BrotherRog

An update: ---------- Resources for Christian Peace & Justice Work: Faith-Based Peace & Justice Organizations: General Board of Church & Society www.umc-gbcs.org UM-POWER is an email “action alert” service The United Methodist Church 100 Maryland Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002 United Church of Christ www.ucctakeaction.org National Council of Churches www.councilofchurches.org & www.ncccusa.org The Interfaith Alliance www.interfaithalliance.org Founded in 1994, The Interfaith Alliance (TIA) is a non-partisan, clergy-led grassroots organization dedicated to promoting the positive and healing role of religion in the life of the nation and challenging those who manipulate religion to promote a narrow, divisive agenda. With more than 150,000 members drawn from over 70 faith traditions, 47 local Alliances and a national network of religious leaders, TIA promotes compassion, civility and mutual respect for human dignity in our increasingly diverse society. Faithful America www.faithfulamerica.org Faith In Action: Free action alerts & inspiration. FaithfulAmerica.org is an online community of people of faith who want to build a more just and compassionate nation. It aspires to be an online wing of a powerful, new progressive faith movement, like the ones that fought for independence, abolition and civil rights. FaithfulAmerica.org believes in the common good and in community – local, national and global. We reject a go-it-alone culture that reduces our politics and our personal lives to selfishness and fear. We accept the separation of church and state, but not the separation of moral principles from politics. Church Folks for a Better America www.cfba.info A project of the Peace Action Education Fund, educational arm of the Coalition for Peace Action, 40 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ 08542 The Clergy & Laity Network www.clnnlc.org Fellowship for Reconciliation (FOR) www.forusa.org The Fellowship of Reconciliation seeks to replace violence, war, racism, and economic injustice with nonviolence, peace, and justice. We are an interfaith organization committed to active nonviolence as a transforming way of life and as a means of radical change. We educate, train, build coalitions, and engage in nonviolent and compassionate actions locally, nationally, and globally. American Friends Service Committee www.afsc.org (the political activist arm of the Quaker Church) 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 Every Church a Peace Church www.ecapc.org Bread for the World www.bread.org Churches for Middle East Peace www.cmep.org 110 Maryland Ave NE, #311, Washington, DC 20002 (special focus upon Israeli-Palestinian conflict) Pax Christi www.pcusa.org & www.paxchristiusa.org (an unofficial peace & justice wing of the Roman Catholic Church) LWH Online weekly e-newsletter, editor, Johnny Zokovitch – email: johnnypcusa@yahoo.com The Catholic Worker Movement www.catholicworker.org (another unofficial peace & justice wing of the RCC, founded by the late Dorothy Day) Interfaith Worker Justice capwiz.com/nicwj 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., 4th Fl., Chicago, IL 60660 Secular Peace, Political & Anti-war Advocacy: www.peacefultomorrows.org www.listenforpeace.org/ www.unitedforpeace.org www.womeninblack.net/ www.peacemaker.org www.veteransforcommonsense.org www.prioritypeace.org www.commondreams.org www.moveon.org www.truemajority.org www.workingforchange.com www.costofwar.com www.Globalhealing.net 2020vision@democracyinaction.org www.unionvoice.org Faith-Based Peace & Justice-Oriented Media: Sojourners Magazine www.sojo.net (a “progressive” evangelical Christian journal & intentional Christian community led by Rev. Jim Wallis in D.C.) Sojomail - weekly email newsletter SojoMail@sojo.net Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA) (connected to Ron Sider and Tony Campolo) PRISM ePistle - epistle@esa-online.org - a bi-weekly e-newsletter PRISM publications encourage Christians to live out the whole of the gospel with the whole of their lives. If you find the PRISM ePistle helpful, forward it to your friends. Our desire is that the ePistle be a forum for challenging discussion and exploration of all issues pertaining to whole-life discipleship. New Zion’s Herald Magazine www.zionsherald.org Alternative Secular Media & Watchdog groups: Democracy Now! www.democracynow.org (an alternative, non-mainstream, media source) Democracy Now! airs on over 300 radio and tv stations, including Pacifica and community radio stations, NPR stations, public access tv stations, PBS stations, and on Free Speech TV (DishTV Ch. 9415) and LinkTV (DishTV Ch. 9410, DirecTV Ch. 375),... www.pbs.org/now/ www.indymedia.org www.globalbeat.org www.prwatch.org www.antiwar.com www.fair.org www.truthout.org www.commondreams.org Peace & Justice related Books: The Holy Bible Vincent Harding, Hope and History: Why We Must Share the Story of the Movement Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero Stanley Hauerwas, The Peaceable Kingdom: A Primer to Christian Ethics; Resident Aliens; Richard Horsley, Jesus and Empire; Jesus and the Spiral of Violence; Religion and Empire Wes Howard-Brook, Becoming Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical Discipleship Unveiling Empire: Reading Revelation Then & Now Theodore Jennings, Good News to the Poor: John Wesley's Evangelical Economics George Johnson, Beyond Guilt: A Christian Response to Suffering Martin Luther King Jr., Any book by this author Mary Alice Mulligan & Rufus Burrow, Daring To Speak in God's Name: Ethical Prophecy in Ministry Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love Ron Sider, For They Shall Be Fed: Scripture & Prayers for a Just World Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving From Affluence to Generosity The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience: Why Are Christians Living Just Like the Rest of the World? Jane Vennard, Praying for Friends and Enemies: Intercessory Prayer Jim Wallis, The Call to Conversion: Recovering the Gospel for These Times The Soul of Politics: Beyond Religious Right & Secular Left God's Politics: Why the Religious Right is Wrong & Why the Left Doesn't Get It Juan Williams, The Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years Walter Wink, The Powers That Be: Theology for the New Millennium John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus Peace & Justice related Movies: Romero – starring Raul Julia The City of Joy -starring Patrick Swayze Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story Hotel Rwanda – Don Cheadle The Mission – Robert DeNiro/Jeremy Irons To End All Wars – Kiefer Sutherland Gandhi – Ben Kingsley Erin Brokovich – Julia Roberts The Thin Blue Line – doc. re: death penalty Chattahoochee – Gary Oldman/Dennis Hopper The Fog of War – doc. featuring Robert McNamara Bonhoeffer – Ulrich Tukur Born on the 4th of July - Tom Cruise Amistad –Morgan Freeman/Matt.McCon. Dances With Wolves – Kevin Costner Dead Man Walking – Susan Sarandon/Sean Penn Schindler’s List – Liam Neeson The Killing Fields – Sam Waterston Eyes on the Prize – PBS doc. re: civil rights mvmt. The Corporation – documentary Amandala – doc. re: ending aparthied in S. Africa The War – Kevin Costner The Control Room – doc.re:media coverage of Iraq war Silver City– Chris Cooper

