A Fork in the Road

Our nation is at a fork in the road.  This election cycle will dictate a significant philosophical direction for years to come.  Given the blurring of issues and numerous nuances and shadings offered up by each party and candidates, if we look at the balance we can notice the differences.

THE LEFT FORK:  Committed to maintaining the social safety nets of Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, keeping the Affordable Care Act and a lengthier unemployment support.  Support stem cell research.  Increase taxes on the upper 1-2% and lower taxes for the rest of us, including lessening of corporate rate.  Tax capital gains and eliminate off-shore tax shelters.  Address deficit through a balanced tax and cut method.  Cut defense so to address present day military needs, focusing on Special Forces and smaller strike units. Commitment to energy independence through development of alternative forms of energy such as solar and wind, while also developing new oil sources and "clean coal".  Support for truth of Global Warming.  Support for Planned Parenthood and women's choice on abortion are strong, as well as promotion and enforcement of the Lilly Ledbetter - equal pay for equal work act.  Tweak Social Security by increasing the income eligibility ceiling and perhaps increasing the eligibility age.  Do not privatize Social Security. Spend more on infrastructure development and education.  Internationally, work with other nations through the United Nations and Eurozone.  Get out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014 yet continue to train Afghan forces.  Maintain strong relationship with Israel yet push for a two state solution.  Prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.  Continue global trade.  Push through Dodd-Frank Reforms.  Support for gay marriage.  Repeal Citizens United disaster!  Everyone should get a fair shot at success.  Build the middle class.  More concern for the common good and sharing the wealth.  Support for education and expanding Pell Grants.  Opposed to voter ID/suppression methods.  Believes in Keynesnian economics which more trickle up, middle out economics.  Supportive of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.

THE RIGHT FORK:  Tax cuts for everyone!  Increase military spending.  Lower corporate tax rate.  Eliminate some deductions (everyone gets a bucket to fill with their choice deductions).  Begin cutting back on Medicaid and food stamps by turning them over to the states through block grants.  No change in Medicare for those 55 and over.  Begin turning Medicare into a voucher program, giving recipients a choice of coverage.  Energy policy is "drill, baby, drill!" Continue developing coal with no conversation about "clean coal."  No support for Global Warming idea.  Lessen regulations for business and Wall Street.  Eliminate coverage for Planned Parenthood and NPR.  Oppose stem cell research. Repeal the Affordable Care Act.  No support for abortion.  Will move to overturn Roe v. Wade.   No marriage for gays.  Support Citizens United.  Anti-Lilly Ledbetter Act and will move to repeal.  Let the markets decide the welfare of the nation.  Maintain off-shore tax shelters. People left more on their own.  Strong Libertarian leanings. Supportive of voter ID/suppression methods.  Don't touch the upper 1%.  Believe in trickle down, supply side economics - Friedmann and University of Chicago economics.

Certainly, there are Christians on both sides.  Yet, I ask some good Lutheran questions in making a decision about which fork to travel: Which is best for everyone?  What will serve the common good? Which serves the poor and oppressed with the most compassion?  Which says we are our brothers and sisters keepers?  Whose interest is this supporting?  Who will benefit if this proposal is implemented?  Which will allow humans and the earth to flourish?  Which shows concern for the earth?  Which would please God?  Which reflects the Spirit of Christ?

I'm turning left!

Peace!

Ron

Tyranny of the Right

Democracy in the United States is in peril.  The peril comes from the Right Wing Republican Party. For a party that espouses less government, less intrusive government, less expensive government so that people can have more freedom, all as the panacea for the ills within our nation, their actions actually create more intrusion, more poverty, and more division between the rich and most vulnerable, and less freedom.  Tyranny on the Right means fewer people have more power to take more for themselves at the expense of the other 98%.  Concern for the common good is not even on the table.

Let me count the ways. 

1.  It is the Republicans who have unanimously pushed unfair Voter ID laws which will disenfranchise millions of voters who have honestly voted in the past.  ALL the Voter ID laws have been created by Republican leadership without Democrat in-put.  A multitude of studies have consistently proven that voter impersonation, voter fraud is a canard, a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, where the purpose is to suppress Democrat votes.  Remember the Pennsylvania legislator who was caught on camera boasting that because of their new Voter ID Law, Romney would now win Pennsylvania. Now that's what I call real democracy!  Tyranny of the Right.

