Most Americans would agree that the political climate has been very volatile in these last few weeks. It is encouraging and refreshing to see the depth of heartfelt bipartisan tributes pouring in upon the death of Senator Edward Kennedy. John McCain and Nancy Reagan and many other Republicans have joined Chris Dodd and Joe Biden and other Democrats in honoring the memory of the man who served Massachusetts in the US Senate for forty seven years.
I don't want to make of this space a partisan political battleground. In honesty, though, I have to say that this young Catholic boy, child of working class parents in a working class town, was deeply inspired by the Kennedy family and their commitment to public service. This commitment, embodied in Senator Kennedy, has been duly recognized by colleagues mentioned above as well as his dear friend, Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.
For a good while, the personal flaws of Ted Kennedy and his brother were held up as examples of immoral behavior by public officials and both brothers underwent considerable public villification. In time, we have all learned that immoral behavior is quite bipartisan as well. Even if you were to quarrel vociferously with his politics and the policies he espoused, please join me in paying tribute today to a man with a great heart and with deep compassion and a profound love for this country.
Please join me as well in a recognition of God's grace that this man, by his own admission, realized the mistakes he had made in his life and then went on to serve his family well and to build a loving marriage. Join me also, if you will, in thanksgiving for God's grace, that this son of privilege, who endured enormous pain and heartbreak in his life, is now at peace and in the eternal presence of God and surrounded forever by an indescribable and incredibly fulfilling love, a love that knows no bounds.
For me, it's tough to write this because I DID admire him and his brothers and I really don't want to have a posthumous fight about politics here in this space. Yet I DO have to say that there is something to be said about admiring the values and ideals and work of certain individuals. I also have to say that one of the best things that can happen to anyone is having people in their lives, public people, who stand for something and inspire you to stand for something too!
So, in my life, I'm glad this family made an impression on me. As a little 8 year old, I'm grateful I heard those words:'Ask not what your country can do for you; Ask what you can do for your country' .I'm glad that in 1960 a barrier of discrimination came tumbling down making possible the removal of other barriers in the future of the nation. I'll long be grateful that when I was quite young I had a chance to meet a then rather young Senator and to speak with him, as he inspired in me a sense that even if you are young, you should get involved, take a stand and not be afraid to speak if you have something to say.
Well, I guess I got the message...........and I am glad that we live in a nation where maybe, just maybe, we can appreciate each other and find ways to see the good in those with whom we might disagree. Our nation needs that and Senator Kennedy exemplified that so powerfully and so well.....hence the tributes over these last two days...
In the ancient words of the faith he cherished so deeply:
.....REQUIESCAT IN PACE
May he rest in peace!
PB
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
REFLECTIONS ON AN OLD MAINE HIGHWAY...
Yesterday afternoon I found myself traveling an old highway through some very small towns in Central Maine. Instead of finding a restaurant along that old road, we found one small church after another, churches of every possible denomination- Independent Baptists, Congregationalists, Nazarenes, Churches of Christ ( not United, by the way) and so on and so.......Let's not leave out a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall.
Travel Europe's back roads in about 1500 AD, little more than 500 years ago, and for the most part, there was ONE church, the universal ( Catholic) church......Yesterday, I thought to myself ( and spoke aloud!) that Martin Luther would be amazed at what the Reformation he triggered had produced. What would he have thought, I wondered, about all the 'splinter groups' within this one Christian movement...
Well, I don't have Luther to ask, so I will ask you: What do you think? Is Christianity TOO divided? Is there REALLY a UNITY beneath it all? I have my thoughts, but I'd love to hear from you and to give them as response to yours...
By the way, we will look at this more closely in our church's Education series starting SEPTEMBER 27...details linked on home page of www.unioncc.com
Pastor Bob
Travel Europe's back roads in about 1500 AD, little more than 500 years ago, and for the most part, there was ONE church, the universal ( Catholic) church......Yesterday, I thought to myself ( and spoke aloud!) that Martin Luther would be amazed at what the Reformation he triggered had produced. What would he have thought, I wondered, about all the 'splinter groups' within this one Christian movement...
Well, I don't have Luther to ask, so I will ask you: What do you think? Is Christianity TOO divided? Is there REALLY a UNITY beneath it all? I have my thoughts, but I'd love to hear from you and to give them as response to yours...
By the way, we will look at this more closely in our church's Education series starting SEPTEMBER 27...details linked on home page of www.unioncc.com
Pastor Bob
Saturday, August 15, 2009
EVEN THE DEVIL CAN QUOTE............
This past week, a man brought a gun to President Obama's Town Hall meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was wearing a shirt which contained the same quote from Thomas Jefferson that Timothy McVeigh wore on the day he blew up the Oklahoma City Federal Building. Many admirers of Jefferson would cringe thinking that his words might be used for such purposes.
