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Rise and Shine- Sermon following the Shootings in Arizona
[Sermon]
01/09/2011 11:18 am
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
Rise and Shine
Sermon following the Shootings in Arizona
Epiphany Sunday: January 9, 2011
Matthew 2:1-12, Isaiah 60:1-5
I am sure I speak for most of us when I say that I am tired of the violence. I was sitting on the side of a soccer field, waiting for Nikki’s soccer game to begin yesterday when Mark arrived and told me the latest news that he had heard on his car radio on the way to the game: Mass shooting in a shopping center in Arizona,12 people shot (of course, we now know there were more than that). My first thought was, “oh dear God, not again.” Sadly, mass shootings are not that rare these days. They happen in schools, college campuses, malls, and even churches. I am not sure if Mark mentioned it, but I didn’t fully grasped right away that a member of the United States Congress was shot at during “Congress on the Corner” event- a town hall meeting for her constituents to get to talk to their elected representative in Congress.
So it was not just another mass shooting, but an attack on American democracy, an act of domestic terrorism intended to undermine the will of the people who had recently re-elected and participated in the democratic process. He shot a congresswoman, a judge, a child, and elderly people, all engaged citizens trying to be a part of a discussion to better our country.
Many people have responded, offering words of consolation and condemnation. I was particularly struck by the words of the sheriff in that country who decried the tenor of American political discourse, suggesting that the partisan rancor, disrespect and vitriol that has come to define modern politics easily lends itself to extremism, and its next of kin, violence. Where politics used to be “the art of compromise,” politicians who seek to negotiate through the art of compromise these days are deemed weak, wishy-washy and because they don’t “play to their base” are likely to have a hard time being re-elected. While it used to be a sign of political maturity to be the kind of “senior statesmen” of the Senate or House who could “cross the aisle” and broker an agreement on a piece of legislation, there are now few such leaders who seem to value seeking mutual agreed upon solutions to the problems facing our country and our world. We reward those who take “the hard line,” and scorn those who seek “the middle ground.” The result is a political climate of such antagonism that nothing is accomplished, and as the cause of incivility is advanced, our democracy falters.
We don’t fully know what led this man yesterday to commit such a heinous act, clearly he was not well, and whether or not he was motivated by politics, religion or some other ideology, his actions do, I believe, call us to some reflection on the state of political discourse, the very foundation, of our democracy.
I was struck yesterday by an article that I read by Diana Butler Bass, a Christian historian and theologian who wrote in response to this tragedy in Arizona:
“Right now, we need some sustained spiritual reflection on how badly we have
behaved in recent years as Americans--how much we've allowed fear to motivate our politics, how cruel we've allowed our discourse to become, how little we've listened, how much we've dehumanized public servants, how much we hate.”
As Christians, those who follow Christ, the Prince of Peace, we must do better.
Our so-called “Christian nation” has become so divided by animosity, distrust and rancor, that we can no longer claim any high moral ground when it comes to the civility of our public life. We are not practicing our faith or our democracy very well.
Today, I want to call us to reflection, confession and repentance and a new way of seeking to bring the principles of our faith into our practice of politics.
Thankfully, we come from a long line of ancestors in the faith who have lived through their own times of darkness. The Old Testament reading today comes from the book of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah lived and prophesied in a time of great despair. The passage from chapter 60 comes at the end of the Babylonian exile, a time when the people of ancient Israel found their country conquered, their leaders carried off, and their faith in God severely challenged. It was to such a desperate people that the prophet spoke these words
“Arise, shine for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
The darkness shall cover the face of the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples,
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.”
Actually, the call to “arise and shine” was not a statement, but a command. The prophet announced that God’s radiance will shine upon God’s people, indeed, God people will shine with God’s radiance.
So, how is your light shining? How do we bring God’s light into the darkness our world and our country faces? How can we bring the goodness and grace and mercy of God
to shine light into our caverns of distrust, violence and vitriol?
Some will say, trying to keep the Gospel safely tucked away in the church building, that the church should stay out of politics. In our country, the separation of church and state
is intended to protect religious people from being oppressed by our government. As citizens, however, who happen to be Christian, we are called to political engagement that expresses concern for justice, mercy and the well-being of the society and all the people of God’s creation.
Today, we celebrate Epiphany, the day that marks the arrival of the wise men at the stable in Bethlehem. Christ comes into the world and is immediately met with threats from the political leaders of the day. Here, this great political leader, King Herod with all of his might, is deeply disturbed and threatened by the birth of a baby who he feared might challenge his throne as “the king of the Jews.” Indeed, out of great paranoid fear,
Herod ordered that all baby boys near Bethlehem be killed. It seems that the threat of God’s great love, this time in the form of a little baby, was more Light than Herod could handle.
Herod did everything he could think to do to squash out the glorious Light of God
that would overcome all darkness. Thankfully, Herod did not have the last word. The darkness did not overcome the light. The darkness still has not overcome the light. And the glory of the Lord still demands us to rise and shine, and be the people who live in and radiate God’s love, even when and especially when darkness rears its ugly and sinister head.
