May 2023 - OE - lists.wedgeblade.net

FW: Celebration of life for John Weir Singleton, 1931-2020
by Lynda C 05 Nov '24

05 Nov '24

From: Rob Singleton <rob.singleton(a)hsc.utah.edu> Date: Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 3:51 PM To: Rob Singleton <rob.singleton(a)hsc.utah.edu> Subject: Celebration of life for John Weir Singleton, 1931-2020 This email is sent on behalf of Louise Singleton- Dear Family and Friends, We plan a virtual Gathering of Gratitude to celebrate the life of John Singleton on August 8 at 11:00 a.m. MDT. The celebration will consist of a service and, after a five minute break, a virtual reception. Details of the service and instructions for how you can participate are contained in the attached Word document. Please register to join the celebration at: http://bit.ly/johnweirsingleton which also contains additional information. With love and appreciation to all of you who made John's life abundant. Louise Rob, Martha, David, and Will Louise Singleton 3101 Old Pecos Trail, Unit 509 Santa Fe, NM, 87505 lrsingleton85(a)gmail.com<mailto:lrsingleton85@gmail.com> J. Robinson Singleton, MD Professor and Vice Chairman for VA Programs, Department of Neurology, University of Utah Chief of Service, Neurology, Salt Lake City Veterans Medical Center Office 801-581-6770 Cell- 801-201-4525

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Blue Skies
by Sharon Fisher 18 Dec '23

18 Dec '23

Friends, I thought many of you would be interested in seeing this video clip of Al Jolson singing "Blue Skies" in "The Jazz Singer," one of the first talkie movies. This is a video clip showing him singing a few versions of "Blue Skies." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djd1XfwDAQs I love this song! It works well in lots of settings. Grace and peace, Sharon -- saf1220(a)gmail.com c: 503.807.7385

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Fwd: Thank you!
by Karen Snyder 19 Jul '23

19 Jul '23

At Marilyn Crocker’s request, I am forwarding the information about Joe Crocker’s Memorial Service on June 11, 2023 at 2PM EDT. It is accessible by Facebook at that time live and will be available for later viewing at your convenient time. > From: Mari Crocker <maricrocker(a)gmail.com> > > Here is the link for the live streamed Memorial Service for Joe on June 11, 2023 at 2 PM EDT. It is <www.churchonthecape.org <http://www.churchonthecape.org/>>livestream. It is accessible via the church’s Facebook page, live, or for later viewing at more convenient times. > > Thank you so much for communicating this with our colleagues. > > Grace, peace, > > Marilyn >> >> >>> On May 25, 2023, at 7:38 PM, Mari Crocker <maricrocker(a)gmail.com <mailto:maricrocker@gmail.com>> wrote: >>> >>> Our sons are orchestrating their Dad’s Celebration — “Mom, we want Dad to have a really good send out!!” And, I believe it will be!! >>> >>> I have been comforted and loved by the kind words offered by all of our Order. >>> >>> Thank you all, from the deepest recesses of my soul. >>> >>> Marilyn

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Joe Crocker's Obituary Link
by Mari Crocker 13 Jun '23

13 Jun '23

Dear Colleagues, Thank you so much for your kind words of condolence and memories of Joe. Here is the link to his obituary: www.directcremationseacoast.com/obituaries/joseph-crocker/ <http://www.directcremationseacoast.com/obituaries/joseph-crocker/> Grace, peace and love, Marilyn, Ben and Jon

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Attention: see note re sending of this: 5/25/2023, Progressing Spirit: Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz: The Lurking Evil of Christian Nationalism; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 25 May '23

