A Prayer for the Earth
Most gracious God, creator of all good things, we thank you for planet earth and all creatures that share it.
Have mercy on us, Lord. Through ignorance and carelessness we have poisoned clean air and pure water. For monetary gain we have reduced verdant forests to barren wastes. In our craving for more we have plundered your beloved creation and driven many of our fellow creatures to extinction. Only recently have we begun to realize the dangerous future into which our current patterns of consumption and waste are driving us, especially in relation to earth’s climate. Only recently have we begun to see our need to find a wiser and better way of life in the future, before it is too late and our choices are limited by the consequences of inaction.
We who join in prayer today believe the time has come, Lord. Please guide us now, our God, at this critical moment in history, to better fulfill our role as stewards of this fragile planet. Guide the leaders of nations who (will) gather in Copenhagen (on December 6). Give them courage to set noble goals that reach beyond short-range political expediency, short-term economic profit, and short-sighted self-interest. Impress upon their conscience our sacred duty to bequeath to our children and grandchildren a healthy and thriving environment rather than a world in climate crisis.
If our leaders fail, Lord, if they fail to take the necessary action, they will violate both our trust and your calling to use their power for the common good. If they fail, every person will be affected, including generations not yet born. Rouse us all to action for we are all woven together in the fabric of creation.
This is the moment, God, when a great turning of hearts must begin. So through this prayer, we of many traditions who follow Christ — joined by friends and neighbors of many faiths – unite our hearts in a cry for change. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray in the name of Christ, through whom you have given yourself to the whole world in incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. Amen.
– by Brian McLaren and and Tim Costello (source)
I Choose To…
From the book, Grace for the Moment, by Max Lucado:
I Choose Love…
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I Choose Joy…
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. i will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool of hte lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I Choose Peace…
I will live forgiven. I will forgive others so that I may live.
I Choose Patience…
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that he wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at a new assignment, I will face them with joy and courage.
I Choose Goodness…
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I Choose Faithfulness…
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My spouse will not question my love. And my children will never that I will not come home.
I Choose Gentleness…
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I Choose Self-Control…
I will refuse to let what will rot rule the eternal. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
Recovering from the Year of Living Biblically
A. J. Jacobs describes himself as an agnostic Jew. As such, he’s not someone you would expect to find headlining Christian conferences and speaking at local churches. But lately, he’s been invited to do just that. 
Jacobs recently released a book entitled The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. Really, as literally as possible for an entire year. Not only did Jacobs take up the more ‘common’ practices, such as tithing, curbing the lust of his eyes, and guarding his tongue, he also took up some of the more obscure customs, such as: not mixing wool and linen, growing a beard that puts ZZ Top to shame, and of course a strict dietary code, which included eating crickets. As an aside, he considered some rules, such as killing magicians, worthy of abstaining from.
I haven’t read the book personally (yet), but it seems that it’s being well-received by parties across the spectrum, which seems due to the respect that Jacobs displayed to everyone involved. In an interview with Christianity Today (from whom I borrowed the title of this post), Jacobs discusses the warm reception he’s receiving by saying,
I’m speculating, but I think part of it is they [Evangelicals] were appreciative that I went in with an open mind and an open heart, and I wasn’t judgmental. I didn’t do a Bill Maher Religulous hatchet job with an agenda. I really did go in to try to just understand and find the allure and what, if anything, I can take from religion.
I’ve also gotten e-mails from Christians who say that they appreciate it because at least in the first half of the book you get to see a really secular mindset. They say, "Thank you for allowing me to see what’s inside of a secular person’s mind."
I think a lot of people, especially in the emergent church movement, like that I took to task too much over literalization or legalism. I do think that if you take the Bible too literally then you get into trouble.
I was very nervous before the book came out about the reaction, because I thought that I had done a fair job and I had gone in open-minded and to learn, but mixing humor and the Bible is a risky proposition. But I think that they go very well together.
And in the end, he says, "I’m now a reverent agnostic. Which isn’t an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe that whether or not there’s a God, there is such a thing as sacredness. Life is sacred."
This is interesting to me for a couple reasons. First, I get intensely frustrated with the Bill Maher’s of the world, who in my view accomplish little more than driving unnecessary wedges between people of faith and secular society. Jacobs offers a refreshing alternative. In my view, mutual respect and tolerance are the preconditions for any type of meaningful dialogue.
Second, I was reminded of Pascal, who believed (and tried to persuade others) that the Christian life as he experienced it was the most rewarding, fulfilling, and meaningful way to live. Obviously, Jacobs wasn’t that convinced by the lifestyle he lived (nor did he live the Christian life as Pascal would have envisioned it), but the experience did reshape how he thought about life, specifically, he gained a deeper appreciation for the sacredness of ritual and life.