On this day when we celebrate Epiphany, the light and revelation of God, I think we are called to a new level of searching, seeking and proclaiming God’s light in our time. We are called to search our own souls, to go to those places where we have allowed the darkness to prevail, where we have given ourselves to cynicism and rancor, and open ourselves to anew to God’s redeeming love.
In our modern vernacular, we use the word “epiphany” to mean a new awareness or a new understanding. As I watched yesterday’s tragic news, I had an epiphany. It wasn’t profound or new, just a renewed awareness. It is time for the people of God to act like it. We need to get out of the mean-spirited rhetoric and seek the good for all God’s people. We need to help reframe the political conversation, bringing a word of humility, compassion, tolerance and good-will. We are called to bring light, hope and peace to our hurting and broken world. We are not called to partisanship. We are called to do justice, practice mercy and walk humbly with our God.
The Gospel of John proclaims, “The people of who have walked in
darkness have seen a great light.”
May it be so for you and for me, for our country and for our world.
Words that Define
[Monthly Banner Column]
01/02/2011 3:38 pm
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
I am not usually a very nostalgic person nor am I someone who spends much time imagining the future. Even so, the ending and beginning of a new year is a time for reflection as we think back on the important events of the previous year and often make a few resolutions for the coming year. 2011 will be a big year in my life (Did you hear? I am getting married this year! June 4th, to be exact) and as we move into this year, I am feeling especially reflective.
I was recently a part of a conversation with some friends and we were talking about personal themes in our lives: declaring one year the year of fitness, or creativity, or prayer, or dancing, or whatever. The idea was to set an intention or theme we wanted to live by for a year. The idea of a theme sounded different to me than a resolution, because, well, I often make resolutions at the start of year that last about three days before being tossed aside. A personal theme word or a declared intention seemed to be more forgiving, broad, and like something that if allowed to guide me though the year, could really help me not just loose ten pounds, but actually shape me more toward the person I want to become in this world.
As I think toward 2011, a big year in my life, the theme word that comes to mind for me is devotion. I looked it up and the word “devote” means “to give to a particular end and especially to a higher purpose. Devote implies faithfulness and loyalty.” As a person of faith, devotion is certainly a word I think of in terms of my relationship to God. I am devoted to prayer, to faithful worship, to acts of compassion in the world. As a parent, I am devoted to providing my niece with a stable and loving home, as well as guidance and grace through these difficult adolescent years. And as I prepare for marriage, beyond the details of wedding planning, I am focused on devoting myself to a lifelong partnership that melds mutual love, respect and companionship with the mundane intricacies of navigating daily life with another person. All three of these callings and commitments swirl around me these days, drawing me toward a personal theme of devotion- faithfulness and loyalty. Of course, the word or theme of devotion is rather meaningless unless I commit myself to the deeper disciplines and practices of being truly devoted- to my relationship with God, Nikki and Mark. There is opportunity for growth, spiritual and emotional, in all three relationships.
As you think about the year ahead, what words or themes come to mind that present you with opportunities for reflection and growth in an area (or areas) of your life? Is there an intention, a theme for growth that you would like to offer yourself to this year?
For my own daily discipline of prayer in 2011, I have decided to use Ruben Job’s daily devotional book entitled, A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God. Care to join me? I will order several extra copies and have them for sale after church. I would love to have as many people as feel so led to join me in using this wonderful new book for daily prayer. Congregational devotional anyone?
Blessings to you and yours in this new year!
Pastor's Column for January 2011
[Monthly Banner Column]
01/01/2011 11:19 am
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
I am not usually a very nostalgic person nor am I someone who spends much time imagining the future. Even so, the ending and beginning of a new year is a time for reflection as we think back on the important events of the previous year and often make a few resolutions for the coming year. 2011 will be a big year in my life (Did you hear? I am getting married this year! June 4th, to be exact) and as we move into this year, I am feeling especially reflective.
I was recently a part of a conversation with some friends and we were talking about personal themes in our lives: declaring one year the year of fitness, or creativity, or prayer, or dancing, or whatever. The idea was to set an intention or theme we wanted to live by for a year. The idea of a theme sounded different to me than a resolution, because, well, I often make resolutions at the start of year that last about three days before being tossed aside. A personal theme word or a declared intention seemed to be more forgiving, broad, and like something that if allowed to guide me though the year, could really help me not just loose ten pounds, but actually shape me more toward the person I want to become in this world.
