Category: Theological Rant
One of Many People of Faith
Rev. Erin Wathen is the Sr. Minister at Foothills Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She writes a blog that demonstrates the “trust” relationship between a congregation and its minister. She writes on a variety of topics and is worth following. Her latest post is a few words about Rep Akin, abortion, and single issue voting. Here are a couple of paragraphs. Click the title to read more.
All this makes me one of many, many people of faith in this country: who feel we have nowhere to stand in the ‘pro-life/ pro-choice’ debate. It has become such a polarized, black/white, wrong/right sort of thing that there is no middle ground. There is no whole-person, big-picture approach. You are either sending women back to the dark ages, or you are killing babies. No other options.
Well, until now. Did Todd Akin–in his bone-chilling moment of ignorance–just do something productive? I think so. What he managed to do, in one short statement, was to shine light on what comes of extreme ideologies and rigid party lines (in either direction). If I were going to look for something nice to say about the man, that would probably be it: that he has shown us the grim national future awaiting us, if we don’t change our ways. He’s like the Ghost of Christmas future–a fearsome orb, cloaked in death and darkness; a skeletal hand pointing to a day when THIS man—the Todd Akins of the world– is the face and voice of our country. (I fear you more than any spectre I have seen!)
Thursday Morning Liturgy
I’m beginning Thursday Examen again, publicly, over on Google+ and will use these lyrics from “On the Turning Away,” by Pink Floyd as the liturgy for 30 good minutes of meditation. Examen begins at 10:30 am (ct).
On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won’t understand
“Don’t accept that what’s happening
It’s just a case of others’ suffering
Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
The turning away”
It’s a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting it’s shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we’re all alone
In the dream of the proud
On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
Mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night
No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It’s not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there’ll be
No more turning away?
from A Momentary Lapse of Reason
1987