Faithful Philly Forum

I was in my car yesterday afternoon, heading home after running some errands. NPR was playing and I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention to it until this story came on. It’s about a challenging issue that the Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad, CA is struggling with these days. Back in January, a twice-convicted sex offender came to their congregation, openly admitted to his past offensives and then asked to be allowed to join them. The church is split and in the story they say that several families have already left over this issue.

I find this interesting because at my own church we talk about radical acceptance and making space for anyone who wants to be there. But we haven’t been challenged with something on this level, and it makes me wonder how we’d react. I’d like to think that we’d be able to allow him in, but I wonder what this would do to the energy and openness of a church community.

Any thoughts?

This last Sunday on Speaking of Faith, the NPR show on ‘religion, ethics, and ideas’–there was a discussion of the Truth and Reconciliation process in South Africa. The full confessions we have heard about were premised on the idea that reconciliation comes in the context of human relationships, where people are honest. So, the state still held the power to prosecute–and to withold prosecution–once the truth was out. Since, I have heard of attempts to create truth and reconcilitation processes in other realms–such as poverty in the US. I wonder if it really is the same idea if there is no state power in play–holding the power of prosecution?

Its good to see our Episcopal friends standing up to some to the bullying they are getting from the more ‘global’ Anglican communion. Always living in the shadow of colonialism, perhaps having a new leader who identifies with being an outsider will help this church to develop the strength to move on to more pressing issues than preserving a rather clubby connection to the past.   

Update on March 28–more evidence of spine in this quote from a conservative church member in Colorado–quoted in todays NYT:  “There was a lot of scrambling over the weekend. We thought that the House of Bishops would delay and obfuscate like they usually do. Everyone here was just shocked that they were so decisive in spurning the rest of the communion.”

West Philadelphia careens out of control this week with the violent behavior of some students wanting attention or wanting to express disrespect or rage at the organization. Yet, I sit here on an Ivy League campus and can’t find anyone who knows if anyone is teaching our college students conflict mediation and negotiation skills. (I think I might have found one professor. I am following up on that.) And when I ask “Who in the city is teaching children about how to address bullying and teaching peacemaking skills?” I can’t find anyone who knows of a curriculum or a program! I have located an incredible principal, Dr. Bob Lewis, who has taken one of the worst middle schools in the city, Shoemaker, and turned it around in one year. (It was highlighted by the Inquirer on Monday.) It would appear however that he has done it with his personality, enforcement of rules, support of good teachers, consistent discipline, and lots of praise. So I guess the next question is “Is anyone teaching other principals to do this?” And are there denominations or churches who are teaching peacemaking to the children? And, if not, why not??!!

Bev

The BBC morning radio program (or should I say programme?) has been covering Iraq soldier bloggings lately. To hear the more immediate reactions of soldiers and others in that quagmire is fascinating and humbling. This morning, one blogger provided a reminder of the constant vigilance against both suicide bombers and the risk of reacting too quickly at the cost of innocent life. When we talk about living in the present we are talking about getting out of a head space of constantly focusing on deadlines, achievement, worries about the future. These bloggers seem about as present focused as one can get, but to a different end. Their blogs provide a chance to reflect and put those reflections out for the rest of us to see, a greater kind of time space than the immediate present to provide perspective. Reference was made in the program(me) to a saying about journalism being the first draft of history, and how might one would characterize blogging. Perhaps first reflection? First impulse? In this forum, we are trying to pull together a lot of things at once. Sprituality, social justice, day to day in the present and a vision of reign of God all at once. Why wait for the second draft of all that? Might take a while. 

I was waiting at the West Trenton train station Tuesday afternoon, and picked up a copy of the Trenton paper, where there was a story about a nun (actually, sister, if you check this out further) who blogs in Chicago–opening a whole world of nuns and sisters blogging. I think its fair to say that our little corner of the blogosphere here is relatively quiet. Perhaps we should open a conversation about how to make it more active–and by doing it right here–we may ‘be the change’ we want to happen, eh?

And now it’s Lent.  A quick reading of the newspaper tells us that there are actually people who hunt small animals with assault weapons, and that when a prominent hunter protests he is assaulted and ostracized by gun lobbies;  prosecutors appointed by the Bush administration are instructed to prosecute people, or not, as political punishment or support – and then fired if they don’t do what they’re told.  Recently we have read about prisoners being placed in solitary cells with the windows blocked for more than three years and then considered sane and able to help with their own defense!  The deadly emissions to the environment will remain the same for the next 10 years we are told, even as sugar Maples in the North are threatened and honey bees have gone a little crazy and are somewhere unknown,  lost.  The first prosecution of someone at Guantanamo is announced after four years.  And yes, we are still at war in Iraq.  Yes, we are still there.

It is Lent and we wander in the desert. Of course, there is hope - the anti-war voice is being heard, the outrage over violations to our own sense of human decency and to our Constitution  is being more widely expressed. There are good people everywhere doing good things and winning some “battles” – (we will have a monument in Philly that acknowledges Washington’s salves!)  Jesus wanders in the desert with the wild beasts, and the angels look after him.  Will they look after us?