2.  The Republican tax plan calls for less taxes for the top 2% and increased taxes for the rest of us.  This is the Ryan budget which Romney says is the plan he believes is right for America.  Why?  So the "job creators" can create more jobs!  Well, tell me, how are those Bush tax cits working for you?  Aren't the "job creators" doing a great job for you by creating jobs overseas?  And how about middle class wages shrinking or staying level while the wages of the top 2% soaring to the moon?  How is that working for you?  How about the RWR wanting to eliminate even more regulations on banks and Wall Street?  How has that worked for us since the elimination of Glas-Steagall in 1999?  Forget about any conversation about opposition to "banks too big to fail."   How do you like American democracy becoming an oligarchy and plutocracy?  Who has the political power?  Tyranny of the Right.

3.  The Citizens United decision ceded the power of the government to the highest bidder.  The wealthy are the connected.  Power now belongs to the corporate boardroom, the big banks, the wealthy lobbyists.  Money controls the media and the message so the wealthy and powerful can shape a protective and deceptive message of "liberty and justice for all" while they pull the levers of greed and relegate the 98% to being pawns or puppets.  Tyranny of the Right.

4.  Romney chose as his running mate the person who: voted against equal pay for equal work, wants to slash food stamps, eliminate access to abortion care, speaks against birth control, wants to defund Planned Parenthood, cut Medicaid spending by $700 billion over ten years, increase defense spending, turn the highly successful Medicare program into a voucher system which will mean less quality health care, is against OSHA, spoke against the "Bring Jobs Home Act", is anti-union, wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act which will cover tens of millions more people, wants to ban in-vitro fertilization, wants to privatize Social Security (2008) and sponsored Privatization of SS Bill in 1995, wants to cut or make deep cuts in Pell grants so fewer students can get low interest loans from the government and must instead go to private institutions and banks who will charge a higher interest rate.  Tyranny of the Right.

5. The Right Wing Republicans kowtow to big oil, big gas, big coal, all which increase our carbon footprint and stimulate global warming, for the sake of profit, yet putting the majority of Americans and people of the world at greater risk.  Tyranny of the Right.

6.  The Right Wing Republicans have taken pride in being the party of "No", preventing progressive ideas that would be more friendly to the middle and lower classes from becoming law.  Their purpose over the past four years has been to oppose Obama and put the nation at risk.  How's that for patriotism for a party that likes to wave the flag while in reality they spit on it behind your back.  They are not patriots, but tyrants, dressed in red, white, and blue.  Tyranny on the Right.

7.  The rights for women are seriously imperiled.  They want to overturn Roe v. Wade, cut funding for Planned Parenthood, cut funding for birth control, less health care for women and children.  Tyranny of the Right. 

8.  The Right Wing Republicans love of Jesus is belied by it disregard for the most vulnerable and neglect of the common good.  Even the Roman Catholic leadership derides Ryan's budget as being contrary to the ethic of Christ.  Meanwhile, John Hagee the Bigot of Texas, praises Republican principles.

9.  "Progressives are a cancer."  Paul Ryan.  Aren't there two parties in the United States?  Do you mean to say that progressives do not count for any good?  Only Republican ideology is valid?  Only one party?  Tyranny of the Right.

There is no talk of justice in the Right Wing Republican vocabulary.  I never hear the word in their speeches.  Only empty promises that are geared to protect the powerful and deceive the people.  Democracy in America is in peril.  Resist this tyranny!  Speak and act for justice!  Time is short.  

Peace with Justice!

Ron

Springsteen Inspiration!

I write listening to Bruce Springsteen's newest CD: "Wrecking Ball".  Great music even without Clarence and Danny and the full E Street Band.  The songs describe the present situation within the USA.  

I used the words to Bruce's first song "We Take Care of Our Own" for devotions at our latest Joint Peace with Justice meeting.  Describing the struggles of living today, each verse concludes with "We take care of our own, wherever this flag's flown, we take care of our own."  I linked it with Acts chapters 2 and 4 where Luke talks about Christians gathering and sharing for the common good.  I see it as more of a belief, a hope, a commitment we make as Americans, rather than as a political reality.  The political reality is that working together for the common good is nearly dead.  Instead we have special interests which heap loads of money upon politicians for influence.  But Springsteen holds out a hope that in our core, our Constitution, our ideals, our faith we do "take care of our own."  I like to believe that and will work towards that goal.  I believe this value is a central Christian ethic, with "our own" being everyone.