25 May '23

Dear ICA/OE Friends, Today is the last day PROGRESSING SPIRIT will be sent out via the ICA/OE list serves. Dick Kroeger began sending this e-newsletter to the list serves around 2006 or 2007 when it was a John Shelby Spong newsletter entitled "A New Christianity for a New World". Spong was still writing books, doing speaking engagements and sharing his popular thoughts about the Bible, church, theology and critical national/world issues. Dick Kroeger died in 2008. Our church was studying Spong's books, so I decided to pick up the Spong subscription and continued to forward it to the ICA/OE list serves. In 2016, Spong suffered a stroke and was no longer able to write. We heard him speak at Chautauqua a couple of months before his stroke. He died in 2021 at the age of 90. He had been working with a number of progressive leaders who decided to pick up the mantle and continue the newsletter, eventually transitioning in format and title to "Progressing Spirit", highlighting both well-known speakers/authors as well as new ones but also including previous published Spong articles. A lot has changed since 2006, including the amount of email traffic that most folks receive as well as changing interest in Spong, progressive thought, etc. I have also sent this newsletter to other non- ICA/OE folks on another list. In order to simplify this process and to eliminate this email from those who are no longer interested, I am consolidating my lists to one list, beginning June 1. This will also make it easier to be deleted from the email, should you so choose, which was not possible on the list serves. If you would like to continue receiving the Progressing Spirit e-newsletter, please email me DIRECTLY. If you have already contacted me, you don't need to do so again. PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" VIA THE ICA/OE list serves, as that further clogs everyone's inboxes. If, in the future, you wish to be deleted, that can be done. Thanks! Ellie Stockelliestock(a)aol.com The Lurking Evil of Christian Nationalism#yiv1587536846 p{margin:10px 0;padding:0;}#yiv1587536846 table{border-collapse:collapse;}#yiv1587536846 h1, #yiv1587536846 h2, #yiv1587536846 h3, #yiv1587536846 h4, #yiv1587536846 h5, #yiv1587536846 h6{display:block;margin:0;padding:0;}#yiv1587536846 img, #yiv1587536846 a img{border:0;height:auto;outline:none;text-decoration:none;}#yiv1587536846 body, #yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846bodyTable, #yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846bodyCell{min-height:100%;margin:0;padding:0;width:100%;}#yiv1587536846 .yiv1587536846mcnPreviewText{display:none !important;}#yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846outlook a{padding:0;}#yiv1587536846 img{}#yiv1587536846 table{}#yiv1587536846 .yiv1587536846ReadMsgBody{width:100%;}#yiv1587536846 .yiv1587536846ExternalClass{width:100%;}#yiv1587536846 p, #yiv1587536846 a, #yiv1587536846 li, #yiv1587536846 td, #yiv1587536846 blockquote{}#yiv1587536846 a .yiv1587536846filtered99999 , #yiv1587536846 a 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and (max-width:480px){#yiv1587536846 h4{font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1587536846 .yiv1587536846mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent, #yiv1587536846 .yiv1587536846mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent p{font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templatePreheader{display:block !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templatePreheader .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent, #yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templatePreheader .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent p{font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templateHeader .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent, #yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templateHeader .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent p{font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templateBody .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent, #yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templateBody .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent p{font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templateFooter .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent, #yiv1587536846 #yiv1587536846templateFooter .yiv1587536846mcnTextContent p{font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;}} By Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz | | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The Lurking Evil of Christian Nationalism | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz May 25, 2023Christian nationalism is the belief that the American nation - and our identity as Americans - is defined by Christianity and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way. Christian nationalists insist that America is and must remain a "Christian nation" - not merely as a reflection on what America has been historically, but as a prescriptive program for what America must continue to be in the future. An immediate problem with this is, whose definition of Christianity do we adhere to? Is it the Christianity that supported slavery during the pre-Civil War period and the Jim Crow, reconstruction era that followed? Is it the Christianity that condemns the LGBTQ+ community as being deviant and immoral? Is it the Christianity that would close our borders to immigrants, particularly those of a different religious affiliation? Or, is it the Christianity that welcomes cultural and religious diversity, a Christianity that welcomes all people as Jesus did in his practice of open table commensality? Is it a Christianity that zealously supports social justice for all, particularly for the least of these--the poor and marginalized of the earth? Christian nationalists think they have a privileged status Christian nationalists - who are overwhelmingly white - think they are privileged and that their privileged status comes from God. Historically, they see the United States as the new Israel, a nation designated by God as a shining light on a hill to the rest of the world. Christian nationalism has a long history within white evangelical Christianity. However, since the rise of Trumpism and the "culture wars" it has spawned, white Christian nationalism has spilled over into our politics to where - increasingly - it poses a threat to our democracy. Indeed, right-wing extremist Marjorie Taylor Greene has said, "I am a Christian, and I say it proudly: as Americans, we should be Christian nationalists." Going on, she says, Republican leaders need to be more responsive to the base of the party, which she claims is made up of Christian nationalists (by this, she means white Christian nationalists). According to the PRRI/Brookings study, only 10 % of Americans view themselves as Christian nationalists, while about 19 % say they sympathize with these views. Still, these numbers suggest that tens of millions of Americans are influenced by this insidious ideology. In an effort to explain this, Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a history professor at Calvin University, says the resurgence of this movement is largely a reaction to changing demographics and to recent cultural and generational shifts in the United States. As the country has become less white and less Christian, she says these adherents want to hold on to their cultural and political power. Worse yet, half of these Christian nationalists, and 40 % of those who sympathize with them, support the idea of an authoritarian leader to maintain a Christian nationalist identity. With this in mind, one of the lofty goals of white Christian nationalism is to eliminate the separation of church and state provision that is inscribed in our Constitution. Separation of church and state The First Amendment to the Constitution, penned by James Madison, often referred to as the father of the Constitution, states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ... " Along with nine other amendments comprising the Bill of Rights, these amendments were ratified in 1791 as part of the Constitution. This amendment combines the Establishment Clause and the Freedom of exercise Clause. Together, these pronouncements have been a guiding light of our democracy. Since 1962, the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that school-mandated prayer in public schools is unconstitutional. Think about the layers of problems and injustices school-mandated prayer can cause! To begin with, whose prayer; and whose theology that speaks through the prayer? And if the prayer uses the language of Christianity, then what about students who are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or perhaps no religion at all? Moreover, if we think about it, the best of Christianity values other religions and supports the separation of church and state provision the First Amendment offers. If Christian nationalists got their way, the Ten Commandments would be prominently displayed on the grounds of state capitols across the country. In this same vein, Christian nationalists are quick to insist the American flag be displayed in the sanctuaries of our churches. However, if church and state are separate, the American flag, as a symbol of the state, has no place in our sanctuaries of worship. We should respect and honor our flag; however, we should never worship it. As Spirit and truth, God, has a claim on our lives. The flag does not. Sometimes the state needs to listen to a fresh word from the church as it seeks to speak truth to power. Christian nationalism and authoritarianism Cultural and religious diversity make Christian nationalists uneasy and anxious. They much prefer everyone else be like them. In this sense, Christian nationalism - particularly white Christian nationalism - is both anti-democratic and authoritarian. Moreover, it is inherently racist. The privileged status white Christian nationalists believe is their birthright is, distinctly, for white people, not people of color or persons of other faith traditions. It is riddled with white supremacist impulses. We can easily see, therefore, how the blending of Christian nationalism with MAGA politics poses a major threat to our democracy. Philip Gorski, a sociologist at Yale University and the author of The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy, says "The United States cannot be both a truly multi-racial democracy - a people of people and a nation of nations - and a white Christian nation at the same time. This is why white Christian nationalism has become a serious threat to American democracy, perhaps the most serious threat it now faces." The authoritarianism that is sweeping across the world and which was on full display at the January 6 insurrection must not be taken lightly. It is a natural reaction for people who feel their identity as "privileged" Americans is being challenged by changing demographics and changing times. Together, as "we the people" Americans, we must rise above the evil of this lurking ideology.~ Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz Read online here About the Author The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz is a retired United Church of Christ minister. He had long-term pastorates in San Diego County and in Miami Lakes, Florida. His service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama in the late sixties spurred his commitment to social justice ministries and to a spirit of ecumenism as a local church pastor. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Pacific School of Religion. He is the author of The Bible You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In, The God You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In, and his just-published book: The Jesus You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In. Dr. Frantz and his wife, Yvette, are now retired and living in Florida. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Jean How do Jesus-following Christians fight the evil that the White National Christian organizations create? A friend told me to 'pray.' But I'm feeling we need something a tad more militant... or if not militant, more assertive. I'm concerned that the Germans, Jewish, and European peoples all prayed for safety, but that alone was not enough. A: By Rev. Lauren Van Ham Dear Jean,Thank you for your question. I read it as an invitation, really. And, for Jesus-following Christians, it is the most pressing invitation of our times. Please, Readers, receive my response as but one in a cascade of other Jesus-following responses for meeting the greed, hatred and violence that is White Christian Nationalism. Here goes… Yes, as your friend suggested, let’s definitely all pray. And let’s continue to educate ourselves and one another on the racist, xenophobic history that fueled the founding of United States. There are many forums and instructors who are prioritizing this truth-telling, including the, “Things that Matter,” series hosted by Progressive Christianity and an episode last fall on Confronting White Nationalism with Dr Traci West and Dr Grey Carey. Let’s ask our churches, small groups and spiritual communities to take local action where we can: - Provide background information on political candidates and ballot measures - Participate in local demonstrations that support Jesus-following values, choose BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) owned business - Move your money and purchases into spaces that don’t feed the banks and multi-nationals that are fueled by the systemic violence that is, “take, burn, dump.” Do you remember the musical, “Cabaret”? The Emcee invites Berliners to cast off the “bore” of politics and to escape bigotry’s gloom by coming to the club, No use permitting some prophet of doom, to wipe every smile away; Life is a Cabaret, old chum; Come to the Cabaret! False prophets have always existed and today, they are multiplying worldwide! Hiding out in the Cabaret (or the online shopping cart, etc) is familiar but not skillful. However… bringing the Cabaret into the streets and the marketplace might allow for some insightful and persuasive community theatre, right? Jesus was all about it! It’s nearly impossible to change an entire system at once, but by creating the communities we believe in, and sharing our values visibly, we affirm our beliefs and that’s a joyful thing, no? Let’s keep choosing life, art and playfulness in the ways we can while we confront, resist and persist. And here’s my last one, maybe the hardest. Let’s listen deeply for the fears living behind the words. Behind all of the White Nationalist hate, there is a canyon of fear and ravine of shame. There is a primal desire in all of us to be loved and to belong. As Jesus-followers, we call on Radical Love to create truth-seeing, reparation, forgiveness. In the moments when this becomes possible, may our hearts and words mirror those of Jesus. What more can we add to this list of invitations? Please share!