Abraham is revered by three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It would be difficult to name any other single individual who has had a more far reaching impact on the human race. Christians familiar with the writings of St. Paul think of Abraham as "the father of the faithful." Unfortunately, our familiarity with Abraham sometimes gets in the way of fully appreciating what exactly he did.
To review: "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people, and your father's household and go to the land I will show you...' So Abram left as the Lord had told him... Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out..." (Genesis 12:1-4).
To those of us who are accustomed to having family scattered far and wide, or disconnected by the hectic pace of life today, it is easy to overlook the significance of what God was asking of Abram (later known as Abraham). He lived in a time of tribes and clans wherein one found identity, significance, security and inheritance. One rarely, if ever, ventured outside the confines of family and community. To be separated from one's heritage was a fate dreaded by all. So when the Lord asked Abram to leave it all-- the familiar faces, the local customs, the family religion, his inheritance, the familiar landmarks, his established identity, and his tribal traditions-- it was an unimaginably huge sacrifice Abram would have to make to obey the Lord's call. Especially when we realize that at first Abram had no clue where he was being asked to go. His departure had to preceed knowledge of his destination. That required audacious faith and thus the revered title "the father of the faithful."
Throughout history God has led people into what I call "Abraham moments"-- radical departures from the familiar in order to venture hopefully toward an uncertain future. Moses did it when he gave up the "treasures of Egypt" to 40 years later become the deliverer of the Hebrew slaves. Joshua and Caleb did it when they went against popular opinion and said Israel could possess the Promised Land. Jesus' Apostles did it when they abandoned their various vocations and followed him. Martin Luther did it when he defied Rome and started an history altering Reformation. The founding Fathers of the United States did it when they conceived the radical notion that government was to be in the hands of the people not a monarchy. Mohandas Ghandi did it when he non-violently confronted British imperialism. Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu did it when they ceased to conform to Apartheid in South Africa. Martin Luther King did it when he prophetically called America to accounts for our racism and the ills of segregation.
As a churchman, I believe the Christian religion is right now facing an Abraham moment. Followers of Jesus Christ are being asked to leave behind a host of things that have been familiar to us. Many of our traditions, organizational structures, liturgies and defining and excluding doctrines will go by the wayside as the "faithful" venture forward. Since I, personally, set out on my own quest of obedience a year and a half ago, I have encountered numerous others who are similarly responding to a "call" toward a yet to be known destination. Like tributaries that converge to form a river, the many who are responding to the Voice that is demanding change are becoming a strong current that is carving out new channels and altering the spiritual landscape.
Every Abraham moment has its naysayers-- those fear ridden souls who instinctively see every change as a direct threat to all they hold dear and cling to the past with everything they have. The fact is it is a threat. Unless we are willing to walk away from our defining past as did Abraham, we can never get to our destiny of promise. As Robert Schuller said, "It takes guts to get out of the ruts." And, it takes nothing less than a complete disruption of the status quo prompted by radical faith and obedience to successfully navigate through Abraham moments.
In future blogs I intend to unpack this with specifics and practical applications. If you wish to get a head start, pick up the A New Kind of Christian Trilogy by Brian McLaren, or go to http://www.emergentvillage.org/ and take advantage of the many resources they offer, or check out http://www.theooze.com/blog/index.cfm. These resources will help you look beyond what is only familiar to you and get a taste of what can be. Must be. Will be.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Friday, November 10, 2006
NON-VIOLENCE: THE GREATEST DISPLAY OF POWER
I, like you, was horrified by the recent news of the mentally disturbed man who targeted a humble and serene Amish country school in Pennsylvania to carry out his perverted and suicidal assault. To imagine the terror that must have gripped those children as the murderer carried out his diabolical plan exhausts the resources of my imagination.
The media descended upon the scene like jackals to a wounded gazelle, hoping to stimulate their ratings by reporting the prurient and bloody details to their voyeuristic audiences. In response, a facinating drama unfolded before our eyes as the Amish sidestepped the media and carried out their humble, non-violent ways. The viewing public were very much left out of the inside story as news helicopters could only hover overhead to capture footage of berieved family members and community elders hand digging graves for the deceased victims. It was from a distance that the horse drawn buggies were shown enroute to the funeral. Unpretentiously it became known that the Amish community prayed for the forgiveness of the depraved terrorist who had violated their peace and tranquility, and expressed compassionate and merciful concern to his family. Within days, the little country schoolhouse was torn down and the entire scene of that grizzly crime was returned to pastureland--never to be considered a tourist attraction or perpetual memorial--but rather, a setting for life and beauty.
