indicating how much they spend on groceries each month. In three weeks, nearly 7,000 consumers of different faiths and from all over the world have endorsed WorldManna.org, equaling over $1,150,000 in monthly purchasing power. The average U.S. household of four spends $8,400 annually on food (Economic Research Service, USDA). If 10,000 households sign the pledge, WorldManna.org would have $84,000,000 in purchasing power.

With this collective purchasing power, WorldManna.org aims to persuade food companies to contribute just a small percentage of their profits of a specified product or products to WorldManna.org, which then, in turn, distributes funds to anti-hunger initiatives.

In exchange for this contribution, the company is permitted to put the WorldManna.org seal on its product(s). The seal is a signal for consumers that their purchase of this product is directly fighting world hunger. By joining with WorldManna.org, individuals can therefore leverage their buying power to help society in a positive way.

"We are trying to prove to the food industry that the more loyal customers buy WorldManna.org-certified products, the more money goes toward feeding the hungry and increasing corporate revenue at the same time," added Kolb.

WorldManna.org is partnering with faith-based organizations which encourage their communities to make positive changes in the world; with domestic and international anti-hunger organizations whose goal is to make sure hungry people are fed; with academic and policy making organizations who advocate for the best practices to eradicate hunger; and with governments to legislate and fund initiatives to carry out innovative policies and programs.

WorldManna.org, a program initiated by SocialAction.com, a service of Jewish Family & Life, will provide sustainable resources necessary to implement the programs and policies of leading hunger organizations. The resources will be distributed following guidelines establishes by the WorldManna.org Advisory Board. Seed funding for WorldManna.org was provided by The Nathan Cummings Foundation and The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

Church World Service, founded in 1946, is the relief, development, and refugee assistance ministry of 36 Christian denominations. Working in partnership with local organizations in more than 80 countries, CWS supports sustainable self-help development, meets emergency needs, aids refugees, and helps address the root causes of poverty and powerlessness. 

Christian Peacemakers Team is working with Plowshares Peace Studies Collaborative to host Christian Peacemaker Congress VIII: "Seeking Peace: The Courage to be Nonviolent." The event will be held Sept. 8-11, 2005 in Indianapolis, Indiana and is open to peacemakers from all denominations. Full details are available on their web site. It looks like a tremendous event. Save the dates on your calendar.

By J. Bennett Guess
United Church News Director

March 14, 2005

After only one week of utilizing online blogads (shown at right) to promote the UCC's Stillspeaking Initiative, more than 25,000 internet users have clicked through one of 50 purchased blogads to view the church's online 30-second "bouncer" commercial. Previous story

Meanwhile, according to the web statistics, more than 40 percent of traffic driven to the UCC's stillspeaking.com website has been generated from blog-related activity.

"I'm pleased and honored to be part of a historic blog campaign that began today," wrote David Corne, Washington editor of The Nation, at his blog.

Wrote blogger Nathan Newman, "I don't usually comment on the blogads on my site; they usually speak for themselves, but the United Church of Christ ad just added deserves a special mention, since it's part of a major buy across the blogosphere to do an endrun around the networks which refused to run the ad."

Corne and Newman are some of the major bloggers to post comments about the significance of the UCC's blogad purchase, resulting in 12 blogs asking to run the UCC's blogad without charge. In relationship to the UCC's challenge to the FCC, about 434 additional blogad-inspired persons have filed informal objections through the UCC's accessibleairwaves.org site.

A blog - short for "web log" - is basically an online journal that, typically, is updated daily with chronological postings by the site's author. Many now argue the increasing availability of affordable, easy-to-use blog technology is revolutionizing news reporting because far greater numbers are participating in gathering and sharing information.

The UCC's new blogad utilizes a series of still photos from the denomination's 30-second television commercial - rejected twice as "too controversial" by the major broadcast television networks - to entice blog visitors to "see the ad the networks didn't want you to see."

Some blogger comments:

"Of God and Blogs (Including Mine)"
www.davidcorn.com

"You should definitely check out the UCC ad"
http://unhinderedbytalent.com

"This is, as far as I know, the first time a church has bought blogads"
http://weblog.blogads.com/comments/

Bloggers visiting the UCC's accessibleairwaves site have had plenty to say in response to the Rev. Robert Chase's March 8 posting announcing the blogad buy. Read their comments at accessibleairwaves.org

The United States Senate voted today to endorse drilling in the Alaskan Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - a step sought by George W. Bush but opposed by envirnomental and religious groups.  Three democrats (Akaka, Inouye, and Landrieu) crossed party lines and joined the majority of republicans in supporting the move.  Landrieu is often named as a possible vice-presidential candidate for 2008.  A ticket with her on it would have to work hard to get my vote.  Seven brave republicans broke ranks with the president and their own party and voted against drilling.  One of those brave republicans was Gordon Smith of Oregon.

The National Council of Churches USA released the following statement after the vote:

Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005--We express profound grief at the Senate's decision to include drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as part of the budget resolution. Rather than reduce our consumption of oil and begin to move our nation toward clean energy alternatives, our elected officials are once again charting a course that is both unjust and unsustainable. Sacred scripture teaches us unequivocally that we have a responsibility to care for God's creation and to be good neighbors. As people of faith, we also bear witness to the Biblical mandate to care for the least among us. Drilling for oil in such a fragile place contradicts both of these Scriptural commandments. Our call to protect all of God's creation extends to communities such as the Gwich'in that would suffer the most from this Senate decision. To risk the destruction of both an untouched wilderness and an ancient culture violates all that Western civilization understands as our Christian responsibility to people and planet. We call on the Senate to prevent the passage of any legislation that includes the possibility of drilling in one of the Creator's most precious places.

Related Post:  Preserve the Arctic Refuge

Sojourners is offering another opportunity to you to make your voice heard on the budget debate on going on in Congress.  Here is their message:

As Christians committed to social justice, we believe that budgets are moral documents. Apparently, Congress didn't get the memo.

The House and Senate Budget Committees approved budgets last week that make dramatic cuts to Medicaid, Food Stamps, and countless other low-income programs while extending tax cuts and (unbelievably) proposing new ones for the wealthiest Americans. This week, the budgets will be discussed and voted on by the full House and Senate, with all members of Congress being able to participate.