~ Rev. Lauren Van Ham Read and share online here About the Author Rev. Lauren Van Ham, MA, was born and raised beneath the big sky of the Midwest. Lauren holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, Naropa University and The Chaplaincy Institute. Following her ordination in 1999, Lauren served as an interfaith chaplain in both healthcare (adolescent psychiatry and palliative care) and corporate settings (organizational development and employee wellness). Lauren’s passion for spirituality, art and Earth's teachings has supported her specialization in eco-ministry, grief & loss, and sacred activism. Her essay, "Way of the Eco-Chaplain," appears in the collection Ways of the Spirit: Voices of Women; and her work with Green Sangha is featured in Renewal, a documentary celebrating the efforts of religious environmental activists from diverse faith traditions across America. Her ideas can be heard on Vennly, an app that shares perspectives from spiritual and community leaders across different backgrounds and traditions. Currently, Lauren tends her private spiritual direction and eco-chaplaincy consulting practice; and serves as Climate Action Coordinator for the United Religions Initiative (URI), and as guest faculty for several schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community - join us on Facebook! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit rely heavily on the good will of our donors to help us continue to bring individuals and churches the messages of progressive Christians, Weekly Newsletters, along with the many other resources we provide. For years, the majority of our fundraising came at the end of the year. Looking at various ways to create a more reasonable amount of cash flow we decided rather than having a BIG ask at the end of each year, our more frequent asks give folks a chance to contribute when their funds are more flexible. We think that's a win for everyone. We also want to highlight the opportunity to become a sustaining supporter. If you are looking for the best way to help us continue to provide progressive Christian resources, become a sustaining supporter by choosing Recurring Donation. Help keep ProgressiveChristianity.org online and going strong - click here to donate today! * Another way to support us is to leave a bequest in your Will and/or Trust designating us a beneficiary. | | | | | | | | | | | Don't miss the next Episode of PC.org's Executive Directors Mark and Caleb on: The Moonshine Jesus Show - every Monday at 4:30pm Eastern Time – watch live on Facebook,, YouTube, Twitter, Podbean | | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited Is the Jesus Story a Myth? Did a Man Named Jesus Ever Live? Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong March 13, 2014Recently in my parish church, St. Peter’s in Morristown, New Jersey, I completed a seven week-lecture series on Matthew’s version of Jesus’ birth. In those lectures I pointed to the elements that demonstrate conclusively to me that Matthew did not intend for this story to be read literally. This was not biology, biography or history. The most cursory reading of this text reveals that he used exaggerated, mythical signs, such as a star to broadcast this event to the entire world and magi who followed that star, which traveled so slowly that they could keep up with it. It included the portrait of Jesus’ earthly father, a man named Joseph, who was patterned after the patriarch Joseph in the book of Genesis. Since this Joseph did not enter the story of Jesus until Matthew wrote in the middle years of the ninth decade it seem probable that Joseph was not a figure of history at all, but a literary character of Matthew’s own creation. When people hear these things for the first time, different as they are from the Sunday school version they learned as children, they begin to question the historical accuracy of the entire gospel record. They wonder if the story of Jesus is itself a literary concoction. Indeed this was the first question asked by a member of the class as soon as the lectures were concluded. Judging by my mail that same question rises frequently in the minds of my readers. Recently, I received a whole packet of material from a man who identified himself as a “religious blogger.” In his letter, he suggested in a rather flattering way, that since I was clearly an “open religious leader,” I would surely be convinced of his thesis that a man named Jesus never lived, if I would just read the five excerpts from books that he had enclosed in his bulky envelope. He was quite sure that Jesus was a hoax. I looked at his excerpts with interest. The fact is I had already read most of the books from which these excerpts had been culled and which, he proclaimed, “proved” his thesis that the Jesus story was made up, presumably by some religious charlatans who were eager to carry out some vast and profitable religious scheme. I found the arguments in these books, however, to be neither feasible nor believable. Since this question seems to be of some interest, however, I thought it wise to devote an entire column to looking at it. So today I want to examine the evidence for the historicity of Jesus of Nazareth. How do we know that he ever lived? Could the entire Christ story simply be a fabrication, a composite of the mythologies of the ages? Serious questions like these, no matter how threatening, need to be seriously engaged. The idea that Jesus might have been created to serve a less than admiral agenda is not new in Christian history. The “form-critical” approach to the Bible has broken open the claims of the literalists, allowing these possibilities to arise. For some the idea that Jesus was a myth is not far removed from the paranoia that so often surrounds startling public events such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 or the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. No matter how much evidence exists to debunk these conspiracy theories, they continue to attract a following of “true believers” in every generation. That in turn always seems to inspire someone either to write a book or to produce a motion picture based on “circumstantial evidence,” which they are convinced lends credibility to their conspiracy theories. These books and movies always purport to have the latest hot news or to be based on “newly-discovered” evidence. Though these books or movies have little intellectual credibility, still they continue to titillate the imaginations of this minority of susceptible people. The most popular of the “Jesus is a myth” theories proposes that Jesus was a literary character, created out of Egyptian mythology. This theory has been abroad for at least a generation. It was given a boost by a book written by two Englishmen, namely, Timothy Frete and Peter Gandy, entitled The Jesus Mysteries. It was widely advertised with such “hot” headlines as: “Jesus Never Lived!” This argument was then taken over and repackaged by an Anglican priest in Canada named Tom Harpur and published under the title: The Pagan Christ. Both books clearly had their runs, but then faded when the hype died down. I have read both books. They are exciting and well written narratives, but the evidence on which they make their cases was and is scanty and fragile. I do not believe that these arguments can be sustained, but both of these books do point to a truth that Christianity has been slow to admit, namely that a great deal of mythology does surround the church’s traditional portrait of Jesus. Angels breaking through the midnight sky to sing to shepherds is clearly a myth, so is his having been born without a human father. Jesus the miracle worker or Jesus being transfigured on a mountaintop while he speaks with the long dead Moses and Elijah are surely non-literal narratives. Earthquakes that occur both at the moment of his death and at his rising from the dead are obviously embellishments added to the story. There is much mythological content in the gospels that has been wrapped around the Jesus of history. By pretending though the centuries that these things are literal, supernatural events occurring within time and space, the Christian Church has opened itself to the challenge that Jesus himself might also have been a mythological creation. Historical evidence, however, argues strongly that there was something about this Jesus that was so powerful that it caused mythology to be developed around his life and then added to his memory. One obvious indicator of the presence of historical truth is found in the counter-intuitive nature of parts of the Jesus story. Look first at the name by which Jesus was known in the gospels – “Jesus of Nazareth.” Mythological heroes would not have had their roots in a dirty, insignificant little village in rural Galilee. “Nothing good can come out of Nazareth,” it was said, but Jesus did. The Bethlehem birth story of Jesus was a later 9th decade attempt to give Jesus a more prominent place of origin! Nazareth thus has about it a historical ring of authenticity. If one is going to create a hero out of whole cloth one would not have him hail from Nazareth. Second, the biblical record says that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. That fact clearly bothered the early Christians because it appeared to compromise Jesus’ priority over John and thus his claim to divinity. That is why there is such a deliberate effort in the gospels to downgrade John, reaching its crescendo in Luke’s gospel when the fetus of John the Baptist is made to salute the fetus of Jesus. Third, the crucifixion story is told in every gospel. An executed Jew for whom messianic claims were being made was not part of Jewish expectations. This violation of the expected norm witnesses to the historicity of the crucifixion. Myths are not built on negative data. Beyond these counter-intuitive pointers to historical reality, we next look at the time dimensions in the Christian story. The crucifixion is generally dated around the year 30 CE. The conversion of Paul is dated no earlier than one year and no later that six years after the crucifixion, which would mean that Paul’s conversion occurred between the years 31 and 36 CE. We have an authentic letter from Paul (Galatians) in which he describes autobiographically exactly what he did following his conversion. He tells us that first he went to Arabia for three years. When we add those years into our chronology, we arrive at somewhere between 34 to 39 CE. Then Paul says he went to Jerusalem where he visited “with Peter and James, the Lord’s brother.” So, four years at the earliest and nine years at the latest after his conversion, Paul is in touch with those who were intimately involved with the Jesus of history. Galatians was probably written in 51 CE or 21 years after the crucifixion. Four times in that epistle, Paul refers to Jesus as one who had been “crucified.” I submit to you that this is a time span far too short for a full blown conspiracy mythology to be developed. There, I believe, is a better way than invented mythology for us to understand the claims that are made for Jesus by his disciples in the gospels. Those claims were the products of the interpretation of Jesus in the synagogues using their scriptures, their liturgical practices and their messianic images. This processing work is what appears in the gospels when they are written 40-70 years after his crucifixion. While Paul’s authentic epistles are the work of a first generation Christian, the gospels are the products of the second and third generations of Christians, which is still too short a period of time for a full scale mythological, conspiratorial view of Jesus to have been developed. Memory is not detached from reality that quickly. I outlined in far greater detail than I can convey here the nature and content of the synagogue process that interpreted Jesus of Nazareth in what is still my favorite book: Liberating the Gospels: Reading the Bible with Jewish Eyes. So my conclusion is clear. Jesus was a figure of history, who lived between the years ca. 4 BCE and 30 CE. He was in fact crucified by the Romans under the rule of Pontius Pilate, who served as Procurator of Judea between 26 CE and 36 CE. Jesus was first interpreted in the synagogue by his followers, who wrapped the Jewish scriptures around him. As the years passed and Christianity began its journey out of its Jewish womb and into the Gentile-thinking world, other mythological images began to be applied to him. By 150 CE there were almost no Jews left in the Christian movement and so the followers of Jesus no longer recognized the Jewish background of the stories of Jesus because they were simply unaware of it. At that time Egyptian, Greek and Roman elements were added to the story. Those who suggest that there is no historical substance to the Jesus story simply do not understand the impact that this life had on the Jewish population. It is simply naïve to suggest that there is no person of history behind the images of the ages that we still tend to literalize.~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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Introduction to Mark Davies’ writings
by Bill Parker 23 May '23