As you know, I was part of a group that had a teleconference with an aid from Michelle Bachmann's office.  As a result, I got a letter from Michelle saying "Thank you for taking the time...."  Then she said "I agree with you that the multi-faceted problem of poverty in America is one that must be addressed.  In 2011, 46.2 million people were counted as living below the poverty line, including 16 million children.  As you know, the federal government administers several large-scale assistance programs for the neediest among us.  However, it is also spending money at an unsustainable rate...."  

My interpretation is that because we cannot afford to keep spending, the neediest must pay the price so the "job creators" can keep producing jobs so the neediest can get their act together and get a real job and not be so much of a drain on the rest of us.  Protect and enable the "job creators" to provide opportunities for the rest of us.  Extend the Bush tax cuts, adopt the Ryan-Romney budget, privatize Medicare and Social Security, privatize prisons while the "owners" demand a 95% occupancy guarantee, expand defense spending, drill and frac, cut back on regulations for banks and Wall Street, refuse to prosecute banking and Wall Street thievery, allow banks to continue being "too big to fail", forget about global warming while we roast. 

I think this reality is the anti-thesis of Springsteen's "We take care of our own" and that of Christ.  This is not the way we "take care of our own."

A former Sky Ranch staff member, Mark Frickey, affixed on his Facebook a piece about THE AMERICAN PATRIOT'S BIBLE.  I haven't read it, but I catch the gist.  My guess is that it trumpets a Libertarian, individualistic, right-wing conservative, less government, less regulation, free market with no regulations, more military spending, you are on your own ideology.  Forget about the common good, but "rah, rah America!"

On the receptionist's desk in Rep. Bachmann's office were copies of the U.S. Constitution.  I picked one up because I helped pay for it.  I am often brought to tears when I read it, especially the first words: "We the people...."  I love the "We".  Yet, I feel it drifting away, no, being ripped away.  Why do I feel this Constitution is worth fighting for?  Because I think it goes a long way to freeing and calling us to "take care of our own."  Because it goes a long way in being consistent with the Christian ethic of the "common good."  Because I remember a revolution that produced its truth.  Because I remember an African-American woman, Barbara Jordan, standing delivering the keynote address at a Democrat Convention saying, "I am standing before you because of the Constitution."  Because even Ho Chi Minh copied parts of the Constitution for the constitution of Viet Nam. 

The theme song of Bruce's album is "Wrecking Ball".  One of the phrases is: "So if you've got the guts mister, yeah, if you've got the balls, if you think it's your time then step to the line and bring your wrecking ball.  Come on and take your best shot, let me see what you've got.  Bring on your wrecking ball."

Me think it is time to "bring on the wrecking ball" in order to "take care of our own."  Nonviolently, of course!

Peace!

Ron

TELECONFERENCE WITH REP. MICHELLE BACHMANN

I was asked to participate in a teleconference with Rep. Michelle Bachmann this Thursday in her office.  Yes, THE Michelle Bachmann.  I have been pondering what to say as the participants have been informed that this is primarily a "listening session" on the part of the congresswoman.  

Rep. Bachmann is a former Wisconsin Synod Lutheran who now attends a nondenominational church. I have no doubt she is a sincere Christian who bends to the Far Right, think Tea Party, in her politics.  Yet, she is our representative who has a mouth and a following.  Thankfully, we live in a country that still has whiffs of democracy, meaning she still has to listen to her constituents, even those from the Far Left who happens to be an ELCA Lutheran.  What should I say?  I think it will be part sermon because I will speak as a Christian and we have common ground, and part policy comment.

First the sermon.  I will urge her to remember Romans 13:1-7.  Paul writes of the function of government as being "God's servant for our good."  There is a legitimate place for government, and that place is to provide for the common good.  The issue is not more or less government, but the proper duty of government to do its proper job for the sake of the good of the people.  Less government is not necessarily good government.  The government has a duty to "order" society in a manner insuring equal justice and opportunity for ALL.  Interestingly, Paul frames these verses with urgings to "love."  I would suggest that the duty of the government is to facilitate love for and among the people.  

I will lift-up sections of Acts 2 and 4.  The verses focus on the people of God gathering to pool their resources and share with each other according to need.  Call this socialism or in the words of Jose Miranda of Liberation Theology fame, COMMUNE-ISM!  God wills everyone to have enough to live. We all have a responsibility for each other.  Ayn Rand selfish individualism is contrary to the Spirit of Christ and the purpose of the Church.    

