Media Hears Pope Say Heaven Is Open to Animals as Well as to Humans

 © 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

In his weekly address November 26, Pope Francis declared that according to St. Paul in the New Testament, in the end times God will transform all creation into "a new heaven and a new earth" not by annihilating the cosmos but by "bringing all things into the fullness of being." It might not come as a complete surprise that some interpreted the words of the pope, who took his name from St. Francis of Assisi (the patron saint of animals), as an affirmation that animals are welcome in heaven.
But the pope's message was perhaps more nuanced than that, as several news outlets have admitted as they slowly began to publish corrections to their original coverage of the speech.
Whatever Pope Francis truly believes about the afterlife of animals, other popes have expressed various opinions on the subject. Pius IX, pope from 1846 to 1878, denied that animals have souls. Francis' predecessor, Benedict XVI, cryptically preached that when animals die, it "just means the end of existence on earth." But John Paul II said that animals are "as near to God as men are" and have "divine breath." Paul VI once comforted a grieving child whose dog had died with the words: "One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all God's creatures, and there we will be vested with the joy and love of God, without limits."
Father James Martin, SJ, a Jesuit priest and editor of America, a national Catholic magazine, said Pope Francis wasn't making an "official pronouncement," since "we have no idea what the afterlife is going to be like other than what Christ reveals to us in the resurrection and what church tradition has taught us." Still, Martin said Francis seemed to be saying that "God loves and Christ redeems all of creation." After all, Martin suggested, "people have loving relationships with their pets, and why would God destroy those loving relationships?"
In his opening homily after becoming pope, Francis affirmed that, whatever happens to animals after death, humans have the responsibility to protect and care for them in this life "as the Book of Genesis tells us and as St. Francis of Assisi showed us. It means respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live."
Christians have long speculated on the questions of animals and pets being in heaven. Even C.S. Lewis weighed in on the matter, although humbly admitting that silence of the Scriptures on the matter means that we cannot know for certain. In his book The Problem of Pain, Lewis hypothesized that immortality can only have meaning for a creature with a sense of self; it means nothing to a newt, but a higher animal might have a sense of self and thus benefit from life after death. He further surmised that, just as humans receive a heightened sense of self in relationship to God, so animals can receive a heightened sense of self in relationship to their human masters.
Other Christian writers as diverse as Joni Eareckson Tada and Billy Graham also share a belief that, in some way, it would be entirely in line with God's character to provide his people with their pets in heaven.
Christine Gutleben, senior director of faith outreach of the Humane Society of the United States, said, "If the pope did mean that all animals go to heaven, then the implication is that animals have a soul, and if that's true, then we ought to seriously consider how we treat them. We have to admit that these are sentient beings, and they mean something to God."
On the other hand, Pope Francis has been outspoken about the modern tendency to prioritize pets over people, spending vast sums of money on animals while children are dying of hunger. In a July 2, 2014, interview with the Italian daily Il Messaggero, he observed that "the emotional relationship with animals is easier, can largely be programmed. An animal isn't free, whereas to have a child is something complex."
More on this story can be found at these links:
Sorry, Fido, Pope Francis Did NOT Say Our Pets Are Going to Heaven. Religion News Service 
Dogs in Heaven? Pope Francis Leaves Pearly Gates Open. New York Times 
Pope Francis Seems to Suggest All Animals Go to Heaven. Huffington Post 
All Animals Go to Heaven, Says Pope Francis. The Dodo 
Do Animals Go to Heaven? C.S. Lewis on Animal Immortality
Veteran Pastor Opens Up on What the Bible Actually Says About Pets. Raiders News E-Journal
Will Animals Be in Heaven? The Bible and Animals
The Big Questions
1. In what ways are animals different from humans? In what ways are they similar?
2. What is the nature of animal life? Do animals have souls or spirits? Does your answer apply to all animals, including those some people don't like, such as mosquitoes, rats, snakes, bats and spiders?
3. For what purpose(s) did God create animals?
4. What kind of relationship does God intend human beings to have with animals? What Scripture passages address this?
5. The various animals mentioned in Proverbs 30:24-31 can teach humans many things, if we are willing to take the time to observe their behavior. What does Solomon think the ant can teach lazy people (Proverbs 6:6)? Consider animals in scripture that fulfilled a specific purpose. What was the role of Balaam's donkey, for example (Numbers 22:21-35)? Elijah's ravens (1 Kings 17:4-6)? The lions with Daniel when he was thrown into their den (Daniel 6:22)? Noah's raven and dove (Genesis 8:6-12)? Nathan's illustration of a beloved ewe lamb raised like a daughter by a poor man (2 Samuel 12:1-9)?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Exodus 12:3, 6
Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. ... You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. (For context, read 12:1-13.)
As God prepared the Hebrews for the exodus from Egypt, where they had been enslaved for going on 400 years, he provided an experience that would serve as a metaphor to illustrate the cost of their liberation. Their freedom would be paid for by an innocent party whose blood would be a sign to the angel of death: though the angel of death was to take the firstborn of every household, he would pass over the homes where he saw lamb's blood on the doorposts.
Historically, Christians have understood the sacrifice of the Passover lamb as a picture of Jesus, who would give his life for sin so the angel of death would "pass over" those who trust in Jesus. One aspect of the Passover preparation was the selection of a perfect yearling from the flock, who was brought into the home for four days before it was slaughtered. During that time, the children in each family no doubt played with the lamb, cuddled it, maybe even gave it a name. Imagine the tears of the children when they realized that their lives depended on the sacrifice of the innocent lamb they had come to love.
Questions: When it came time to slaughter the lamb, what difference would it have made to each family if they had just selected a lamb from the flock and not had time to develop a real relationship with it? When you think about the price Jesus paid for your freedom, what emotions, if any, do you feel? What needs to happen for you to really begin to grasp the enormity of his love for you and for you to respond more fully to his love?
Jonah 4:10-11
Then the LORD said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?" (For context, read 4:5-11.)
Most of us know the story of the Hebrew prophet Jonah who went to great lengths to avoid preaching to his enemies in Nineveh, lest they repent and receive God's forgiveness instead of the punishment he felt they so richly deserved. We know he boarded a ship sailing in the opposite direction, ran into a gale, was tossed overboard and was swallowed whole by a big fish, where he sat and pondered his fate for three days, praying to God for deliverance. When the fish vomited him up onto the shore, Jonah, still bristling at his assignment, did go to preach to Nineveh, whose citizens did repent, just as the prophet had predicted.
After this, Jonah left the city to watch and wait to see what would happen. Then we read that "the LORD God appointed a bush" (v. 6) to provide shade for Jonah, and then "God appointed a worm" (v. 7) to attack the bush so that it withered.
Questions: What does God's appointment of a bush and a worm for particular tasks suggest to you about God's involvement with and purpose for creation? About God's involvement with and purpose for you? What does the inclusion of "many animals" as a reason to spare the city of Nineveh tell us about God's attitude toward them? How is God contrasting his own relationship with the people and animals of Nineveh with Jonah's relationship with the bush? If God is concerned about at-risk people and animals, what should be the attitude of God's people toward them?
Isaiah 11:6-9
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. (For context, read 11:1-10.)
This passage from Isaiah is often read during Advent as an expression of the promise of God to establish peace through the arrival of the Messiah, referred to in the context verses as both the root of Jesse (King David's father) and a shoot or branch growing out of the stump of Jesse. This means that such an individual both preceded Jesse and descended from him. This is one among many passages that the church reads as pointing to the pre-existence of the divine Christ as well to his incarnation as a human being. No one else fits that description.
Historically, we know that the nation of Israel shone brightly for a brief period before breaking apart, and that ultimately, the people were exiled as subjects of a foreign power. Even when a remnant was allowed to return, the nation was a shadow of its former glory, as if an ax had chopped it down and burned it as firewood, leaving nothing but a dead stump. From such a stump, miraculously, would come the green shoot of the Messiah.
It is he who would establish a peace so comprehensive that it would extend to the animal kingdom. Former predators would live peaceably with former prey, without aggression or fear -- a sign of the peace God intends among humans and between God and people, as the angels announced to the shepherds as they guarded their sheep from natural predators that first Christmas night (Luke 2:8-14).
Questions: What is required to change former enemies into friends in the animal kingdom? In human relations? Who is "the little child" leading former enemies in the animal kingdom into peaceful relations with one another? How does knowledge of the Lord produce the result of "not [hurting] or [destroying] on all [God's] holy mountain"?
Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. (For context, read 12:4-12.)
Jesus uses God's care of common sparrows which you might say are "a dime a dozen" to demonstrate his care for people, to illustrate how we should trust God even when facing those who threaten our very lives. A lyric from a song by Phil Keaggy entitled "A Time and a Place" reads:
"Said the robin to the sparrow,
'I would really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.'
Said the sparrow to the robin,
'Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.'
Have you considered the sparrows up above?
They do not sew, they do not reap,
And yet your Heavenly Father feeds them,
And His love for you is much more deep."
(The song may be heard here and is from Keaggy's 1974 album, What a Day.)
Questions: How often do you really notice sparrows, who seem to be ubiquitous? Though to us they may seem ordinary and humble, not drawing attention to themselves the way a flashy cardinal or parrot seems to do, even these simple creatures don't escape God's notice. What does that mean about God's care for the millions of people, young and old, who feel unwanted, unloved and forgotten by the world? If you are one of those quiet, unassuming people no one seems to notice, what does this mean to you?
Matthew 21:5
Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (For context, read 21:1-9.)
During what is known as Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days before he was crucified, he mounted a young donkey which had never been ridden before. Crowds assembled to cry out for help ("Hosanna" means "Save us!" or "Rescue us!") and to offer praise, shouting, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
Questions: What was the significance of the type of animal Jesus chose to ride into the city? Have you ever ridden an unbroken horse or donkey before? What was the experience like? What does the fact that Jesus rode such an animal suggest to you about his nature and identity? What happens when we forget that the praise we may hear is intended for the Lord who has selected us for service, and not for us?
For Further Discussion
1. View images of what is known in the art world as "The Peaceable Kingdom" and discuss what feelings these images evoke for you. When you see pictures or videos of so-called "odd couples" of animals in loving relationships that you don't expect would normally have close, intimate connections, what is your reaction? What do these images suggest might be possible in the realm of human relations?
2. Respond to this from Dr. Peter Hammond, a missionary based in South Africa: "'For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities --his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.' (Romans 1:20). In lions we see something of the power, the courage, the boldness and royalty of the Creator. In lambs we see gentleness and meekness. In otters and dogs we see God's playfulness. In horses we see some of the strength, stamina and perseverance of the Creator." What have you learned about God from animals you have observed in the wild or in your own experience?
Responding to the News
If your church or denomination has a policy statement regarding how Christians should relate to the animal world, this might be a good time to examine it and consider what constitutes ethical treatment of animals and how that relates to following Jesus and the call to make disciples of Jesus Christ. If you don't have such a statement, you may want to explore what the Bible teaches about animals and how we are interrelated, using a concordance, a topical Bible or resources such as this webpage.
Closing Prayer