23 May '23

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Bill Grow's Passing
by Mari Crocker 20 May '23

20 May '23

Dear Order Colleagues, Rebecca, Brad and Ian, It is with deep sadness that I learned this news, but rejoice that Bill’s passing was peaceful and painless. I still see Bill and Nan the way they looked on August 16th, 2020 (during our months of being masked if inside) to celebrate their anniversary with a picnic on our front porch. This was just six weeks before Nan passed. As always, Bill knew how to symbolize and remember the sacred family moments, even if this required a long, round-trip drive from Wallingford CT to Wells ME. Similarly, when Nan turned 80, Bill coordinated (long distance from York, PA) a grand birthday party at our home in West Newfield, ME, complete with a roast lamb dinner, lots of “Robbie Burns” poetry recitations, and the company of friends they knew in the greater Portland area. Joe had just turned 80, and so advised Nan that the next 20 years were to be all about Contemplation. Joe and I always looked forward to the Grow Family Christmas Letter — and I missed receiving it this year. It was always a masterpiece of poetry, annual history, prayer and music. Speaking of music, I was honored when Bill invited me to join him and the Yale Alumni Chorus in its annual performance at Milton Academy, MA back in the late 90s/early 00s. He said, “You know, Marilyn, back in my day, there were NO women at Yale — so I got permission to invite a Smith Chamber Singers alumna, because we need strong altos.” Not surprisingly, the program was challenging : Brahms Liebeslider Waltzes. I not only had to engage a neighbor to coach me in German pronunciation, but also took a few lessons to “recover my feminine voice”, having sung tenor for years in my local church choir. I could never have declined such a generous and complimentary offer from Bill. Bill’s passion for the renewal of the Local Church was palpable, even after our Turn to the World in 1972. And yet he (always also with Nan) graciously flexed to the shift our Order/EI/ICA made to serve as the sensitive and responsive force for renewal in the world through extensive work with ITIs and HDPs and so much more. I love the video Jim Wiegel shared about Bill’s testimony that “our methods give voice to the nobodies of the world.” Finally, I was always deeply moved by Bill's (and Nan’s) commitment to love, unconditionally, their four children. Their grief at losing Cameron was profound; as was their love, respect and pride in Rebecca, Brad and Ian, and their six grandchildren. I was blessed to know and come to love each of these four fine offspring as they were maturing, off and on, between 1968 and 1984 specifically, and since then as accomplished, gifted adults. Go gently into this blessed night, dear Bill — we love you Mari (and Joe) Crocker