I will refer her to the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21.  This guy was a first century CEO who had done well.  He probably had a villa over-looking the Sea of Galilee and an early version of a yacht in his private harbor.  He was wondering what he was to do with his wonderfully abundant crops.  He decided to build new and larger barns to hold all of his wealth.  He decided to keep it for himself so he could "relax, eat, drink, and be merry."  Luke writes that God called him a "fool" and told him he was going to die that night, meaning he would not have any use for his new barns and wealth.  "So it is with those who store up for themselves but are not rich towards God."  To be rich towards God is to be generous towards the common good.  Unharnessed capitalism is anathema to God.  No one has the right to suck wealth and resources out of the world and leave the rest of us breathless.

I will speak of the "Blessings and Woes" in Luke 6:20-26.  The poor, the hungry, the weak are blessed. On the other side, the rich, the full, those who laugh are given the "woes."  In Luke's Sermon on the Plain, greed is not good.  The greedy are given the "woes."  Greed is the greatest sin in our society and is the prime reason for our economic disparity.

Finally, I will tell of Jesus' version of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25:31-46.  Jesus is saying that the stranger, the hungry, the thirsty, those in prison, the naked, the poor are "members of my family."  Jesus zings us with "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."  Jesus does not mean life to be a joust of survival of the fittest.  The faithful life is about caring for ALL.  People before profit.  Or, profit for people!

Then I will turn to policies.  I will urge her to support and improve on the Affordable Care Act.  The ACA is a strong yet incomplete step towards health care for ALL.  Don't waste time getting rid of it.  The vast majority of parents like being able to keep their children on their insurance until they turn 26. People like not having any pre-conditions eliminating them from coverage.  People like having no limits on coverage.  Seniors like the closing of the donut hole, giving them cheaper drugs.  I will urge her to support a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, to urge conversation with no pre-conditions, to halt settlements on the West Bank, to not blindly bow to the injustices committed by Israel against the Palestinians.  I will urge her to not privatize Social Security and not cut benefits because Social Security doesn't add one cent to our national debt.  Quit stealing from the Social Security Trust Fund.  I will urge her to improve on Medicare and health care reform by instituting the health care models of the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic.  I will urge her to reject the Ryan-Romney budget because it unkindly and unjustly harms the middle and lower classes and makes the rich even richer.  I will urge her to support legislative humility, to work with those across the aisle, to compromise, to unite the best of our ideologies for the sake of the common good.

Pray for us.

Peace!

Ron

  

BIBLE, CHURCH, AND VOTING

Recently, I was asked by the President of the local League of Women Voters to write a Biblical piece on the Voter ID Amendment which will be on the November ballot in Minnesota.  If passed, it will become part of our state constitution.  The LWV is adamantly opposed to the amendment.  Likewise, the St. Paul Area Synod in Assembly voted 2-1 to oppose the amendment.  The theological piece is part of the opposition argument.

The Response

Holy Scripture and Church practice provide guides for addressing voter rights.  The guides are value-based theological themes which can be related to political realities.  It is proper to make this relation- ship because Holy Scripture and the Church are given by God to guide and provide how Christians are to affect the world.  Christ came to transform the world, and the Church, the People of God, are called to make real this transformation.  It is called the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God is the justice of God.  This is the practical application of Christian values to life.  What are some of the key theological themes which can inform our decision about justice in our voting procedures?

ALL ARE WELCOME

Holy Scripture places exceedingly high value on the value of the person, the dignity of the person, the civil and human rights of the person, the gifts of the person.  Paul writes of the Body of Christ.  Paul writes that we all are one in Jesus Christ. Jesus invites disciples to "Follow me."  We read of "showing no partiality."  Similarly, churches are called to welcome all into the fellowship.  The Gospel has an open door policy, an inclusive spirit.

Actions contrary to Christ';s Spirit of inclusion ought to be countered and rejected.  Examples are that of ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative, corporate-funded, right-wing organization which is pushing Voter ID laws in all 50 states.  The purpose is voter suppression.  The founder of ALEC says: "I don't want everyone to vote."  Voting is a right guaranteed by the Constitution.  Men and women have died for this right.  In our democracy, we ought to promote ways to rightly include eligible voters, not devise ways to exclude.