Old Turtle - a MUST have! : )

This year March 20th is Palm Sunday. What better way to celebrate Palm Sunday (a day where people filled the streets and marched on faith which challenged the military might of the empire) than to join local actions to end the war in Iraq and end the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine. Please share below actions with friends and neighbors! ========================================= US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation March 19-20 The World Says End the War! March 19-20 marks the two-year anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. The war on Iraq is one manifestation of a larger US agenda for domination in the Middle East. The illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, which is supported politically and financially by the United States, is included in this agenda. The US Campaign is joining United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) to call for end to the war. On March 19th and 20th people around the world will be joining together in a global protest against the war and against occupation. A major national convergence will take place in Fayetteville, North Carolina which is home to Fort Bragg, one of four major US military bases in North Carolina. Additionally, there will be decentralized protests in cities in towns all over the country. What you can do: * Endorse the Call to Action! Visit http://meetups.radicaldesigns.org/modinput...t4.php?modin=13 to fill out UFPJ's endorsement form * Participate in the global day of protest! We encourage you to join the US Campaign in Fayetteville, NC. If you can't make it to Fayetteville we encourage you to join or plan an event in your own community. Visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2688 for UFPJ's information about Fayetteville and other activities nationwide. * Educate about the linkages between the US occupation of Iraq and the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The US Campaign has two educational resources for you to use that highlight these linkages: Dual Occupations looks at the political relationship between the two occupations, the similarities in the tactics used by both occupation forces, and occupation vis- à-vis international law. Visit http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=314 to download a PDF of Dual Occupations. Torture in the "War on Terrorism" deals specifically with the use of torture by US and Israeli soldiers and security forces against prisoners during interrogation and detention. Visit http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1052 to download a PDF of Torture in the "War on Terrorism." * Write an op-ed for your local newspaper. For tips on writing and getting op-eds placed visit Palestine Media Watch at http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/index.asp