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Remember Brooke Kroeger?
by James Wiegel 20 May '23

20 May '23

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FW: Connecting re Live-Streaming May 21 UUCG service-Nelson Stover
by Lynda C 18 May '23

18 May '23

Another link to Nelson’s Memorial service Sunday at 4:00 in case you need it. With care and celebration of a life fully lived. Lynda and John Cock. From: Logan Hamilton <loganqhamilton(a)gmail.com> Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 6:23 PM To: Nelson & Elaine Stover <greenschemes(a)bellsouth.net> Cc: Patty Hanneman <pattyhanneman(a)gmail.com>, Jay Abernathy <uurevjay(a)gmail.com>, "annastrumbrown(a)yahoo.com" <annastrumbrown(a)yahoo.com>, Tracey <traceybe(a)gmail.com>, Joyce Rouse <joycerouse(a)mac.com>, Lynda Cock <lynda860(a)outlook.com>, Tim Leisman <timleisman(a)outlook.com>, "vijay.lokhande01(a)gmail.com" <vijay.lokhande01(a)gmail.com>, "mjstover20(a)yahoo.com" <mjstover20(a)yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Connecting re Live-Streaming May 21 UUCG service Here is a link directly to the live stream: youtube.com/watch?v=CCxYgXFAMXE<http://youtube.com/watch?v=CCxYgXFAMXE> Sorry it's taken so long to get it to you. As others have said it will also be available from our church's youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@UUGreensboro) ~Logan On Tue, May 16, 2023 at 9:52 AM Elaine K Stover <greenschemes(a)bellsouth.net<mailto:greenschemes@bellsouth.net>> wrote: Yes, please send the link. I’ll get it to who needs it. Thank-you very much Logan. Elaine Stover From: Logan Hamilton <loganqhamilton(a)gmail.com<mailto:loganqhamilton@gmail.com>> Sent: Monday, May 15, 2023 9:46 PM To: greenschemes(a)bellsouth.net<mailto:greenschemes@bellsouth.net> Cc: Patty Hanneman <pattyhanneman(a)gmail.com<mailto:pattyhanneman@gmail.com>>; Jay Abernathy <uurevjay(a)gmail.com<mailto:uurevjay@gmail.com>>; Brown, Tracey <traceybe(a)gmail.com<mailto:traceybe@gmail.com>>; Joyce Rouse <joycerouse(a)mac.com<mailto:joycerouse@mac.com>> Subject: Re: Connecting re Live-Streaming May 21 UUCG service Hi Elaine, I'm sorry for your loss. If you would like, the service can be streamed and/or recorded to the church's YouTube channel just like Sunday mornings. If so I will send you a link for that which can also be used to watch it later. It is also be possible to stream and/or record to a different channel instead if preferred. I'm normally paid $40 per event, but I don't require payment for this service. ~Logan Hamilton On Sat, May 13, 2023, 1:22 PM Elaine K Stover <greenschemes(a)bellsouth.net<mailto:greenschemes@bellsouth.net>> wrote: Dear Logan, I am Elaine Stover, wife of Nelson Stover, for which is being planned the Service of remembrance on May 21 at UUCG. I have received numerous emails from friends all over the world (we lived in 6 countries over 20 years) about whether the service will be live-streamed and how to access it. Also whether it will be recorded or not. Can you please respond to these questions so that I can forward the instructions to the people who inquired?? Keep it simple for novices like me. Looking forward to hearing from you as to the next steps or when to expect them. Thank-you so much, Elaine Stover 336-605-0143

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Attention: See note re revised sending of this: 5/18/2023; Progressing Spirit: Rev. Lauren Van Ham: Planting Seeds in the Kin-dom
by Ellie Stock 18 May '23

