A few minutes ago I made a small contribution to the campaign of U.S. Congressman John Lewis. Lewis, a hero of the civil rights movement and a towering voice of progressive politics, is now facing a primary challenger upset that Lewis supported Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama. Readers here know that I’ve supported Senator Obama since before he even declared for the presidency. But democratic elections where candidates fight it out are a good thing. Lewis may have made the wrong bet in this presidential election (from my perspective) but he supports Senator Obama now. His entire adult life has been spent working to break down barriers, to stop wars, and to help people lift themselves out of poverty. His passion and courage led him into Southern jail cells during the Civil Rights Movement and that same passion today makes him was of the most important leaders in the United States Congress. We need his voice in the U.S. House of Representatives today more than ever.  Click here and show your support for one of American's true heroes.

Creator God,
Out of chaos you brought order.
Out of nothingness you brought life.
In the middle of all life stands the tree.

Trees provide the air that nurtures all your creation.
Birds make them their homes.
Cats climb them for protection.
Trees recycle life that has come before.

Bless the trees of this word, loving God.
Remind us to serve as their caregivers and protectors.
Give them long limbs and long life.
The gift of their breath is as special to us as the breath of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Last year we lost a tree in our front yard.  It had been sick when we first moved in and nothing the tree doctors could do would save it.  A mold had taken it's life.  So last fall we had it removed and replaced with this tree - a Black Gum - that has beautiful fall leaves.  Mixed in with the soil are ashes from our beloved cats, Freedom and Erik Brockley.  In the Portland climate this tree should do well.  Unfortunately, we're not the best garden people and during this spell of hot weather our tree didn't get the water it needed and many of the leaves have burn.  Liz has fixed that problem and the tree should be good to go.  But being a minister it seemed a prayer was called for.  Google couldn't provide me with any (don't people pray for trees?) so I wrote the one above for our tree and for all trees.  Frances and Katherine joined me in offering this prayer as we held hands around the tree.

Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell takes on James Dobson. (via Ben Smith)

Related Post: James Dobson's Confused Theology

James Dobson thinks that Barack Obama has a “confused theology.” Why?

Senator Obama, a committed Christian, believes that the Bible teaches peace and concern for those living in poverty wherever they might be. The positions taken by Senator Obama are similar to ones on many issues that have been advanced by Roman Catholic authorities and Protestant churches (most mainline Protestant churches even share his view that women should be in charge of their own health care decisions). It should be noted that many evangelical leaders even generally share Senator Obama’s concerns about globe climate change.  Read more of Senator Obama's own words about faith.

On the other hand, James Dobson believes that Christianity isn’t about taking care of those who are poor or the Earth, God’s own creation. For Dobson and his Focus on the Family the top issues are limiting civil rights protections for the gay and lesbian community and stopping abortion. Dobson has been a proponent of economic policies that benefit the wealthiest at the expense of the “least of these” in society.

Neither political party has a monopoly on God. And I believe that good and faithful people can come to different conclusions about who to vote for. But Barack Obama’s views are more in line with the world’s Christian churches than James Dobson’s extremist interpretations. For most Christian clergy and theologians, it is Dobson who articulates a “confused theology.” For example, God is concerned about the poor (there is no single issue talked about more in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament). Square that with Dobson’s view that fighting gay rights – an issue never mentioned once by Jesus – is more important than providing health care for kids who go without doctors.

Three Oregon cities will host interfaith discussions in July on the "Ethics of Torture & Human Rights."  Dr. George Hunsinger, founder of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, will be the keynote speaker.

• Portland—Interfaith Forum on Wednesday, July 23, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1624 NE Hancock Street. Fee: $15, includes lunch.
• Eugene—Lecture by George Hunsinger on Wednesday, July 23, 7:30 to 9 p.m., at Central Presbyterian Church, 555 E. 15th Avenue. No fee, but please fill out and send attached registration form.
• Bend—Lecture by George Hunsinger on Thursday, July 24, 12 to 1:30 p.m., at Nativity Lutheran Church, 60850 Brosterhous Road. Fee: $10, includes lunch.