Lenten Devotional – Week Three: Creating a Well, Not a Wall in Iraq New Testament Scripture: John 4:5-42 United Methodist Social Principle: The World Community 2004 United Methodist Book of Resolutions: "...we call upon the United States government and The United Methodist Church to work cooperatively with the international community and the worldwide Body of Christ for a just and peaceful rebuilding of Iraq that provides for Iraq's self-determination as a nation with intentional focus on the needs and concerns of the Iraqi people" (p.841), Walking Humbly with God: Read John 4:5-42 and prayerfully reflect on the following excerpts and questions: Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all. Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity. It is right and it is duty. - Archbishop Oscars Romero The well has significance throughout human history, not only as the receptacle of the water that is needed to quench thirst, clean our bodies and accomplish many of the essential tasks of daily living. The well is also a meeting place, usually centrally located, where people come together to draw water and to reconnect with one another. Relationships are formed at the well. Where are the wells of our time? Jesus says, "The water I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." Jesus is a well for those who are followers of him. Filled by the Spirit, we also become wells for one another. We can embody Jesus' well, becoming people who are reconcilers and healers in our communities and in the world. "Well-being" is not merely a physical state of health. Wellness is openness to the presence of God in others, even those who have a very different life story to tell than our own. To be a well is to have a willingness to fill and be filled. It is a regular practice of justice and mercy, forgiveness and healing. What does it mean to meet together and share water at the well, particularly during difficult times and times of conflict? How does Jesus’ life prepare us to advocate for people/communities/nations experiencing violence? Through Jesus’ interaction with a woman from Samaria, what assumptions and systems did Jesus challenge? How does this determine how we advocate for those affected (civilians and combatants) by the war in Iraq? With healing and reconciliation at the core of Jesus’ ministry and purpose, how can we engage world leaders to adopt a foreign policy that reflects these core beliefs? Mercy: "... we exemplify Christ's peace through the words and actions of each of our daily lives" (Book of Resolutions, p. 841). 1. Pray constantly for: a. The safety and well-being of both civilians and combatants affected by the war in Iraq. The people of the entire Middle Eastern region and for the implementation of serious and effective plans of peaceful resolution of the region's crises. GBCS Statement on Crisis in the Middle East, 10/17/04 2. Support families of the troops and/or send money to the Red Cross: < http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html or the USO: < http://uso.com/pubs/8_13_18.cfm (designate for families of the troops). 3. Support citizens of Iraq by sending money for humanitarian aid: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/emergency/iraq.stm Justice: Vice Adm. Lowell E. Jacoby, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told the Senate panel that " the Iraq insurgency has grown 'in size and complexity over the past year' and is now mounting an average of 60 attacks per day, up from 25 last year. Attacks on Iraq's election day last month reached 300, he said, double the previous one-day high of 150, even though transportation was virtually locked down. War helps Recruit Terrorists, Hill Told, Washington Post, 2/17/05 ...we urge a truly united effort to transfer power and sovereignty back to the Iraqi people as soon as possible, the withdrawal of United States and other coalition forces, and their replacement with U.N. forces, and funding coordinated through that international body. We further call upon the international community to support the reconstruction of Iraq and the healing of its people who have been devastated for decades by their own leaders as well as more recently by the occupying forces. GBCS Statement on Crisis in the Middle East, 10/17/04 Learn more about the conflict in Iraq: · http://www.umc-gbcs.org/issues/issues.php?topic=Iraq · Religious leaders condemn Iraq church bombings: http://www.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=2&mid=5419 · Education For Peace in Iraq: http://www.epic-usa.org · Amnesty International report on Women in Post-Conflict Iraq: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/women · Cost of War: http://www.costofwar.com/ Contact your member of congress to advocate: For: Transfer of power and sovereignty back to the people of Iraq as soon as possible. Reconstruction of the country and the healing of its people though the support of the international community. Against (specific to U.S.): a. Proposed cuts in President Bush’s budget for veteran's health benefits. b. The supplemental $80 billion to continue the war in Iraq. Go to UMPower: http://capwiz.com/gbcs/home/ for the name and contact information of your members of congress. Learn about the Arab people and about Islam: http://www.freep.com/jobspag e/arabs/index.htm Sign-up at the JUSTPEACE* website to learn about training opportunities coming to your area -- to learn about engaging difficult situations and resolving conflict using the image of a well instead of a wall. http://www.justpeaceumc.org *Mark Mancao, a director of JUSTPEACE Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation, helped create this weeks’ devotional http://www.umc-gbcs.org/news/viewnews.php?newsId=930

Lent Devotional - Week Two: Lifting the AIDS Crisis for prayer and action New Testament Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46 United Methodist Social Principle: The Social Community 2004 United Methodist Book of Resolutions: “…Jesus Christ reached out and healed those who came to him, including people who were despised and rejected because of their illness and afflictions…(p. 745) The global AIDS pandemic provides a nearly unparalleled opportunity for witness to the gospel through service, advocacy, and other healing ministries…(p. 747) Walking Humbly with God: Read Matthew 25:31-46 and reflect on the following excerpts and questions: The church has HIV/AIDS. The church, being the body of Christ, accepts that when its members are infected, the entire body of Christ is infected and affected, hence the need to transform the church into a living community of hope, healing and action. - Dr. Mercy Amba Oduyoye, a Ghanaian theologian. …working together, we can be the generation that stands up and says no more shall children in God’s world die from hunger. No more will people’s lives be shortened by the AIDS pandemic. No more! - Rev. David Beckmann, President of Bread for the World What is your community’s response to people living with HIV/AIDS? What stigmas do you still carry about people with HIV/AIDS that keep you from responding to Christ’s call in Matthew 25? How do these stereotypes affect how our faith communities and governments respond to this crisis? What choices to we make that perpetuate the AIDS pandemic? (For clues click here) What other ways is God calling you to respond? Mercy: …United Methodist congregations, schools, health facilities, women’s, men’s, and youth groups can play a major role by providing awareness, support, education and care to those affected by HIV/AIDS. (Book of Resolutions, p. 747) 1. Identify and implement one thing that would help your church become a more open place where people whose lives have been touched by HIV/AIDS could name their pain and reach out for compassion, understanding, and acceptance (Book of Resolutions, p. 747). 2. Contribute financially. United Methodist Global AIDS Fund: Advance #982345. Responds to the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS within the context of their communities and assists organizations in Latin America/Caribbean, Africa, Europe and Asia/Pacific to address the prevention of the spread of HIV. This is a new fund adopted by the 2004 General Conference to work toward the eradication of AIDS around the globe. The goal is to raise $8 million over the next four years. AIDS Orphan Trust: Advance #982842. Unlike a traditional orphanage, children in Africa whose parents have died of AIDS are allowed to remain in their homes and assigned caregivers regularly visit them and attend to their needs. Enabling AIDS Ministries in the U.S.A.: Advance #982215. This program facilitates development and strengthening of HIV/AIDS ministries by providing grants for education, compassion, and advocacy for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Healthy Homes, Healthy Families Kit Program: Advance #982315. Distributes infection control and basic care kits that contain 22 essential supplies needed to take care of an ailing loved one and prevent the spread of infection. (When contributing financially, give through your local United Methodist Church indicating the Advance Special #. Gifts may also be sent to: ADVANCE, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. To make a credit card donation, call 1-800-554-8583.) Justice: The General Board of Church and Society is committed to working in coalition with ecumenical partners to advocate for increased funding of global AIDS initiatives. One important goal is to support programs that reduce poverty, improve access to health care, education and economic justice--all issues related to eradication of AIDS. 1. Learn from the following websites about the current HIV/AIDS pandemic and what is being done about it. Design an awareness campaign or educational program in your church, youth group, conference or school. The One Campaign 2. Advocate for increased levels of funding for HIV/AIDS. Contact your government officials and urge adequate funding for the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria as well as your country’s initiatives to overcome AIDS at home and abroad. 3. Advocate for funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to be guaranteed from the United States each year. UNFPA works diligently to provide resources for reproductive health of women and girls as well as HIV/AIDS prevention around the globe (Book of Resolutions, p. 747-8). 4. Plan to have your church/campus ministry participate in World AIDS Day on Dec. 1st. http://www.umc-gbcs.org/news/viewnews.php?newsId=926

Jeep, I hate to burst your bubble, but you are not sinless and neither am I.

