Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace, mercy, and peace in Jesus' strong name!
Thank you for your responses. My hope is that this blogsite will encourage conversation among our unique community of conscience on a regular basis. Each of us brings our faith, values, and conscience to the table, gifts of God's grace for the sake of making real the Reign of God in the world.
My thanks to Peter Sawtell and Aaron and Adrienne Ruthnow for doing the heavy lifting a couple of years ago on setting up the Colorado Confession site, complete with blogging capability. Kindly consider this effort as a next step in nurturing the vision.
May I suggest a beginning plan. I will write an initial article or comment, send it out to all, and invite any and all to comment. Each week there would be another article by any signee of the CC. If you would like to write an article, send me your name and we'll schedule your article. Send your intention to: coloradoconfession316@gmail.com. I will respond to schedule your article. How about sending the articless out on Mondays? Just an idea. I will write this Monday.
My guess is that there may be a glitch or two in this new system, but if we are prayerful, patient, and persistent, we can get it right. Finally, if you do not want to be part of any Colorado Confession blogging or communication, let me know. Otherwise, by the grace of God, let's talk!
Blessings and Peace!
Ron Letnes
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ReplyDeleteBrothers and Sisters in Christ!
This is a test to see if the blogging system works.
Peace!
Ron
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ReplyDeleteSisters and Brothers in Christ,
Grace, mercy, and peace in Jesus' strong name!
I was at the synod office today. On the table was a piece entitled: "The Governor's Health Care Plan for Minnesota". Phase 1: Cut medical services for 32,000 very poor, indigent, or homeless people. Phase 2: Cut 113,000 people off health insurance starting January 1, 2011.
President Obama senses the urgency of pushing through a universal health care plan for the nation. I like it when he quotes MLK, Jr.: "The fierce urgency of now". It will take Dems and Reps coming together. I think this is a time when ideologies can enhance the process. I see nothing wrong with a business making a reasonable profit IF the greater good is served; IF ALL are cared for. There are enlightened capitalists who believe in generosity. The bottom line is the question: Are ALL being cared for? This is Desmond Tutu's mantra: "All, all, all!"
This is where the Church, the faithful come into the picture. How insistent are we in demanding justice for ALL? Will we write the letters, make the telephone calls, fill the streets, make the visits to representatives, to make the difference?
Since the 60's, I have been studying Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Since 1934, he mentioned the significance of the Barmen and Dahlem Declarations. The declarations needed each other. Barmen was the theological centerpiece, goving witness to Christ as the center of life and worship. However, Barmen did not get specific in supporting or opposing any Nazi ideas. This is what Dahlem performed. Dahlem opposd the Aryan Clause, which stated that a converted Jew could not serve as a pastor. Dahlem also said the Confessing Church was the true German church, not the Reich Church. Salvation was through the Confessing Church. together, Barmen and Dahlem were the Lutheran equivalent of "faith active in love".
This is the significance of the Colorado Confession, the wedding of faith and love, grace and justice. And this is why it is a significant document for the church today. It is Barmen and Dahlem for a new transformation
Blessings and Peace!
Ron Letnes
Universal health care was desparately needed twenty years ago and now we are close if not in a health care crisis. We talked about this in one of our adult forums at church recently. Although most recognized the crisis, there was no consensus on how to move forward. A comment that sticks in my mine was in response to someone stating they did't want the government running health care. The person responding said, "Government run Social Security is going well and our government run military seems to be effect as is our postal service, etc. People need to understand that many things are run quite well by the government. I think the negative view of government's involvement in anything is beginning to deminish. Particular as we see the results of the lack of regulation in our financial system.
ReplyDeleteYes, solutions! Complex for sure. I think part of the solution is for pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, manufacturers of medical supplies, and insurance companies to lower their costs. Simply charging what the market will bear has often led to over charging and price gouging. What about doctors' charges? I understand that one of the reasons for high doctors' fees is because they have such high malpractice insurance costs. Perhaps there needs to be a cost ceiling regulation on the cost for insurance, as well as a ceiling on malpractice awards.
ReplyDeleteAnd finally, I have no problem with hiking taxes a bit. we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. Perhaps we need to seriously engage the challenge of living on less, living more simply so others can have enough. Our nation is obese in too many ways.