We thank you, O God, for creating such an amazing array of fascinating animals with whom we share the planet. Open our eyes to better understand your nature and your ways as we observe them. Because animals matter to you, they are important to us as well. Show us how to appreciate them without idolizing them, and teach us how to care for them not as owners, but as stewards of creatures you made to serve and honor you. Amen.

Citizens and Law Enforcement Officers Seek to Cross Racial Divide

© 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

Note: Although this lesson was prompted by the continuing protests over the police shooting in Ferguson, our focus here is not on that specific incident, but rather on how Christians can develop listening skills that might transform conflicts into opportunities for empathy and understanding toward persons whose experiences differ radically from our own. Also, in discussing how we can transform conflicts, we are not assuming guilt or innocence on the part of either Officer Wilson or Michael Brown.
Police Chief Chris Magnus, the primary architect of improved police/community relations in Richmond, California, has been tapped to sit on a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of experts investigating the conflict between law enforcement officers and the black citizenry of Ferguson, Missouri. The August 9 killing, by a white officer in that community, of an unarmed black man who was reportedly attacking him, sparked protests across the nation that continue to this day.
Of particular interest to the DOJ is the fact that the Richmond Police Department (RPD) has averaged less than one officer-involved shooting per year since 2008 under Magnus' leadership. Violent crime there has declined significantly; homicides are at the lowest rate in 33 years. In 2005, the year Magnus was hired, the racially diverse city was listed as one of the most dangerous places in the nation, the murder capital of California -- a far cry from Fargo, North Dakota, where Magnus had led the police force in one of the safest white enclaves in the United States. Some observers say this suggests that police-citizenry relationship problems are less likely to be racial in nature than to have other causes.
So what changed in Magnus' nine-year tenure as RPD chief of police? He instituted reforms that vastly improved relations between the community and the police. Officers were encouraged to presume that most people in the city are "good people not engaged in crime," rather than potential suspects.
Officers were tasked with developing better relationships with people on their beat, and rewarded for spending more time discovering their needs, problems, aspirations and motivations. "We assign people for longer periods of time to specific geographic areas with the expectation that they get to know and become known by residents," Magnus said, so they wouldn't be perceived "as just some kind of occupying force."
Magnus also worked to build cooperative coalitions with governmental agencies and community organizations to ensure that youth who want to escape gang violence have access to counseling, financial support and job training and opportunities. He instituted policies that helped minimize clashes between police and activists during civil rights campaigns.
Professional standards for hiring and training were rewritten with an emphasis on people skills. "We ... want people who can ... show empathy with victims of crime, who are not afraid to smile, to get out of the police car and interact in a positive way with people, who can demonstrate emotional intelligence, who are good listeners, who have patience, who don't feel that it takes away from their authority to demonstrate kindness," the chief explained.
Magnus also diversified the police force, hiring and advancing more women and people of color. "When you have a department that doesn't look anything like the community it serves, you're asking for trouble, no matter how dedicated and professional your employees are," he stressed. Today, about two-thirds of the Richmond police force are minorities, while one out of seven is female.
Richmond is one of six cities that form the DOJ Violence Reduction Network, which looks at the problem of "unconscious bias" that can result in miscarriages of justice. Magnus has also developed training for the RPD in the use of nonlethal weapons such as Tasers and pepper spray to lessen the likelihood and frequency of the use of deadly force.
In September, a Richmond police officer discharged his weapon when an intoxicated man allegedly tried to seize it. It was the city's first fatality involving an officer since 2007. Chief Magnus and his deputy attended the funeral dressed in civilian clothes to empathize with the family in the tragic loss of the young man. Two independent investigations are being conducted into the incident. Whether the officer involved will be exonerated and whether the grieving family will sue the city remain open questions at this point.
Meanwhile, 620 miles north, a photographer snapped a picture of Portland Police Sergeant Bret Barnum holding a weeping 12-year-old boy at a rally in support of the residents of Ferguson. Barnum, who is white, saw Devonte Hart, who is African-American, holding signs with messages such as "You Matter" and "Free Hugs." The father of two teenage boys, Barnum felt an affinity for the boy and engaged him in small talk before asking for a hug.
Devonte's mother Jennifer said her son, who is one of her six adopted children, "struggles with living fearlessly when it comes to the police ... He wonders if someday when he no longer wears a 'Free Hugs' sign around his neck, when he's a full-grown black male, if his life will be in danger for simply being." Devonte's anxieties are not surprising, considering his start in life as a drug-dependant, abused, neglected, poor infant surrounded by violence.
What is remarkable is the courage Barnum noted in the youth that made it possible for the two to really "listen to each other, facing fears with an open heart," as his mother expressed it. Her son simply refuses to be pigeon-holed, limited by stereotypes. "He has proven doctors, psychologists and teachers wrong," she says. "His future is most definitely not bleak, he is a shining star in this world. His light shines bright on everyone on his path. ... He is living proof that our past does not dictate our future."
Maybe it takes a child to lead us out of our collective stalemate over the racial chasm that divides our nation. Maybe we can take a lesson from another sign a beaming Devonte raised high over his head at the rally in Oregon, a black sign with letters in white that read: "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." And at the bottom of the sign were these words in brilliant rainbow colors: "THINK DIFFERENT."
More on this story can be found at these links:
Police Violence Is Not Inevitable: Four Ways a California Police Chief Connected Cops with Communities. Yes! Magazine
California Police Chief Connects Cops to the Community. The Christian Science Monitor 
Encounter at Protest Leads to Hug for Boy, Officer. Yahoo! News
Meet Devonte, the Little Boy With a Big Heart. Paper Trail
The Big Questions
1. Do you feel far removed from the events in Ferguson, wishing it would just "go away," or do you feel stuck in a parallel universe in which racial prejudice is inescapable, touching every aspect of your life? How can people with such divergent life experiences begin to have a real conversation?
2. What role does faith play in putting aside prejudice?
3. What do efforts to reform police practices have to do with the gospel? To what extent do they have to do with the law (we're using "law" in the biblical sense here)?
4. What might we learn from the example of Devonte Hart and Bret Barnum that applies to how we live out our faith?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Luke 3:4-6, 14
... as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" ... Soldiers also asked [John], "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." (For context, read 3:1-14.)
John the Baptist preached by the Jordan in the context of a region governed by Roman occupation forces. He instructed soldiers who came with a willingness to listen and learn that they should not abuse their power but treat everyone fairly. (Note: This is commentary on the Scripture text; we are not presuming that Officer Wilson abused his power.)
Questions: How can Christians "prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight" through valleys of injustice, mountains of aloof arrogance and twisted, rugged roads that lead us farther and farther from the path of peace? Is the salvation of God that Isaiah declares will be seen by all flesh primarily individual, communal, societal, religious or something else? Explain your answer.
1 Peter 5:2-3, 5
... tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it -- not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. ... In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (For context, read 5:1-6.)
Peter here speaks of the exercise of authority in the context of the church. Those who have responsibility for others are to exercise their authority as willing, eager servants of the flock, not resentfully or with an eye to feathering their own nests at the expense of others.
Questions: How might the principles Peter speaks about here with regard to church leaders apply to those serving the public in law enforcement and other government positions? How was Officer Barnum an example to Devonte, and what did Devonte teach him? How is Chief Magnus an example of this kind of leadership?
Luke 10:31-32
Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (For context, read 10:25-37.)
TWW team member Heidi Mann says, "I'm really struggling about whether or not to discuss Ferguson again. On the one hand, I'm as sick of it as anyone. On the other hand, does the fact that I, as a white member of my 99 percent white community, feel completely safe mean I should brush the continuing coverage and angst over the events aside, or does it mean I should, all the more, attempt to find some way to engage with those who experience the U.S. justice system far differently than I do? As a disciple of Jesus, do I have the leeway to toss it all aside, or is that the thing I absolutely must not do, no matter how strongly I would like to?"
Jesus told a man who wanted to justify himself the story of a crime victim who was beaten up by robbers who stripped him and left him for dead. He described a priest and a Levite who saw the man crumpled by the side of the road but who also left him for dead, doing nothing to help. Acting to help somebody in trouble is evidence of love for God and one's neighbor. Failure to show mercy, while quibbling over whether the crime victim fits the technical definition of one's "neighbor" (see v. 29) shows how much we need God's help to do his will.
Questions: When you hear about an incident such as the one that occurred in Ferguson, are you aware of any assumptions that might be based in bias rather than in facts? How would you respond to Heidi's quandary?
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (For context, read 12:14-21.)
This command is part of Paul's practical teaching that spells out some of the implications of the theology he laid out earlier in this letter to the Romans. Chief Magnus accepted the invitation to attend the funeral of a young man shot by an officer. Police Sergeant Barnum was deeply moved by Devonte's tears.
Questions: Why were the demonstrations of empathy mentioned above important? With whom did you empathize most when you heard about what happened in Ferguson? What might help you empathize with people on the other "side"? What would it take to bring you to tears when people across our nation's racial divide are weeping over their incalculable losses? What is the difference between weeping for yourself and weeping for others? Between weeping for others and weeping with others? If you cannot weep with others, is it possible to really understand them? Why or why not? How can you be sure that your tears are more than "crocodile tears"? Are tears enough? When can they become a catalyst for real change?
Acts 8:32-35
Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. (For context, read 8:1-5, 25-39.)
Acts 8 begins with Saul, not yet converted, ravaging the community of followers of Jesus, approving of the murder of the deacon Stephen. In this context, one of Stephen's co-workers, Philip, a Jew, preached the gospel to Samaritans, who were viewed with suspicion because of their racial and religious differences. The mother church in Jerusalem, hearing that the Samaritans were accepting the word of God, sent Peter and John to welcome this disparate group into the church. Then God sent Philip to Gaza where he found an Ethiopian eunuch reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah describing how the Messiah suffered from injustice.
Questions: Some commentators have said the story of Philip and the eunuch, commonly referred to as "The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch," should actually be called "The Conversion of Philip" because in it, Philip comes to see someone very different from himself as a fellow recipient of God's grace. How might viewing this story in that light affect your view of the racial divide in our country?
Responding to the News
Perhaps now is the time to consider how you might "THINK DIFFERENT" about people who are different from you in significant ways. Consider what you have in common. How can you love them "as [you love] yourself" (Matthew 22:39)? What would that look like?
Closing Prayer