Your response to our "The Budget is a Moral Document" campaign has been overwhelming. Almost 20,000 of you have sent e-mails to Congress in the past month, and staff on Capitol Hill report they have never seen this much constituent response about the budget. As people of faith, we must now ramp up our efforts and send one clear message to Congress: Don't pass a morally bankrupt budget!

Here are the two most important things you can do.

Step 1

Call your senators and representative now! Sojourners and Call to Renewal have set up a toll-free phone number for you to reach Congress:

(800) 707-1009

This number will connect you to the Capitol switchboard. Ask for your senator or representative by name). Once you're connected, tell them to stand up for your values by:

Voting YES on amendments that restore funding for Medicaid, Food Stamps, Earned Income Tax Credits, Child Care, and other key work-supports for low-income families.

Voting YES on amendments that repeal tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

Voting NO on any budget that goes against biblical and moral principles by fattening the rich at the expense of the poor.

Some tips about how to make a successful call!

Introduce yourself as a constituent and as a person of faith.  Say what city or town you're from.  Remember: They are your public servants.

Make your request. Remember that you are asking them do something specific (voting yes or no on various proposals), and try to keep calls under two or three minutes.

Make it personal. Explain quickly how this budget will affect you, your friends, or your city/state.

Be polite. Remember, the people answering the phone will get plenty of these calls today, and it's their job to report to their boss what you tell them. Make sure to say "thank you" at the end of the call.

Repeat two times. Please call both your senators and your representative(s). Don't disregard an elected official because you think s/he is too liberal or conservative. Everyone needs to hear this message.

Don't give up. Having trouble getting through? Call your senators and representatives' offices directly (Look up your senators here and your representatives here).

Don't be discouraged if you can't get through on the first try - busy signals mean others are being heard and you are making a difference!

Step 2

Send a letter to your member of Congress.  Click here to do it.

Related Post:  Would Jesus Pass Tax Cuts For The Rich And Leave The Least Of These Behind?

My Eden colleague Willie Deuel (that's The Rev. Willie Deuel to you) has a blog.  Deuel's United Methodist Church will never be the same.     

Message from the National Council of Churches USA

The National Council of Churches USA will sponsor a benefit evening concert with legendary folk-singers Judy Collins, Noel (Paul) Stookey and Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary on Tuesday, April 12th at 7:00 pm at the Anheuser Busch Performance Hall at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, University of Missouri in St. Louis, MO. The concert will benefit the survivors of the recent Tsunami disaster. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.touhill.org or at the ticket office at 314-516-4949; toll free at 866-516-4949. Tickets for admittance to an after concert “Meet and Greet” and a later “Dinner with the Performers” can be purchased over the phone.

“The media blitz is over, but the pain of thousands of tsunami survivors goes on,” said the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, the concert’s sponsor. “We are working to foster Americans’ long-term engagement with Asians in rebuilding their communities.” “This is a very important national call to action and an alert to our country about the necessity of continuing our efforts to alleviate the terrible, ongoing plight of the tsunami survivor,” said Peter Yarrow.

Full details about the concert and a national online giving campaign can be found at http://concert.theeffortcontinues.org where Mr. Yarrow narrates a personal invitation. The event is being produced by St. Louis-based Webinar Resources. “This is a grass roots effort that began in the heartland of St. Louis and now has grown to be a national campaign to address the continuing needs of the tsunami survivors,” says Mark Rice, Managing Director of Webinar Resources.

The Council’s Interfaith Relations Director, the Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana, and Vince Isner, Director of FaithfulAmerica.org, the NCC’s online advocacy organization traveled to Sri Lanka and Indonesia Jan. 7-19. They toured areas hard-hit by the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami and their chronicled journey can be seen at http://www.faithfulamerica.blogspot.com.

At the concert, Dr. Edgar and Dr. Premawardhana will have just returned from a pan-Asian ecumenical meeting and recent visits to tsunami-affected areas. Fresh from those experiences, Dr. Edgar will be present to host the April 12th concert.

Ticket Office hours are Monday-Friday 10am - 6pm. Proceeds from the April 12th concert will be shared among several humanitarian organizations from multi-faith communities active in post-tsunami response

About the National Council of Churches USA: The NCC’s 36 mainline Protestant, Orthodox, Episcopal, African American and Living Peace member churches – which in turn count 45 million members in more than 100,000 local congregations nationwide – work collaboratively against poverty and for peace, human rights and good environmental stewardship. The Council’s program commissions direct work in the areas of Communication, Education and Leadership, Faith and Order, Interfaith Relations, and Justice and Advocacy. The NCC was founded in 1950. For more information, call 212-870-2227 or visit http://www.ncccusa.org.

About Webinar Resources: Webinar Resources provides affordable, customer acquisition solutions that include on-demand rich media presentations, planning and production of live events and Web seminars (Webinars), online registration services and rich media marketing communications. Webinar Resources offers customers professional managed services while minimizing the time, effort and expense invested in producing online and on-demand communications and events. For more information, call (866) 470-5849 or visit http://www.webinarresources.com

The US House and Senate are considering federal budget plans right in line with the president’s budget goals: more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans paid for with cutbacks in children’s anti-poverty programs and health care. Mainline church leaders have characterized the president’s budget proposals as immoral. The National Council of Churches USA released a statement on the budget that reads in part:

Speaking as God’s messenger, the prophet Amos offered these words to the people because of their misplaced focus, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24).” To be true to our values as a nation, we strongly urge Congress to reverse the destructive course our nation is on and reject the Bush Administration’s budget. The FY2006 budget should be funded by scaling back tax relief for the wealthy, closing corporate tax loopholes, and holding military and war spending in check. We call on Congress to draft and approve a budget and policies that will provide the poor, families, and communities with the tools to meet basic needs such as access to nutritious food and quality child-care, accessible and affordable housing, comprehensive and affordable health care, high quality education at every stage of life, a fair and just tax system, job creation and a livable income to sustain their future.