18 May '23

Dear ICA/OE Friends, Next week will be the last week PROGRESSING SPIRIT will be sent out via the ICA/OE list serves. Dick Kroeger began sending this e-newsletter to the list serves around 2006 or 2007 when it was a John Shelby Spong newsletter entitled "A New Christianity for a New World". Spong was still writing books, doing speaking engagements and sharing his popular thoughts about the Bible, church, theology and critical national/world issues. Dick Kroeger died in 2008. Our church was studying Spong's books, so I decided to pick up the Spong subscription and continued to forward it to the ICA/OE list serves. In 2016, Spong suffered a stroke and was no longer able to write. We heard him speak at Chautauqua a couple of months before his stroke. He died in 2021 at the age of 90. He had been working with a number of progressive leaders who decided to pick up the mantle and continue the newsletter, eventually transitioning in format and title to "Progressing Spirit", highlighting both well-known speakers/authors as well as new ones but also including previous published Spong articles. A lot has changed since 2006, including the amount of email traffic that most folks receive as well as changing interest in Spong, progressive thought, etc. I have also sent this newsletter to other non- ICA/OE folks on another list. In order to simplify this process and to eliminate this email from those who are no longer interested, I am consolidating my lists to one list, beginning June 1. This will also make it easier to be deleted from the email, should you so choose, which was not possible on the list serves. If you would like to continue receiving the Progressing Spirit e-newsletter, please email me DIRECTLY. PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" VIA THE ICA/OE list serves, as that further clogs everyone's inboxes. If, in the future, you wish to be deleted, that can be done. Thanks! Ellie Stockelliestock(a)aol.com Planting Seeds in the Kin-dom#yiv6751484939 p{margin:10px 0;padding:0;}#yiv6751484939 table{border-collapse:collapse;}#yiv6751484939 h1, #yiv6751484939 h2, #yiv6751484939 h3, #yiv6751484939 h4, #yiv6751484939 h5, #yiv6751484939 h6{display:block;margin:0;padding:0;}#yiv6751484939 img, #yiv6751484939 a img{border:0;height:auto;outline:none;text-decoration:none;}#yiv6751484939 body, #yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939bodyTable, #yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939bodyCell{min-height:100%;margin:0;padding:0;width:100%;}#yiv6751484939 .yiv6751484939mcnPreviewText{display:none !important;}#yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939outlook a{padding:0;}#yiv6751484939 img{}#yiv6751484939 table{}#yiv6751484939 .yiv6751484939ReadMsgBody{width:100%;}#yiv6751484939 .yiv6751484939ExternalClass{width:100%;}#yiv6751484939 p, #yiv6751484939 a, #yiv6751484939 li, #yiv6751484939 td, #yiv6751484939 blockquote{}#yiv6751484939 a .yiv6751484939filtered99999 , #yiv6751484939 a 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and (max-width:480px){#yiv6751484939 h4{font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv6751484939 .yiv6751484939mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent, #yiv6751484939 .yiv6751484939mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent p{font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templatePreheader{display:block !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templatePreheader .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent, #yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templatePreheader .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent p{font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templateHeader .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent, #yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templateHeader .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent p{font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templateBody .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent, #yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templateBody .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent p{font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templateFooter .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent, #yiv6751484939 #yiv6751484939templateFooter .yiv6751484939mcnTextContent p{font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;}} By Rev. Lauren Van Ham | | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Planting Seeds in the Kin-dom | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. Lauren Van Ham May 18, 2023Ahead of Pentecost, the month of May offers International Labor Day, Beltane, and Mother’s Day (United States). Each one is ripe with spirituality, and combined, they invite us to choose one another, to look out for one another’s wellbeing, and to move continually toward the kin-dom of God. In Genesis 3:20, Eve is described as, “the mother of all living.” And, wow, what a mother! A mother of all living offers reassurance: She is within me, beyond me, and I can rest in Her wisdom. A mother of all living invites awe: being the mother of all is a whole LOT of mothering. A mother of all living levels the game: all means all – humans, whales, sycamores, amoebas, raccoons, cacti, we are kin. In the Northern hemisphere, Beltane (May Day), marks the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Celtic in origin, Beltane and other earth-based rituals of this season celebrate flowers, planting and fertility. The songs and ceremonial prayers ask for our Mother’s protection of the fields and animals. As the new season begins, Beltane festivals revere and encourage growth. One Beltane[i] chant begins, May the Lady's touch again, rest upon the barren plain, With the sunshine and the rain, let the sleeper awake! I love this imagery. In Northern California, the rains have coaxed our Mother awake, turning the hills green and lush. Her rivers are rushing. In states to the North, daffodils have finally appeared. After a needed sabbath, farmers and gardeners alike are sinking their hands into the soil, inviting the microbes to wake up and begin their hugely important work. Let the sleeper awake! What will emerge from the sacred soil this season? It depends on what gets planted. When we entrust seeds of goodness to the care of the community, what nourishment will result? The Beltane chant continues, Let the flames of Beltane burn, may the Old Ones now return, May we of their magic learn, let the sleeper awake! Let the streams and fields be pure, Earth and sky be clean once more, Love and laughter long endure, let the sleeper awake! As we wake from our sleep to acknowledge those who, for hundreds of years, have cared for the lands we currently call home, and as we wake to see and admit the harm we have caused one another, the damage we have done to our lands, water and air, we ask for ancestral insight. We welcome back more ancient ways of knowing, to guide us away from extreme individualism and toward divine interdependence. In addition to our one shared mother, another experience that unites us is labor. Everything living takes energy from the sun and converts it into power to create, forage, parent, teach, build, etc. Whether recognized, rewarded, or taken for granted, we work every day. In the time of Jesus, the kingdom of Rome gave each act of labor varying degrees of value. Sound familiar? Jesus reminded everyone who listened that all labor done in the name of Life, holds value. International Labor Day (May 1st) has become a worldwide attempt to honor our labor. On this day, workers “rise up,” with marches, songs and unified messaging to be sure we all see the disparity our current practices perpetuate. Two weeks ago, I saw this disparity vividly when I met Gloria, Irma and Jessie near where they live in San Cristobal, Mexico. These women, each self-employed, are part of a group savings circle. Graffiti and murals painted around town remind everyone that femicide and violence toward women has reached a state of national attention. The dominant system, there and here, has not created an equitable or just existence for many, and certainly not for women. But what happens when we choose one another, when we plant seeds of goodness in our community and inhabit God’s kin-dom? These women, and more than sixty others, are acquiring skills to tend their various operations. Gloria is a community organizer, Irma is a gardener, Jessie is a cosmetologist and every woman in the community savings program is able to take out loans in order to better respond to family needs or emergencies. Each savings circle is comprised of not more than 6-10 participants to engender trust. When other women wish to join, a new circle is started. Loans are paid back within 6-12 months. In its three-year history, no one has defaulted and nearly every woman has added to her baseline savings. As I listened to their stories, the laughter of joyful satisfaction filled the room. They beamed! Together, these women are finding agency. They are not fearful of debt but rather of supporting the successes of each other within their community. They are making an alternative way to recognize the value inherent in their labor. And so must we all. Friends that in the circle stand, heart to heart and hand to hand, Bringing Beltane to the land, let the sleeper awake! The way we hold ourselves and recognize the inherent value of our labor is in direct relationship with our regard and care for our non-human kin. Separation, fear and scarcity like to convince us otherwise but when we meet our own needs while also looking out for the needs of one another, including our land, air and water, right relationship becomes obvious. In the kin-dom of God there is enough. The practice of enough looks and feels different, but because it’s a communal practice, we don’t have the insecurity of figuring it out alone. Shall we try it? No need to change the entire system! That will only happen as we begin to grow the kin-dom with the seeds in our hand right now. During my visit to Chiapas, I learned a powerful phrase, “Sembrar es Resistir.” To Plant is to Resist. Let’s grow together in the name of Life, Our Mother, the Kin-dom!