As I think toward 2011, a big year in my life, the theme word that comes to mind for me is devotion. I looked it up and the word “devote” means “to give to a particular end and especially to a higher purpose. Devote implies faithfulness and loyalty.” As a person of faith, devotion is certainly a word I think of in terms of my relationship to God. I am devoted to prayer, to faithful worship, to acts of compassion in the world. As a parent, I am devoted to providing my niece with a stable and loving home, as well as guidance and grace through these difficult adolescent years. And as I prepare for marriage, beyond the details of wedding planning, I am focused on devoting myself to a lifelong partnership that melds mutual love, respect and companionship with the mundane intricacies of navigating daily life with another person. All three of these callings and commitments swirl around me these days, drawing me toward a personal theme of devotion- faithfulness and loyalty. Of course, the word or theme of devotion is rather meaningless unless I commit myself to the deeper disciplines and practices of being truly devoted- to my relationship with God, Nikki and Mark. There is opportunity for growth, spiritual and emotional, in all three relationships.
As you think about the year ahead, what words or themes come to mind that present you with opportunities for reflection and growth in an area (or areas) of your life? Is there an intention, a theme for growth that you would like to offer yourself to this year?
For my own daily discipline of prayer in 2011, I have decided to use Ruben Job’s daily devotional book entitled, A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God. Care to join me? I will order several extra copies and have them for sale after church. I would love to have as many people as feel so led to join me in using this wonderful new book for daily prayer. Congregational devotional anyone?
Blessings to you and yours in this new year!
Surprised by Joy
[I was thinking...]
11/11/2010 9:25 am
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
It has been two and a half weeks since Mark and I announced our engagement and we still get a little misty-eyed when we reflect on the response of our congregation to the news. Not wanting to forget the experience, I am feeling the need to do a little reflective writing as we begin this journey.
After dating for 14 months, and talking about getting married for more than half of that time, Mark and I began “getting serious” about planning our engagement, choosing a ring, and setting the date for a wedding about six weeks ago. We picked out the ring together and for very pragmatic reasons, had the ring shipped to my office. My trusty office manager, Kathy, actually signed for the package, having no idea what was in that non-descript brown box (I tried desperately not to smile or give anything away when I nonchalantly received the box from Kathy). I handed the box over to Mark that evening, without so much as picking at the packing tape. While I wasn’t sure how he would propose, we were planning on telling the congregation on Sunday morning, so I knew that within the next few days we would be formally engaged.
Mark came over to my house later that week seeming very distracted, out of sorts and generally in a very bad mood. He told me that he had gotten into a huge fight with his business partner over of miscommunication that had resulted in the loss of a significant client. I live on the bottom of Signal Hill and Mark and I often walk up there for exercise, and he frequently goes up there just to make phone calls while enjoying the ocean and city views. That evening when Mark arrived feeling angry and frustrated, he asked if I minded if we just went up the hill so he could “clear his mind” before we went to dinner. As we went up the hill, I heard more about the argument and his frustration. We sat down on one of the benches at the hilltop park and while I was listening attentively and with much concern, Mark reached into his pocket, pulled out the ring and asked me to marry him. My response was laughter. I had been had! There was no argument with his business partner. The whole story was a rouse to get me up the hill where he could propose in the beautiful and familiar (and cold) setting of our hilltop park. As carefully as we had planned/timed the engagement, he still got to surprise me. I still got to be surprised. And after I stopped giggling, I said “yes.”
We went out to a lovely dinner, and then on the way home, stopped to see Nikki who was spending the night with a friend. Nikki knew something was up as soon as we walk in (why else would I stop by her friend’s house at 9:30 p.m. when she was having a sleepover?). Truth be told, Nikki had been hounding Mark for weeks. When are you going to propose? How are you going to do it? Here’s how you have to do it! She had the whole thing planned out with her very specific ideas of what would be suitably romantic. Thinking she was “in the know” on these matters, she had been “secretly” leaking the word of our upcoming engagement to people for weeks. While she was right that we were planning on getting engaged, she never really knew when that would be (much to her consternation). When we walked into her friend’s house, she immediately looked down at my hand, got a big smile on her face and gave us both a big hug. That was Saturday night and we swore her to secrecy (no Facebook, no phone calls, no text messaging) until after worship the next morning.
On Sunday morning, I went about my normal duties getting ready for worship and a big all-church meeting after worship. I tucked the ring in the pocket of the sweater I was wearing; patting the pocket about a hundred times that morning to make sure the ring was still safe and secure. I had shared the news of our engagement with my parents the night before and so they made plans to join us for worship at Cal Heights that day. No one, other than me, Mark, my parents and Nikki knew what we were going to announce that morning. Worship started as usual, wonderful singing, happy greetings, announcements, children’s message, and prayers. It was during the prayer time that Mark stood up to share a prayer of joy. It went something like this, “Good morning. My name is Mark Wright and I just want to share a joy. Last night, I asked Amy to marry me…” Before he could finish the sentence, people gasped and immediately started clapping and cheering, then stood to hoot and holler, more applause, laughter, and celebration broke forth. Some folks in the choir, not sure they heard the whole announcement, started yelling, “And what did she say?” I affirmed that I had indeed said, “yes.” And there was more cheering, more laughter, more joy.