Well, there's truth to that: IMO, the early Christians were far less dualistic than many are today (not counting the Gnostics who were VERY dualistic). For instance, the early Christians maintained that God is both a God of love/mercy AND of wrath/justice; and they understood that salvation is both personal and social/corporate. Sadly, many contemporary Christians tend to separate these things and this leads to false dichotomies, imbalances (over emphasizing one over the other), and ultimately to idolotry.

Indeed, as the late Fr. Daniel Berrigan put it, "If you want to follow Jesus, you need to look good... on wood."

In my studies of Taoism, is see no impetus for working to address systemic and social injustice, instead, I see a liscene for moral quietude.

All this said, I still tend to prefer to refer to myself as "a follower of the radical Way of Jesus the Christ", but I refuse to allow the Christian "Right" to monopolize the terms "Christian" or "Evangelical."

The following are portions of a document that I created a while back that help compare typical conservative and progressive positions about what's meant by "Jesus is Savior" and "Salvation." If you find yourself agreeing with what you see about Progressive Christianity, and you also feel motivated to spread the word about this perspective, then you may well be a Progressive Evangelical Christian: : ) ====================== Savior: A Conservative view: Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity. As God the Son, Jesus has existed always and wasn’t created. He is fully God and fully Man (the two natures joined in union – not mixed). As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus is coequal with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. In becoming a human, Jesus was begotten through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus is the only way to God, salvation, and eternal life. Jesus died on a cross according to God’s plan, as a perfect sacrifice and payment for our sins. He rose from the dead on the third day, and is now spiritually and physically immortal. For the next 40 days, He was seen by more than 500 witnesses. His wounds were visible and he ate meals. He physically ascended to Heaven. Jesus will come again visibly and physically at the end of the world to judge the world and establish God’s kingdom. Jesus is the Jewish Messiah promised to Israel in the Old Testament. A Progressive view: Jesus taught, modeled and invited us to live abundantly in relation to God instead of being in bondage to the ways of the world/empire. Christians are called to follow and imitate these abundantly life-giving ways of Christ (to claim Jesus as Lord of their lives instead of other worldly forces & powers), and invite others to do the same. Good Works accompany faith. If one’s faith is real & authentic, then one can’t help but respond by engaging in service to persons and a world in need. Jesus modeled, lived-out, and manifested a truly liberating way of life – the way of humble self-giving and nonviolent direct action - the "Way of the cross". By living such a life, Jesus proved that it is in fact possible for other humans to live this way as well. Jesus is the Jewish Messiah promised to Israel in the Old Testament. Salvation: A Conservative View: Is by God’s grace, not by an individual’s or community’s good works. Salvation must be received as a gift by faith. People must believe in their heart that Jesus died for their sins and physically rose again, which is the assurance of forgiveness and resurrection of our own bodies. This is God’s loving plan to forgive and be reconciled with sinful people. A Progressive view: Is by God’s grace and can be received by us with or without our awareness. People who are aware of this make the decision to accept the free gift of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and all that He meant in their lives. Even before Jesus was executed, He provided atonement (at-one-ment – reconnection with God and social reacceptance) to hurting souls via His gracious interaction in their lives. People are saved from the ways of the world and for the ways of God’s Kingdom when they accept and live-out this truth. Salvation is both personal and societal, and it is experienced here and now and also later in Heaven.

For me, its because the term implies an overt and passionate intentionality and commitment to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ through-out the world. My understanding of this Good News is more "progressive" than the notions held by our conservative friends, but I'm just as committed about sharing my understandings of the liberating Good News of Jesus as they are. I guess "Christian" connotes a more passive faith and evangelical implies a more overt, proactive one.

Indeed, forgiveness is something that we do at least as much for ourselves as for those who wronged us. Letting go of resentments, grudges, and even righteous rage is very healing.

At least your heart is in the right place; i.e. you'd purchase from a local independent store if you could! : ) FYI, I'll be fasting this week-end for 30 hours (from noon today until 6 pm tomorrow). The youth from our church are participating in the annual 30 Hour Famine event that seeks to generate awareness about hunger and poverty issues in the U.S. and across the globe. The kids choose their own level of fast (water only, juice, crackers, cheese) and participate in service projects in their community during their fast.

Wind, no, not as of yet. I just heard about him in Time magazine's cover story last week (25 most influential evangelicals).

All that said, I personally prefer to identify myself as a "follower of the radical Way of Jesus", but I also call myself a Christian as this is what I am.

