Does Mitt’s Mormon faith matter? Here’s the book on it!

August 12, 2012 by

Does Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith matter? The question is buzzing coast to coast. The simple answer is: Yes.

Americans are asking because we’ve seen all manner of religious window dressing in the White House from choreographed visits by evangelists like Billy Graham to occasional “Photo Ops” as a president attends Sunday worship. The religion card probably grew thinnest when Richard Nixon claimed to be a Quaker, then showed no sign of it in his presidential policies.

In contrast, Romney’s religious roots are real and they go deep. The Latter-day Saints shaped his family through four generations before he was born; he has served as a Mormon bishop and the church forms his spiritual foundation to this day; and LDS teaching shapes the moral framework that will guide his future policies. That’s a conclusion that Romney himself likely would agree with, if he talked more about his faith on the campaign trail. It also is the conclusion of Richard Ostling, one of the nation’s most respected journalists, having served both as the religion writer for TIME magazine and the Associated Press. Ostling’s updated book, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, has become the standard one-volume overview of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for non-Mormons.

“Most books on the Saints, as they call themselves, tend to be anti-Mormon screeds or soft-focus proselytizing. This book is eminently fair, well researched and exhaustive. … These authors are diligent referees of fights past and present.” That’s how the New York Times lavished praise on the Ostling book when it first appeared in 2000.

Richard Ostling and his wife Joan Ostling, also a veteran journalist, then extensively expanded the book in 2007 in light of the 2008 presidential campaign. Joan died of cancer in 2009. Their book stands, in 2012, as the best reading available for non-Mormons to grasp the breadth of the LDS church’s complex theology, structure and weekly customs. The updated edition includes a section on Mitt Romney.

In Part 2 of this series, we welcome Richard Ostling for our ReadTheSpirit author interview. Richard agreed to talk about the ways he sees Mormon faith and culture as relevant in the 2012 presidential campaign. ReadTheSpirit recommends that anyone interested in these issues order a copy of Mormon America via Amazon where you will find it available in paperback and in a Kindle edition. Beyond fascinating reading for any individual who wants to understand this rapidly growing church, the book also makes for terrific small-group discussion.

TODAY, we are sharing three short excerpts from Richard’s book to give readers a sampling of the writing style and breadth of coverage. Together, these three short clippings show how effectively this book becomes a kind of Mormon 101 crash course for non-Mormon readers. The entire book is nearly 500 pages, but here are three brief excerpts, taken from three different sections of the book’s introduction. …

OSTLINGS’ MORMON AMERICA: MILESTONES IN U.S. POLITICS

The people known as Latter-day Saints have created a powerful, self-contained American subculture and yet simultaneously have long sought full acceptance in the nation where their creed was born and from which it has always been led. In that quest for respectability, two momentous dates stand above all others: 1890, when the founding Prophet Joseph Smith Jr.’s teaching of polygamy was cast aside, and 1978, when the church eliminated the invidious barrier that kept Saints of African blood from the full status and participation that was routinely bestowed upon other male members.

Though not dramatic in such theological terms, the year 2007 marked a different sort of exponential advance toward normalization. Nevada Democrat Harry Reid became majority leader of the United State Senate, the most influential Mormon officeholder in U.S. history and one of the most familiar faces on TV newscasts. Simultaneously, Massachusetts’ former Republican Governor Mitt Romney launched the most promising bid by a Mormon to win the U.S. presidency … Previous LDS aspirants were Senator Orin Hatch, Congressman Morris Udall, Mitt’s father Governor George Romney, and founder Smith, who was waging a quixotic White House run when he was assassinated in 1844.

OSTLINGS’ MORMON AMERICA: RISE AND REPUTATION

Mystery surrounds the church that Smith built. Though it is hard to imagine when contemplating this placid (Salt Lake) valley with its prosperous metropolis, no religion in American history has aroused so much fear and hatred, nor been the object of so much persecution and so much misinformation.  Mormons are intensely patriotic Americans; they even believe the U.S. Constitution and the democracy it enshrines were divinely inspired. Yet their own church is rigidly hierarchical, centralized, authoritarian, and almost uniquely secretive. It is also, relative to size, America’s richest church, with an estimated $25 to $30 billion in assets and an estimated $5 to $6 billion in annual income, mostly from members’ tithes.

The church began in upstate New York in 1830 with six members. By 1844, when the 38-year-old Smith was assassinated, the flock had already grown to over 26,000. During the past quarter-century, it has moved up to fourth place in size among America’s church bodies, with worldwide membership nearing 13 million. More than half of those members now live outside the United States. Non-Mormon sociologist Rodney Stark has projected that if present trends continue there will be about 267 million members by 2080, making Mormonism the most important world religion to emerge since Islam arose nearly 14 centuries ago.