~ Rev. Lauren Van Ham Read online here About the Author Rev. Lauren Van Ham, MA, was born and raised beneath the big sky of the Midwest. Lauren holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, Naropa University and The Chaplaincy Institute. Following her ordination in 1999, Lauren served as an interfaith chaplain in both healthcare (adolescent psychiatry and palliative care) and corporate settings (organizational development and employee wellness). Lauren’s passion for spirituality, art and Earth's teachings has supported her specialization in eco-ministry, grief & loss, and sacred activism. Her essay, "Way of the Eco-Chaplain," appears in the collection Ways of the Spirit: Voices of Women; and her work with Green Sangha is featured in Renewal, a documentary celebrating the efforts of religious environmental activists from diverse faith traditions across America. Her ideas can be heard on Vennly, an app that shares perspectives from spiritual and community leaders across different backgrounds and traditions. Currently, Lauren tends her private spiritual direction and eco-chaplaincy consulting practice; and serves as Climate Action Coordinator for the United Religions Initiative (URI), and as guest faculty for several schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. [i] Doreen Valiente’s Spring Rite, 1971 | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Oscar What is your view on the value of the Bible for today? A: By Dr. Carl Krieg Dear Oscar,Before deciding on the value of the Bible, we need to understand exactly what it is. First of all, it is not a book. It is, rather, a collection of documents written over a period of at least 2500 years, coming from different places and with differing intent. Scholars date the Hebrew Yahwist source in the Pentateuch from either the 10th or 5th century BCE and various books in the Christian writings as late as 110 CE. Different dates, different places and intent, and also different genres. Some of it sounds like history, some songs and prayers, some straight out mythology, some biography, and some prophetic denunciation of the rich and powerful. Furthermore, what we have today has been edited and re-edited, combined and recombined, transcribed and transcribed again, lost and found. We no longer have original documents, if ever we did, but copies of copies. Having said that, scholars have been able to put the pieces together and come up with reasonably reliable renditions of the various books. The history of the documents does not invalidate their veracity. Taken together, what we find in the Bible is human reaction to what was believed to be divine action, whether in the Hebrew or Christian writings. For example, the earliest sources in the Hebrew writings present a mythology that attempts to understand why human beings deny their own loving being, thereby turning from the beauty and happiness offered by the Creator. The history of Israel as presented portrays continual rebellion by the people and subsequent forgiveness by their God. The prophets of old denounce the corruption of the king and his court, proclaiming the destruction that will come from the hand of God. Over and over, the Christian gospels describe the encounter between Jesus and those who came into contact with him, as well as various theological attempts to understand the power by which this Jesus touched so many lives. One of those lives was Paul, who in turn travelled the empire, founding small congregations of the faithful, and then, in many cases, criticizing the manner in which they were straying from the path. His letters to those churches are the earliest strata of the Christian writings. So, yes, from all the writings there is much to value. Unfortunately, that value is undermined by those who would take it all literally rather than faithfully. There are scriptural literalists in every religion, Judaism and Christianity are no exception, and what they do is to destroy that very value they seek to promote. No one can claim full title to the word of God, and the more that fundamentalists, aka evangelicals, proclaim their truth as the only truth, the more they cast the Bible into oblivious irrelevance. On the contrary, open-minded investigation into biblical context and meaning at least allows it to be what it is, thereby providing value for future generations. ~ Dr.Carl Krieg Read and share online here About the Author Dr. Carl Krieg received his BA from Dartmouth College, MDiv from Union Theological Seminary in NYC, and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Divinity School. He is the author of What to Believe? the Questions of Christian Faith, The Void and the Vision and The New Matrix: How the World We Live In Impacts Our Thinking About Self and God. As professor and pastor, Dr. Krieg has taught innumerable classes and led many discussion groups. He lives with his wife Margaret in Norwich, VT. | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community - join us on Facebook! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit rely heavily on the good will of our donors to help us continue to bring individuals and churches the messages of progressive Christians, Weekly Newsletters, along with the many other resources we provide. For years, the majority of our fundraising came at the end of the year. Looking at various ways to create a more reasonable amount of cash flow we decided rather than having a BIG ask at the end of each year, our more frequent asks give folks a chance to contribute when their funds are more flexible. We think that's a win for everyone. We also want to highlight the opportunity to become a sustaining supporter. If you are looking for the best way to help us continue to provide progressive Christian resources, become a sustaining supporter by choosing Recurring Donation. Help keep ProgressiveChristianity.org online and going strong - click here to donate today! * Another way to support us is to leave a bequest in your Will and/or Trust designating us a beneficiary. | | | | | | | | | | | Don't miss the next Episode of PC.org's Executive Directors Mark and Caleb on: The Moonshine Jesus Show - every Monday at 4:30pm Eastern Time – watch live on Facebook,, YouTube, Twitter, Podbean | | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited Part XVI Matthew Did Jesus Teach Us to Pray the Lord's Prayer? Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong March 6, 2014If it is true, as I have suggested, that Jesus never preached the Sermon on the Mount then we immediately have to face other startling implications. That conclusion would raise questions about the authenticity of “The Lord’s Prayer,” which is first introduced into the developing Christian tradition in Matthew as part of the Sermon on the Mount. If the Lord’s Prayer turns out to be Matthew’s creation, would it still be proper for us to say: “And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,” which are the words by which this prayer is liturgically introduced? So we turn now to look at the Lord’s Prayer.I begin with some facts. There is no mention of a prayer taught to the disciples by Jesus in any Christian writing before Matthew introduces it in the 9th decade. If this prayer carried the imprimatur of Jesus himself, would his followers have gone that long ignoring this directive? Paul, who wrote all of his epistles between the years 51 and 64, never alludes to what we call today “the Lord’s Prayer.” If the claim made for this prayer that it came directly from Jesus were historically accurate, would Paul have declined to reference it in any way? These questions become even more provocative when we recognize that Mark, the earliest gospel, usually dated about 72 CE and on which Matthew leaned so heavily, also does not include any reference to this prayer. To make this biblical analysis complete we need to note that when John, the last gospel to be written, appeared near the end if the first century, there was once again no reference to a prayer that