Sadly, Congress seems to be moving in the opposite direction from what Christian leaders have been asking. The president and his allies seem intent on passing those tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of those who are middle class and those living in poverty. As always, this president also finds plenty of money to conduct war. The “least of these” are left out on their own. What does it say about our own commitment to God if we allow that to happen?

The United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries is urging people again to contact their Congressional representatives this week:

Religious advocates generated about 8,000 phone calls and tens of thousands of emails last Wednesday to Congress on the Federal Budget. We are hearing from our friends in Congress that they have never had so many calls and emails on the federal budget, and that it is beginning to have an impact.

Also last week, the House and Senate Budget Committees approved budget resolutions for fiscal year 2006 that included deep cuts to Medicaid, Food Stamps, child care, housing, education, Head Start, work-force training, community development, veterans' benefits, and many other important programs. These cuts could total up to $283 billion over five years if they are not stopped by advocates like you.

Inexcusably, the Senate budget also includes $70 billion in new tax cuts and the House has added $106 billion in new tax cuts that would go to people earning over $200,000 per year.

On Tuesday March 15th and Wednesday March 16th CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS again, and let them know that you think this budget is unjust. Congress will be debating the budget this week.

Toll-Free Number: 1-800-247-2971

For more background on the budget, download a new Justice and Witness Ministries resource entitled Faith Reflections on the President's Proposed Budget, FY 2006 at: http://www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=6223&l=82826

Take action now and remind candidates who campaigned on moral values that it counts with Christians how you treat a sick child, a woman fleeing from domestic violence, or a homeless family sleeping outdoors during the winter months. How we treat these people – God’s own children – says a lot about who we are.

³⁵for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ³⁸And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? ³⁹And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” ⁴⁰And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,^* you did it to me.” 

- Matthew 25.35-45 (NRSV)

Does the American Right = The Taliban?

The US Senate passed new bankruptcy legislation this week designed to protect credit card companies at the expense of middle class and low-income consumers (in debt in part because of credit card companies that prey on people in precarious financial situations). 18 democrats voted for the bill. At least two of those, Joe Biden and Evan Bayh, are seriously considering runs for president in 2008. I volunteered on Biden’s failed ’88 campaign (which he quit after allegations of plagiarism crippled his effort) but I can’t imagine supporting him or Bayh. Democratic leader Harry Reid also voted for the bill. Putting credit card companies before the interests of the people is a gross betrayal of the people. The US House will soon consider the legislation. Click here to send a letter to your member of the House telling them to oppose the bill.

Related Post:  Religious Ethics Clash With Loan Practices

The New York Times is reporting in an extensive article that the Bush Administration has attempted to manipulate the media in unprecedented ways:

Under the Bush administration, the federal government has aggressively used a well-established tool of public relations: the prepackaged, ready-to-serve news report that major corporations have long distributed to TV stations to pitch everything from headache remedies to auto insurance. In all, at least 20 federal agencies, including the Defense Department and the Census Bureau, have made and distributed hundreds of television news segments in the past four years, records and interviews show. Many were subsequently broadcast on local stations across the country without any acknowledgement of the government's role in their production.

This winter, Washington has been roiled by revelations that a handful of columnists wrote in support of administration policies without disclosing they had accepted payments from the government. But the administration's efforts to generate positive news coverage have been considerably more pervasive than previously known. At the same time, records and interviews suggest widespread complicity or negligence by television stations, given industry ethics standards that discourage the broadcast of prepackaged news segments from any outside group without revealing the source.

It is clear that an independent counsel is required to investigate this White House and their role in pushing propaganda as news to the American public.

Related Post: White House Appears To Have Connection With Gay Porn Operator

Related Post: Bush Creates Fake News For TV

Debate on how we act as stewards of the environment continues in our nation’s capital. The Bush administration has sided with polluters and profiteers over biblical mandates for the protection of creation. All the evidence suggests that care for creation doesn’t count as a moral value for this president or his allies on Capitol Hill. The United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries reports on their latest assault:

The biblical call to be stewards of God's creation has led people of many faith traditions to oppose opening the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil or gas exploration. This is a national treasure, an ecosystem virtually in its original form. It is currently under threat by a backdoor proposal in the Senate to include a drilling proposal in the budget process and thus avoid a full debate. Let your senators know that you oppose opening ANWR to drilling and development, and further oppose any attempt to slip major policy decisions past the American public.

Click here to send a message to your Congressional representatives asking them to do their part to protect the environment.

Religious leaders – including prominent evangelical Christians – are speaking out on the need for protecting the environment.  The New York Times quotes The Reverend Rich Cizik, vice president of governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals, as saying recently, "I don't think God is going to ask us how he created the earth, but he will ask us what we did with what he created." Over 1,000 mainline religious leaders recently released a statement stating that: “To continue to walk the current path of ecological destruction is not only folly; it is sin.” You cannot find a clearer example of sin than the Republican effort to destroy the environmental health of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Related Post:  Defend God's Creation This November

Last week the United Church of Christ announced that the denomination would start advertising on blogs to help get the church's "God Is Still Speaking" message out to the public.  The UCC's Bob Chase reports below that blogs are even offering to run the ad for free and now there is an easy way to download the code for your web site or blog:

Bloggers Come Through Again
Posted by Rev. Robert Chase, 3/11/2005 09:13:00 AM

While the UCC has received some great feedback throughout the blogoshere for our blogad campaign, such as comments on oliverwillis.com, Henry at Blogads and a great post by David Corn, I have been particularly moved by the bloggers that came knocking on our door asking to run the ad for free on their websites.

The first the requests came from bloggers within the UCC family, including Chuck Currie, a UCC Seminarian who blogs at http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie and Pastordan a UCC minister who blogs at http://www.faithforward.blogspot.com.

At the urging of these bloggers and Roger Harkness who posted a comment that he would like to post it to his blog at http://okcitykid.bravejournal.com we went ahead and created a page for bloggers to copy the code and add the blog to their sites.

Since then we have seen the ad starting to appear throughout the blogosphere from blogs such as http://www.squirrelly.org , http://hereatmydesk.blogspot.com, http://bloohoo.blogspot.com and http://spronk.blogspot.com.