(Note on Numbers: Membership was “nearing 13 million” when the Ostlings’ latest edition was published. As of mid 2012, Church officials report membership at more than 14.4 million worldwide.)

OSTLINGS’ MORMON AMERICA: CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP

Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City.(After Smith’s founding), Mormonism—as the movement was quickly nicknamed—provided nationalistic Americans with a very American gospel. Despite demanding claims on the lives of believers, it was from the beginning optimistic and upbeat, a reaction against the establishment New England Calvinism. It denied original sin and stressed individual moral choice, proclaiming that every human could progress toward godhood. It was a religious version of the American dream: Everyman presented with unlimited potential. Its theology provided a highly idiosyncratic emphasis on disciplined self-reliance, and post-Enlightenment liberalism on the nature of man and God.

A church without professional clergy, but with a highly centralized and authoritarian structure, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is ruled top-down by a self-perpetuating hierarchy that is ritualistically “sustained” by unanimous vote at church conferences in Salt Lake City. Atop the pyramid is the current president, prophet, seer and revelator, who chooses a first counselor and second counselor and acts with them in a collective First Presidency. Next comes the Quorum of Twelve Apostles who hold lifetime positions and are always listed by seniority of attaining that rank, then echelons of lower authorities and officeholders. There is neither a forum for public debate nor a church legislature to set policy. Obedience to tenets and administrative minutiae as defined by the General Authorities at Temple Square is the only allowable response.

The church’s General Handbook of Instructions, which covers everything from church disciplines and governance to instructions on how to dispose of worn-out holy underwear, is a confidential document issued in numbered copies distributed to a specific list of officials. The annual church almanac is odd as denominational yearbooks go. It gives extensive statistics on members, baptisms, missionaries, wards (congregations), stakes (geographic subdivisions similar to other denominations’ dioceses or districts), and the like, but no financial statistics. It provides pictures and biographies of church authorities, but few clues as to their function. Unlike other such reference works, it contains no directory of the organization’s bureaucracy. It does, however, meticulously list every LDS believer who ever medaled in the Olympics.

(Note on Current Leadership: You can see the current Latter-day Saints leadership online at the LDS website, which is one of the most active religious websites in the world—even surpassing the Vatican’s website in daily usage. There also is a biography of the 16th President of the Church, Thomas Monson. He took office in 2008.)

(Note on the Underwear Reference: Special Mormon garments are mentioned occasionally in news reports about the Church nationwide. Sometimes these references poke fun at the church, a matter that Mormons find offensive. The LDS website has a special page briefly explaining such garments. Church leaders compare their practice to Jews preparing themselves for various rituals by wearing special garments. Other religious traditions also involve special clothing.)

(Note on How to Refer to Latter-day Saints: The church provides a detailed Style Guide, which explains that the full name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a small “d” on the word “day.” Church officials ask journalists to avoid calling their religious body “the Mormon Church.” They prefer that members be called “Latter-day Saints” but the term “Mormon” is acceptable, as well. The Style Guide also explains that the term “Mormonism” is acceptable in describing the combination of doctrine, culture and lifestyle unique to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Continue by reading our interview with Richard Ostling.

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Originally published at readthespirit.com, an online magazine covering religion and cultural diversity.

What is Rob Bell doing now? A new book and network TV

August 5, 2012 by

THE BIG NEWS IS: Rob Bell is finishing a new book—actually lots of new books, if you count the colorful new editions of his first five books plus the brand-new book coming out in 2013.

The BIGGER News Is: Rob hopes to leap from his best-selling short Nooma video series into network-class TV, partnering with the red-hot writer and producer Carlton Cuse. Although most people associate the name J.J. Abrams with LOST, Cuse was executive producer and co-wrote a third of the episodes—including most of the episodes containing mysterious spirituality. Cuse also is known as a master of “transmedia,” which refers to delivering content across multiple media platforms.

The two friends are combining Cuse’s experience and vast reach in Hollywood with Bell’s own talents praised by TIME magazine in naming him, last year, the only pastor in its “100 most influential people in the world.” TIME calls Bell “a master of social media” and said he is “wielding music, videos and a Starbucks sensibility” in “the forefront of a rethinking of Christianity in America.”

Stay tuned!! ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm has known Rob since the early years of Mars Hill and the release of Velvet Elvis. Rob welcomed this interview and, then, in early September will come back to ReadTheSpirit to talk more about the TV project.