This anecdote does highlight the fact that the same words are often used for different purposes. I think of the old adage that 'even the devil can quote Scripture' and think of how it applies to so many documents, including Scripture! In my view, this highlights the seriousness of the task of interpretation......What was the original INTENT of the writer? What was the CONTEXT in which these words were spoken? Where do these words fit into the framework of other words from the same author?
When we neglect the task of interpretation, we end up using the words we want to use to reflect the opinions we want to express......
Kind of makes you understand why some skeptics are pretty cynical about religion.......You just take your own prejudices and use a 'sacred source' to justify them....
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!!
PB
This anecdote does highlight the fact that the same words are often used for different purposes. I think of the old adage that 'even the devil can quote Scripture' and think of how it applies to so many documents, including Scripture! In my view, this highlights the seriousness of the task of interpretation......What was the original INTENT of the writer? What was the CONTEXT in which these words were spoken? Where do these words fit into the framework of other words from the same author?
When we neglect the task of interpretation, we end up using the words we want to use to reflect the opinions we want to express......
Kind of makes you understand why some skeptics are pretty cynical about religion.......You just take your own prejudices and use a 'sacred source' to justify them....
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!!
PB
CIVILITY AND TOWN HALLS
Several years back, Yale Law Professor Stephen Carter published a widely discussed book that went by the simple title CIVILITY. Among its many helpful points is the simple one that our society has lost the fine art of engaging in civil discussion and disagreement. He notes well that constitutionally protected speech is not to be confused with helpful and worthwhile speech.
I thought of Carter's work this week as I witnessed some of the public reactions at various Town Hall meetings centered on the health care debate. Interruption and insult are a central, integral part of the agenda of too many participants in these sessions.
While my opinions of WHAT they are saying are certainly colored by where I stand in this debate, this issue of CIVILITY is a separate one. I find myself longing for days when liberals and conservatives and all of those in the middle could have reasoned conversation over those matters about which they disagree.
This problem, made manifest recently in respect to this issue, is a real problem within the Christian church as well........
How can we disagree without being disagreeable?
It's pretty important, wouldn't you say?
PB
I thought of Carter's work this week as I witnessed some of the public reactions at various Town Hall meetings centered on the health care debate. Interruption and insult are a central, integral part of the agenda of too many participants in these sessions.
While my opinions of WHAT they are saying are certainly colored by where I stand in this debate, this issue of CIVILITY is a separate one. I find myself longing for days when liberals and conservatives and all of those in the middle could have reasoned conversation over those matters about which they disagree.
This problem, made manifest recently in respect to this issue, is a real problem within the Christian church as well........
How can we disagree without being disagreeable?
It's pretty important, wouldn't you say?
PB
Monday, August 10, 2009
A CLARIFICATION
In thinking through the discussion after yesterday's sermon, I have concluded that I was UNCLEAR in something I said:
In response to a comment related to self defense when attacked, I quickly noted that the right to self defense has been part of the Christian moral tradition. While technically and historically correct, my answer did not focus enough on what is quite clear: That in the teachings of JESUS, enunciated in ' The Sermon on the Mount ( MT: 5-7), it is pretty hard to argue against the position that Jesus Himself was a pacifist. What the tradition takes into account is that we as individual moral agents have to make concrete judgments based on the application of moral principles.
HOWEVER................that TECHNICAL FACT has been used all too facilely and glibly and RUNS AWAY FROM the importance of confronting WHAT JESUS REALLY THOUGHT. It was NOT my intention to do that.
PB
In response to a comment related to self defense when attacked, I quickly noted that the right to self defense has been part of the Christian moral tradition. While technically and historically correct, my answer did not focus enough on what is quite clear: That in the teachings of JESUS, enunciated in ' The Sermon on the Mount ( MT: 5-7), it is pretty hard to argue against the position that Jesus Himself was a pacifist. What the tradition takes into account is that we as individual moral agents have to make concrete judgments based on the application of moral principles.
HOWEVER................that TECHNICAL FACT has been used all too facilely and glibly and RUNS AWAY FROM the importance of confronting WHAT JESUS REALLY THOUGHT. It was NOT my intention to do that.
PB
Sunday, August 9, 2009
What is going on?
After today's sermon on FORGIVENESS ( see below), we had a discussion and then after church someone came up and raised a question that could well lead to another discussion:
This summer, we have seen several examples of horrible, mindless violent acts, the most recent being the shooting at the LA Fitness outside of Pittsburgh. What's going on here? Why are these things happening? What is BREAKING DOWN in the fabric of our culture?
People answer these kinds of questions in different ways:
* Some emphasize the 'personal' i.e. these are circumstances in individual lives and we cannot generalize about these matters.
* Others emphasize the 'sociological' i.e. there are things that have happened within society ( including economic crisis) that make these things more likely....
