Although many found the State of the Union address by our President uplifting and timely, I was less impressed with the content of the speech. I heard one talking head on MSNBC note that the President eloquently said nothing of substance. So, unimpressed with content I’ve not blogged about the SOTU. I do want to encourage the Congress to always sit in ‘mixed’ company as it helped the rest of us get through the speech with fewer standing ovations that make these things go on forever. I don’t think that was a show of unity or civility. It was a stunt that provided a good impact, but they are back to their usual selves: power over problem solving. I digress.
Snow days here in northeast Oklahoma have given me time to catch up on my RSS news feed and reading. I saw this from Religion Dispatches this morning while reviewing what I’ve missed these past two weeks. It is an interesting review of the SOTU.
State of the Union Stuck in that Olde-Time Semi-Niebuhrianism
The State of the Union is (Not) Sinful
by Ira Chernus | Religion Dispatches | January 26 2011
As commentators quickly dubbed the president’s optimistic, future-oriented SOTU rhetoric “Reaganesque,” I thought of Gary Wills’ clever term for The Gipper’s version of American exceptionalism: “original sinlessness.” Obama seemed to be offering his own version: Other nations are racked by inescapable conflict, trapped in the endless echoes of age-old struggles; we are blessed by a unique ability—indeed destiny—to be free of conflict, to be free of the past, to “believe in the same dream that says this is a country where anything’s possible.”
Anything? Really? You can almost hear the pantheon of European Christian theologians groaning from their graves in disbelief.
Reading this article by Will Willimon reminded me that preaching is a craft. I work on my words. Minister’s often hear me ask, “How are your words?” or “How do you feel about your words last week?” I remember looking out and seeing Rev. Dr. Joey Jeter and Rev. Dr. Kenneth Teegarden in the pews at the TCU chapel. It was Intro to Preaching. They were critically kind and I’ve gotten better at my craft, preaching and youth ministry. I use a manuscript for sermons and notes when I keynote. It is something that I work at and take very seriously. If you are currently preaching each week or in seminary Willimon’s words are worthy of a few minutes.
Voice Lessons
by William H. Willimon | January 27, 2011 | The Christian Century
It isn’t just that so many Protestants exalt preaching above other pastoral arts. The challenge is preaching itself. Proclaiming the gospel demands an interplay of highly developed emotional-spiritual-physical-intellectual qualities. Walking naked down Main Street while playing a harmonica is nothing compared to the personal exposure required to talk about God for 20 minutes to a group of people who have been, all week long, avoiding even the barest mention of God.
These reflections were inspired by my watching the film The King’s Speech, which is about King George VI of England, a miserably shy, stammering man who is thrust unwillingly onto the world stage. The movie casts the coming of World War II as a confrontation involving public speaking: Hitler’s histrionic elocution is a dramatic contrast to the king’s quavering, high-pitched voice. All of England awaits a reassuring royal word. George’s wife, Elizabeth, slyly sets up a visit with Lionel Logue, the oddball, self-trained Australian speech therapist. “My job is to help you find your voice,” Logue says to the king.