Thank you, thank you and thank you. It is exciting to be a part of what David Corn calls this "historic blog campaign." Those who seek to control the airwaves have a whole new force to contend with! And, as the saying goes, "may the force be with you."


Blessings,

Bob
The Rev. Robert Chase
Director of Communication
United Church of Christ

ps - To add the ad to your own site visit http://www.accessibleairwaves.org/blogad.html

The government of Iran recently sentenced a blogger to 14 years in prison for expressing his views on political issues on the web, according to Human Rights Watch. “The Iranian government is sending a message to its critics: keep silent or face years in prison,” said Widney Brown, deputy program director of Human Rights Watch. Click here to read the full story.

GE recently announced it would quit doing business in Iran. Quit? Isn’t it illegal for US businesses to be operating there? “American companies are forbidden by law from doing business in Iran, but many have gotten around the law by working through foreign subsidiaries,” reports NPR. Listen to the story.

Blog fans don’t forget that this is a reader supported site. Gifts can be made to help defray costs associated with the blog and more importantly to help fund my seminary education. Click here to make a gift.

Critical bi-partisan legislation has been introduced to cancel debt owed by impoverished nations to wealthy ones. The biblical concepts behind debt relief made up the theme for a sermon I delivered in January. Jubilee USA reports on the Congressional bill:

Summary of JUBILEE Act: Representatives Waters (D-CA), Leach (R-IA), Frank (D-MA), Bachus (R-AL), Lee (D-CA), and Maloney (D-NY) re-introduced the JUBILEE Act (H.R. 1130) on March 3. The JUBILEE Act is groundbreaking legislation that would require the U.S. Treasury Department to work in appropriate multilateral settings to achieve 100 percent cancellation of the debts of 50 nations by international financial institutions. Debt cancellation will free up desperately needed resources for impoverished nations to fight HIV/AIDS, fund education, and provide clean water. The bill urges that the debt cancellation be paid for from the international financial institutions’ own resources and that it come without harmful conditionality attached.

You can more about the legislation by clicking here. You’ll find information here for contacting you Congressional representatives and for building religious coalitions in your area in support of the Jubilee Act.  It is hopefull that Republicans and Democrats have teamed up to sponsor this bill. 

Related Post: "G-7 Agreement on Need for 100% Cancellation Encouraging, but Plan Must Come without Harmful Conditions, Apply to All Impoverished Nations"

Statement from the National Council of Churches USA

Five major U.S. denominations Tuesday joined their voices to declare that the fiscal year 2006 budget proposed by the Bush Administration is unjust. All five are National Council of Churches USA members, and the NCC joined them at a news conference here to say, "For the most part this is a budget that ignores the needs of the poor, children and the elderly." The Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church are part of a broader faith community effort to shape a federal budget that gives priority to the moral value of caring for society's most weak and vulnerable members. Other initiatives are underway by FaithfulAmerica.org, the 'Let Justice Roll' project, and NCC and the Interfaith Alliance. Read more.

Related Post:  Christian Group Raps Bush On Hunger Budget

Related Post: Christian Leaders: Bush Budget Lacks Moral Vision

Related Link:  Sign FaithfulAmerica.org Petition on the Budget

Breaking News

It was announced a short time ago that a 4-year boycott of Taco Bell will end after Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, met the demands of farm workers in Florida that had asked for the boycott after enduring years of exploitative labor conditions.  The farm workers have been on a national bus tour this past week to draw additional attention to their cause.  The boycott had the support of the National Council of Churches USA, the United Church of Christ, and several other mainline Christian groups.  This is a tremendous victory for farm workers across America.  United Church News has the full story: 

A four-year consumer boycott of Taco Bell restaurants ended today (March 8) with an announcement that the restaurant's parent company, Yum Brands, based in Louisville, Ky., would take significant steps to improve income and working conditions for those who pick tomatoes used by the fast food
giant.

The Florida-based Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) - the farm worker organization that mounted and organized the successful boycott - announced the victorious conclusion at a 3 p.m. (ET) press conference.

According to CIW, Taco Bell has agreed to a "groundbreaking agreement" in which the company will pay "the penny-per-pound surcharge demanded by workers and will work with CIW to raise farm labor standards in the supply chain and across the industry as a whole."

Edith Rasell, the UCC's minister for labor relations and community economic development, hailed the news as "an important victory after a long, four-year struggle."

"We can be proud that the UCC was the first national denomination to endorse the boycott, and that many UCC congregations all over the country worked and prayed in support of this struggle for justice," Rasell said.

In July 2001, just three months after the boycott's launch, the UCC's General Synod, meeting in Kansas City, Mo., became the first denominational body to endorse the farm workers' campaign against Taco Bell. In subsequent years, the UCC was joined by several religious groups including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the United Methodist Church and the National Council of Churches.

"We can also learn some important lessons," Rasell said, noting that, in addition to Taco Bell, Yum Brands also owns Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, A&W and Long John Silvers. "It is a multi-billion dollar, multinational firm. It is the largest fast-good company in the world."

"The vision of farm workers confronting Yum is a bit like David confronting Goliath," she said. "But the success of this struggle illustrates that when committed, faithful people come together to work for justice, even in the face of powerful opposition, there may be nothing we cannot achieve. Our God of justice is a powerful God. Another world is possible."

The boycott was launched in April 2001, Rasell said, because Florida's tomato pickers are paid just one-third of what they received 25 years ago and "face harsh conditions and indignities in the fields."

However, in a statement from CIW, the farm worker organization now referred to Taco Bell as setting "a new standard of social responsibility for the fast-food industry."

Emil Brolick, Taco Bell president, said, "We recognize that Florida tomato workers do not enjoy the same rights and conditions as employees in other industries, and there is a need for reform."

"With this agreement, we will be the first in our industry to directly help improve farmworkers' wages," Brolick said. "And we pledge to make this commitment real by buying only from Florida growers who pass this penny-per-pound payment entirely on to the farmworkers, and by working jointly with the CIW and our suppliers to monitor the pass-through for compliance."

The Taco Bell celebration comes only six months after another successful, hard-fought victory for farm workers.