While I am certain that the families who suffered such a tragic loss are grieving; it will not be a grieving process complicated by hatred and thoughts of retribution. With hope in the resurrection and the power of forgiveness released in their hearts, there can be no place for bitterness or vengence. They will press on and, I suspect, arrive much quicker at a place of comfort and strength from God than many of us would in similar circumstances.
Juxtaposed against this story on the nightly news was the news from Iraq where we are sacrificing daily the lives of young men and women who have bravely volunteered to serve in our military. Standing upon the rubble pile and eerie devastation of 9-11 our president vowed he would hunt down and "bring to justice" the people who knocked down those buildings. With a "bring it on" swagger and a "peace through strength" philosophy, the United States military went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. What has ensued has been 5 years of bombing and warfare that has devasted large portions of two countries, resulted in the killing and maiming of tens of thousands of non-combatants, 3000 of our own troops have been killed in defense of the cause, and many thousands more have suffered life altering injuries. The war zone today is a seething cauldron of hatred and destruction-- a literal hell on earth. While we as a nation have been so engaged, "rogue" states like Iran and North Korea have seen it as an opportunity to develop their own weapons of mass destruction making the world an even more dangerous place.
The contrast between the non-violent response of the Amish and its aftermath with the war-mongering, violent response of our nation and its aftermath ought to give us pause. The Amish have made great progress toward the restoration of their tranquil lives while, as a nation, we are torn by political bickering, divided over the war, and daily calling for body bags. The Amish earned universal respect in how they handled the terrorist that hit them. We, the United States, are despised across the globe for the manner we chose to respond to terrorism.
I can't help seeing this contrast as clear proof that Jesus knew what he was talking about. Consider his words in view of all this:
"Here's what I propose: Don't hit back at all. If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. ...You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out your true selves, your God-created selves." (Matthew 5:43-45, The Message).
The media descended upon the scene like jackals to a wounded gazelle, hoping to stimulate their ratings by reporting the prurient and bloody details to their voyeuristic audiences. In response, a facinating drama unfolded before our eyes as the Amish sidestepped the media and carried out their humble, non-violent ways. The viewing public were very much left out of the inside story as news helicopters could only hover overhead to capture footage of berieved family members and community elders hand digging graves for the deceased victims. It was from a distance that the horse drawn buggies were shown enroute to the funeral. Unpretentiously it became known that the Amish community prayed for the forgiveness of the depraved terrorist who had violated their peace and tranquility, and expressed compassionate and merciful concern to his family. Within days, the little country schoolhouse was torn down and the entire scene of that grizzly crime was returned to pastureland--never to be considered a tourist attraction or perpetual memorial--but rather, a setting for life and beauty.
While I am certain that the families who suffered such a tragic loss are grieving; it will not be a grieving process complicated by hatred and thoughts of retribution. With hope in the resurrection and the power of forgiveness released in their hearts, there can be no place for bitterness or vengence. They will press on and, I suspect, arrive much quicker at a place of comfort and strength from God than many of us would in similar circumstances.
Juxtaposed against this story on the nightly news was the news from Iraq where we are sacrificing daily the lives of young men and women who have bravely volunteered to serve in our military. Standing upon the rubble pile and eerie devastation of 9-11 our president vowed he would hunt down and "bring to justice" the people who knocked down those buildings. With a "bring it on" swagger and a "peace through strength" philosophy, the United States military went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. What has ensued has been 5 years of bombing and warfare that has devasted large portions of two countries, resulted in the killing and maiming of tens of thousands of non-combatants, 3000 of our own troops have been killed in defense of the cause, and many thousands more have suffered life altering injuries. The war zone today is a seething cauldron of hatred and destruction-- a literal hell on earth. While we as a nation have been so engaged, "rogue" states like Iran and North Korea have seen it as an opportunity to develop their own weapons of mass destruction making the world an even more dangerous place.
The contrast between the non-violent response of the Amish and its aftermath with the war-mongering, violent response of our nation and its aftermath ought to give us pause. The Amish have made great progress toward the restoration of their tranquil lives while, as a nation, we are torn by political bickering, divided over the war, and daily calling for body bags. The Amish earned universal respect in how they handled the terrorist that hit them. We, the United States, are despised across the globe for the manner we chose to respond to terrorism.
I can't help seeing this contrast as clear proof that Jesus knew what he was talking about. Consider his words in view of all this:
"Here's what I propose: Don't hit back at all. If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. ...You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out your true selves, your God-created selves." (Matthew 5:43-45, The Message).
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