Holy Spirit, forgive us for our lovelessness that grieves the heart of God. Move us to weep with those who weep, so that our tears may water our hard hearts and produce the fruit of repentance -- peace, justice and joy -- by the power of the love of Christ at work in us. Amen.

Airport Incident Has Sacramental Spirit

On a blog last week, Naomi Shihab Nye, a poet, songwriter, novelist and writer of children's books, told of being in Albuquerque Airport, having just learned that her flight had been delayed four hours. Walking around to fill the time, she heard the following announcement: "If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately."
Gate A-4 was Nye's gate, and having been born to a Palestinian father and an American mother, she spoke some Arabic, though not fluently. So she went to the gate. There, she saw an older woman in traditional Palestinian dress crumpled on the floor, wailing. A perplexed flight agent stood nearby. When Nye offered to help, the agent explained that when they told the woman the flight was delayed, she had collapsed in distress and tears.
Nye stooped and put her arm around the woman, and when she began speaking in halting Arabic, the woman stopped crying. As they conversed, Nye learned that the woman, who was heading for El Paso for major medical treatment the next day, thought the flight had been canceled. When Nye explained that the flight was only delayed, and offered to call whoever was picking her up, the woman calmed down.
The woman's son was to meet her at the El Paso end. When Nye phoned him, they conversed in English, and she told him she would stay with his mother until she boarded the flight. Then they phoned her other sons. Next, Nye called her dad, who spoke to the woman in fluent Arabic and found that they had some shared friends. Nye also knew some Palestinian poets, so they called them as well, filling the next two hours.
Eventually, the woman, now happy, told Nye about her life, and pulled out a bag of homemade mamool cookies, covered with powdered sugar. She offered them to all the women at the gate, and no one declined one. "It was like a sacrament," Nye wrote.
"The traveler from Argentina, the mom from California, the lovely woman from Laredo -- we were all covered with the same powdered sugar. And smiling," Nye recounted.
At that point, the airline gave out free apple juice, and two little girls from the flight distributed the bottles to the travelers.
Nye concluded, "And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and thought, This is the world I want to live in. The shared world. Not a single person in that gate -- once the crying of confusion stopped -- seemed apprehensive about any other person. They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women too.
"This can still happen anywhere," Nye added. "Not everything is lost."
More on this story can be found at this link:
Gate A-4. Live & Learn
The Big Questions
1. Commenting on what happened at Gate A-4, Nye said, "This is the world I want to live in." To what do you think she was referring? What yearnings was she revealing? Did she mean we don't usually live in such a world or that she usually isn't aware of it? Does the positive environment that developed at the gate seem unusual or odd to you, or does it seem natural?
2. Why do you think Nye said the incident at the gate was "like a sacrament"? (We assume she was using "sacrament" in the general sense of "an action through which spiritual power is transmitted." We don't think she was referring expressly to Holy Communion, which some Christian groups call a sacrament and other Christian groups call an ordinance.) What rite or experience brings the presence of God and God's people alive in your life?
3. What higher-level yearnings are you aware of within yourself? Does accepting or receiving Christ satisfy all of them? Explain your answer.
4. In what non-church and unplanned incidents have you suddenly realized something unusual or even sacramental was occurring? Explain. Could that realization have been God awakening your insight? Why or why not?
5. In terms of your higher-level yearnings, in what ways do you think heaven will be different from this life? What, do you suppose, will be similar, if heightened, between this life and the next? What experience, Scripture or teaching leads you to this conclusion?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Revelation 7:15-16
For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more ... (For context, read 7:9-17.)
These verses describe part of a vision that John of Patmos had of a heavenly scene in which an uncountable multitude, robed in white and drawn from every nation, appears before the throne of God. These people are Christians who have died in a time of great suffering called "the Tribulation" but who were faithful even to death. This throng begins praising God and Christ, and they are quickly joined in doing so by the angels, elders and living creatures who are already present around the throne.
The book of Revelation isn't saying that heaven is an endless worship service. Rather it's using metaphorical and mystical language to say that in eternity, the all-encompassing presence of God makes being there a wonderful experience.
Note that the quoted verses above say this of those gathered around the throne of God: "They will hunger no more, and thirst no more ...." On the surface, it can be taken to mean that those who have suffered from a food shortage in this life will, upon reaching the life to come, be freed from that pain. In our world today, where every year, many people around the world die of starvation, that's not an insignificant point.
But these words intend to convey more: Recall that in John's gospel, Jesus described himself as "the bread of life" (John 6:35, 48). He was not talking about satisfying physical hunger and normal human appetites but about something deeper. Jesus himself explained the distinction to a crowd: "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you" (John 6:27). And remember that on another occasion, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6).
Many of us are vexed by some sort of discontent, by a longing for something -- something we may not even be able to define, but for which we sense a need. It may be part of what we seek in our spiritual searching.
So when we say that in eternity we will hunger no more, we are speaking of the end of at least physical hunger and spiritual discontent. Revelation encourages us to understand the transition from this world to the next as leaving Hunger Valley for the Land of Endless Delight.
Questions: How does the world seem to you? Have you experienced the kindness and redemption described in the airport incident, from either the receiving or the giving end? What qualities of life do you hunger for? Are you able even to identify your higher longings?
When have you experienced a sense that, at least for the moment, a hunger or thirst for God’s presence has been satisfied, whether you were alone or with God’s people? What was surprising about that experience? What seemed familiar?
Psalm 16:11
You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (For context, read 16:7-11.)
Colossians 2:9-10
For in [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him ... (For context, read 2:6-10.)
In the Revelation text discussed above, heaven is described as a place where we hunger no more, but what does faith in God do for our hungers and longings now? One of the ways the Bible addresses that is by describing the presence of God as "fullness" which we can experience right now in this life.
Psalm 16:11 above is one example. The Hebrew word translated there as "fullness" literally means being satisfied by eating food. It refers to the kind of sensation you have after having completed a splendid dinner. It is also used figuratively to mean being full of joy.
In Paul's letter to the Colossians, he also talks about fullness, using a Greek word that means to cram (as in a net) or to level up (as a hollow) or, figuratively, to furnish, satisfy, complete or supply. What Paul is saying is that in this life now, letting Jesus in fills up some of the hollow places inside us and crams us full with the goodness of God, so that even here on earth, we can, in those areas, experience some degree of higher-level satisfaction and fulfillment.
Welcoming Jesus Christ into our lives brings the first installment of that ultimate fullness. It is no mere happenstance that Jesus initiated the practice of Holy Communion at a meal, using as elements items of food and drink. Remember too that it was only when Jesus broke the bread before the Emmaus disciples that they recognized him (Luke 24:30-31).
Questions: If receiving Christ does not satisfy every higher-level hunger, why do it? What hunger or thirst do you find remains, even after receiving Jesus into your life? What hunger or thirst is satisfied, at least part of the time? In what ways has following Jesus brought you fullness? In what ways can we consider the Lord's Supper/Holy Communion as a foretaste of the fullness of God's presence?
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (For context, read 18:15-20.)
The airport incident as Nye described it made us think of this verse. We're not suggesting that the gathering at the gate was a specifically Christian happening, but certainly the spirit of fellowship and generosity that sprang up among the previously unacquainted women there was a good and godly thing.
Questions: In what ways does what you've experienced in church help you to recognize God's activity in everyday life? What does your experience in the midst of God's people do for you after you leave church? Are you strengthened? What longing do you experience to return?
Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread. (For context, read 6:7-15.)
In giving us this line as part of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus was emphasizing the dailiness of our need, certainly for actual bread, but also for spiritual sustenance.
These days, preservatives in store-bought bread prolong its freshness, but before preservatives, bread needed to be made fresh every day. Right from the oven and for a few hours afterward, bread is a wonderful food. If you seal it in something to keep the air from it, you can keep it soft for a day or two, but the second day it doesn't taste nearly as good. And by the third or fourth day, green mold starts to appear on it. Of course, you can keep the mold away by not sealing up the bread. But within hours, it turns stale and hard. So for centuries, the only way people had good and tasty bread was to bake more every day.
Thus, when Jesus tells his disciples and us to pray for daily bread, he's reminding us that the blessings of God are given for immediate use, for the present moment, and that we are never self-sufficient. We need to rely on God not just for our future, for the present as well.
Question: In how many different ways do you receive daily spiritual sustenance?
For Further Discussion
1. There are some hungers that, when met, leave us feeling only guilty or disgusted. Imagine what it is like for a person with the eating disorder known as bulimia, which is common especially among young women of normal or nearly normal weight. It is characterized by episodic binge eating, followed by feelings of guilt, depression and self-condemnation, often then followed by self-induced vomiting. What might a spiritual version of bulimia look like?
2. In Philippians 3:18-19, Paul makes a telling comment about those who live as "enemies of the cross of Christ." He says, "their end is destruction; their god is the belly ...." Could Paul have meant that people who will not admit God into their lives are driven by hungers they cannot satisfy?
3. Respond to this: Preacher/writer Frederick Buechner defines a glutton as "one who raids the icebox for a cure for spiritual malnutrition."
Responding to the News
This is a good time to commit yourself to being a catalyst for change to create "the world [you] want to live in." Although Nye was responding to a need, her actions were the impetus for creating the celebratory environment that occurred. Consider specifically how your relationship with Christ can enable you to live your best life and to create a positive environment for those around you.
This is also a good time to recognize that God often woos us through our higher-level hungers.
Closing Prayer