Seems to me that you're far too ready to throw the baby out with the proverbial bath-water. I for one, am a bold and unapolgetic, EVANGELICAL LIBERAL CHRISTIAN (with post-liberal and process theology tendancies). I also boldly use the words Jesus, Lord, Religion, Church, and Christ! I also use a lot of other terms as well, but I REFUSE to allow the rightwingers to monopolize these words! The very first Christian creed, "Jesus is Lord!" was and should still be a RADICAL POLITICAL assertion; i.e. that Ceasar isn't Lord, JESUS is! Jesus is Lord over all of the empires and worldly powers that be! Yes, my theology is more focused upon the religion OF Jesus than the religion ABOUT Him, but I do not dismiss the worship of God through Jesus.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/13/...ain673732.shtml The article in the link above actually shocked this usually unflappable news junkie! Talk about Irony! Alan Keyes, Republican Christian right winger extraordinaire, denounced Cheney's Lesbian daughter as "a hedonist going to hell". Yet today Keyes' daughter announced she is a lesbian. : ) This is just too rich. I suppose this could be proof that God indeed has a profound sense of humor (and irony). from the article in the link above: Marcel-Keyes told the Post her parents have thrown her out of the house, stopped speaking to her and refuse to pay for college because she is gay. She said she loves her parents. Looks like Marcel may be the only real Christian in that family, she loves them in spite of their ignorance and rejection.

I have fasted from sunrise to sunset for 6 days straight several times - very helpful IMO. This said, I like Foster except that his writings tend to be a bit homophobic re: that particular issue. Other than that, I generally like what he has to say.