What do you think? Is it interesting to you? If so, why? If not, why not?
Loving Your Neighbor: The Water Project
Jesus said,
‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.
I’ve been having some rich conversations lately about faith, skepticism, and social action (mostly) through the wonderful medium that is the Internet. In the course of conversation, I’ve made the claim that Christianity can be an incredibly powerful source of social change, justice, equity, and charity. As a Christian who’s been involved in the church for my whole life, such a claim is self-evidently true. I mean, I’ve seen it happen with my own eyes and contributed it to it in a variety of ways in my own life. But I take that experience for granted, experience that others with whom I converse regularly do not share.
So I began thinking about the people and organizations I was familiar with who were doing this type of work in the world, i.e., loving their neighbors altruistically – with no strings attached. Hence, the title of this post (and hopefully some more to come!).
The Water Project. Here’s who they are, what they do, and why they’re doing it:
Who We Are
The Water Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that’s bringing relief to communities around the world who suffer needlessly from a lack of access to clean water.
What We’re Doing
We help raise both awareness and the funds needed to provide the most basic and life-sustaining need of people…clean water.
We do that by connecting donors to water project implementers who are providing clean water to under-developed nations efficiently and sustainably.
We work closely with partners around the world who identify, implement, report on and follow up on each project. We share this information with our supporters through innovative tools online that inspire confidence in the work being done and the impact it has.
Why We’re Doing It
We believe that providing clean water restores hope by enabling our partners to make a "whole-life impact" in the communities they serve through their broader development activity. We desire to see access to clean water enable schools to thrive, people to get back to work, farming to provide enough food to earn a living, and suffering to be alleviated as health improves.
We believe the issues facing Africa, India and other under-developed parts of the world are not simply today’s problems. We know that a lack of clean water stands in the way of tomorrow’s hope. And we’re sure that together we can change that.
Are We a "Religious Organization"?
No. We are simply a Christian non-profit.
Religious organizations are organized and recognized differently than public benefit charities. The work we do through The Water Project is for the good of the general public. The reason we do this work is because we are Christians. We believe that important distinction allows us to work with people of all backgrounds and faiths for the benefit of all people. Our projects do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ethnic or religious backgrounds. We serve others.
We believe that bringing water to those who need it most is a natural expression of how Jesus Christ teaches us all to live. We believe these essential, life-sustaining projects will help enable our partners to demonstrate what loving one’s neighbor is all about. We believe these water projects relieve suffering, open doors to education, stimulate economic development, and most importantly introduce a true and lasting hope.
So simply put, we follow the teaching of Jesus who has called each of us to act, in this world, for peace and justice by loving our neighbor — however, whenever and wherever we can.
We exist to see the world changed through this love. It is a simple message of hope in an increasingly difficult world.
That’s a pretty clear picture of what it means to love your neighbor, I think. We love because we are loved, and love doesn’t distinguish among race, creed, ethnicity, or religious background (or lack thereof). And there are no strings attached – there is a need, and the need is being met, period.
The Water Project is on Facebook and Twitter, and you can follow them here. You can help support them by giving “Twollars” (I’m not kidding), which doesn’t cost you anything but a few seconds of time. Details are on their site under “Action Alert.”
What do you think? Do you have a favorite charity or philanthropic effort that you want to share? What about a personal story?
A story that hits close to home
Every morning on the way to work, I tune into Morning Edition on NPR to catch
up on the news headlines, at least as much as is possible in 20 minutes.
This morning another story from StoryCorps was featured, and it brought a tear to my eye… something that almost never happens, frankly.
When I was a child, my grandmother began to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. I was old enough to have some memories of her before she began to suffer from memory loss, but I am the oldest of my siblings. Not all my siblings remember her before the disease as well as I do.
This morning’s story hit so close to home because it was an interview between an elderly married couple that is deeply in love after 60 years of marriage… and the man, Seymour, is beginning to suffer from the same disease that caused so much pain and suffering in my own family. But in spite of the disease, there is a deep, powerful connection between these two people, which reminded me of my own dear grandparents. My grandparents were and remain a deep source of inspiration for me as models of love, faithfulness, and commitment. Those same values are echoed in the story of Marcia and Seymour. So I thought I would share.
Marcia and Seymour Gottlieb have known each other for 60 years. The rat-a-tat-tat of the story the married couple tells about how they met sounds like George Burns and Gracie Allen — a beautifully crafted comedy routine.
Marcia: "Our journey started a long, long time ago."
Seymour: "Must I tell everybody you worked for me?"
Marcia: "It’s the truth!"
Seymour: "Well, she worked for me. She was the cashier."