O Lord, give us this day our daily bread. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Arkansas Governor to Pardon Son

© 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

Arkansas governor Mike Beebe, who will leave office in January after two terms, announced last week that he would pardon his son Kyle, now 34, in connection with a felony drug conviction more than 10 years ago. The governor also said that he had put on hold plans to pardon Michael E. Jackson, also 34, who was a childhood friend of his son and a former player on the peewee football team Beebe coached.
Although it is unusual for state and federal executives to pardon close family members, it is not unheard of, and most observers agree that a convict's kinship to an office-holder with pardoning power should not make the convict ineligible for pardon. Also, at the time of Kyle's arrest, his father, who was then the state attorney general, said that his son would be treated like any other offender, and it appears that he was.
In 2003, Kyle Beebe was sentenced to three years' probation for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. He completed his probation in 2006 and has not been in trouble with the law since. Following established procedures, the younger Beebe had requested a pardon, and the Arkansas Parole Board supported his request. Gov. Beebe said he would have granted the pardon sooner if his son had asked.
Jackson had been arrested in an Internet sting operation and convicted in 2008 of Internet stalking of a child. He served a two-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to the felony charge. He completed his probation in 2013 but still must register as a sex offender.
Although local prosecutors and sheriff's officials objected to Jackson's pardon application, the state Parole Board did recommended him for a pardon. But after the governor placed Jackson on the pardon list, Beebe's office received an affidavit in a child custody case that included new allegations against Jackson. At that point, the governor said Jackson's pardon would be granted only if those allegations are found to be untrue.
In his request for a pardon, Jackson said he is "in no shape or form a repeat offender" and that his wrongdoing occurred at "a time in my life that I lost myself and [had] clouded judgment."
In Kyle Beebe's pardon request, he acknowledged being "young and dumb" at the time of his wrongdoing, and said he had learned from his mistakes. He also wrote, "I'm asking for a second chance at life. I am asking for a second chance to be the man that I know I can be."
The governor's office said that he has issued hundreds of pardons while in office, and that pardoning his son is not special treatment.
"Pardon" is both a legal and a theological term. In the legal sense, pardon is the action of a government executive that sets aside the ongoing penalty for a crime and restores the wrongdoer's civil rights. In the theological sense, pardon is usually considered a synonym for divine forgiveness, an action God alone may do. Only God may grant pardon to sinners (see Psalm 130:3-4) because all sin, at its deepest level, is considered to be directed against God (see Psalm 51:4). One can, of course, forgive another individual for an offense against oneself, but such action is usually called forgiveness rather than pardon because only God can set aside the penalty for sin.
Pardon is also related theologically to the word "atonement," which refers to God's action of reconciling sinners to himself, making us "at one" with him. The Hebrew verb usually translated into English as "pardon" involves the idea of restoration to full favor.
More on this story can be found at these links:
Arkansas Gov. Beebe to Pardon Son but Rethinks Pardoning Family Friend. L.A. Times 
Outgoing Arkansas Gov. Beebe to Pardon Son Over Marijuana Conviction. Washington Post
The Big Questions
1. What does the concept of pardon tell us about human behavior? What is the most important reason that human beings need divine pardon? Do all humans need divine pardon? Why or why not?
2. What does the concept of pardon tell us about the nature of God? What would the world be like if there were no divine pardon? What do you believe are the limits, if any, of divine pardon?
3. What if you have never committed a serious wrong and don't feel the need for divine pardon? Does that mean you actually don't need it? Explain your answer.
4. Can a pardon be earned? Why or why not?
5. Can human relationships thrive without forgiveness? Why or why not? What is the result for yourself, or what have you observed in others, when forgiveness is not forthcoming?
6. Consider the relationship between pardon/forgiveness and facing the consequences of our behavior. God offers forgiveness even for the worst of sins, but our sins still often leave consequences in their wake -- damaged relationships, broken trust, a tainted reputation, losses that cannot be recovered, etc. How do we both take responsibility for those consequences and live into the freedom provided through forgiveness?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Genesis 6:5
The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. (For context, read 6:1-8.)
This verse describes the time before the great flood that Noah and his family survived in the ark. Christian theology says that as a statement on the nature of humankind, this verse relates to all periods of human history, right down to the present day -- thus making the need for divine pardon essential.
Some critics of Christianity, however, believe verses such as this one overstate the case and argue that there are people who are essentially good -- or at least who do not plot evil continually -- and have no need of pardon from God. Yet even many "good" people acknowledge that there are things in their past or even ongoing parts of their lives that they are not proud of, things they would not wish to be seen as representative of who they are.
Questions: Do you view this verse as essentially true? Why or why not? Have you ever felt that all you could see was irredeemable evil? Is this a constant feeling, or does it ebb and flow, or even disappear at times?
2 Chronicles 7:14
... if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (For context, read 7:11-22.)
It is common for parents to tell their children before the young ones head out to do things with their friends, "Remember, you have my name. Don't do anything to dishonor it." Unspoken is the threat of punishment, but also the fact of love behind and included in giving one's name to the child.
In a similar manner, the Israelites bear the name of God. After the dedication of the temple by King Solomon, God appears to the king in the night. One of his promises is that he will forgive and heal the people of Israel, who are called by God's own name, if they will continue to humble themselves, pray, seek him and repent.
Although this is not the same as Mike Beebe's pardon of his son, the story reminds us not only that we bear witness to God's name in the world, but that he loves us and forgives us our sins when we repent and turn to him.
Questions: How does the fact that you bear God's name to the world influence your behavior? When have you been a bad witness to the name you bear? What does God's continual willingness to accept your repentance and forgive indicate about your relationship with him?
Isaiah 6:6-7
Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." (For context, read 6:1-8.)
These verses come from Isaiah's account of his call to prophesy for God. As far as we know, he was already a "good" man, but when confronted by the holiness of God, he was overcome by a sense of his own sinfulness and declared, "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" (v. 5).
In the vision, God then dealt with Isaiah's sense of sin by sending a seraph to touch a live coal to Isaiah's lips, thereby blotting out his sins -- pardoning him.
Questions: Are there any times or ways in which you identify with Isaiah in this passage? If so, when?
In Isaiah's vision, his sins seem to be cleansed with the hot coals. What place, if any, does suffering have in receiving pardon? Should those who suffer get "credit" against sins they have committed, like time served?
Psalm 25:11
For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great. (For context, read 25:4-11.)
This and many other verses in Scripture show the penitent's attitude, one of acknowledging one's sin and asking for forgiveness.
Note that this psalmist bases his plea for pardon on the sake of the Lord's name. In Scripture, many names and metaphors are used to refer to God -- God Almighty, the Most High God, the Lord Will Provide, the Lord Our Righteousness, Father, Rock, Fortress and others. Many names are needed because no one name or even a series of names can capture all that God is. Each name highlights one aspect of God, but all the names agree on God's essential nature, which is to be involved with his created ones.
Nehemiah 9:17 describes God's nature this way: "But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love ...."
Thus, in pleading for pardon "for your name's sake," the psalmist is appealing to God's own nature, which is to pardon. (See also Jeremiah 5:1.)