Click here for the brochure.

Oregon religious leaders have campaigned against the use of torture by U.S. forces involved in military conflict.

The Rev. Dr. Patricia Ross retired this week as the senior minister of Portland’s First Congregational United Church of Christ. She helped the congregation grow in many ways over the twenty years she served (10 as the associate and ten as the senior minister). It was under her watch that the church opened their doors to a local agency that needed space to operate a homeless shelter for youth. Building project after building project was undertaken during her leadership to preserve the church’s historic downtown facilities. She was a courageous religious leader known in Portland for frequently lending her voice to women’s issues, peace efforts, and on behalf of those experiencing homelessness. Dr. Ross chaired the late 1980s UCC committee that chose Paul Sherry to be president and general minister of the United Church of Christ. A dinner and reception were held in her honor this past Sunday. Presenters included The Rev. Dr. Arvin Luchs, senior minister at Portland’s First United Methodist Church, and David Leslie, executive director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Jon Ross, Pat’s son, gave a moving tribute that brought just about everyone there to tears. The Rev. Gene Ross, Pat’s husband and former conference minister (now retired) of the Central Pacific Conference of the UCC, also made a presentation. Dr. Ross has been a mentor, friend and colleague of mine for many years. Her leadership at First Congregational United Church of Christ will be missed but her legacy in Portland won’t soon be forgotten. And I suspect “retirement” will simply be a venue for Dr. Ross to take on new and different types of leadership roles that further build up the Kingdom.

A ruling by the California Supreme Court providing full marriage equality to gay and lesbian couples takes affect today.

This important civil rights victory was met with strong words of praise from the Northern California - Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ.

FULL STORY

The 9/11 terrorists clearly hoped to destabilize the United States.  Our president has unwittingly helped them to succeed.   In response to the attacks President Bush has pursued policies that have helped to make America a weaker nation.  Thankfully, the Supreme Court stood up again this week to defend the Constitutional principles that have made our nation a beacon of freedom.

Eugene Robinson sums it up well:

It shouldn't be necessary for the Supreme Court to tell the president that he can't have people taken into custody, spirited to a remote prison camp and held indefinitely, with no legal right to argue that they've been unjustly imprisoned -- not even on grounds of mistaken identity. But the president in question is, sigh, George W. Bush, who has taken a chainsaw to the rule of law with the same manic gusto he displays while clearing brush at his Texas ranch.

So yesterday, for the third time, the high court made clear that the Decider has no authority to trash the fundamental principles of American jurisprudence. In ruling 5 to 4 that foreigners held at Guantanamo Bay have the right to challenge their detentions in federal court, the court cited the Constitution and the centuries-old concept of habeas corpus. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy's majority opinion seems broad and definitive enough to end the Kafkaesque farce at Guantanamo once and for all.

"The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times," Kennedy wrote. Again, it's amazing that any president of the United States would need to have such a basic concept spelled out for him.

That reference to "extraordinary times" takes care of a specious argument that Bush and his legal minions have consistently tried to make: that when the nation is at war, as it has been since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the president has extraordinary powers that allow him to do basically anything he wants.

This week Senator Barack Obama met with a wide-range of U.S. religious leaders. The senator’s office promised not to release the names of those in attendance – though some have chosen to talk with the press about their participation – so that everyone there felt free to express views outside of the media spotlight. The meeting was also arranged in a way that made clear that participation did not imply endorsement. Senator Obama simply wanted to meet with religious leaders in an informal gathering. I was glad to learn from sources both inside and outside the campaign that many of those participating in the meeting came from progressive Christian communities concerned with issues such as the war, climate change, equality for all and global poverty. President Bush, during the last seven+ years, has refused to meet with religious leaders that have spoken out against his policies. Senator Obama, on the other hand, gathered religious leaders together of various theological perspectives. Not all of those leaders agreed with him on every issue. Senator Obama, for example, believes that women ought to be able to make their own health care decisions (a position shared by most mainline Christians and opposed by many evangelicals). It was a show of leadership on Senator Obama’s part that he was willing to meet with such a diverse group. There is increasing common ground among US religious groups on issues such as the environment. We would benefit from a president that sees religion not as a tool to divide people but as a shared language that can help reconcile old wounds.  During the course of this campaign Senator Obama has meet with religious leaders of various backgrounds and has the support of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Unitarians and Hindus (among others).   