In September 2004, a five-year boycott of the Mt. Olive Pickle Company in North Carolina, initiated by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), ended successfully with the signing of a union contract. The signing of that agreement took place at Community UCC in Raleigh, N.C., in recognition of the UCC's longstanding support of justice for farm workers.

Visit the CIW web site for more news about this important victory.

The president has nominated John Bolton to be the new ambassador to the United Nations. American Progress reports the nominee has a long history of, well, hating the body he is being asking to represent the US at:

Bolton has harshly disparaged the United Nations in the past. In 1994, for example, he charged, "There's no such thing as the United Nations," saying that ‘'If the U.N. secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference.'' Four years later, he attacked the international body again, saying, "many Republicans in Congress - and perhaps a majority - not only do not care about losing the General Assembly vote but actually see it as a ‘make my day' outcome. Indeed, once the vote is lost, and the adverse consequences predicted by the U.N.'s supporters begin to occur, this will simply provide further evidence to many why nothing more should be paid to the U.N. system."

There is broad support for the United Nations among mainline Christians. We see the international body as a critical forum for resolving international conflicts. The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, recently said:

The National Council of Churches USA joins people of goodwill throughout the world in celebrating the promise of the United Nations and affirming the goals of peace and justice the U.N. embodies .

Our faith calls us to community with all people and nations. That requires much dialogue, respect for others, and the courage to listen, learn and overcome prejudice. Such community also requires shared commitments and agreed-upon rules of behavior as expressed in international law and practiced within institutions such as the U.N.

While reform of the U.N. may be needed – and is proceeding – we must remember that reform is meant to help the U.N. become even more effective in addressing the needs of the people of the world. At a time when our nation and world are yearning for peace and reconciliation, we urge you to voice your support for the U.N. and the multi-lateral cooperation it represents.

Bolton's nomination has drawn immediate fire from supporters of the UN. Inter-Press Service reports:

”This is like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse,” said Heather Hamilton, vice president of programmes for Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS), formerly the World Federalist Association, who called Bolton the ”Armageddon nominee”.

The Armageddon allusion was to Bolton's long-time loyalty to former ultra-right Sen. Jesse Helms who, on retiring from public life, described Bolton as ”the kind of man with whom I would want to stand at Armageddon, if it should be my lot to be on hand for what is forecast to be the final battle between good and evil in this world.”

”His nomination sends the exactly the wrong message to the world about the Bush administration's willingness to work with other countries and in multilateral institutions. There's no one who has a greater track record of offending other countries, including our closest allies,” she said.

The United States Senate should immediately reject the nomination of Mr. Bolton. This should be a bi-partisan rejection.

For those looking for updated information on the UN visit the new blog http://undispatch.com – sponsored by the United Nations Foundation.

Action Alert from the United Church of Christ

The Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, S 368/HR 768, was introduced in Congress in February to address the unbalanced and misleading approach to sexuality education currently being taken by the Bush Administration. Since 1996, tax dollars have been used to fund "abstinence-only-until-marriage" sexuality programs. In his 2006 budget, the President has requested $206 million for narrowly-focused, often medically inaccurate programs.

Many of the current, federally-funded programs contain errors, distortions and stereotypes. The programs are prohibited from discussing contraceptives unless they are portrayed as ineffective. The programs may not talk about reproductive choice or sexual orientation.

The REAL Act would allow states and local communities to choose what type of sexuality education they want to provide. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows that 93 percent of Americans support teaching comprehensive sexuality education in high schools, and 83 percent of Americans support teaching comprehensive sexuality education in middle/junior high schools.

Information is power. Education makes for better choices. There are resources that provide responsible, comprehensive, age-appropriate, accurate and value-based human sexuality education. The Our Whole Lives curriculum, published by the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association, is widely regarded as one of the best age-span resources available. Through such resources, children and youth are provided with information grounded in the values of self-worth, responsibility, sexual health, justice and inclusivity. This information can help save lives.

Sex is everywhere - our children and youth see it on TV, on the Internet, in magazines and in music. Parents and caregivers are asking for help in teaching about our precious gift of human sexuality, and most do not want sexuality education based on fear, shame and misinformation.

Contact your members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the REAL Act, if they have not yet done so. To send a fax or e-mail message, click http://www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=6223&l=81636

To find out about Our Whole Lives training sessions, go to http://www.ucctakeaction.org/ctt.asp?u=6223&l=81635.

Related Post:  The Responsible Education About Life Act: Helping Kids Make Educated Decisions About Sex

Every-once and awhile I search through sites that are linking to my blog. Political conservatives largely rule the internet and the same is true for conservative evangelicals on the web. That means a lot of the feedback I receive is more on the negative side.

The site Scattered Words has been upset over my views on homosexuality.

Chuck says Jesus taught tolerance, then references Matthew 22:36-40. That passage is a well-known one to most evanglicals:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

I can't find the word tolerance in there. I can't find it in the greek either (I checked in case this passage was loosely translated).

Lets put it this way. Say I have a son. I find out my son has a malignant cancer growing in his body. I find a doctor who can treat him, first with surgery, then radiation, then chemotherapy. The treatments are rough. They involve cutting him open, barraging his body with toxins -- just to get rid of something that eventually will overtake him and kill him. He gets sick, he can barely get out of bed. His hair falls out. The treatments I've chosen for my son have ravaged him -- it doesn't mean I don't love him.

It means that I really did love him -- I just wouldn't tolerate something being inside him that was going to eat away at him until there was nothing left. I did whatever I could to save him, even if it meant causing him some temporary pain and discomfort.

Comparing homosexuality to a disease ignores modern science and offers us a pre-modern view of human society. The writer is within her rights to take such a position. Her church is even free to treat gay and lesbians as sinners. However, a solid case can be made that she misinterprets the teachings of Jesus. That becomes problematic when voters endorse ballot measures taking rights away from gays and believe it is the Christian position to do so. The same theology that was used to defend slavery is used today to defend the subjugation of gays and lesbians.

Several conservative Roman Catholics took umbrage over recent posts taking the Vatican to task for their positions on abortion and homosexuality. SoDakMonk – a Catholic blogger – had this to say:

There are anti-Catholic extremists both on the right, e.g. Jack Chick & his comic tracts, and on the left, e.g. this "Chuck Currie" persona. Don't waste your time arguing with them. I did do a quick scan of this UCC seminarian's blog, enough to make the following observations.