It was a great moment in worship. I truly love my congregation and it was so fun to get to share our news, our big surprise with the church. I especially loved that we got to surprise the staff who are usually so “in the know” about everything going on in the church. While we had planned our engagement, and planned our announcement, we were completely overwhelmed by the response from our community. So much love! So much joy showered upon us! We carried on with worship and our meeting, floating on cloud of our community’s love for the remainder of the day, actually for the rest of the week…okay, two and half weeks later, we are still amazed by the wonderful experience of that day.
So that is what happened, but what I keep thinking about is what really happened that day. That moment in worship was, for lack of a better word, magical. It was special for Mark and me as we were excited to share our news, but as I have heard from so many others who were with us that day, it was also a pretty amazing experience for them. As I thought of it later, it felt like there was just this explosion of joy in the sanctuary that morning. Certainly much of the joy was an expression of love for me and Mark, but I think there was something else going on in that explosive response.
I think there is a part of the human spirit that just needs to create and express joy. We have lived with a lot of heaviness lately; tragic earthquakes, devastating oil spills, a faltering economy, illnesses, cancers (even among our youth), and the untimely deaths of some of the saints of the church. Yes, illness, loss and troubles are a part of life, we know that and we cope. But equally a part of life is hope, love and joyous spontaneity. Perhaps that announcement of love, that commitment to a future of love, just tapped something that had been weighing down our souls. Once tapped, the soul shook off its weary web, and life, with all its glorious joy, sprang forth. Ah, love! Life! Giddy joy! Sometimes we just need to frolic, dance, shout and cheer for all that creates beauty, affirms life and fills us with joy. It is a pretty wondrous thing to behold when joy bursts spontaneously from the human soul. Some of that joy was directed toward Mark and me, but I think much of it was just the instinctive celebration of the goodness of God in this gracious, beautiful experience of life. As our Hebrew friends proclaim, “L’chaim!” (to life!).
Thank you for sharing our joy. We were and still are amazed, humbled, deeply grateful and completely overwhelmed by your love and support of us in this decision we have made. We cherish your friendship and support and look forward to sharing another BIG DAY with you next year. Until then, please frolic in those untapped wells of joy. God put them there for a reason. Go ahead and be a little giddy!
Making Room
[Monthly Banner Column]
10/31/2010 10:02 am
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
When I was in college I shared a small townhouse with three of my sorority sisters (yes, little known fact, I, Pastor Amy was in a sorority!). For the most part, we were all fairly compatible roommates, sharing reasonably similar schedules, standards of cleanliness and bathroom considerations. I will never forget, however, walking into the townhome one December day to find that the house was swelteringly hot. One of my roommates was lounging on the sofa, watching television in shorts and a tank top. When I asked her why it was so hot in the house she explained to me that she liked it when it was 85 degrees outside so she set the thermostat to 85 degrees in the house. Why, of course! I tried to suggest to her that outside preferences were not really something to duplicate inside a house, and that perhaps a blanket or a sweatshirt might help address her need for warmth. She looked at me like I was crazy. Thankfully, just then, another one of roommates came in, complained mightily about the heat in the house, and our heat-seeking roommate was now outnumbered, and the thermostat was adjusted to a more reasonable temperature.
It is one thing to have neighbors and friends, it is quite another to truly share a space, to become roommates. Neighbors get to wave at each other across the fence, and may occasionally have to put up with each other’s noise, parties and preferences. But when you live with someone, negotiations are a part of deal. Consideration, and the willingness to be inconvenienced by the other, is to be expected. Roommates are, by their very nature, in each other’s space and so respect, appreciation and flexibility are required characteristics for good roommates. On the positive sides, if proper considerations and care are shown, having a roommate (or mate) enriches one’s life, making mundane tasks simply more fun for having a friend with whom to share daily life.
I was recently joking with one of the members of our Children’s Center staff that we are going from being neighbors to being roommates. It is one thing to wave across the alley at all the children, to hear the joyful chaos of their playground play from down the hall and out the door. It is quite another thing to have children, their parents, teachers and classroom equipment all in the same space in which we are trying to work and run other church programs. We are going to be learning about the true meaning of “togetherness” with our Children’s Center family. We will all be learning the sacred arts of sharing space: flexibility, kindness, hospitality and openness to the needs/preference/desires of the other.
While there will be more noise, people, scheduling conflicts and chaos in the main building on a daily basis, there will also be the opportunity to enrich friendships, make connections and truly share in Christian hospitality. I am looking forward to getting to know our Children’s Center families and teachers better over these next several months. Being “roommates” will offer all of us an incredible opportunity to make real connections and deep friendships. I believe that living in close quarters, while tight, will be a blessing as we share our life together. I also believe that the Children’s Center is one of our strongest, most vital ministries in the community, and this is a great opportunity for all of us to truly connect with our Children’s Center community, inviting them into a deeper connection with the church community at Cal Heights UMC.
The next 5-6 months of construction and sharing space will be interesting, chaotic and exciting, to be sure! It will also really be an opportunity for us to live into our Christian hospitality and reconnect with our mission to children and families. What a blessing to get to have roommates! Scoot over. The kids are coming! Yippee!