* Others analyze it in such a way as to emphasize a breakdown that has taken place within both private and public morality...
I've got some opinions on this.....and will share them......but I'd really love to hear yours....
Isn't it great how conversations in church spur on even more conversations?
By the way, if you want to read a book that places these issues front and center, you may want to try Wally Lamb's novel THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED.....a fictional piece with Columbine as a central action.....
Talk to you soon-
Pastor Bob
This summer, we have seen several examples of horrible, mindless violent acts, the most recent being the shooting at the LA Fitness outside of Pittsburgh. What's going on here? Why are these things happening? What is BREAKING DOWN in the fabric of our culture?
People answer these kinds of questions in different ways:
* Some emphasize the 'personal' i.e. these are circumstances in individual lives and we cannot generalize about these matters.
* Others emphasize the 'sociological' i.e. there are things that have happened within society ( including economic crisis) that make these things more likely....
* Others analyze it in such a way as to emphasize a breakdown that has taken place within both private and public morality...
I've got some opinions on this.....and will share them......but I'd really love to hear yours....
Isn't it great how conversations in church spur on even more conversations?
By the way, if you want to read a book that places these issues front and center, you may want to try Wally Lamb's novel THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED.....a fictional piece with Columbine as a central action.....
Talk to you soon-
Pastor Bob
CELEBRATE OLD HOME DAY
UNION celebrates OLD HOME DAY this coming weekend! Join the festivities on Saturday and join us for worship on Sunday ( see notes on the right.....)
Read more about Union's OLD HOME DAY by checking out the wonderful book UNION LANDS...............
PB
Read more about Union's OLD HOME DAY by checking out the wonderful book UNION LANDS...............
PB
Sunday, August 2, 2009
FORGIVENESS
A few months ago the book AMISH GRACE made a great impression on me. It ended up as my suggested summer reading book for our church......( By the way, we will discuss it after worship on SEPTEMBER 13)..
I've decided to spend some time this week rereading it in preparation for Sunday's sermon LETTING GO AND LETTING GOD, a message in which I will focus on forgiveness as theological and practical reality....
As I will say in the sermon, I continue to be concerned with the way vengeance is so readily accepted........I also continue to believe that we have all too closely aligned justice and vengeance, the case of the death penalty being the most obvious and sad example....
If you can......I hope you consider reading AMISH GRACE......fascinating!!
PB
I've decided to spend some time this week rereading it in preparation for Sunday's sermon LETTING GO AND LETTING GOD, a message in which I will focus on forgiveness as theological and practical reality....
As I will say in the sermon, I continue to be concerned with the way vengeance is so readily accepted........I also continue to believe that we have all too closely aligned justice and vengeance, the case of the death penalty being the most obvious and sad example....
If you can......I hope you consider reading AMISH GRACE......fascinating!!
PB
Saturday, August 1, 2009
ANNOUNCING FALL PROGRAMS
With the calendar page turning to August, preparation is picking up for the Fall.....
I'm pleased to announce TWO IMPORTANT SERIES I will be offering at our church this Fall....
At 10:45 worship on SEPTEMBER 20, 27, and OCTOBER 4......we will have a SERMON SERIES entitled ' FAMILY VALUES'.......You'll read more about it on this BLOG....
Our FALL EDUCATION SERIES ( 9:00-9:45 on September 27, October 4, 18 and 25) will look at the current state of American religion in historical context. Supplemental readings/interactions will be available:
SEPTEMBER 27 UNDERSTANDING CATHOLICISM
OCTOBER 4 UNDERSTANDING PROTESTANTISM
OCTOBER 18 THE PLACE OF RELIGION IN THE SHAPING OF THE UNITED STATES
OCTOBER 25 RELIGION IN MODERN AMERICA
Please spread the word......Invite family and friends.....Educational series ideal for ADULTS + OLDER YOUTH...
PB
I'm pleased to announce TWO IMPORTANT SERIES I will be offering at our church this Fall....
At 10:45 worship on SEPTEMBER 20, 27, and OCTOBER 4......we will have a SERMON SERIES entitled ' FAMILY VALUES'.......You'll read more about it on this BLOG....
Our FALL EDUCATION SERIES ( 9:00-9:45 on September 27, October 4, 18 and 25) will look at the current state of American religion in historical context. Supplemental readings/interactions will be available:
SEPTEMBER 27 UNDERSTANDING CATHOLICISM
OCTOBER 4 UNDERSTANDING PROTESTANTISM
OCTOBER 18 THE PLACE OF RELIGION IN THE SHAPING OF THE UNITED STATES
OCTOBER 25 RELIGION IN MODERN AMERICA
Please spread the word......Invite family and friends.....Educational series ideal for ADULTS + OLDER YOUTH...
PB
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