Jesus had taught his disciples to pray. Did this final gospel writer do this because he knew it was not authentic? Most people are simply not aware of these biblical facts.In Matthew’s gospel, the Lord’s Prayer is introduced as part of his commentary on the Fourth Beatitude: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied.” For the Jews “righteousness” was a synonym for God’s kingdom. To “hunger for righteousness,” therefore, meant to hunger for the coming of the kingdom of God. That identification would be one with which the Jews were thoroughly familiar. The prophet Isaiah referred to Israel as “God’s Vineyard,” where “righteousness,” that is God’s kingdom, is to be established. Later this same prophet writes: “God shows himself present and holy” in the manifestation of “righteousness.” Matthew first introduces the word “righteousness” in his story of Jesus’ baptism. John, viewing himself as secondary to Jesus, objects to his baptizing Jesus saying: “I have need to be baptized of you.” Jesus responds to this by saying that his baptism is a necessary step in “fulfilling all righteousness,” that is, as a means of establishing the kingdom of God. Later, but still in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew portrays Jesus as exhorting his followers not to be anxious about what they are to eat, to drink or to wear, insisting that they spend their every moment seeking God’s kingdom and its “righteousness.” “Righteousness” is a word that the deeply Jewish Paul uses frequently and every time he uses it, it refers to the kingdom of God. So when Matthew has Jesus say: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,” he is referring to those who live in anticipation of the kingdom of God and who prepare themselves for that kingdoms arrival by fasting, praying and studying the Torah. In Matthew’s mind the kingdom is present and becomes visible when God’s righteousness is lived out or when God’s presence is seen in human life.The earliest Christian prayer recorded in the New Testament is not the Lord’s Prayer, but a prayer for Jesus to come again. Paul closes the first epistle to the Corinthians with the words, “Our Lord, come.” The book of Revelation ends with Jesus promising to come soon and the prayer of the people in response is “Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus.” It is with this understanding that Matthew introduces the Lord’s Prayer in the Sermon on the Mount along with a discussion on prayer itself. The Lord’s Prayer thus serves as an example of the things about which he has been speaking. Matthew has Jesus begin by describing the proper prayer attitude. Jesus is portrayed as exhorting his followers to observe a proper tradition when praying. Prayers for the kingdom are not to be done for show, so they should not be uttered on street corners, but in the privacy of one’s own room. Prayer should not be the stringing together of pious phrases and empty words. God, Jesus reminds his hearers in the Sermon, knows their needs before they ask. Prayer is thus not the activity of reminding God as to what it is that God can do for you. That is when in the Sermon Matthew has Jesus say “Pray then like this” and the words of the Lord’s Prayer follow. It is quite clearly a prayer for the kingdom of God to come in human history. This prayer begins by addressing itself to the One who is beyond all limits, for that is what “heaven” means. Heaven for the Jews was never a “place” located above the sky, but an expression of the limitlessness of God. God’s kingdom is not a physical realm, but an experience of God’s presence, a moment in which the life of God becomes visible in another. This prayer then moves on to express our yearning to be sustained until that day when the kingdom arrives. “Give us this day our daily bread” and “do not bring us to the test” or into temptation that we can not overcome lest we miss the kingdom’s arrival. In this prayer Jesus has been cast in the role of the messiah who inaugurates that kingdom, which is an understanding of Jesus that surely was not fully worked out until well after the defining experience of crucifixion and resurrection, through which the followers of Jesus had to walk Thus it becomes obvious that the Lord’s Prayer was a prayer developed by the church, the followers of Jesus, after they came to the conclusion that in his life they had seen divinity through the lens of the human and they had seen life overcoming death. Jesus was thus a glimpse of what the kingdom of God was like, but it would not be known in all its fullness until Jesus came again at the end of the age. So what we call the Lord’s Prayer was created as a prayer to be prayed by those who lived between the first coming of Jesus, when the kingdom was glimpsed and his second coming, when God’s kingdom would be established in all its fullness.To complete the biblical analysis of the prayer we call the Lord’s Prayer we need to recognize that there is a second version of this prayer in the gospel of Luke. It is recognizably similar, but not identical. It is shorter and a bit truncated. It reads as follows: “Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation.” That is Luke’s version in its entirety.When we confront these two obviously similar, but not identical versions of the same prayer we are driven back once again into the debate about the Q hypothesis. Do these two versions of the Lord’s Prayer reflect a common tradition that would have been present in an earlier, now lost source of Jesus’ sayings to which both Matthew and Luke had access? Or is Luke editing out the deeply Jewish elements of this prayer, which he had acquired from Matthew, in order to appeal to his more cosmopolitan and less Jewish audience? Increasingly I am convinced it is the latter. Luke’s community was made up primarily of dispersed Jews, who were increasingly adapting to a Gentile world, along with Gentile proselytes, who had been drawn to the non-cultic, ethical monotheism of Judaism. They would have had little interest in Matthew’s rendering of the Sermon on the Mount, which was written to give Christian content to the Jewish festival of Shavuot, the 24 hour vigil ceremony designed to recall Moses on Mt. Sinai receiving the Torah as God’s greatest gift to the Jewish people. Luke reflected a later and far more Gentile phase of the life of the Christian Church. He understood God’s greatest gift to God’s people to be, not the Torah which the Jews celebrated fifty days after Passover at their Pentecost, but the coming of the Holy Spirit and the growth of the Christian Church which the Christians celebrated fifty days after Easter at their Pentecost. For Luke it was the growth of Christianity not the second coming of Jesus that would be the means by which the Kingdom of God was to arrive on earth. So Luke has edited out the cultic elements of Matthew’s gospel and he adapted the Lord’s Prayer to fit his understanding and his circumstances. It is worth noting that the Fourth Gospel, written even later than Luke, is quite specific in stating that when the raised Christ breathed the Holy Spirit on his disciples on the evening of Easter Day that this was the “second coming” of Jesus. Perhaps that is why the Lord’s Prayer does not appear in the Fourth Gospel since a prayer for God’s Kingdom to come did not seem appropriate after the Holy Spirit had already come at Christian Pentecost.So if Jesus never composed the prayer we call “The Lord’s Prayer” and did not enjoin these words on his disciples, does this prayer then have no value for us? That is not our conclusion, but it does mean that this prayer must be understood in an entirely different way.“Our Father who art in heaven” means that God cannot be limited by human creeds, doctrines or dogmas. It means that we must seek to define the holy beyond the theistic definitions we have for so long used uncritically. “Hallowed be thy name” means that the ultimate, the holy, the mystical, the ineffable can never be captured in human words. “Thy Kingdom come” means that our eyes must be trained to see the divine inside the human. It means that the kingdom of God comes when we are empowered to live fully, to love wastefully and to be all that we are capable of being. It means that the work of the kingdom of God is the work of enhancing human wholeness that occurs when the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame leap and the mute sing and when all demeaning human prejudices die. That is when the kingdom of God dawns and when God’s righteousness is revealed. So we pray – Come, Lord Jesus, establish the realm of God in each one of us. Show us what it means to be human and what it means to be Christian for they are one and the same.~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements An Evening with the Mystics and Mirabai Starr Spirituality & Practice is honored that Mirabai Starr will be sharing some of her favorite readings from the mystics as a benefit for S&P’s Website Redesign Fund. May 26th- 5 to 6:30 pm. READ ON ... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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