Community-Minded
[Monthly Banner Column]
10/31/2010 9:59 am
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
What does it mean to be a part of a community? There are lots of different types of communities in our lives: P.T.A.s; soccer teams; bridge clubs; college fraternities; neighborhood watches; cities; churches; denominations; governments; labor unions, friends and colleagues, to name a few. Every community has its own culture (we rarely show up at the PTA with a six-pack of beer or shout obscenities in the middle of a worship service). Communities also have their own set of values and agreed upon expectations. To be a part of a club or a community group generally requires attending meetings and maybe paying dues. To be a good citizen of a country requires voting and paying your share of the taxes required to fund governmental services. To be a part of a Christian community requires a commitment to the faith, attendance to practices of the tradition and participation in tending to the needs of the congregation. All communities, by their very nature call us beyond ourselves to a shared goal and a common life.
Several years ago I read a fascinating book entitled, Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam. The author writes about how modern America has become an increasingly disconnected community. The title refers to the fact that Americans used to join clubs and other community organizations, like bowling leagues and the Rotary. Sadly, fewer and fewer Americans join anything, clubs, organizations or, for that matter, churches. Putnam notes that fewer people are involved in civic affairs, rarely even stopping to sign a petition that affects their neighborhoods or schools. While taxes have never been popular, the country has moved from seeing taxes as a “civic duty” to sustain the common good to a more negative view that might accurately be described as resentment. As our lives have become busier, we have developed a tendency to see each individual, each family, as an “island” with lessening emphasis on connection to the broader community. This, to me, seems not only contrary to our Judeo-Christian tradition but also downright scary for the future of our cities, country and churches.
Whether we like it or not, whether it is convenient or not, God made us for one another. We are made to be in relationship to one another, to share lives, struggles, problem and solutions. To be a part of a Christian community is to be bound to see and love our neighbors as ourselves. Our relationship with Christ calls us beyond ourselves into a deep, active and sacred relationship with our world.
This past month, I began a year-long training and development program called Leadership Long Beach. The purpose of Leadership Long Beach is to connect principled leaders across the city in order to strengthen our Long Beach community. At our last meeting, I was struck by the repeated use of the term “community-minded.” What does it mean to be “community-minded”? What does our community have the right to ask of us as individuals, as citizens? What are we willing to do to respond to needs of our community? How might our congregation broaden our focus and become more community-minded? I confess that since I arrived at Cal Heights, my focus has been on raising Nikki and pastoring the church. My life is full and very busy. Certainly, one of the ways I serve the community is by leading a wonderful congregation. But I am now also looking for ways for me personally, and for our congregation, to be more actively engaged in issues, programs and partnerships in our community. I welcome your thoughts and ideas as we think together about what it means for us to be a Christian community, faithfully serving the needs of our broader community.
Can We Talk?
[I was thinking...]
05/27/2010 6:19 pm
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
In the news this morning: enormous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. After a month of being unable to stop the gushing underwater well, the oil is finding its way into coastal marshlands as birds and sea life wash up on shore. BP is trying to get a handle, quite literally, on the situation. Apparently, BP has spent billions of dollars learning how to get oil out of deep water wells but next to nothing to learn how to stop the flow once it has begun. It turns out that the technology for repairing things 5,000 feet below the ocean’s surface is fairly limited (we can fix space stations orbiting the earth, but not wells on the ocean floor). Senators, governors and other politicians are shouting accusations at BP and the White House. The same folks who chanted “drill baby, drill” now seek to blame the Obama administration for being “in bed with” the oil companies. All sides are pointing fingers and casting blame but the fact is, we all created that oil well. We drive three blocks to get a cup of coffee. We drive, well, everywhere. While the age of the big gas-guzzling SUVs has been somewhat replaced by a greater sensitivity to fuel consumption, the simple fact is, BP would not be spending billions of dollars to drill under the ocean, if we did not demand and consume the fuel that well provides. We are all responsible for this mess. We didn’t cause the spill but we all helped to create the pressing demand for more and more hard to reach oil. Hurling accusations will not help. It is time to stop the blame game. People, focus! Certainly an investigation will be in order at some later date, but for now, we need to get our best minds together and figure out what the solution is to this mess.
Sadly, we are out of practice at finding solutions to problems. We prefer finger-pointing, blaming and seeing if we can gain some political traction with meaningless accusations. It seems that politicians say whatever they deem to be politically advantageous, regardless of whether it makes any sense at all. We, the good citizens of the land, play right along, nodding our heads and shaking our fists, but rarely seek the truth, let alone the solution. The response to this tragic oil spill is only the most recent example of our affection for confrontation and our unwillingness to enter into reasoned conversation leading us into a heap of trouble.