VERIFICATION IS VALID

While having an open door policy, there is room for verification.  In the Book of Numbers, one of the reasons for the detailed census and collection of names was for the purpose of the military draft.  In the birth story, Mary and Joseph were to go to Bethlehem "to be enrolled", to register for the census and to be taxed.  Paul writes in Romans that one of the purposes of government is to ensure good order.  Verification is one way to insure good order.

Similarly, all churches have membership roles.  In order to vote you need to be a "verified" member of the congregation.  Usually, this means you need to be Baptized, have received Holy Communion, and have contributed financially to the ministry of the congregation.

Voting rightly needs verification.  It is proper that only citizens can vote.  Citizens have "skin in the game."  

OPPORTUNITY IS PARAMOUNT

Becoming a follower of Jesus must be easy.  When Jesus approached would-be disciples, he said, "Follow me."  He didn't ask them if they had a Ph.D. in theology.  Jumping through hoops is non-existent, other than to say "Yes." 

Joining a congregation is a matter of saying"Yes."  There may be classes, or the official letters of transfer, but the process is quite simple.

Voting ought to be easy, accessible, and respectful of time.  We need to eliminate barriers for those who may have physical, occupational, or mental limitations.  For many, for millions, the demand for a photo ID places an unfair burden on voting.  Many will be excluded due to the financial hardship of providing documentation.  Demanding restrictions so close to an election is exclusionary.  Some groups will be restricted because they are students, elderly, handicapped, homeless, or unemployed veterans, mostly because they may not have an up to date address on their voter ID card.  We must remember, voting is a right, guaranteed by the Constitution.

COMMITMENT TO TRUTH

Honesty in relationships, factual integrity, speaking the truth in love are sentinel values in the Christian lifestyle.  Jesus is referred to as being "the Way, the Truth, the Life."  Jesus is critical of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  Amos tells it like it is when he writes of the "three crimes and four" of various tribes and cities.  Prophets do not dodge the truth of what is happening.  Proverbs says, "Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence."  Congregational life is hyper-sensitive to people telling the truth.  The media is rightly quick to reveal the hypocrisy and deceit within the church.

In voting, overwhelmingly, accusations of voter fraud are a fraud.  The truth is scandalized.  In Minnesota, there is no evidence of voter impersonation.  Nationally, instances of voter fraud or voter impersonation are nearly zero.  This in comparison to estimates of the Brennen Center for Justice that nearly five million people may be disenfranchised by these voter ID/photo ID laws if enacted.  Ari Berman of THE NATION magazine says 11% of the eligible voters will be restricted or suppressed.  This voter ID/photo ID campaign is a canard, a solution in search of a problem.  The perpetrators of this  fraud are purposefully trying to deceive the public to suppress votes.

ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE TO THE COMMON GOOD

The Greatest Commandment says we are to love God, love the neighbor, and love ourselves.  The followers of Jesus are to serve "the least of these."  In the Book of Acts, chapters two and four, we read of the People of God pooling their resources so that everything they owned was held in common for the common good, to be shared each according to each others' need.  This is the ministry of the Church: to care for the stranger, to reach "beyond the walls" of the congregation into the community.  We are accountable to God and each other through our actions of love and justice.  Discipleship is commitment to the common good.  

Through voting we are exercising this accountability to the common good.  We vote for ourselves AND we vote for the betterment of all.  Voting is not just about ME, but about WE, about THEE.  To not vote means we do not care about ME or WE or THEE.  We owe each other our vote.  We owe our nation our vote.  To construct barriers to voting is unjust and counter to the spirit of the common good, counter to the Spirit of Scripture and Church practice.

Christians are called to be good citizens.  A good citizen votes.  Voting is a vital expression of our faithfulness.  When we vote we obey God's call to love each other and do justice.

Blessings and Peace!

Ron

Pastor Dan's Sermon Supporting Marriage Equality

Recently, Rev. Dr. Dan Geslin, pastor of Sixth Avenue UCC in Denver, sent me a copy of his Mother's Day sermon in support of marriage equality.  He said to feel welcome to pass it on.  I think it is an exceptional Biblical conversation exploring the meandering history of Biblical marriage, and the difficulties one encounters when saying you "stand for Biblical marriage."  I commend Dan for his Biblical examination of the issue, the courage to preach it, and for permission to pass it on.  Thank you, Dan. You can read and enjoy Dan's sermon by going to: pastordan@sixthavenueucc.org.

