"Instead of being involved in politics as they were in the 1970s — primarily the politics of policy and protest — they engaged in hands-on personal politics, things like setting up homeless shelters and local environmental projects" (p. 259).1. Why do we engage, to use Jack Harrison's phrase, in "all this for-the-church activity"? What do you think is the point, the larger goal, of being part of a church or even being a Christian?
2. What do you think of St. Mark's response to 9/11? What most surprises you about St. Mark's attitude toward political questions?
3. What color is your congregation?
4. What does it mean to "reclaim" the message of Christianity?
5. Reflect on the political concerns of the two Methodist churches in Florida. What do the Florida congregations suggest about the role of religion in public life?
6. Do you think the "left-right" paradigm works for American religion? Why or why not?
2 comments:
1. The point of for-the-church-activity is to transform lives through the lens of God by way of Jesus. As a Christian, I believe in walking the path Jesus walked. He didn't walk it alone.
2. I think it was a very healing approach to take: to pray for our enemies "not because we want to, not because we like it, but because we are saying that's who we are when we gather in this place." I would say it in a slightly different way: Butler Bass said in "belonging," it is whose we are that counts. I am God's child through Jesus.
Most surprising for me is in the fact that no American flag is in the sanctuary in this very military and mostly Republican congregation. That perhaps shows my political bias.
3. My congregation is red-purple.
4. Reclaiming the message of Christianity means actively (publicly) rejecting the radical right's "my way or the highway" and the secular left's "no way." It means practicing Butler Bass's "signposts of renewal."
5. The role of religion in public life is discernment of what is needed for finding common ground in order to heal the ills in the nation, and, ultimately, in the world.
6. The "left-right" paradigm has failed. We have created a broken nation with the old "us vs. them" thinking in religion as well as in politics. It is the reason churches are closing their doors.
1. Why do we engage, to use Jack Harrison's phrase, in "all this for-the-church activity"? What do you think is the point, the larger goal, of being part of a church or even being a Christian?
Rather than an attitude of waiting for that “pie in the sky”, Harrison seems to be encouraging the congregation to put Christianity into practice in the “here and now”. As Christians, we should be working to bring help to others—doing for others rather than just preaching at them.
2. What do you think of St. Mark's response to 9/11? What most surprises you about St. Mark's attitude toward political questions?
It was admirable that at a time when defense and revenge was the country’s mood that St. Mark’s, even though it served a congregation that had members in the military, stressed forgiveness of Osama Bin Laden. Their response seems contrary to what one would expect given their presumed “red-ness”.
3. What color is your congregation?
Our church is red with a little blue scattered about with most probably desiring purple.
4. What does it mean to "reclaim" the message of Christianity?
Rather than allowing the rigid extreme fundamentalists to be viewed as the voice of Christianity, mainline churches are trying to “reclaim” the perception of Christianity to be that of following the path of Jesus with the love and compassion that Jesus taught.
5. Reflect on the political concerns of the two Methodist churches in Florida. What do the Florida congregations suggest about the role of religion in public life?
The practices of too many churches have been divisive rather than accomplishing the mission of showing God’s love by being compassionate and helping those in need.
6. Do you think the "left-right" paradigm works for American religion? Why or why not?
It has only succeeded in creating a divisive attitude which conflicts with the love of God.
Most of my religious background has been with right wing somewhat moderate people who know they are right and are not willing to budge. These (and other) “nice” people’s inability to have compassion to those who are different has been divisive and given Christianity a negative connotation.
Our city has become known for the extremist protests on street corners and at funerals against homosexuality by a small group of people (the Phelps family and their Westboro Baptist Church). Because of the hatred they have shown, I think more people have developed compassion to gays as they do not want to be like the haters. In this case, extremists have brought a move from the extreme right to at least the center.
The “left-right” identification has caused such divisiveness in America that even within churches, it is difficult to get beyond the political beliefs to have the justice and mercy which Christians should have.
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