1) What Mr. Currie says about the Catholic Church is technically true. The Church is a large, inclusive organization, with over 60 million members in the US alone. Not to mention all the other nations and cultures around the world. There is room for people of different political views, as long as those views do not intrinsically conflict with Catholic doctrine. This makes the Catholic Church much different from the UCC, a former Protestant church that has now lapsed into politically correct irrelevancy. People of traditional views are not welcome in such a church.

2) If people of liberal politics are also committed to the sanctity of human life on issues like abortion and euthanasia, they are more than welcome in the Church. In fact they are needed, because Democrats should hear the Good News too. But, there are some who have compromised their faith for their political views, or just see the church as an organization they can use to spread their own views. These are the type that would be better off leaving the Church. Sometimes they choose to do just that. In rare cases, the Church will formally excommunicate them. But the Church is slow to give up on anyone, because we know people can change.

3) We can all take comfort in the fact that someone like this Chuck Currie would never pass the screening process to be a Catholic seminarian. Can you say, "Unresolved issues with male authority figures"?

The response wasn’t surprising. After all, the radical Catholic League sent out a press release last summer claiming that my blog was anti-Catholic. All the notes from Catholics defending my posts were very heartening. We need to remember – even when we face difficult issues – that it is best to treat people with respect and dignity.

When is a blog a blog? That is a technical answer that I cannot provide. But the folks at the conservative anti-UCC site UCCtruths know a blog when they see one and mine doesn’t fit their criteria:

UCC seminarian Chuck Currie has a blog... but he doesn't quite get it either. Instead of making good use of excerpts of newsworthy information and applying his own context to it, he habitually posts whole press releases and statements. Some of the information is interesting and thought provoking - if you don't fall asleep trying to read it all. Oh... and don't think about disagreeing with Chuck or challenging his facts and expect the posted comments to last more than an hour. One of the great thing about blogs - and the internet as a whole - is the ability to interact collectively. When you restrict comments in blogs to just those comments that are supportive, it loses credibility, fast. Chuck doesn't get it.

My policy, by the way, is only to ban people from commenting that are making comments meant to simply offend others – or that are personal attacks.  It appears the policy of the UCCtruths folks is to make personal attacks against UCC leaders while pushing a conservative social agenda.  Their message board is filled with talk this week about teaming up with the group Biblical Witness to pass conservative resolutions at the UCC's General Synod.  Though to be honest the content is less political and more personal.  You get the feeling they really hate anything that has to do with the UCC. 

One of the blogs that has routinely attacked my site has vanished. Ecumenical Insanity was written by conservative North Carolina pastor who hoped to keep his identity secret. His site was used as a tool for spreading false information about the National Council of Church USA and the United Church of Christ. I posted his identity and church affiliation on this site several weeks ago. Now his site has been taken down. The issue begs a larger question: should people blogging on the internet be allowed to hide their identity while making political statements and sometimes personal attacks? How do you hold them accountable for their actions if they hide behind a mask? My position is that if you’re going to take political and social stands – and do so from a Christian perspective – you have no business trying to conceal your identity. You ought to be able to know the context in which attacks are being made against you.

My friend Scott Elliott is also a seminarian-in-care of the Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ and studies with me at Eden Theological Seminary. That makes us the only Oregonians on campus. Scott delivered a great sermon today at his field placement site on Matthew 5:43-48. Part of the sermon dealt with the critical issue of inclusiveness that is such an important theological concept in the United Church of Christ:

The idea of an inclusive table, of all people being God’s people, was radical in the Greco-Roman culture that Jesus lived in where meals were meant to be a time and place where, well, everyone knew and took his and her place. Discrimination on the basis of wealth, ethnicity, gender, race, disabilities, social standing and enemies was the norm.

The idea of an inclusive table, of all people being God’s people, is just as radical today where such discriminations continue.

Of course, Jesus’ inclusive table means more that just letting folks we loath in for a meal, it means to love all people simply because, whether yellow, black or white, they are precious in God’s sight. In other words, Jesus does not make social distinctions and discriminations about who he is present with, or who he loves.

Click here to download and read Scott’s entire sermon. Good stuff.

Another sermon I came across today was preached by The Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Samuel, pastor of Victory for the World Church (United Church of Christ) in Stone Mountain, GA. Dr. Samuel preached on Matthew 18:10-14 in a sermon that was broadcast on Day 1.

Day 1 is the voice of the Protestant church, presenting outstanding preachers from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Episcopal Media Center, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, and other Protestant denominations. Our website features an extensive collection of lectionary-based sermons in text and audio, and other helpful information for lay persons and pastors alike.

Dr. Samuel is pastor of one of the largest congregations related to the United Church of Christ. He preached today on some of the same themes that Scott lifted up:

My brothers and sisters, so much of the world's attention and resources are focused upon those who are considered to be the best and the brightest among us. The dominant cultural mindset of today says that everyone ought to be able to keep up; and if someone falls behind, it is because they have failed to take proper responsibility for themselves. Those left behind should have tried more strenuously, prayed more earnestly, studied more diligently, worked more consistently, and perhaps even lived more righteously. The present and the future belong to the victors, not the victims.

This is the current mindset of our contemporary culture, and this is the reason why the nation's resources and the tension have shifted away from the needs of the marginalized and is now almost exclusively focused upon the priorities and interests of the majority. But, thank God that the kingdom of Jesus Christ does not conform to the cultural and political mindset of America. Instead of an exclusive focus on the priorities and privileges of the majority, Jesus shifts our attention to the care and concern of the minorities and the marginalized rather than keeping pace exclusively with those who are living large and doing well. Jesus in the text focuses our attention upon those who have been left back, left out, and left behind.

You can listen to the audio of Dr. Samuel’s sermon by clicking here or read the text here. Day 1 is an excellent resource. They let listeners hear some of the most effective preachers in America share the word of God. Listen in.  Don't be surprised if you hear Scott Elliott on their program before long.