What happened to the middle? It used to be that there was one side, then there was another side, then there was a place where both sides came together; it was called the middle. A reasonable person could see an issue one way. Another reasonable person might see an issue differently. If those two reasonable people wanted to address the issue together, they discussed it and found virtue in finding a common ground that allowed for both sides to reach what was called a “compromise.” In such an agreement, each party learned the art of “give and take,” and even if neither side were 100% satisfied with the outcome, they both understood that wisdom and fairness was found in that middle ground. In times of crisis, political or environmental, it was understood that a response was needed and that all sides would do whatever was required in order to meet the emergent crisis with an appropriate solution. It seems that today, even when faced with a crisis, we cannot rise above our entrenched sides to address the problem.
As I watch and listen to news programs and advertisement in this midterm election season, the rhetoric of both parties is inflammatory, malicious and only the slightest bit tinged with something supposed to be representing truth. Actually, it doesn’t seem to me that fact and truth are given any value in political discourse. Whoever shouts the loudest, whether shouting lies, truths, and just casting blame, gets the attention of the media for that news cycle. Of course, each side accuses the other of greater untruths as they seek to “spin” their story and cast blame on their opponents. In this midterm election cycle, each side of our political system seems to be rushing headlong to affirm the viewpoints of their most extreme constituents. Senators and members of Congress who used to be lauded for there “moderate” positions and willingness to a cross party line when it seemed in the best interest of the country are now being forced from office. When did being “moderate” become a character flaw? When did outright stubbornness and a refusal to work with the other side become seen as patriotic? As one columnist noted in theLA Times this morning, a Republican member of Congress who as much smiles in the President's direction is liable to be accused of treason. Have we as a country, a society, simply given up on reasonable conversation, civil discourse (let alone civility) and the ability to appreciate “middle ground”? Even as I write that, I know someone reading this will want to shout that it is “the other side” that has given up on the middle ground.
Please don’t get me wrong. I am not suggesting that a milk toast, middle of the road, never offending or disturbing culture makes for a good society. Sometimes a society needs the peace to be disturbed. Thank God, Martin Luther King offended our sensibilities. Sometimes the sides are simply Right and Wrong. When basic civil rights, human dignity and justice are threatened, we need to speak clearly and with all the clarity of our convictions. There are times when my convictions lead me to take a stand on an issue; sometimes a clear line must be draw, and with Luther I must say, “here I stand; I can do no other.” But those times are not as frequent as our political rhetoric would want us to believe. More often than not, I believe that people are well-intended fully capable of being reasonable, respectful and civil, if they so choose. Perhaps, if we were willing to step out of the rhetoric of blame, we could learn once again, to engage in civilized discourse.
To my mind, civil discourse is a virtue. I have not mastered it but I aspire to it. I certainly have my political positions and lean decidedly to one side of the political fence. Quite honestly, there are few things about which I do not have an opinion. And while I know my opinions are always right (about this, I think we can all agree), I am at least humble enough to recognize that others have the right to disagree with me. My own politics come out of my religious convictions that seek to create a fair and just society for all of God’s people. I can make fairly coherent arguments to support my positions, backing them up, if necessary, with philosophical, historical, and biblical references. That being said, I know that reasonable and faithful people read the same sources and come to very different conclusions on important matters. I can live with that. I certainly do not need to cast dispersions on another person’s intellect, faith or conscience when we simply disagree. I suspect when we get into our most heated political and theological debates our egos may be far more dangerous and destructive than our core convictions.
Learning to "disagree without being disagreeable" ought to be taught in our schools and, while we are at it, in the halls of Congress and the White House. I believe there are ways of having conversations about important issues without each side barricading themselves in their respective corners, launching assaults, blame and inflammatory rhetoric with the goal of annihilating the other side. Can we just assume that all of us are seeking what we believe to be in the best interest of the country without resorting to character assassination and unhelpful extremism? Can we put the common good above petty politics and seek some sort of common ground?
As we bicker, shout, point-fingers, hurl insults and pout, the well is still gushing brown, sludgy gunk into the Gulf. That is the fact. We can spin stories around the truth, point fingers and cast blame, but at some point, we need to stop the accusations, discuss the problem, and come up with a reasonable solution. There is nothing profound about the idea of talking, but then again, we haven’t tried that in a while. It seems to me that when it comes to oil spills and a heap of other problems, it wouldn't hurt to at least try to, you know, talk. Forgive me if that sounds naive and simplistic. I know that it is, but at this point, it could only help. Enough with the political name-calling, shifting blame, shirking responsibilities and meaningless blather; it is time to grow up, deal with the issues facing our nation, and if I may be so bold, may I suggest some civil discourse?
Throw-Away Theology
[I was thinking...]
05/03/2010 6:19 pm
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
Pet-Peeve Alert: This blog is a rant… hmmm… (attempting to sound more pastoral)…. a reflection on the downright silly, thoughtless and even dangerous things people say about God. Bad theology just bugs the heck out of me.
Okay, I know some people are bothered by other people’s driving habits, people who stand at the front of a long line trying to decide what to order and owners who don’t pick up after their dogs, and I am bothered by those things as well, but on my mind today is bad theology. Maybe not even bad theology, but poor theology, expressions about God that are fired away with all the benign intention of a loose cannon.
