The Politics of God Is Love « Breaking Barriers

08 Aug

So that We Might

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During the fall of 2001, FM radio began playing “Chop Suey!”, a song by the heavy metal band System of a Down. I’m a sucker for rock songs that responsible, middle-aged adults aren’t supposed to like, especially if they feature quirky rhythms and melodies (1), and this song definitely qualifies.

But then the lyrics inserted themselves into my consciousness, including:

“I don’t think you trust In, my, self righteous suicide”

And:

“Father into your hands, I commend my spirit ……..

30 Mar

Fool’s Day

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The organ played softly as we shuffled towards the communion rail to receive a cube of grape juice-dampened bread during last night’s Maundy Thursday church service.

Suddenly Heath, my seven-year-old guide dog, made a sudden lunge. I corrected him as quietly as possible, and ultimately received that ceremonial bread cube while kneeling at the altar as Heath lay quietly by my side.

The cause of the mysterious lunge was solved as we choristers hung up our choir robes after the…..

26 Sep

Behind the Curve

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In late August, a group of conservative Christian pastors released a manifesto in Nashville, Tennessee promoting the preeminence of heterosexual marriage. This manifesto also argued that transgenderism is incompatible with Christianity, and that homosexuality is a sin. They claim to be shocked — SHOCKED — that this pronouncement has caused controversy among Christians, arguing that they are just reaffirming truths that have been preached during the past 2000 years.

Dr. Michael Brown, one of the more prominent opponents of gay…..

15 Feb

Into the Ditch

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“So, Peter,” a former choir director asked suddenly towards the end of a rehearsal. “What do you think of the line `Was blind, but now I see?`”

“Well,” I gulped. “It’s OK, I guess, but I prefer `Was bound, but now I’m free.”

Silence.

“After all, the hymn was written by someone in the slave trade,” I continued. “And some African American churches use this line.”

“But the line is clearly about spiritual blindness,” a choir member called from across…..

15 May

Meeting Jesus Through Harry

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“Each of us has an idea of who Jesus Christ is, what he was like, some of his personality traits and more,” a colleague recently wrote to members of an on-line discussion list. “Would any of you care to share who Jesus is to you. What is his nature, and how does he express that to you?”

My first reaction was to run from the question. After all, Jesus is a mix of contradictions: god and man; and lamb and…..

02 Jul

The Forgiveness Muscle

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Like most of us, I was humbled when a parade of family members of those that Dylann Roof murdered during the massacre at Emanuel AME Church forgave him during Mr. Roof’s arraignment.

“You took something very precious from me, but I forgive you,” said Nadine Collier, in between sobs. “It hurts me. You hurt a lot of people, but may God forgive you.”

“If I had experienced something similar, I think I would have been too emotionally numb to even…..

25 May

What Would Jesus Do?

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During the past couple of weeks, progressive and conservative Christians have commented upon the recently-released Pew Research Center Report which indicates a decline in people calling themselves Christians in the United States. While each group tended to blame the other for this decline, both groups argued that this trend should challenge us to act more like Jesus.

Columnists from both groups pointed out that Jesus acted compassionately towards some while ruthlessly calling out the sinful and destructive behavior of others……

24 Nov

Forgiveness Courage

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I heard during a recent sermon about how a young African American woman saw her brother’s dead body hanging from a tree late at night. Fear paralyzed her when she thought that she couldn’t identify the assailants because they had covered their faces with sheets. “But,” the minister continued, “she began to gain the courage to forgive when it dawned on her that she could indeed identify the assailants through the shoes they wore, as her job involved shining their…..

12 Sep