The US Supreme Court recently decided to review a Bush Administration challenge to Oregon’s death with dignity act. The law was approved by voters in 1994 and reaffirmed by an even larger majority in a subsequent election. Both times I voted for the bill. The law is designed to help those who are terminally-ill end their life through medical intervention after a process of discernment involving the patient and medical professionals. Research has shown that the law is evoked infrequently and by those suffering from a great deal of pain and suffering.

In 1991, the United Church of Christ 18th General Synod passed a resolution entitled "The Rights and Responsibilities of Christians Regarding Human Death." An excerpt from the resolution states "the Eighteenth General Synod supports the rights of individuals, their designees and their families to make decisions regarding human death and dying...."

Religious support for the law is limited. The United Church of Christ is one of the only religious bodies to affirm the right of people to make end of life decisions. That is unfortunate. Sometimes the only path to healing is through death – and Christians make the faith claim that death is in reality only an illusion. Allowing individuals to make their own decision is the most humane path available to us in an era where our tendency is to try and keep people alive no matter the circumstances. Sometimes people are kept alive in terrible pain and without hope of relief (I’ve witnessed this firsthand). Pain medicines do not help everyone and that means people often linger in agony. That is who this law was meant to help.

There are many safeguards built into Oregon’s law to keep people from making rash decisions. People with terminal-illnesses obviously took their lives before the law was passed. Voters responded to that reality when endorsing the act. Oregonians now have a humane alternative available to them. Sadly, George W. Bush wants to take away that alternative.

This is one of those issues where Christians can have honest disagreements. But why allow the courts or the Bush Administration to interfere with such a personal decision? Why not let the decision rest with the one suffering? Overturning the law will not stop people from taking their own lives. It will only take away the one alternative they have. Oregonians debated the issue – twice – and came to a moral conclusion - one consistent with Christian ethics. I hope the law will stand the administration’s challenge.

If you're in St. Louis and looking for a good experience in theological education consider attending the Brueggemann and Kulenkamp Lecture Series at Eden Theological Seminary on March 29-30. Dr. Mary Ann Tolbert, George H. Atkinson Professor of Biblical Studies and Executive Director of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry at Pacific School of Religion, will present alongside Dr. Andrew Lester, Professor of Pastoral Theology and Pastoral Counseling at Brite Divinity School. Registration is required.

Five members of the pacifist Catholic Worker Movement in Ireland are set to go on trial this week for disarming a US war plane in February 2003. The plane was involved in hostile activities in Iraq. “The peace activists poured human blood on the runway that has been servicing U.S. military flights, troop and munition deployments to U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Qatar,” a statement on their site WarOnTrial.com reads. “They constructed a shrine on the runway to Iraqi children killed and threatened by U.S./British bombardment and sanctions. The shrine consisted of copies of the Bible and Quran, rosary and muslim prayer beads, flowers, photographs of Iraqi children and Brigid's crosses. They then began to take up the runway, working on its edge with a mallet.” The group has drawn support from Roman Catholic activist and American actor Martin Sheen and South African Anglican Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu. Ongoing protests where the five committed their act of civil disobedience resulted in three of four companies contracting with the US military to ferry soldiers and weapons to Iraq to leave Ireland and relocate operations. The five activists have been nicknamed the “Pitstop Ploughshares.” They face jail time for their acts of religious faithfulness.  Most Christian groups - including the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches - opposed the invasion of Iraq.

The United Church of Christ has just produced a documentary that is sure to offer hope in the GLBT community and consternation among some conservatives.  United Church News reports:

The intentionally-inclusive United Church of Christ is not only the first mainline Christian denomination to ordain an openly transgender minister, but the 1.3-million-member church has produced a feature-length documentary film to tell the remarkable story of one transgender minister’s journey of faith.

"Call Me Malcolm," co-produced by the UCC and Filmworks, Inc., debuted at the Riverside (Calif.) International Film Festival on Feb. 26 and will have its second premiere at the Cleveland International Film Festival, March 14-15. Several events are planned in association with the viewing in Cleveland, where the UCC’s national offices are located.

The 90-minute film tells the story of the Rev. Malcolm E. Himschoot, then a UCC seminary student, who poignantly explores his struggles with faith, love and gender identity.

“‘Call Me Malcolm’ is part of the United Church of Christ’s effort to provide resources for churches and other organizations to explore and nurture God’s extravagant welcome that includes lesbian, gay bisexual and trangender persons,” said the Rev. Michael D. Schuenemeyer, the UCC’s minister for LGBT concerns.

Click here for the full story.

Christians have historically attempted to deny privilege of call to all but males. Even today women are excluded from ordained ministry in some denominations. The UCC – a far from perfect place – is right to always be looking for how we might better understand human sexuality and human potential for service in the name of God. Not all people in the UCC would be comfortable having a transgendered minister, but not all people were comfortable when the UCC’s forebears became the first Protestant denomination to ordain an African American in the United States back in 1785 or the first woman clergy person in 1853. We have a lot of “firsts” in our history that are faithful attempts to answer God’s call. Part of being faithful disciples is challenging societal norms that oppress rather than liberate.

If you want to read more on how difficult it is to be even a woman minister check out this article from the Union Democrat and read the life story of The Rev. Margaret Self, a UCC clergy person.

Christian communities have been doing their level best to assist in the recovery efforts still underway in the nations impacted by the tsunami. But what is the best way to provide relief? Some groups have been accused of using the tragedy as an opportunity for proselytizing. The National Council of Churches has a new guidebook published on their web site that offers best practices for churches hoping to help out. The need for assistance is obvious. The guidebook was written by The Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana, Associate General Secretary for Interfaith Relations, National Council of Churches USA, in consultation with ecumenical leaders in Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

Related Link: Church World Service Tsunami Update

Related Post: Christian Aid Group Hands Out Muslim Prayer Kits

Related Post: Antioch Community Church: Giving Christians a Bad Name

Related Post: US Christian Group Takes Muslim Orphans To Raise As Christians

This post has been updated

If you are following writings of the Pope or have been observing the right-wing political advocacy of some Roman Catholic bishops you could come to the conclusion that all Catholics are conservative and unconcerned with matters of social justice. There is, however, great diversity among Roman Catholics in the United States and worldwide. Roman Catholic parishioners in the US, for example, widely support the legality of abortion and contraceptives. There are also pro-life leaders who see that cause as one among many and spend their enormous talents working ecumenically to address world-wide poverty, environmental issues, and health care needs. Here are a few sites to visit that offer a progressive take on the Catholic faith:

Pax Christi International “is a non-profit, non-governmental Catholic peace movement working on a global scale on a wide variety of issues in the fields of human rights, security and disarmament, economic justice and ecology.”