You see, Seymour Gottlieb had needed another worker at his surplus store, and an employee had recommended her friend.
Seymour: "And here came old Marcia. I looked her over and said to myself, ‘Gee, what a funny-looking broad!’ But she has good credentials, she can count, so I said, ‘All right, I’ll give her a chance.’ "
The Gottliebs recorded their story in Los Angeles as part of the StoryCorps Memory Loss Initiative. Seymour has Alzheimer’s, but says he’ll never forget meeting that "funny-looking broad," Marcia.
Marcia: "Do you have any questions for me, kid?"
Seymour: "I have nothing to ask you. Everything about you — I think — I know. Your brassiere size, your dress size, and the true color of your hair … That’s a lot of baloney, that blond hair!"
But as with any good routine, there are moments of sentiment amid the laughs.
Seymour: "I’m very lucky to have my mate this long. Look at that beautiful face. When we first met … she didn’t have the wrinkles in her face. Now she’s a good-looking old lady. You know, the older you get, you have different needs from your mate, and she has met all of them."
Marcia: "Seymour … as old as you are …"
Seymour: "87!"
Marcia: "As big a fart as you are, I do love you!"
Seymour: "You do?"
Marcia: "Yeah."
Seymour: "Well, I can’t help it. I don’t know if medication will also help you.
"The longer I know her, the more I appreciate her, ’cause she’s my pal. She’s my best friend — not the best cook in the world, but she makes reservations very well."
And … scene!
(there’s also an audio file available for download, in which you can hear Seymour and Marcia interact… it’s a beautiful sound)
“Unlikely Disciple”
Kevin Roose is a brave, brave man. As this article explains:
Before Kevin Roose enrolled at the world’s largest evangelical university he didn’t know any evangelical Christians, save for one. He didn’t even really know God. But that didn’t stop the “practically religion free” Brown University sophomore from taking a semester’s leave to subject himself to “Bible Boot Camp” at Liberty University, the bastion of higher education founded by the late Reverend Jerry Falwell. On campus in Lynchburg, Virginia, Roose engrossed himself in classes like Evangelism 101, History of Life and Old Testament Survey, at the same time acclimating to a social scene regulated by “The Liberty Way,” a forty-six-page code of conduct.
While Roose expected to meet a student body dominated by angry, intolerant zealots, he discovered that the Lukes, Matthews and Pauls he encountered were—more or less—like any other 21st century college students. In other words, in between prayer groups and Bible study they gossiped, complained about exams, and whiled away the hours on Facebook and MySpace. But what really surprised Roose is that after a few months of palling around with his spiritually intense classmates and “experimenting” with prayer, he began to enjoy—or at least appreciate—living a Christ-centered university life.
Kevin is back at Brown U now, and he’s written a book about his experience. I’m guessing it’s interesting. The Q&A section of the above article also contains some pretty fascinating stuff. Here are some highlights:
Why did you go to Liberty?
I wanted to explore the world of Christian college students because I had the ultimate secular upbringing and had no exposure to my Christian peers. I grew up in a liberal college town [Oberlin, Ohio], my parents once worked for Ralph Nader, and I chose to attend Brown University, which is known as a liberal enclave. I had read somewhere that 51 percent of non-evangelical Americans don’t know any evangelical Christians, and that one out of three American teenagers considers themselves a born-again Christian. So it really is our biggest cultural divide. I wanted to see how the other half lives, and to see if I could bring those two worlds closer together. (emphasis added)
Can you name a few substitute swear words one might overhear at Liberty?
They would say things like “darn” and “crap” and “heck.” They call them Nerf curses. And sometimes they would just say the first letter [of a curse word], like “F that!” But saying it without saying it … it seems like you may as well go the whole nine yards.
(I laughed when I read that one!)
Was it difficult to fit in at Liberty?
It was tremendously difficult because it really is an entirely different culture. But I had a great time getting to know the guys on my hall, and I found out that most of the time they weren’t even thinking about religion or Jerry Falwell or politics. They were worrying about homework or gossiping about girls in the sister dorm or wondering what they would be doing after graduation. It was an intensely humanizing experience to discover the amount I had in common with the people I met there.
What was your most enlightening class?
I enjoyed the Bible classes, and I think it’s important for Americans to be Biblically literate. I had been through 19 years of secular schooling in which I wasn’t taught about the Bible, and I think that’s a shame.And although I struggled with it, I enjoyed my Creationist biology course. It was the most foreign thing to me because I’m a firm believer in evolution. Getting a test that would ask: True or false … Noah’s Ark was large enough to accommodate various types of dinosaurs … that was a little bit jarring for me. But as the semester went on, I learned that there is a coherent world view there, and even if I don’t agree with it, I think we need to understand the Creationist world view, because there are a lot of young Creationists out there. We have to understand why they believe what they believe and be able to engage them in an educated way.