Questions: When have you personally experienced the pardoning nature of God? Since God is ready to forgive, does that mean we can sin without concern, knowing that God will always forgive us if we ask? Why or why not?
Does the experience of being pardoned make it easier to forgive others? Was there someone you did not feel you could forgive? Did you ever request forgiveness from another and not receive it?
Matthew 1:21
She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. (For context, read 1:18-25.)
The angel who appeared to Joseph to announce to him the divine source of Mary's pregnancy made the statement quoted above. In it, the angel said that Jesus' mission was to save people from their sins. In other words, pardoning was a major part of Jesus' ministry.
Questions: How did Jesus accomplish that pardoning ministry? What part, if any, do we play in that pardoning ministry?
Luke 11:4
And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. (For context, read 11:1-4.)
In this petition from the prayer Jesus taught his disciples, he clearly linked God's pardoning of us to our forgiving others. Indeed, it is the nature of sin that after we are forgiven, we sometimes decline to offer forgiveness to others. From this, too, we need to repent -- and be pardoned by God.
Questions: Where do you need to extend forgiveness to someone else?
Is forgiving others part of the condition necessary to receive pardon from God, or is it more of a natural reaction for having been forgiven? Does our granting forgiveness come naturally, or is it something that is learned?
For Further Discussion
1. Isaiah 55:6-7 says "Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Does this mean that we need to ask God for pardon? If so, why? If not, why not?
2. Theologian Walter Brueggemann writes that God is not to be understood "as either relentlessly 'rigid and unforgiving' or an automatic source of grace. Rather in a serious, ongoing relationship ... [God] is the senior partner who always has options and alternatives available when dealing with a wayward companion." What options has God used with you to draw you into the right way?
3. Respond to this statement: "Forgiving others is primarily what we do for ourselves. The other person still has to work out his or her relationship with God."
Responding to the News
This is a good time to remind ourselves that the purpose of divine pardon is to restore us to full relationship and fellowship with God.
Closing Prayer

O God, thank you because you are a God whose nature is to be slow to anger and to forgive. When we have sinned, help us to repent quickly, and to live thereafter in gratitude to you for your pardon and in willingness to forgive those who sin against us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

25th Anniversary of Berlin Wall Fall Marked by Celebrations

 © 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

Last Sunday was the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the event that heralded the collapse of the communist system and resulted in the reunification of Germany less than a year later. To mark the occasion, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel led celebrations attended by more than 300,000 revelers.
Part of the celebration included 8,000 helium balloons stretched across a nine-mile length of where Wall at been. ("Wall" is usually capitalized because it loomed so large in the lives of people in Germany at the time.) With lights shining on them, the balloons were released into the night sky.
In a speech earlier in the day, Merkel called the fall of the Wall proof that dreams come true, and said that its collapse continues to offer hope wherever "freedom and human rights are threatened or even trampled on."
The Wall, which had not only divided Berlin but also symbolized the "iron curtain" imposed by Communism on the countries where it was the rule of government and society, had stood for 28 years. Wikipedia tells that the Wall "included guard towers placed along large concrete walls which circumscribed a wide area (later known as the 'death strip') that contained anti-vehicle trenches, 'fakir beds' [beds studded with nails] and other defenses. The Eastern Bloc claimed that the Wall was erected to protect its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the 'will of the people' in building a socialist state in East Germany. In practice, the Wall served to prevent the massive emigration and defection that marked East Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc during the post-World War II period."
Along with the celebrations were tributes to the 138 people who were killed over the years trying to cross the Wall and the approximately 1,000 more who died attempting to cross the 856-mile border between what were then East and West Germany.
The barrier dividing the city of Berlin came about as the eventual aftermath of the division of Germany into four occupation zones following World War II. Each zone was controlled by one of the four occupying Allied powers: the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union. The German capital city, Berlin, although fully within the Soviet-controlled zone, was similarly subdivided into four sectors, each controlled by one of the occupying Allies.
After the Soviets refused to agree to reconstruction plans making post-war Germany self-sufficient and refused to account for the industrial plants, goods and infrastructure they'd removed from the zone they controlled, Britain, France and the United States, along with the Benelux countries, combined the non-Soviet zones of the country into one zone for reconstruction. Likewise, the parts of Berlin under their control, although an enclave surrounded by the Soviets, were combined.
In October 1949, East Germany (the German Democratic Republic) was declared, consisting of the Soviet Zone. According to Wikipedia, "By a secret treaty, the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs accorded the East German state administrative authority, but not autonomy. The Soviets penetrated East German administrative, military and secret police structures and had full control." Also, indoctrination in Marxism-Leninism became a compulsory part of school curricula in East Germany.
The other three zones, combined into one, thus became West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany). It developed into a Western democratic country, unlike East Germany. Eventually, because so many people were fleeing East Germany by crossing into West Berlin, and from there flying out to other places in West Germany or elsewhere in the West, the Soviets had the Wall built.
In this closed state, the East German secret police, the Stasi, became one of the most hated and feared institutions of the communist government. The Wired Word corresponded this week with Brigitte Downey, a former producer for the BBC, who has worked on several documentaries about the fall of the Wall. In a newspaper article she wrote in 1999 titled "The Spy Who Is Still Out in the Cold" in connection with a documentary for the 10th anniversary of the Wall's fall, she told how the Stasi operated:
... the Secret Police had infiltrated every strata of society until they had perfected a system where children spied on parents, pupils on teachers, friends on friends and spouses betrayed their partners. These people weren't officially called spies. They were IMs -- inoffizielle Mitarbeiter -- informers. One in 10 in the population was an informer, writing reports on neighbors, employers, lovers, pastors. They collaborated with the Secret Police for various reasons -- personal gain, career advancement, greed, vanity, power, belief in the Marxist system. "A landscape of lies" is how Jürgen Fuchs, the writer, described his country. The extent of those lies and the truth were discovered in the 112 miles of Stasi files in Berlin after the Wall came down in November 1989.
During the years that the Wall stood, "the churches were the only place in East Germany where any kind of political opposition could take place," Downey said. (See also the article in the link below, titled "The Church That Helped Bring Down the Berlin Wall.")
"It was vital to the Stasi to know what the opposition was up to besides praying," Downey added. In her "Spy Out in the Cold" article, she told the story of an East German citizen who'd been forced by the Stasi to spy on fellow church members for 20 years and report back to his Stasi officer.
Fast-forward 28 years: In 1989, as Communism was collapsing in the East, communist authorities gave in to mounting pressure and opened the gates of the Wall, relaxing travel restrictions. Germany reunited into one country on October 3, 1990, and the Wall was removed.
For people not only in Berlin but around the world, the fall of the Wall came as a surprise, something they hadn't expected to see in their lifetime. Most considered it to be essentially a permanent barrier supported by Soviet might.
But as one TWW team member commented, "Nothing is permanent -- except God."
More on this story can be found at these links:
Fall of the Berlin Wall Celebrated 25 Years Later in Germany. CBS News
Germany Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Fall of Berlin Wall. Wall Street Journal
The Church That Helped Bring Down the Berlin Wall. USA Today 
Berlin Wall. Wikipedia