Pax Christi USA “strives to create a world that reflects the Peace of Christ by exploring, articulating, and witnessing to the call of Christian nonviolence. This work begins in personal life and extends to communities of reflection and action to transform structures of society.  Pax Christi USA rejects war, preparations for war, and every form of violence and domination. It advocates primacy of conscience, economic and social justice, and respect for creation.”

Catholic-Labor Network “hopes to be a place for those Catholics, lay, religious and clergy, who are active in their churches and in unions to learn about their Church's teachings as regards to labor issues, pray for those who are working for economic justice and share information about events and struggles that may be taking place in their area.”

Commonweal is a lay Catholic magazine that “publishes editorials, columns, essays, poetry, reviews of books, movies, plays, the media, a selection of apposite and/or funny cartoons, & lots of letters to the editors. Liberal? Conservative? Depends on the issue & the writer. From its founding in 1924(!), the journal has held that America has much to learn from Catholicism, and vice versa-a core belief that has survived severe testing in disputes over the Spanish Civil War, civil rights, Vietnam, Humanae vitae....”

Catholics for a Free Choice is a group of pro-choice Catholic leaders that has been around for over 25 years.

DignityUSA is a group that "works for respect and justice for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons in the Catholic Church and the world through education, advocacy and support."

There is even a “liberal” Catholic blog called “In Today’s News.” The author is pro-life but also committed to a range of important social justice issues that progressive Christians will enjoy.

Roman Catholics are diverse in their understanding of God – just like every other group of Christians. I’m glad these organizations are out there doing their best to be faithful disciples of the Gospel. All Christians can take strength from their courage in speaking out for a progressive theology over the objections of some of their most senior institutional leaders.

Update:  Sojourners has a good article discussing the diversity of Catholics and future of the Catholic Church in their recent edition.  It is written by Heidi Schlumpf, managing editor of U.S. Catholic magazine.  Click here to read it.

The Taco Bell Truth Tour is in full swing this week.  Farm workers and their allies are visiting cities across the country to draw attention to conditions that workers endure to produce tomatoes for Taco Bell.  The fast food chain is being boycotted because of their policies allowing for the exploitation of farm workers.  The boycott is endorsed by the National Council of Churches USA and the United Church of Christ.  Andrew Stelzer, my friend and former colleague from Portland, is now a reporter at WMNF in Tampa and is in St. Louis today covering the tour as it makes its way across the country.  The above picture is of us from earlier tonight at the Eden Campus.  Make sure you join the Taco Bell Boycott.  Click here for the updated news links - including Andrew's stories.  The most current list of religious groups backing the boycott includes:

* National Council of Churches of Christ (in the U.S.A.)
* United Methodist Church
* Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
* United Church of Christ
* Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
* Alliance of Baptist Churches
* American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
* Buddhist Peace Fellowship
* Episcopal Migrant Ministry
* Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
* Unitarian Universalist Migrant Ministry
* Pax Christi USA
* Pax Christi International
* Catholic Labor Network
* Interfaith Worker Justice (Chicago)
* National Farm Worker Ministry
* Bishop John Nevins, DD, Diocese of Venice (FL)
* Peace and Justice Office, Diocese of Venice (FL)
* California Council of Churches
* New Orleans Province of the Jesuits
* Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
* Sisters of Mercy Region 2
* Ohio Council of Churches
* Florida Council of Churches Commission on Social Justice
* The Christian Church in Florida (Disciples of Christ)
* North Carolina Council of Churches Farmworker Ministry Committee
* Church Women United of Illinois
* Florida Church Women United
* Florida United Church of Christ Women
* Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida
* Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida
* Tampa Farm Worker Supporters
* Sarasota/Manatee Farm Worker Supporters
* South Florida Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice
* Orange County (CA) Interfaith Committee to Aid Farm Workers
* Apostolic Catholic Church (SW Florida)
* Fiath Presbyterian Church (Austin, TX)
* First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Findlay, OH
* The Session of Lakeview Presbyterian Church, Florida
* Religious Society of Friends, Ft. Myers Meeting

From United Church News

The United Church of Christ's Justice and Witness Ministries is celebrating today's (March 1) decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to abolish the death penalty for juveniles.

By a narrow 5-4 decision, the high court ruled it unconstitutional for courts to impose capital punishment on those who were juveniles at the time they committed their crimes. As many as 70 death row inmates are expected to be affected by the decision, news reports indicate.

The decision was hailed immediately by many faith groups -- including the UCC, which has long opposed capital punishment as immoral and inhumane.

Since 1969, the UCC's General Synod has adopted multiple resolutions pointing out the gross injustices and racial inequalities associated with the death penalty, calling for its abolishment. In 1999, the church's national representative body  which speaks "to" but not "for" UCC congregations - called for a moratorium on executions, and in 2001, the General Synod affirmed the right of juveniles to an "equitable system of justice."

The Rev. Sala W.J. Gonzales Nolan, the UCC's minister for criminal justice and human rights, said Supreme Court's action is further evidence that the United States is coming to a new understanding about the immorality of  state-sanctioned executions. The United States remains one of the last industrialized countries in the world to impose the death penalty.

"It is one thing to oppose the death penalty because it is unfair," Nolan said. "It is another to oppose it simply because it is wrong."

"Again and again, the United Church of Christ has called out the disproportionate number of black, Hispanic, poor and disabled people who occupy death row," she said. "But this has nothing to do with why the death penalty is wrong. To take someone's life deprives that person absolutely of the ability to transcend, as we were all meant to do. This is why vengeance does not belong to us."

With 1.3-million members in nearly 6,000 congregations, the UCC was formed in 1957 with the union of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church. The UCC's national offices are located in Cleveland, Ohio.