Theologians Warn of 'False Gospel' on the Environment; Call Christians To Repent of Sin WASHINGTON, D.C., February 14, 2005--In an effort to refute what they call a "false gospel" and to change destructive attitudes and actions concerning the environment, a group of theologians, convened by the National Council of Churches USA, today released an open letter calling on Christians to repent of "our social and ecological sins" and to reject teachings that suggest humans are "called" to exploit the Earth without care for how our behavior impacts the rest of God's creation. The statement, "God's Earth is Sacred: An Open Letter to Church and Society in the United States," points out that there is both an environmental and a theological crisis that must be addressed. "We have listened to a false gospel that we continue to live out in our daily habits - a gospel that proclaims that God cares for the salvation of humans only and that our human calling is to exploit Earth for our own ends alone," says the statement. "This false gospel still finds its proud preachers and continues to capture its adherents among emboldened political leaders and policy makers." The statement calls on Christians to take two important steps to enable socially just and ecologically sustainable communities for future generations: first, to "repent of our sins, in the presence of God and one another," and, second, to pursue, "with God's help, a path different from our present course." In its call to repentance, the statement confesses that, "we have abused and exploited the Earth and people on the margins of power and privilege, altering climates, extinguishing species, and jeopardizing Earth's capacity to sustain life as we know and love it." It goes on to identify eight norms to guide us on a new environmental path: justice, sustainability, bioresponsibility, humility, generosity, frugality, solidarity and compassion. The NCC's Eco-Justice Working Group decided to ask leading theologians to gather in the fall of 2004 at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., to work on a theological statement to counter arguments that the environment is not an issue that should concern Christians. In order to produce a theologically grounded statement, the group issued invitations to theologians who were well versed in ecumenism and the doctrine of their own church bodies. According to Father Chris Bender, an Orthodox priest who helped to bring the gathering together, "Some people say that the environment doesn't matter" because the second coming of Christ will usher in the end of the world as we know it. "To make such a statement is the height of arrogance," said Bender. "We don't know when the Lord is coming back but we do know that one day we will have to give an account for making the environment unlivable for those who come after us and for those who are the poorest among us," he said referring to the belief by Orthodox and other Christian churches that each person will have to stand before God and give an account of their actions. According to Bender how we treat God's creation "will be on God's agenda." Said the NCC's Associate General Secretary for Faith & Order, Dr. Ann K. Riggs, "No one can read Scripture and deny that caring for creation is part of what God has asked us to do." The Old Testament makes that point clear, she notes, adding, "There is nothing in the New Testament or early church traditions that suggest we no longer have to care for or protect creation. Care of creation is part of the Gospel," she said as she expressed her excitement about the release of the statement and noted her hope that it will have a profound impact on both the Church and society. In addition to refuting false teachings about the environment and calling Christians to repent, the statement also appeals to Christians and "all people of good will" to join together in understanding humans' responsibility to care for creation, to integrate this understanding into what it means to be the church, and to advocate boldly on behalf of those most vulnerable to the negative effects of the global environmental crisis. NCC President and Christian Methodist Episcopal Bishop, Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., who participated in the gathering and applauded the release of the statement, said, "As humans, we have a tendency to desecrate earth and minimize the biodiversity of life. While theology is usually ahead of practice at least we must aim for a relevant theology that informs what we ought to be and do. Theology and ethics are joined here to the end that human communities may be more just and all of life may be respected," asserted Hoyt. The NCC hopes that the statement, "God's Earth is Sacred," will stimulate conversations in churches, seminaries, colleges, universities and throughout society. "We will begin circulating this statement to all of our member churches and others to stress the importance and urgency to begin to change how we care for God's creation," said Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, NCC general secretary. "From Genesis to Revelation it is clear that God has given us the responsibility to care and seek justice for all of God's creation and we want to make sure that people in the pews are equipped to be ambassadors for this message and good stewards of the environment." The "God's Earth is Sacred" statement is part of a growing religious awareness of humankind's role in protecting creation. It was released on the heels of a grassroots campaign that just last week released "God's Mandate: Care for Creation," which was signed by more than 1,000 clergy and laypeople from Catholic, Protestant and Jewish traditions--and it came just before a broadbased effort on Feb. 16 to lift up the international Kyoto Protocol on climate change, an effort that included the participation of faith based groups. See www.nccecojustice.org for the "God's Mandate" statement and signatories, and "Christian Response to Kyoto" resources. ### EDITOR'S NOTE: The theological statement can be found online at www.councilofchurches.org. For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Leslie Tune at (202) 544-2350, ext. 11, (202) 297-2191 (cell) or via email, Ltune@ncccusa.org. God's Earth is Sacred: An Open Letter to Church and Society in the United States God's creation delivers unsettling news. Earth's climate is warming to dangerous levels; 90 percent of the world's fisheries have been depleted; coastal development and pollution are causing a sharp decline in ocean health; shrinking habitat threatens to extinguish thousands of species; over 95 percent of the contiguous United States forests have been lost; and almost half of the population in the United States lives in areas that do not meet national air quality standards. In recent years, the profound danger has grown, requiring us as theologians, pastors, and religious leaders to speak out and act with new urgency. We are obliged to relate to Earth as God's creation "in ways that sustain life on the planet, provide for the [basic] needs of all humankind, and increase justice." Over the past several decades, slowly but faithfully, the religious community in the United States has attempted to address issues of ecology and justice. Our faith groups have offered rich theological perspectives, considered moral issues through the lens of long-standing social teaching, and passed numerous policies within our own church bodies. While we honor the efforts in our churches, we have clearly failed to communicate the full measure and magnitude of Earth's environmental crisis-religiously, morally, or politically. It is painfully clear from the verifiable testimony of the world's scientists that our response has been inadequate to the scale and pace of Earth's degradation. To continue to walk the current path of ecological destruction is not only folly; it is sin. As voiced by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who has taken the lead among senior religious leaders in his concern for creation: "To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin. For humans to cause species to become extinct and to destroy the biological diversity of God's creation...for humans to degrade the integrity of Earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the Earth of its natural forests, or destroying its wetlands...for humans to injure other humans with disease...for humans to contaminate the Earth's waters, its land, its air, and its life, with poisonous substances...these are sins." We have become un-Creators. Earth is in jeopardy at our hands. This means that ours is a theological crisis as well. We have listened to a false gospel that we continue to live out in our daily habits-a gospel that proclaims that God cares for the salvation of humans only and that our human calling is to exploit Earth for our own ends alone. This false gospel still finds its proud preachers and continues to capture its adherents among emboldened political leaders and policy makers. The secular counterpart of this gospel rests in the conviction that humans can master the Earth. Our modern way of life assumes this mastery. However, the sobering truth is that we hardly have knowledge of, much less control over, the deep and long-term consequences of our human impacts upon the Earth. We have already sown the seeds for many of those consequences. The fruit of those seeds will be reaped by future generations of human beings, together with others in the community of life. The imperative first step is to repent of our sins, in the presence of God and one another. This repentance of our social and ecological sins will acknowledge the special responsibility that falls to those of us who are citizens of the United States. Though only five percent of the planet's human population, we produce one-quarter of the world's carbon emissions, consume a quarter of its natural riches, and perpetuate scandalous inequities at home and abroad. We are a precious part of Earth's web of life, but we do not own the planet and we cannot transcend its requirements for regeneration on its own terms. We have not listened well to the Maker of Heaven and Earth. The second step is to pursue a new journey together, with courage and joy. By God's grace, all things are made new. We can share in that renewal by clinging to God's trustworthy promise to restore and fulfill all that God creates and by walking, with God's help, a path different from our present course. To that end, we affirm our faith, propose a set of guiding norms, and call on our churches to rededicate themselves to this mission. We firmly believe that addressing the degradation of God's sacred Earth is the moral assignment of our time comparable to the Civil Rights struggles of the 1960s, the worldwide movement to achieve equality for women, or ongoing efforts to control weapons of mass destruction in a post-Hiroshima world. Ecological Affirmations of Faith We stand with awe and gratitude as members of God's bountiful and good creation. We rejoice in the splendor and mystery of countless species, our common creaturehood, and the interdependence of all that God makes. We believe that the Earth is home for all and that it has been created intrinsically good (Genesis 1). We lament that the human species is shattering the splendid gifts of this web of life, ignoring our responsibility for the well being of all life, while destroying species and their habitats at a rate never before known in human history. We believe that the Holy Spirit, who animates all of creation, breathes in us and can empower us to participate in working toward the flourishing of Earth's community of life. We believe that the people of God are called to forge ways of being human that enable socially