Related Link: People of Faith for Barack Obama

I knew gay people and their allies were up to something but even I could have never thought them possible of this.  It turns out they're looking for - wait for it - acceptance (according to a breath-taking e-mail sent out by the Religious Right's own James Dobson-run political group).  What's next?  Love?  Tolerance?  It sure is a radical agenda they've embraced.   

Catholic Democrats take on GOP activist Bill Donohue:

The Catholic League issued a press release yesterday, announcing that they were having trouble navigating the website of Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama.  Their President, Bill Donohue, was frustrated at not being able to find information on the Obama campaign's website regarding the inner workings of the Obama National Catholic Advisory Council.

It's not clear why a non-profit organization with a noble mission like that of the Catholic League -- founded to defend Catholics in public life -- would pay someone like Mr Donohue over $340,000 a year to launch repeated partisan attacks that actually smear fellow Catholics.  When he's not taking shots at those who don't share his partisan loyalties, Mr Donohue seems to dedicate much of his time to electioneering for John McCain--for instance, by taking it upon himself to absolve the bigotry of anti-Catholics like John Hagee on behalf of all Catholics.

"It's shameful that authentic efforts by the Obama Campaign to reach out to all Catholics should be attacked like this," said Dr Patrick Whelan, President of the Catholic Democrats.  "Senator Obama is far and away the best candidate for Catholics of all political stripes.  Whether ending the pointless killing in Iraq, addressing the glaring economic disparities and rising gas prices left behind by the Bush Administration, or finding common ground on issues like abortion, Senator Obama is poised to stand up for Catholics and all people of faith in a way that hasn't been seen in the halls of power for years."

Full release.

People of good faith can have legitimate disagreements over who to vote for.  There are Catholic Democrats and Catholic Republicans.  That's the way it should be.  But Donohue is the worst kind of partisan activist - one of those who claims that only he knows God's mind.  The truth is that Donohue is a hateful man that many Roman Catholics find embarrassing.      

It's nearly mid-June but you'd never know it here in Oregon.  Example A: the fire that is keeping us all warm right now.

Example B:  Mt. Hood is getting heavy snow.

It has been over a year since Parkrose Community United Church of Christ voted to become Open and Affirming.  Yesterday I used my time in the pulpit to reflect back on that decision.  After my remarks the congregation held a discussion - reflecting on the Scripture reading for the morning - about how we can better live out our shared goal of truly becoming a church open to all. 

The reading this morning from Matthew brings us back to the heart of Jesus’ inclusive ministry: it didn’t matter who you were or where you were on life’s journey, as we’d say today in the United Church of Christ, Jesus welcomed you to the table. This was enough to drive legalistic religious types crazy. He eats with tax collectors? Women? The unclean? How dare he!

Jesus responded in that way of his that confounded many then and today: we’re all sinners, he would say, so sit down and enjoy the meal. We’re all broken, let God heal you.

It has been over a year since Parkrose Community United Church of Christ made what I believe to be our second most controversial decision – to become Open and Affirming. (The most controversial decision, of course, was to change the direction of the pews…)

When we adopted our Open and Affirming statement it was a faithful attempt to take the teachings of Jesus seriously. The statement was not a declaration that we had done everything needed to be the kind of open community that Jesus hoped for but rather a declaration of our intent to try better to become that community.