Let me give you an example. I was in the airport the other day when I overheard two young women discussing a friend of theirs, a young wife and mother, who apparently had a very serious illness. They lovingly expressed concern for their friend and her family, and then in a moment of quiet befitting the sad situation, one of the women said, “Well, God’s ways are not our ways.” The other woman nodded, in resigned submission to the dastardly will of God.
In moments such as this, it is all I can do not to dive into the middle of these strangers’ conversation and defend the good name of God. It would go something like this: “Umm, excuse me, but I could not help but overhear your conversation. I am very sorry to hear about your friend. (Getting down to business) But, do you really think that God’s way/will is for your friend to suffer? T o die a young and untimely death? Is God just cruel and capricious, deciding that it was in the best interest of young children to lose their young mother? Is God indifferent to human life?! Incapable of understanding love?” Geesh! At this point, the now speechless women would have called for security.
Indeed our will is not always God’s will, but when it comes to suffering, can we all just agree that God does not will their young friend to die? Suffering in all of its forms (disease, war, famine, loss… the list goes on and on) has rendered mute even the most faithful of followers and the most articulate of theologians. I totally understand why the women in the airport cast the blame on God. There are a lot of things in life that leave us with deep, unanswered question. Throwing out a statement like, “God’s ways are not our ways,” may attempt the fill the void with pat and vaguely anesthetizing answer. Even when they don’t make a lot of sense, sometimes any answers can seem better than no answers.
It may just be me, but for my deepest questions, I would take silence and empathy to poor attempts at theology any day of the week. I’ve always appreciated the apostle Paul’s statement that when we don’t know what to pray, the Spirit intercedes with “sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). Indeed, the illness of a young mother is heartbreaking. I believe God weeps right along with this family. I trust God holds her, her husband and children in God’s loving hands. I won’t attempt to explain or theologize her illness. All I can do is sigh… and lift her up to God.
While I could go on at this point about theodicy (the fancy words theologians use when they want to talk about God and suffering), I’ll save that for another day. My rant today is about words and the power they possess. Words matter. What we say shapes us. We are formed by what we believe and what we say about what we believe. When we are talking about the Divine, the Creator of the Universe, the
Sustainer of Life, the One whose nature and name is Love, we ought to be careful. I say “be careful” not for God’s sake (God can handle all the insults we hurl God’s way) but for the sake of honoring all that is holy. If we say that God is loving, we ought not say in the very next breath that God’s ways would somehow favor the death of a young mother. Words matter.
We live in a world of pundits and “talking heads,” where wordiness is lucrative, regardless of whether or not the words have value. But when it comes to talking about God, it is my humble opinion that we ought to choose our words more carefully. Throwing around platitudes and theological jargon is not only meaningless, it can also cause harm. Please, please, be careful. Words matter.
Okay, that is my rant. I shall stop now… and say a prayer for sick moms and their children. Sigh…
Hide and Seek
[I was thinking...]
11/16/2009 6:19 pm
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
So I started my blog last week and one of the first comments was from Ann, an old friend and former parishioner congratulating me on having "found my voice already." Me? I found my voice? When? Where? Now, Ann also happens to be a real writer so she knows a thing or two about finding a voice. While I appreciate the encouraging sentiment, it seems to me that I wake up nearly every morning (especially Sunday mornings) wondering where I put that voice of mine. Even when I know exactly where my voice can be found and what it needs to say, I often fail to engage it effectively.
In seminary and in my early years of ministry, I struggled a lot with preaching. To start with, I didn’t feel nearly qualified to interpret Scripture or to utter even a word on behalf of God. I was in my mid-twenties, looking out on a congregation of people, most of whom had lived quite a bit more of life than I had, which is to say, they were older and wiser. It seemed arrogant and presumptuous to think that they should or would want to listen to anything I had to say. Most every pastor I had ever heard had a “preacher’s voices,” low and booming, and needless to say, male. What would/could/should my voice sound like? Getting beyond my seemingly inadequate credentials, I was (still am) a fairly quiet person. I don’t like to draw attention to myself. A few well-meaning people suggested that I should try to be more dramatic, more theatrical in the pulpit. It was at the suggestion that I should be more “theatrical” that I knew that I was going to have to stake a claim on behalf of my own voice. I am not an actress (and I won’t even play one on TV, or in the pulpit, for that matter). I am not in the entertainment industry. Hmm, where, oh where, to find a voice?
This “issue” of voice is, of course, not limited to the pulpit. I struggle to find the right voice in a lot of areas in my life. As the parent of a 13 year old girl, I search for the right voice with which to address her questions, her fears, her moodiness, her defiance and her growing sense of herself. The parental voice that seemed so well-suited for an 11 year old, no longer seems to communicate well with my newly-minted teenager. I am still searching for a voice that she can hear.
I won’t even go into all those times when I have seemed to develop a temporary (or longer lasting) form of laryngitis when it comes to speaking out on social issues, speaking my truth in a difficult relationship or avoiding a conflict. Of course, with blog number two, I am still trying to figure out what my “blogger’s voice” sounds (reads) like. It seems it can be a pretty tricky thing to not only find one’s voice, but to use it, effectively, well and for the good.