Last Friday and Saturday, the St. Paul Area Synod of the ELCA voted to NOT support a Marriage Amendment to the Minnesota State Constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. While grateful that the assembly voted to oppose the amendment, it needs to be said that Minnesota already has a state law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.  So, our backsides were covered!  This being said, the tenor of the speeches was strongly in the spirit of equality and respect for loving marriage relationships.  The conversation was aided by the speech of Pastor Anita Hill, an ELCA pastor whose marriage several years ago was blessed in the church, causing a real stir.  She said (paraphrase): "I know we are all tired of dealing with this issue.  Frankly, so am I.  But marriage and love and relationship all go together in Christ." The vote was 2+ to 1 in favor of opposition to the amendment.

Finally, if you have a sermon or would like to write a piece for the Colorado Confession Blog, let me know and we'll make it happen.  The CC Blog is meant for everyone to share how each of us is moved by the spirit of the confession.  FEEL WELCOME!  Send it to: coloradoconfession316@gmail.com.

Blessings and Peace!

Ron

RESOLUTION POWER

What good are resolutions?  Resolutions are decisions.  To decide is to act.  Resolutions are decisions to act.  This flow is consistent with the Gospel text from John where we read the call to "bear fruit or be cut down."

I am part of a committed group called the Joint Peace with Justice Committee.  We are sponsoring two resolutions and endorsing a third for our synod assembly to debate and vote upon.

The FIRST resolution calls upon congregations to provide the opportunity for youth to engage in prayerful, theological, and real conversation about issues relating to joining the military.  We believe the church has been neglectful in providing vocational guidance in this most life-altering decision. The JPJC would provide resources to congregations.

The SECOND resolution urges people to vote against a Voter ID Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution. Here again, the JPJC would provide resources for conversation and decision-making.

The THIRD resolution urges opposition to a proposed amendment to the state constitution stating that marriage is between one man and one woman.  This amendment would prevent gay marriage and perhaps civil unions. Again, resources will be provided.

Some say that resolutions are like blowing in the wind, signifying nothing, only words with no punch, producing little if any change.  Certainly, there is ample evidence of these truths. But there is also the positive side, the side that makes a difference.  What do resolutions do to "bear fruit"?

FIRST, resolutions create AWARENESS.  Call it consciousness raising.  Change happens only when we know the need for change.  Resolutions lift up, shine light, reveal a situation or problem.

SECOND, resolutions lay out the CASE for response.  Reasons are given as to why the issue is important to address.  Resolutions do the thinking and make the argument.  Resolutions area like teach-ins.

THIRD, resolutions CONNECT the Biblical Word with life issues.  Resolutions make clear that the Word is not only about God-Jesus-Holy Spirit and "spiritual things", but also about real life. Resolutions provide the theological backing for a real-life response.  The Church has a particular point of view.  The Church is Church only because of the Word.  Yet, the Church is in the world.  The connection needs to be made.  Resolutions go beyond personal opinion and engage us with ultimate God-in-life issues.

FOURTH, resolutions STIR the church. The church worships securely, comfortably within walls as the people sit and stand in unison.  Resolutions say there is an edge to the Christian life.  The Christian life is not simply about me, but we and they.  Resolutions make the Church twitch and become nervous, or angry, or excited, and step out of our comfort zones.

FIFTH, resolutions give the People of God the opportunity to VOICE their faith, their conscience, their opinions, their convictions.  People can go public and have "here I stand" moments!  The people can "preach" and make real the Priesthood of all believers.

SIXTH,  resolutions call us to ACT.  Resolutions call us to transform the world!  To act beyond the walls!  To make real the Reign of God, the Kingdom of God!  The Church is called to make a difference, to confront the status quo, to stand with the vulnerable, to feed the hungry, to protest injustice, to make for peace.

I think of the social statements of the various denominations.  Yes, I take issue with many; but there are also many I truly celebrate.  All of them probably arose from resolutions.  They are all attempts at giving witness to Christ in the world through the Church.  They are all calling the Church to be the Church in the world.  They all say that Christ has a stake in the world, and so do we as followers of Jesus.  Indeed, we are called to be living resolutions!

A colleague once said: "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."  Resolutions provide the calling and opportunity to stand for something, to stand together, to stand with others, to stand with Christ.

Have you ever authored a resolution?  Have you ever worked with a group to write a resolution?  Have  you ever spoken to a resolution?  Try it sometime!  Christ speaks and acts through us.

Peace!