Let me read you the statement:

In Galatians 3.28 we are reminded that despite our differences we are all “one in Christ Jesus.” Therefore, we, the people of Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, declare ourselves to be open and affirming. With God’s grace, we seek to be a congregation that includes all persons, embracing differences of that includes all persons, embracing differences of   sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic, religious, political or social-economic background. We welcome all to share in the life and leadership, ministry, and fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of participation in our congregation. This is God’s church and no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

When the statement was voted on – with a affirmative vote of the congregation that nearly reached 90% - there was joy among many. Some wondered why a vote was necessary, however. Weren’t we just saying what we already were, some asked? Others, of course, were angry. A few even left the church.

Paul and the early church faced the same kind of questions and had the same kind of problems. Who should be accepted into church membership? For Paul and his contemporaries the questions were just as hard and the discussions just as heated. Should Gentiles be welcomed or was the church just for Jews? What about the uncircumcised? Women?

Jesus himself was so clear about these issues that you would have thought the debate would be unnecessary but here we are two thousand years later still basically debating the same questions (or at least variations of the questions).

Some have asked since we voted to become Open and Affirming why our membership has not grown. Wasn’t that the issue? Weren’t people walking away from our church because we hadn’t voted to become Open and Affirming? The answer to that question is yes. But we spent nearly 25 years intentionally not voting to become an Open and Affirming church and that history and that reputation wasn’t erased in a single vote. And like I said, we did not and we cannot simply declare ourselves to be Open and Affirming and then assume that we really are. It takes time. Like any faith decision, we have to be willing to let the Spirit move us in new ways. Instead we took a vote. End of story. That wasn’t enough. And the truth of the matter is that I was so taken aback by some of the reaction to that vote that in over a year I’ve not done more than offering a passing mention of the issue. Some of you might be happy about that but the truth is as a pastor I’ve let you down. If we are really going to be Open and Affirming we need to keep the issues in front of the congregation. How do we live out our deepest hopes? How do we – a church that has long been a strong support system for people who look and act like us – start to accept people who will change us? We have a lot to offer but we have room to grow as a community of faith. Will we sit down with the tax collectors? The unclean?

It will take us time to truly become the people we hope to be.  But to get there we need to keep reflecting on where God is calling us and thinking each and every day about how we build up the community around us.  We're all on a journey.   

America marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Robert Kennedy this week.

If you want a way to honor his legacy consider becoming a supporter of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial.

Since its inception in 1968, The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial has aimed to fulfill the legacy of Robert Kennedy through promoting the full spectrum of human rights within the United States and throughout the world. In order to reflect the global nature of RFK's work, the Memorial established the annual Human Rights Award in 1984 to honor individuals who, at great risk, stand up to oppression in the nonviolent pursuit of social justice. Led by the Kennedy family, a staff of expert human rights activists and a strong network of volunteers, the Memorial develops and implements projects which enhance and complement the social change agendas of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award Laureates and Social Justice Fellows. Today the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charitable organization that works to realize his dream of a peaceful and just world through domestic and international programs that help the disadvantaged and oppressed, build our next generation of leaders, and tackle the toughest problems facing our society.

Click here for more.

The Mid County Memo has an article out in their June edition offering a profile of my ministry.  The author, I thought, did a good job even when she got stuck with a poor subject to report on.

:) 

Click here to read the article.

Last night we watched the election returns and even though the results were rather clear going into the evening it didn't take away from the near feeling of shock that came over me.  A major American political party just nominated an African-American to serve as president (and his closest competitor was a woman).  I hoped it was would possible.  I could dream it might be possible.  But I'm not sure I ever really believed it was possible.  Thus shock has come. And I'm not alone.   

I grew up hearing stories of how members of my family owned slaves.  The scars of slavery and the Jim Crow legal system that came afterwords are still fresh in many places.  Racism still impacts the ability of people to get employment, racism means that many African-Americans don't get a fair shake in the criminal justice system.  Blacks receive less compensation for doing the same work their white colleagues do.  We have come so far.  But there is still work that needs to be done.