What we can tell you now: Rob is closely guarded about his work with Cuse. In the new, streaming video from West Hollywood’s Viper Room, Rob speaks briefly about Cuse and LOST and his plans in LA. First, he jokes that his main reason for moving to LA is the great surfing (and it’s not exactly a joke, as you’ll read in our interview). More importantly, Rob says in his Viper Room video that he moved to LA, not to pastor a new church, but in LA: “Things get made here that go everywhere. This is where things are made that get broadcast everywhere.”

Here’s what Rob is saying now … and it’s, quite frankly, a lot …

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR INTERVIEW
WITH ROB BELL ON LEAPING FROM
BOOKS AND NOOMAS TO NETWORK-CLASS TV

ROB: It’s been way too long since we’ve talked! You’ve been covering this story since way back at Mars Hill in Michigan and the first NOOMAs and Velvet Elvis. And now we’ve come—well, a long way.

DAVID: Thanks for agreeing to talk about your big news! We will talk again in September. But, first and foremost: It sounds like you’re expanding your reach in media over the coming year, right?

ROB: Oh, I think when people eventually see what’s coming, they’ll realize that this is moving along a trajectory I’ve been on for some years now.

DAVID: I’d say you’re moving at light speed. This all has arisen in less than a decade—just seven years. Velvet Elvis came out in 2005. The NOOMA films had their big, public distribution by Zondervan that same year. I was writing for newspapers back then and I remember my initial reporting on your work was carried by newspapers nationwide. You had grabbed hold of something powerful in American culture and faith. Now, flash forward: I’ve been the Editor of ReadTheSpirit for five years.
Now, over this past year, your career has been exploding. Love Wins was a sensation—partly because of the controversy from hard-core evangelical critics. You were named in TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. That’s a long way in seven years! Just how old are you now?

ROB: I’m 41.

DAVID: So, OK, you’re not a hot young 30-something sensation anymore.

ROB: (Laughs) I’m not that old! And I feel younger than ever!

DAVID: And you moved to southern California with …

ROB: With my wife Kristin and our three kids—boys 14 and 12 and a girl 3. We are having the time of our lives, but I’d rather not say exactly where we’ve settled. I enjoy living under the radar with my family.

DAVID: In new photos, you look healthy and relaxed and flat-out happy.

ROB: I am happy! I feel younger than ever—that’s for sure. The surfing is great out here. I try to get into the ocean every day, if I can. I’ve never had more fun. This has been incredible.

ROB BELL: ‘I AM STILL A PASTOR.’

DAVID: But, as you approach this mysterious television launch, I notice you’re often referring to yourself as a pastor in the past tense. References online seem to say: “Rob Bell was a pastor.” You’ve left Mars Hill, the huge church you co-founded up near Grand Rapids, Michigan. You haven’t joined the staff of any church out there in California. Are you still a pastor?

ROB: Yes, I am still a pastor. I get all sorts of extraordinary opportunities to be a pastor in all sorts of settings, now—sometimes in settings that would blow your mind.

DAVID: That may be confusing to some readers who think of “pastor” as a title for someone running a church. You remain an ordained clergyman, of course, but explain more about how you use the term “pastor” these days.

ROB: Well, first and foremost, I am a pastor because I announce the Good News of grace and peace found in Jesus. That’s the standard, straightforward Christian message. But what I really do as a pastor is help people understand what they are already experiencing. My work centers on giving people language for things they’ve already experienced. I try to help people put words—to find language and metaphors and ways of describing—what people already are experiencing in their lives. They’re already having these feelings and messages and experiences and sights and sounds in their lives. God is there already. I just help them to see how many of these experiences are part of the Good News.

ROB BELL ON ACCEPTING GAY CHRISTIANS: ‘I AM SMILING.’

DAVID: I’ve got to say that—after watching the Viper Room video—one of the refreshing new messages you now apparently feel free to express in a straight-foward way is this: Let’s quit beating up on gay people in the church. You put it very simply: “Some people are gay and they’re our brothers and sisters and we love them.” Then, you go on to  affirm that there are good, solid gay Christians in our churches and you say that we all ought to just get over this issue, accept our gay brothers and sisters—and move on with the work of the church.

What’s most remarkable about that segment of the video is: You seem so relaxed in saying that simple yet important thing. You’re smiling. You’ve got to be breathing a sigh of relief that you’re able to say this now without a panel of church elders to whom you’ve got to answer—or other critics in the church. So, what I want to know is: Does it feel good to get that off your chest?

