Read This

Reverend Miller preached about community yesterday, acknowledging that the virtual community has its place. Well, one example of that is this post that Rita Nakashimi Brock brought to my attention via facebook. If you are a liberal, you should click on the link and read this. Link.

Question

Could Chalice record an "It Gets Better Video"?

Justice in the ER

This is a post from a friend of mine that has been an ER doctor for quite some time. It is moving on multiple levels for me.

Myth of Orthodoxy

At Chalice, we are reading the Future of Faith by Harvey Cox, in which he dismantles the myths of permanent orthodoxy and apostolic authority. The Smithsonian has an interesting article challenge the my of orthodoxy related to American History and religious tolerance. Check it out.

What form of Government Promotes Justice

"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." Judges 17:6, 21:25. The shorter lament, "In those days Israel had no king," appears twice more. Judges 18:1, 19:1. These comments appear in a section of judges that accounts some pretty horrible conduct by the local leaders.

However, in the Chapter 8 of First Samuel, we read about all the horrible things that a king will do. It even kind of hurts God's feelings that the people are rejecting God as their king.

Local versus national control is not a foreign issue for Americans. What do you think? Does either system promote or inhibit justice? Does either system encourage or discourage creating a Kingdom of God?

What's Next?

Please use the comments section to propose ideas for other forum topics that would address created an anti-racist/pro-reconciling world.

The Reading Material from SB1070 Forum

Amended Version of SB 1070
Resolution to Repeal 1070
Resolution for Hospitality
Bible cites to aliens.

Figuring out what justice is...

Last night a group of people met at Chalice for discussion of a Resolution that has been presented for adoption by the Christian Church in Arizona at our Regional Assembly October 23. We call this once-monthly discussion event The Forum, and each time we aim to discuss a challenging or controversial topic with the aim of increasing understanding and building relationship. Jim Barton led this challenging, civil discussion in a style that allowed us to navigate a reading of Arizona's SB 1070 and a page of scripture references to the treatment of "aliens," and voice our opinions on the Resolution in just over an hour. Many opinions were expressed, many questions asked, with no evidence of universal agreement on where we stand on the resolution. We left wanting more discussion.

This blog is committed to being a voice for doing justice. Justice is a very complex notion. The Levitical laws about treatment of "aliens" include a requirement that they keep the law as a citizen kept the law, be subject to the same punishments a citizen could receive, in exchange for being treated with the same dignity a citizen would receive, along with a reminder to treat the "alien" with compassion and empathy. Several participants last night noted the irrelevance of Levitical law concerning aliens to our contemporary immigration laws. Indeed we do not live by Levitical law. It does, however, inform our faith as followers of Jesus. So what can we learn from scripture about justice? Justice involves rules and consequences for either following them or breaking them, and it seems that justice also includes fairness and compassion, even toward outsiders. How on earth are we to construct, define, do justice?