Yesterday someone complimented me on my “vulnerability” in the way that I lead my congregation. He said that he appreciated my honesty and the way I was so “open” in worship and in my writings. Hmmm, I thanked him for the sincerity of his compliment even as it made my fearful heart beat faster. Did I say too much? Or could it be, that my voice, the vocal quality that expresses who I truly am (vulnerable, honest, real) is coming through? I hope that is a good thing.
Finding my voice involves a consistent, determined effort to be authentic, true, and available. Of course, it is not only finding the voice, it is using it audibly, faithfully and well that matters. God keeps pushing me, this quiet-by-nature person, to step out of my comfortable quiet and speak the truth, which I hope reflect God’s truth, or at least God’s truth in me. It is not easy for me to walk around with an open and exposed heart, to share the realities of my life and my faith each week with a congregation (and now, in this blog, anyone else who cares to read). And yet, when it comes down to it, my voice is only worth using if it is honest and authentic to who I am. While some preachers may faithfully employ the gifts of “holy theatrics,” those gifts feel inauthentic on my tongue. My voice won’t do it. It is not me.
I am grateful to say that I am learning, in some aspects of my life at least, to find, hold on to, and speak in my own God-given voice. I am also grateful that God is gracious, with me and my 13 year old, and somehow, someway, I will find a voice for her as well. I guess I’ll keep searching for that lost, sometimes found, and desperately needed voice.
“Here voice…here voice…olly-olly-oxen-free, you can come out now…”
Sunny Day…Everything’s A-Okay
[I was thinking...]
11/10/2009 6:15 pm
By Aitken, Rev. Dr. Amy
I am so “old school” that I still read the paper, The Los Angeles Times, every morning. So there I was, drinking my coffee, minding my own business, when one of the editorial articles referred to me and my generation, Gen X, as “middle-aged” (I won’t annoy you with the fifteen exclamation points that should follow the words “middle-aged” when applied to me). At the ripe old age of 38, and believe me, I am feeling every glorious day of it, I am now, according to The LA Times, “middle-aged.” Apparently, my friends Bert, Ernie and the Cookie Monster are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street. If Big Bird is 40, he is “middle-aged” and well, I am darned close. I guess I am a little sensitive on this matter. I turned 38 last week and at 38, one’s got to start coming to terms with the looming number ending in zero right around the corner. I just didn’t appreciate being called “middle-aged” over breakfast (good thing I wasn’t eating oatmeal piled high with prunes this morning).
I’ve never had a blog before. Apparently this makes me a very unhip pastor these days. I’ve thought about it a bunch of times. I’ve even signed up to start a blog a few times, but I just never got around to doing it. To be honest with you, the thought of writing a blog just exhausts me. I write a sermon every week. I write a column for the church newsletter. I write a weekly email to the congregation. I write letters, notes and emails all day long. I even try to update my “status” on Facebook with some regularity. It seems to me that I rarely have a thought that goes unpublished in some medium. Why would I want to commit to writing another entry anywhere? And why would anybody care to read a blog if I wrote one (aren’t blogs just a little narcissistic?). Hence, the reason I have stopped and started this blog-thing so many times.
I read another article this morning extolling the virtues of “social media” for pastors and the article made me feel all bad about myself for not having a blog. Okay. Okay already. I’ll write a blog! Feel better? I do aspire to be one of those “hipper than hip” pastors (even if I am middle-aged) so, in the interests of being seen as totally cool, hip and with it, I will venture into the blogosphere.
I am not promising brilliance here. Profundity often escapes me. While I crack myself up, you may just think that I am an idiot. I am slightly sacrastic, sometimes irreverent and often just a goofy. Then again, I can be rather pensive and introspective from time to time. I am not sure what this blog will end up being about (are blogs supposed to have a theme?), but I think it might just be fun (for me, if not for those who chose to read this) to explore “out loud” some of what I am thinking about, praying about, and questioning. I can’t promise that I won’t “vent” a bit about those things that make me crazy. Well, as you can see, I haven’t thought much about what will go into this blog yet, but the first step in registering for this account was giving the blog a name. The first word that came to mind was “wonderings,” as in “the wonderings of my mind,” or my “wonderings through life.” Such thoughts/writings may be rather aimless, but they will be sincere, and honest, and reflective of whatever might be on my mind. I don’t know, ”wonderings” may be a dumb name for blog, but it was the first word that came to mind. I am open to suggestions.
So, this could be a fun enterprise for a 38-year-old, middle aged pastor (I hear it is important to keep the mind sharp in your aging years, maybe this will help). Of course, this will be much more fun if you, my readers (God bless you) interact with me, sharing their thoughts and reactions to my wonderings.
Okay, I am going to push the “publish” button and when I do, I will officially be entering the blogosphere. Wish me luck. Here we go…
By the way, this blog was brought to you by the number “38″ and your local public television station.
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