just and ecologically sustainable communities to flourish for generations to come. And we believe in God's promise to fulfill all of creation, anticipating the reconciliation of all (Colossians 1:15), in accordance with God's promise (II Peter 3:13). We lament that we have rejected this vocation, and have distorted our God-given abilities and knowledge in order to ransack and often destroy ecosystems and human communities rather than to protect, strengthen, and nourish them. We believe that, in boundless love that hungers for justice, God in Jesus Christ acts to restore and redeem all creation (including human beings). God incarnate affirms all creation (John 1:14), which becomes a sacred window to eternity. In the cross and resurrection we know that God is drawn into life's most brutal and broken places and there brings forth healing and liberating power. That saving action restores right relationships among all members of "the whole creation" (Mark 16:15). We confess that instead of living and proclaiming this salvation through our very lives and worship, we have abused and exploited the Earth and people on the margins of power and privilege, altering climates, extinguishing species, and jeopardizing Earth's capacity to sustain life as we know and love it. We believe that the created world is sacred-a revelation of God's power and gracious presence filling all things. This sacred quality of creation demands moderation and sharing, urgent antidotes for our excess in consumption and waste, reminding us that economic justice is an essential condition of ecological integrity. We cling to God's trustworthy promise to restore, renew, and fulfill all that God creates. We long for and work toward the day when churches, as embodiments of Christ on Earth, will respond to the "groaning of creation" (Romans 8:22) and to God's passionate desire to "renew the face of the Earth" {Psalm 104:30). We look forward to the day when the lamentations and groans of creation will be over, justice with peace will reign, humankind will nurture not betray the Earth, and all of creation will sing for joy. Guiding Norms for Church and Society These affirmations imply a challenge that is also a calling: to fulfill our vocation as moral images of God, reflections of divine love and justice charged to "serve and preserve" the Garden (Genesis 2:15). Given this charge and the urgent problems of our age-from species extinctions and mass poverty to climate change and health-crippling pollution-how shall we respond? What shall we be and do? What are the standards and practices of moral excellence that we ought to cultivate in our personal lives, our communities of faith, our social organizations, our businesses, and our political institutions? We affirm the following norms of social and environmental responsibility: Justice-creating right relationships, both social and ecological, to ensure for all members of the Earth community the conditions required for their flourishing. Among human members, justice demands meeting the essential material needs and conditions for human dignity and social participation. In our global context, economic deprivation and ecological degradation are linked in a vicious cycle. We are compelled, therefore, to seek eco-justice, the integration of social justice and ecological integrity. The quest for eco-justice also implies the development of a set of human environmental rights, since one of the essential conditions of human well being is ecological integrity. These moral entitlements include protection of soils, air, and water from diverse pollutants; the preservation of biodiversity; and governmental actions ensuring the fair and frugal use of creation's riches. Sustainability-living within the bounds of planetary capacities indefinitely, in fairness to both present and future generations of life. God's covenant is with humanity and all other living creatures "for all future generations" (Genesis 9:8-17). The concern for sustainability forces us to be responsible for the truly long-term impacts of our lifestyles and policies. Bioresponsibility-extending the covenant of justice to include all other life forms as beloved creatures of God and as expressions of God's presence, wisdom, power, and glory. We do not determine nor declare creation's value, and other creatures should not be treated merely as instruments for our needs and wants. Other species have their own integrity. They deserve a "fair share" of Earth's bounty- a share that allows a biodiversity of life to thrive along with human communities. Humility-recognizing, as an antidote to arrogance, the limits of human knowledge, technological ingenuity, and moral character. We are not the masters of creation. Knowing human capacities for error and evil, humility keeps our own species in check for the good of the whole of Earth as God's creation. Generosity-sharing Earth's riches to promote and defend the common good in recognition of God's purposes for the whole creation and Christ's gift of abundant life. Humans are not collections of isolated individuals, but rather communities of socially and ecologically interdependent beings. A measure of a good society is not whether it privileges those who already have much, but rather whether it privileges the most vulnerable members of creation. Essentially, these tasks require good government at all levels, from local to regional to national to international. Frugality-restraining economic production and consumption for the sake of eco-justice. Living lives filled with God's Spirit liberates us from the illusion of finding wholeness in the accumulation of material things and brings us to the reality of God's just purposes. Frugality connotes moderation, sufficiency, and temperance. Many call it simplicity. It demands the careful conservation of Earth's riches, comprehensive recycling, minimal harm to other species, material efficiency and the elimination of waste, and product durability. Frugality is the corrective to a cardinal vice of the age: prodigality - excessively taking from and wasting God's creation. On a finite planet, frugality is an expression of love and an instrument for justice and sustainability: it enables all life to thrive together by sparing and sharing global goods. Solidarity-acknowledging that we are increasingly bound together as a global community in which we bear responsibility for one another's well being. The social and environmental problems of the age must be addressed with cooperative action at all levels-local, regional, national and international. Solidarity is a commitment to the global common good through international cooperation. Compassion-sharing the joys and sufferings of all Earth's members and making them our own. Members of the body of Christ see the face of Christ in the vulnerable and excluded. From compassion flows inclusive caring and careful service to meet the needs of others. A Call to Action: Healing the Earth and Providing a Just and Sustainable Society For too long, we, our Christian brothers and sisters, and many people of good will have relegated care and justice for the Earth to the periphery of our concerns. This is not a competing "program alternative," one "issue" among many. In this most critical moment in Earth's history, we are convinced that the central moral imperative of our time is the care for Earth as God's creation. Churches, as communities of God's people in the world, are called to exist as representatives of the loving Creator, Sustainer, and Restorer of all creation. We are called to worship God with all our being and actions, and to treat creation as sacred. We must engage our political leaders in supporting the very future of this planet. We are called to cling to the true Gospel - for "God so loved the cosmos" (John 3:16) - rejecting the false gospels of our day. We believe that caring for creation must undergird, and be entwined with, all other dimensions of our churches' ministries. We are convinced that it is no longer acceptable to claim to be "church" while continuing to perpetuate, or even permit, the abuse of Earth as God's creation. Nor is it acceptable for our corporate and political leaders to engage in "business as usual" as if the very future of life-support systems were not at stake. Therefore, we urgently call on our brothers and sisters in Christ, and all people of good will, to join us in: Understanding our responsibilities as those who live within the United States of America - the part of the human family that represents five percent of the world population and consumes 25 percent of Earth's riches. We believe that one of the surest ways to gain this understanding is by listening intently to the most vulnerable: those who most immediately suffer the consequences of our overconsumption, toxication, and hubris. The whole Earth is groaning, crying out for healing-let us awaken the "ears of our souls" to hear it, before it's too late. Integrating this understanding into our core beliefs and practices surrounding what it means to be "church," to be "human," to be "children of God." Such integration will be readily apparent in: congregational mission statements, lay and ordained ministries, the preaching of the Word, our hymns of praise, the confession of our sins, our financial stewardship and offerings to God, theological education, our evangelism, our daily work, sanctuary use, and compassionate service to all communities of life. With this integrated witness we look forward to a revitalization of our human vocation and our churches' lives that parallels the revitalization of God's thriving Earth. Advocating boldly with all our leaders on behalf of creation's most vulnerable members (including human members). We must shed our complacency, denial, and fears and speak God's truth to power, on behalf of all who have been denied dignity and for the sake of all voiceless members of the community of life. In Christ's name and for Christ's glory, we call out with broken yet hopeful hearts: join us in restoring God's Earth-the greatest healing work and moral assignment of our time. Signed, Drafters Neddy Astudillo, Latina Eco-Theologian, Presbyterian Church USA Father John Chryssavgis, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Dr. Dieter Hessel, Director of the Ecumenical Program on Ecology, Justice, and Faith Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., President, National Council of Churches and Bishop of Louisiana and Mississippi, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Dr. Carol Johnston, Associate Professor of Theology and Culture and Director of Lifelong Theological Education at Christian Theological Seminary Tanya Marcova-Barnett, Earth Ministry, Program Director Bill McKibben, author and scholar-in-residence, Middlebury College Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Seattle University Dr. James A. Nash, social and ecological ethicist, retired Dr. Larry Rasmussen, Reinhold Niebuhr Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary, New York City Rev. Dr. H. Paul Santmire, Author and Teaching Theologian, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Co-signers Dr. Karen Baker-Fletcher, Associate Professor of Theology, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University Dr. John B. Cobb, Jr., Emeritus Professor, Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate School Dr. Jay McDaniel, Director of the Steel Center for the Study of Religion and Philosophy, Hendrix College Dr. Sallie McFague, Carpenter Professor of Theology Emerita, Vanderbilt University Divinity School Distinguished Theologian in Residence, Vancouver School of Theology, British Columbia Dr. Barbara R. Rossing, New Testament Professor, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