Did Brown accept your credits from Liberty?
[Laughs]. I tried. I went to the dean and showed him my transcript and he took one look and said, “I don’t think so.”
Can your book help bridge the so-called God Divide?
I hope so, and I think people are ready for that. We have been fighting the culture wars—this divisive Moral Majority culture war—for 35 years, but people are now recognizing that this is destructive and that we need to find common ground. People are tired of demonizing. I think we’re ready to move past that and go forward…But both sides have mythology that lets them demonize people outside the fold. And the culture wars will go on because there are legitimate issues of disagreement. But we don’t have to hold the same tone when talking about these issues. That can change.
I’m taken by a few things. First, I’m impressed by this young man’s willingness to engage people he knew absolutely nothing about from a posture of openness and humility. To me, that’s rare and should be applauded. Second, I’m a bit humbled, because his experience at Liberty breaks down some of the stereotypical things I had thought about Liberty, its values, and its teachings. Third, I’m a bit surprised to hear that they have courses on Creationist Biology. And finally, I’m incredibly impressed by the overall tone of the interview, which is summed up by the last quotation. We don’t have to go on hating each other and fighting with each other. Change is desirable and possible. Let’s make that happen.
I’m curious what you think. Can we learn anything from this experiment? If so, what?
(via)
Spread the Word to End the Word
While I was in seminary, I spent two years tutoring/mentoring a middle school student with Down’s Syndrome. He was a sweet young man, full of energy and life. I learned more from him than I could ever include in a blog post.
One thing I will share, though. On a couple of occasions, he came back from school heartbroken. He’s a smart kid, and he knows that he has a disability. Sometimes, he gets depressesed because he feels “stupid” (his word)… For example, he knows that he’s not as fast with Math problems as his peers, and he knows he needs a tutor to help him with his homework; as a result, he sometimes feels inferior. Usually, some kind words of affirmation were enough to change his mood.
But I remember one day when things were different. On the playground at recess, some of his classmates made fun of him because of his disability — and used a word that has inspired this post.
His heart was broken.
So, me sharing this story is my part to help spread the word so we can end the word.
What can you do?
Evangelicals and Torture: a follow up
As a follow-up to the lively discussion on torture last week, I thought I would post this in hopes of hearing your thoughts on the topic.
In short, are Evangelicals more likely to support torture because they are Evangelicals or because they are Republicans?
Torture Poll: It’s About Politics, not Religion, a recent Washington Post blog entry, says that all the news coverage about white evangelical Protestants supporting torture is missing something. Evangelicals have those views on torture not because they are evangelicals, but because they are largely Republican:
In a basic statistical model estimating public support for a torture option, party is a clear predictor, whether one is Catholic, Protestant or unaffiliated is not.
Good news – or the central problem? As Emmanuel Katongole pointed out in The Pattern of This World in Sojourners earlier this year, it is a grave problem when political affiliations shape Christians’ views more than religious affiliations do:
Once this imagination and identity had fomented, Christianity made little difference … Christianity seemed little more than an add-on—an inconsequential relish that did not radically affect peoples’ so-called natural identities.
Katongole describes how this kingdom-of-this-world thinking led to the genocide in Rwanda, one of the most ostensibly “Christianized” countries in Africa. He also describes how he’s seen this thinking in the U.S. – and, if there was any doubt, the torture poll confirms it: He’s talking to you, United States. I suggest that we listen.
(via God or Country? – Elizabeth Palmberg – God’s Politics Blog.)
So what do you think? Have we confused God and Country? Or, is this article full of rubbish?
Breath Prayer
Thanks to my wonderful college professor, MoJo, I am familiar with a type of prayer called Breath Prayer.
There are a few different models for how breath prayer can be practiced. Some say that breath prayers are prayers that you can say in one breath; obviously, these would be short, often a few words, a phrase, or a sentence — and often from Scripture, a Creed, or another liturgical source.
For example (and this is the prayer I pray most commonly), “Jesus Christ, Son of David, have mercy on me.”
Another model is to pray one phrase while breathing in and another while breathing out.
For example, breathing in, “Lord have mercy.” And breathing out, “Christ have mercy.”
If you’re like me, then prayer doesn’t always come easy. I’ve found that this can be one way to pratice praying continually — as impossible as that may seem.
So, if this sounds at all appealing, join me as I try to re-integrate this practice into my daily routine. Let me know if it works for you, and post any prayers that are meaningful to you.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://i0.wp.com/img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png)
hoping for redemption 