The Big Questions
1. Name a problem or troublesome circumstance in your life that seems unending. Does it wall you in or out? In what ways does it oppress you? What helps you deal with it even as it continues?
2. Name a problem that you expected to go on indefinitely but which surprisingly came to an end. (Here are some examples to get you started: The moment you learn that a long-standing lawsuit against you has been dismissed. When you finally leave an abusive but addictive relationship. When you finally reach retirement. When some huge, onerous assignment is at last complete. The hour you learn that the boss you despise is being fired and that a person you respect is taking his place. When you learn that some idea you held that kept you from trying new things is only a superstition. The day you walk out of prison after completing your sentence.) What did that teach you about life? What did it teach you about patience and trust in God?
3. If you were living in a part of the world where you were politically and economically oppressed, what aspects of your Christian faith might help you face that circumstance in your immediate, everyday situation? Would there be aspects of your life of faith that might seem next to impossible to practice? What choices would you make about public and private piety?
4. What is the practical life-application of this statement: "Evil belongs to time; goodness belongs to eternity"? In what ways is this statement not true? (For instance, if one assumes that creation as made by God is good, does one have to wait for eternity to experience God's goodness?)
5. TWW team member Frank Ramirez comments, "When we stress (rightfully so) over groups like ISIS and Boku Haram, it is good to remember they are pipsqueaks compared to the huge wrongs of the 20th century -- Fascism and Hitler, the Soviet Union and Stalin, Imperial Japan and the Rape of Nanking, the mindset about Empire and saving face that led to World War I, the genocide of the Armenians under the Turks, the Jews under Nazism, African genocides and the other genocides of the 20th century, including those by Mao Zhedong and Pol Pot. Are these appropriate comparisons? How do they affect your view of life today? How were these actions dismissed as unworthy of notice at one time? To what extent, if any, is it significant that these were all atheist (Communism and National-Socialism) or non-Christian (Shintoism or Islam) movements? Can Christianity be long corrupted by evil? What within Christianity can serve as a corrective?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Exodus 14:30
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. (For context, read 14:26-31.)
This is a concluding comment from the chapter in Exodus that tells of the Israelites safely crossing the Red Sea between parted waters, and the drowning of the Egyptians when they attempted to pursue the Israelites. Consider what a powerful moment is suggested by this verse, when the people of Israel stood on the far side of the sea watching the bodies of the enemy and the wreckage of their chariots washing up on the shore.
Remember that at that moment, they were looking at the absolute end of a situation that had been part of their lives as a people for something like 400 years. Every one of those Israelites standing on the shore that day had been born in slavery. They knew no other way of life. Yet, now, all at once, that circumstance was forever behind them. Whatever they did from that point forward they would do on their own. They would not be subject to Pharaoh's wishes ever again.
The people in East Germany must have felt something similar when the Berlin Wall fell. Note also that refugees from North Korea are known for having extreme difficulty adjusting to life under a relatively free government.
Questions: What do you think the Israelites learned from the Red Sea experience? (Hint: See Exodus 14:31.) What do you learn when you suddenly come to the end of a situation that had seemed as if it would never end? How easy is it, do you think, for people who have lived in slavery (such as the Israelites, and to some extent the East Germans) to adapt to a life of freedom? Does Exodus seem to describe an easy or difficult transition from slavery to freedom?
2 Chronicles 28:27
Ahaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. (For context, read 28:22-27.)
In the view of the biblical chronicler and, apparently, in the view of his own subjects, King Ahaz, who ruled Judah from 736 to 716 B.C., was one of that nation's worst rulers ever. He allied Judah with Assyria, had a copy of a pagan altar made in Jerusalem and set up other pagan altars throughout the land. Even worse, he sacrificed at least one of his sons to an idol and sacked Judah's own temple of the Lord. He was an idolater to the end. When he finally died, his subjects showed their disdain for him by burying him not in the tombs of the kings, but in a common grave.
Ahaz represented not only himself but his whole regime, so the treatment of his body was a repudiation of all he represented. His story suggests that the negative actions of a repressive regime are not quickly forgiven, and once it ends, its former subjects often move quickly to try to undo the oppressive things which that government had imposed.
Questions: When have you been able to contribute to the undoing of long-running wrong? Is it necessary to address the wrongs of your past, individually, congregationally or nationally? How important to our self-identity is our history? Are there times when you just wish that people would leave the past alone, such as when you have really worked hard to address the problems of circumstances you inherited? Explain your answer.
Nahum 3:18-19
... O king of Assyria ... Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them. There is no assuaging your hurt, your wound is mortal. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For who has ever escaped your endless cruelty? (No context needed.)
The Assyrians had long been powerful oppressors of Israel, but finally they were defeated by a coalition of Babylonians and Medes in 612 B.C. In the verses above, the prophet Nahum is essentially rubbing the noses of the Assyrians in their defeat, a feeling perhaps akin to what some felt when communist East Germany collapsed.
Questions: Although Nahum appears almost to be gloating, he no doubt also felt relief. When have you seen relief as a gift from God? When have you rejoiced because the source of a great wrong was no longer a factor? When have you felt a little guilty about rejoicing about the end of someone or something?
Matthew 13:30
... at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn. (For context, read 13:24-30.)
This is from Jesus' parable about an enemy who sows weeds in a field where a landowner has just planted wheat. The two grow up together, but rather than uproot the wheat while attempting to pull the weeds, the landowner defers the sorting until harvest time.
Jesus told this parable to explain something about the "sorting" of humankind that will accompany the arrival of the kingdom of God, but it also serves as a reminder to us that there is a line that evil and wrong cannot cross. They will not make it into the eternal storehouse.
Questions: This parable takes a very long view of things. Is it helpful in the short run? Why or why not? Does this parable suggest that discernment or active removal of something contemptuous is not your concern?
Revelation 12:12
... for the devil has come down to you with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short! (For context, read 12:7-12.)
While not referring to or demonizing the government of East Germany, this verse is a way of saying that no wrong thing is eternal. Wrong cannot last forever; its time is, relatively speaking, short.
This particular section of Revelation describes a vision John of Patmos sees: a war taking place in heaven in which Satan, who is pictured as a dragon, and his angels fight against the angels of God, led by the archangel Michael. Satan, supposedly a fallen angel, wages this battle in an all-out attempt to regain his position in heaven. Although the battle is fierce, Satan and his forces cannot prevail, and in the end, he is defeated and thrown out of heaven once and for all. But his rage at losing is such that he then turns his wrath upon the church of John's day, causing great trouble and tribulation.
This dramatic vision no doubt helped John and those to whom he wrote understand why the Christians of that day were being severely persecuted. John knew the reality of evil because he and his fellow believers were confronted by it. But in the midst of all that persecution is this word of hope: "... the devil has come down to you with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"
John maintained that Satan's time was short because Satan was already a beaten enemy. All Satan had left was only that time between his defeat in the heavenly battle and the final judgment. After that, this evil adversary of humankind would be destroyed forever.
Questions: "His time is short," of course, is a relative expression. If Satan's time is not shorter than our lives, then it seems really long. In what sense does the Bible mean that Satan's time is "short"? Is that helpful? Why or why not?
The book of Revelation presents us with a view of life as understood from the end. We might call it an "eternal perspective." It says to us that "this is how you will understand it when it is all over." That is not very satisfying when we are immersed in difficulties in the here and now. But how would our lives be different without that perspective?
For Further Discussion
1. Comment on the following: Several years ago, a retired minister who had worked as a missionary in China before and after World War II told the following: In the '70s, after Mao had opened the doors of the country, the minister returned to China to visit some of his friends. He asked his Christian friends how they were doing under Communism. They told him that as far as they could tell, this Communism thing was a passing fad, and was unlikely to last more than 400 years at most. Now that's a sense of perspective!
2. Discuss this, from TWW team member Stan Purdum: "Periodically we pastors conduct funerals for individuals who have been sick or infirm for a long time and for whom that person's spouse, parent or grown child has become the caregiver. Sometimes, in those days while funeral arrangements are being made or calling hours are taking place, the caregiver will mention a feeling of guilt because the primary response he or she is having to the death of the loved one is relief. Some of that is a gladness that the deceased will no longer suffer, but some of it is relief at no longer having to live with the restrictions the illness placed on both the sufferer and the caregiver. The guilt is often because the caregiver feels that he or she should not feel relief, that grief should be the overwhelming emotion instead.
     "But that relief is neither selfish nor sinful, especially when the person has done his or her best to care for the sufferer. That relief is a profound gift from God. Often, as time passes, the more expected emotions -- grief and sadness over the loss of the loved one -- also emerge, but at the beginning, relief is something God gives to help us."
3. Read to the class the article "The Church That Helped Bring Down the Berlin Wall" and then discuss that church's methods that helped accomplish this feat.
4. Comment on this, from a U.S. citizen on a tour of Great Britain: "After seeing a number of magnificent centuries-old cathedrals, we went to see the modern cathedral at Coventry. That city had once had a beautiful old building, but on the night of Thursday, November 14, 1940, Coventry suffered through the longest German air raid of any one night on any British city in World War II. The old cathedral, along with much of the rest of the city, burned. The next day, only the four walls were left.
     "Some years later, the new cathedral was built adjacent to the old walls, which were left standing as a memorial to that church's vital ministry of reconciliation, which was born out of the ashes of their building. The Coventry congregation has become known throughout the world for their ministry of outreach and compassionate caring. Goodness, they've demonstrated, cannot be bombed.
     "This point is emphasized dramatically by a large bronze sculpture on the wall outside the entrance to the new cathedral. The sculpture, by Sir Jacob Epstein, is based on Revelation 12:7-8 -- 'Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated ....' The sculpture portrays the angel Michael defeating Satan." (See the sculpture here.)
5. Consider the walls that continue to divide people: physical walls (Mexican border/Israel), electronic walls (Great Cyber Wall of China); financial (rich/poor); historical (Armenia/Turkey), religious (Roman Catholic/Orthodox/Protestant), cultural (the so-called 'culture wars' in this country). Many of these or other walls make life harder. What does such "wall building" say about the nature of humanity? What should be the response of the faithful toward attempts to divide and conquer? Where in our communities do we see walls? What do these walls represent? Whom would we like to keep in or keep out? Why? What would our life be like if the walls we or others have erected were taken down?
6. Beyond political and economic expediency and beyond national security, why else should Americans care about what happens in other parts of the world? Why specifically should Christians care?
7. Respond to the following: In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis suggests that even devils are afraid of goodness. For while a virtue can be twisted (humility, for example, can be twisted such that we become proud of how humble we are), it cannot be destroyed. Lewis' point is that goodness has about it a sense of immortality because it comes from God. Goodness will outlast wrong.
Responding to the News
This is a good time to remind ourselves why Christianity is a religion of hope and not of despair.
You might also contemplate this, from Christian writer J.R.R. Tolkien, in his novel The Lord of the Rings: When Frodo Baggins complains about the difficulties of his time and how he wishes that none of this had come to pass in his time, Gandalf replies, "So do I ... and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
Closing Prayer