See: http://www.umc-gbcs.org/issues/issues.php?...ic=Lenten+Guide And also see the following thread in our General Resources section of this bulletin board: Progressive Resources For Lent

While I accept the orthodox doctrine that Jesus was fully Human and fully Divine, I tend to focus more upon Jesus' humanity. I love the old saying that "Jesus is all of God that could fit into a human being."I also like the metaphor of Jesus being a clear window that we can see God through; i.e. by studying about Jesus' life, teachings, agendas, priorities, emotions, and who He associated with, we have keen glimpses into God's character, nature, agendas, and concerns.

: ) Thanks for your kind words.... but as with all of my beliefs, this is still a work in progress. How I'd state this 10 years from now might be rather different. Let's keep on keepin' on, progressively in Christ.

Here are my thoughts re: Jesus and Salvation: Jesus is the Jewish Messiah promised to Israel in the Old Testament (but not the "knight in shining armor/Rambo" type that most were expecting). He taught, modeled, and invited us to "live abundantly" in intimate relation with God and each other instead of being in bondage to the ways of the world/empire. Christians are called to follow and imitate these radical, transformative, and life-giving ways of Christ (to claim Jesus as Lord of their lives instead of other worldly forces & powers), and to invite others to do the same. Good works accompany faith. If one’s faith is real & authentic, then one can’t help but respond by engaging in service to persons and a world in need (not that doing good works is required for salvation, but rather, if one is saved, good works are a natural "fruit"). Jesus modeled and lived-out a truly liberating way of life – the "Way of the Cross" - the way of humble, sacrificial self-giving and nonviolent direct action. By living such a life, Jesus proved that it is in fact possible for other humans to live this way as well. After His execution, many of His followers had profound and moving experiences of the "Risen Christ" (seeing Jesus in the breaking of bread shared with strangers; in the midst of persons gathered in His name, etc.) in their lives giving them the sense that Jesus truly is Lord and that He and His mission Live on! Salvation is by God’s grace and can be received by us with or without our awareness. Persons who are aware of this make the decision to accept the free gift of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and all that He meant in their lives. Even before Jesus was executed, He provided atonement (at-one-ment – reconnection with God and social reacceptance) to hurting souls via His gracious interaction in their lives. People are saved from the ways of the world and for the ways of God’s Kingdom when they accept and live-out this truth. Salvation is both Personal and Societal, and it is experienced Here and Now and also later in Heaven (or the Fully Realized Kingdom of God; i.e. when all - or a critical mass - of the world's people live lives faithful to God).

And what's more, the Church doesn't do enough to make its members aware of pressing social ills, genocides, etc. The Church in America has been woefully nonprophetic in allowing the masses to slumber as genocide rocked Rwanda; as the George Jr. administration rushed us off to an unjust war with Iraq; and currently as genocide continues to take place in The Sudan, and as AIDS reaches crisis levels in Africa. Woe is we. May we wake up soon and repent!