When I first entered public schools in South Carolina it was not long after integration had come to the state.  My own life starts at the end of the Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s.  Like millions and millions of Americans, I've benefited from all the great things that came from the Civil Rights Movement.

Knowing what has come before (not so long ago) the news that Barack Obama might become president of the United States is really a shocker.  I feel like going out into the streets and dancing as Desmond Tutu did the night Apartheid collapsed.  Maybe I'll save that for Election Night.

For now, I can tell my children that Liz and I participated in a small way in a chapter of our national history - that while still unwritten - has the opportunity to change the face of the world.

In the end, however, it wasn't the idea of making history that caused me about a year ago to endorse Senator Obama.  I support him because he had the wisdom to see the war was wrong while others raced to follow President Bush's lead.  I support Senator Obama because he cares about the environment, because he cares about fighting poverty, and because he has the combination of experience and values that will make him a great president.

Mare sure you sign-up and join the campaign.  And for those with a faith background - any faith - I urge you to join People of Faith for Barack. 

Together we are going to change America forever.

(The photo with Senator Obama, Liz Smith Currie and myself was taken a short time before the Oregon primary). 

The Oregonian has posted an article concerning what it calls "angry" e-mails from Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard to the Portland Police Bureau:

Portland Commissioner Randy Leonard, who gets all worked up about duct tape and has successfully convinced the council to ban its use to reserve viewing spots at the annual Grand Floral Parade, was incensed when police this week said they weren't going to cite anyone who violated the new rule.

So Leonard did what Leonard does: He fired off several angry e-mails Tuesday to the police chief and to the police spokesman, Sgt. Brian Schmautz.

"Your reported comments were consistent with what we have come to expect from the police bureau on this and other issues, and I am disappointed that the bureau consistently appears to lack the capacity to think and operate outside of the scope of its own interests,'' Leonard wrote to police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz at 11:54 a.m. Tuesday.

Leonard cc'd his comments to Chief Rosie Sizer. He even dug up and resent to Sizer a nearly six-month-old e-mail he had written to her regarding another pet peeve he had with officers reportedly questioning his and his fellow council members' decisions on an unrelated matter.

On Tuesday, Leonard resent to the chief his Dec. 21, 2007, e-mail, which had the subject line: "Police Bureau's Policy on Questioning Council Directives." In that e-mail, Leonard wrote that he had heard that officers in North Precinct, including Jim Ferraris, the precinct's commander at the time, were telling community members that the council had erred in eliminating the city's drug-free zones and were urging community members to contact the commissioners to reconsider their votes.

No big surprise, right? Well, Leonard didn't like it.

In his December e-mail, Leonard noted he also happened to be exchanging e-mails with residents of the Argay Terrace neighborhood, who he said were being told by police that prostitution was out of hand in their area because the council eliminated the prostitution- free zone as well.

"In the Fire Bureau, if any employee took public positions that were directly contrary to the council or the fire administration the consequences would be swift, severe and certain,'' Leonard, a former Portland fire union president, wrote to the police chief. "I am baffled at what can only be described as a culture at the Police Bureau where it is apparently accepted that everyone from Commanders to the PIO are allowed to publicly take issue with the city council's various official positions.''

Leonard is right.  It's a mistake to dismiss his concerns as "angry."  He's passionate and for a good reason.  The council made a sound decision in repealing the drug-free zones.  Not only were they ineffective in fighting crime but the zones ignored basic constitutional rights.  Politicians ought to be passionate about such things.

The council ought to also be passionate about making sure that they - the elected leaders of the city - set policy and not bureau employees.  We didn't elected Jim Ferraris to anything.      

"Pro-life" advocate, Roman Catholic, and former Reagan administration official Douglas Kmiec is right:  Communion should not be used as a political weapon. 

Related Post:  A Podcast Sermon For World Communion Sunday 2006: All Are Welcome At God's Table 

There is no evidence that they do.  But I can't say they don't.  There's no evidence to exonerate them from a charge of pushing drugs around school yards.  So let's just say they do.  It's what they would do.