O God of both time and eternity, help us who live in the midst of time both to trust the immortality of good and to work for the undoing of situations and conditions that hurt people living in this temporal world. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Houston Mayor Withdraws Subpoenas Issued to Pastors in Equal Rights Ordinance Dispute

 © 2014 The Wired Word 

www.thewiredword.com

On Wednesday, Annise Parker, mayor of Houston, Texas, withdrew subpoenas the city had issued to five Houston pastors in a lawsuit over the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, commonly dubbed HERO. The subpoenas had initially demanded of those pastors "all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO [the ordinance], the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession." After the subpoenas were made public, they were denounced by many Christians and several Christian advocacy groups as a breach of the First Amendment's separation of church and state clause.
While most of the protesting advocacy groups were on the religious right, in this case, some Christian groups on the religious left also agreed that the subpoenas had overreached.
Parker, who is in her third term as Houston's mayor, had earlier withdrawn the "sermons" demand, but with this action, she dropped the subpoenas altogether. She said the decision to rescind the subpoenas came after meeting this week with three local pastors not among the subpoenaed group, and seven members of the clergy from across the country, in what she dubbed "civil discussions about the issues."
The whole affair began in May when Houston officials passed the HERO ordinance intended to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. The ordinance is controversial in part because it gives transgender people the right, in public buildings and businesses, to use the restroom of the gender with which they identify. (The ordinance exempts religious entities from compliance.)
Some Houstonians who don't like HERO and want to overturn it collected 50,000 signatures to get the matter on a city ballot, but many signatures were rejected, meaning that the measure failed to qualify. Opponents then sued the city, claiming that Mayor Parker, who is openly gay, and other city officials used inappropriate methods to exclude many of the signatures.
In response, the city sent the subpoenas to the five pastors who had identified themselves as the leaders of the anti-HERO petition drive and who delivered the petitions to the city, but who are not litigants in the lawsuit. The subpoenas sought materials, including sermons, that might be related to the drive to undo HERO.
At that point, the matter took on a life of its own, with many people across the country branding Houston's actions as an attack on religious freedom and even "thuggery" by the mayor. Responding to the backlash, the mayor narrowed the scope of the subpoenas, removing sermons from the list and focusing more on materials related to the signature-collection campaign, but that did not silence the outcry.
One of the calmer reactions came from Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, President of the Interfaith Alliance, which advocates for both LGBT rights and religious liberty. In an open letter to Mayor Parker, Gaddy wrote, "To trample on one set of freedoms while seeking to expand another fails to capture the intent of the United States Constitution and violates the nature of our democracy."
All of that probably contributed to the mayor's decision this week to rescind the subpoenas entirely, but from her remarks during the public announcement of the withdrawal of the demand, she credited civil discussion with the three Houston pastors and the seven from elsewhere in the nation.
"They came without political agendas, without hate in their hearts and without any desire to debate the merits of the HERO," the mayor said. "They simply wanted to express their passionate and very sincere concerns about the subpoenas. The second meeting group wasn't from Houston, but they took the Houston approach of civil discourse in presenting their case. We gained an understanding of each other's positions."
Parker vows to continue to support HERO and defend it against repeal efforts, but she said, "This is not about what anyone is preaching, this is not about religion, this is not about anyone exercising their religion ... this is about the petition process."
By way of background, the IRS regulations for nonprofit groups, including churches, permit such groups to discuss and even advocate for political issues so long as the group does not exhibit preferences for or against specific political candidates. Thus, taking stands on ballot initiatives is permitted.
As TWW team member Rev. Frank Ramirez stated, "As a pastor, I can preach about anything I want. If I choose to endorse a particular political candidate or party, however, our church could lose its tax-exempt status. My free speech is totally protected. I cannot be prevented from turning my sermon into a campaign speech ... if I feel strongly enough. But I also must be courageous enough to forfeit our tax exemption. I can't have it both ways."
More on this story can be found at these links:
Houston Withdraws Pastors' Subpoenas. Religion News Service 
Mayor Parker Withdraws Subpoenas Issued to Houston Pastors in HERO Lawsuit. Click2Houston 
Mayor Parker Directs City Legal Department to Withdraw Pastor Subpoenas. City of Houston website 
The Subpoena Saga: Houston Officials' Misstep Feeds Religious Right Persecution Complex. Americans United for Separation of Church and State 
Sermons Are 'Fair Game' in Houston -- The Real Warning in the Subpoena Scandal. Albert Mohler.com
An Open Letter to Houston Mayor Annise Parker. Leadership Journal
Open Letter to the Mayor and City Attorney of Houston. Interfaith Alliance
The Big Questions
1. From what you gather from news reports, do you think the Houston subpoena as originally worded was a) a real attack on religious freedom, b) a legal challenge directed against the five pastors involved but not an attack on religious freedom, c) an ill-advised tactic by Houston officials but not aimed at the church in general, d) a constitutional challenge, e) a local squabble but with larger ramifications, f) more than one of the above (specify) or g) something else (specify)? Explain your answer.
2. Is one of our tasks as Christians to guard religion against attack? Is one of our tasks as U.S. citizens to guard religion against attack? If you said yes to either question, which religions should be guarded and why? If you said no to either question, why?
3. Since being Christians means that we are citizens not only of our country but also of God's kingdom, how should we deal with governmental rules with which we disagree on religious grounds?
4. How does your understanding of "separation of church and state" help you decide how deeply your church should be involved in political activism?
5. Are there any circumstances under which the state may rightfully expect an individual to violate his or her religious conscience to support the state? If so, what circumstances? If not, why not?
6. What, if any, are the circumstances under which it is acceptable for the state to issue legal demands for pastoral materials, including sermons, private letters and emails to congregants of a religious body?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Proverbs 14:34
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. (This is a stand-alone proverb; no context needed.)
On the surface, this proverb would seem to be a straightforward statement that no one who believes in God would question. However, there are a couple of qualifiers that should be noted.
First, in ancient Israel, where this proverb originated, there was no separation of church and state. It was a theocracy (a government based on religious authority), not a democracy. The king was seen as divinely appointed, and the nation was considered to be the people of God.
So applying this proverb to a nation with a democratic government means that "righteousness" (defined as being right with God) is not a state toward which political policies and practices officially aim. Rather, they officially aim at democratic ideals, such as "majority rule with the rights of the minority respected," "justice for all" and "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Second, when applying this statement to a democratic nation, who gets to define "sin"? Certainly the church has not always agreed. Recall that, in one era, a significant portion of the church did not view human slavery as sinful. Today, for example, the church is not of one mind about whether persons living in faithful homosexual relationships are living in sin.
Questions: How does the overall truth of this proverb still apply to any nation, regardless of its form of government? What is the proper role of democratic government regarding religion?
Matthew 5:13-14
You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the world. (For context, read 5:13-16.)
Jesus said his followers should be "salt of the earth" and "the light of the world."
Questions: Since salt alone does not make a whole meal, and light is only one element of creation, what do you think Jesus meant when he applied these two terms to his followers? Does our call to be salt and light include a mandate to fight for religious freedom? Is it a call to strongly influence the world with a witness to the kingdom of God's way? Comment on this, from Martin Luther King Jr.: "The church must be reminded that it is not the master nor the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state."
What methods of fighting for good in our contemporary world are compatible with Christ's teaching? What methods are not? What persons or groups give a good example of Christ-infused behaviors that give light and salt to the unbelieving citizens of this world? How is salt-and-light Christianity related to Mayor Parker's statement that some clergy had talked with her "without hate in their hearts"?
1 Peter 2:13-14
For the Lord's sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. (For context, read 2:11-17.)
Christianity was born under a government that was far from being a democracy. Obedience to the state was mandatory, and not every action of the Roman Empire was just and fair. Nonetheless, Peter advises the early Christians to accept that authority, and actually views the empire's role as an arm of the Lord to punish those who do wrong.
Some Bible scholars believe that things were not as rosy as Peter's words seem to suggest, however, and that the reason for his advice was to keep Christians from appearing to oppose or threaten the state and thus increase their vulnerability to persecution.
In any event, Peter is no doubt sincere in wanting Christians to give a witness of good conduct within the confines of the state, while giving their ultimate allegiance to the kingdom of God.
Question: What principles should religious groups use when deciding to forgo or continue practices that violate the laws of the governments under which they live?
Mark 12:17
Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's. (For context, read 12:13-17.)
Jesus made this remark in response to a trap some of his enemies tried to spring. For the common people, the paying of taxes to Rome was an uncomfortable reminder that their nation was under the domination of Rome. So in the presence of a crowd, those enemies asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" (v. 14). They no doubt thought themselves clever. If Jesus said "Yes," they could brand him as a traitor to Jewish nationalism and thus damage his popularity with the crowds. If he said "No," they could report him to the Roman authorities as a subversive who needed to be arrested.
The trap failed because Jesus refused to play their devious game. Instead he asked them to produce a coin and tell him whose image was stamped on it. "The emperor's" was the reply (v. 16). "Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's and to God the things that are God's." With this answer, Jesus not only sidestepped the trap but reminded his opponents of their failure to honor and serve God.
Questions: What conclusions can you draw from Jesus' recognition of two countries -- one earthbound and one spiritual -- that apply to how Christians should think about church-state separation? Is it possible that Jesus was here teaching that certain kinds of opposition to earthly government might be counterproductive or unnecessary?
John 18:36
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world." (For context, read 18:33-38.)
This is part of Jesus' reply to Pilate's question, "Are you the King of the Jews?" (v. 33).
Question: Could Jesus' reply here be taken as a warning to us of the incompatibility, and sometimes even toxic incompatibility, between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God? Explain your answer.
1 Corinthians 13:13
And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (For context, read 12:12--13:13.)
Although 1 Corinthians 13 is often read by itself, especially at weddings, it is really part of a larger "sermon" from Paul that includes chapters 12 and 14 as well. (That's why we have suggested that you start the context reading at 12:12, but if you have time, read all three chapters.) In these three chapters, as in much of 1 Corinthians, Paul is addressing divisions within the church, as expressed in arguments over whose spiritual gifts are the "best."
In chapter 13, Paul gets to his main point, that no matter what other gifts and talents people have received from God, the greatest gifts are faith, hope and love, and of those three, love is the very best. And it was the failure to love one another that allowed the partisan spirit to flourish and divisions to hurt the church.
It is worth remembering that in chapter 13, the King James Version of the Bible uses the word "charity" instead of "love." Back in 1611, when the translators of the KJV were working, charity accurately conveyed the meaning Paul intended. But in the intervening centuries, it has come to mean giving to the needy. Thus, virtually all modern Bible translations render the Greek agape as "love" rather than "charity" to avoid the almsgiving connotation.
But the word "love" has problems too. In modern usage, it can mean tender emotions, infatuation, sex, neighborliness, family loyalty, or devotion to another person. So there is value in reconsidering "charity." In its earlier sense, it meant wishing good for others and behaving so that good would indeed befall them. Charity does not require us to feel affection toward everyone or to like everyone. But it does require us to act with goodwill toward others, including those with whom we disagree, within the Christian community and in the political realm.
Questions: If you decide it is right for you or your church to be politically active, where specifically should you be prepared to act charitably? Does "charity" imply that we should start out assuming that political opponents are arguing their position out of good intentions? Why or why not? Do you agree that the pastors who engaged in civil discourse with Mayor Parker and who she said spoke "without hate in their hearts" might have been demonstrating the very charity about which Paul was speaking?
For Further Discussion
1. Did God call us who follow Jesus to establish the kingdom of God or to live according to kingdom principles? Defend your answer.
2. Discuss this alternative interpretation of the events in Houston, suggested by TWW team member Ellyn Seelye: "To my mind the issue is more properly framed as that a city government rashly presented a group of clergy with a legal demand (subpoenas) for their sermons and other pastoral communications. The response of the faith community, in this case, heeded Christ's admonition to 'be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves' (Matthew 10:16, KJV). There was a kind of canny, two-pronged approach. First, there was wide dispersion of the news, eliciting much negative -- often strongly negative -- response from many quarters. Then, with this disapproval as backdrop, both local and national teams of pastors requested meetings to reason with the mayor in a candid and civil manner. They quite properly defended the faith. As Peter said when he and the apostles were hauled before the authorities for teaching and preaching, 'We ought to obey God rather than men' (Acts 5:29, KJV). Christians have similarly challenged the notions of the state in their opposition to slavery and in their advocacy of the protection of innocent human life."
3. Respond to this, from TWW team member Rev. Jim Berger: "Every sermon I preach is a public document. It is published on our website. It is open for anyone to enter the church and hear it. Sermons are not privileged communication. They are public pronouncements. I would be surprised if any court found otherwise. I am acutely aware every Sunday that what I say is a public document, and what I say can and will be used against me in a court of law if someone chooses to take issue with it! Their case may be found to be without merit, but I would still have to defend my words, or my church would. And that costs money. If a preacher slanders someone in a sermon, they may rightly sue the preacher for the allegations. The rights of free speech and separation of church and state do not give individuals such as me a pass on accountability to the Constitution. Yes, we answer only to God for theology. But when we transgress the laws of the land, the mandates of Romans 13:1-7 must be respected."
4. When, if ever, should our civil liberties take precedence over our religious beliefs, so that our freedom of religion {ITALIC}and everyone else's freedom of religion is protected?
5. How far should your church go in supporting the religious freedom of groups with whom you disagree over matters of doctrine or practice? What might be the result of such support? What might be the result of nonsupport?
6. Respond to this statement: It's important to recall that the Christian church has widely varying understandings of some social matters. For example, not only do some Christians accept and welcome LGBT people and their spouses, but some would add that some Christians are those LGBT people.
Responding to the News
This is a good time to consider the ways in which we can be salt and light to our communities.
Closing Prayer

O God, bless our country, and give our government leaders your guidance and a willingness to work for the common good. Bless our church as well. Help us to know your will, and give us your guidance about how to fulfill our calling as your people and as citizens of our communities. In Jesus' name. Amen.