ROB: I am smiling right now at that question. I am smiling.

It was a joy and honor and privilege to be part of a local church. It was absolutely amazing through all those years, but believe me—I know what you are describing here on a cellular level. Yeah. That’s all there is to say—yeah. I am smiling.

DAVID: You never addressed this particular issue in your book Sex God. I’m a big supporter of that book, which addresses human sexuality in a startlingly new way. But, in terms of an important issue for a lot of Americans—you didn’t address it directly in that book. Are you planning to revise that book? Or write another one on sexuality?

ROB: No, I don’t have any concrete plans like that. I would hope that what I said in the Viper Room video permeates everything I do. That’s it. Nothing more to say.

ROB BELL’s latest book: ‘It’s a monster of a book’

DAVID: You have announced, as of this new video, that a new book is coming out in March.

ROB: Yes! And, I’ve been writing that book for a year. I’ve just finished draft number three. It’s supposed to come out next year. It’s a monster of a book that’s called What We Talk About When We Talk About God. You know the cliché, “I’m not religious but I’m spiritual”? That’s actually not a cliché for a lot of people. There are real reasons people say that. I hope this book speaks to all of the people who have expressed a sentiment like that at one time or another.

DAVID: A “monster”?

ROB: I mean, this book has taken more out of me than any project I have ever done before.

ROB BELL: PICKING A “FIRST” ROB BELL

DAVID: OK, so millions know you already. But millions also don’t know you—or  don’t know your work. So, let’s help newcomers pick a “first” Rob Bell book. Out of these five books HarperOne has just redesigned, which one would you pick as a “first” Rob Bell.

ROB: Drops Like Stars. It’s short and people like short books to start. That book probably has the simplest explanation of what I’m trying to say. HarperOne actually made that book smaller than the others—physically smaller when you look at it—hoping that it would serve as a kind of short intro.

DAVID: So, I’ve agreed not to release any more details on this autumn TV project with Carlton Cuse, but I know readers will be very curious about this. Should we be envisioning Oprah stylings? Or a Christian Jon Stewart? Or LOST-style mysterious stories? Or … Obviously, our minds will be churning on the possibilities until more emerges about your plans.

ROB: I don’t want to spoil what will happen later this year by talking too much about it now. But, I can tell you: We’re not talking about what passes for religion on Sunday-morning TV—you know, this isn’t 1-800-Big-Hair. This is going to be a different kind of space we’ll be creating. We’ll talk again this fall.

DAVID: OK, we’ll stay tuned!

WANT THE NEW MATCHED SET OF BOOKS?

They’re cool. You can see how the spines line up like a rainbow, above. If you look closely, above, you can see that Drops Like Stars actually is smaller than the other paperbacks. These books are perfect for a back-to-school gift, for a Christmas gift … or for your own reading. Here are the Amazon links:

Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith

Jesus Wants to Save Christians: Learning to Read a Dangerous Book

Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections Between Sexuality and Spirituality

Drops Like Stars: A Few Thoughts on Creativity and Suffering

Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived

ROB BELL’S PUBLISHERS ARE REALIGNING THEMSELVES

Rob isn’t the only one making a big move within religious publishing—by leaping from Zondervan to HarperOne (different divisions within Rupert Murdoch’s media holdings). Zondervan itself is changing dramatically and is merging with Thomas Nelson (Murdoch now owns both publishing houses). Here is our ReadTheSpirit story, analyzing what this news means for people who love inspirational reading.

WANT TO WATCH ROB BELL TALKING IN LOS ANGELES?

We’ve got the Viper Room video live, online and free to view. It’s very entertaining and packed with news about Rob’s life and work.

Please help us to reach a wider audience

We welcome your Emails at [email protected]
We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Huffington Post, YouTube and other social-networking sites. You also can Subscribe to our articles via Email or RSS feed.
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Originally published at readthespirit.com, an online magazine covering religion and cultural diversity.

Rob Bell’s newest streaming online video from LA

August 5, 2012 by

THIS IS A PHOTO OF ROB BELL. The streaming video is below.Yes, you’ve found it!
HERE IS THE LATEST ROB BELL VIDEO—the nearly two-hour talk from the famous Viper Room on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. This is Rob’s first public video, streamed in summer 2012, after a half-year absence from the spotlight as he worked with HarperOne to complete his upcoming March 2013 book, What We Talk About When We Talk About God.

Read our August 2012 interview with Rob about the big changes in his life. He has left his position as senior pastor at the Mars Hill megachurch in Michigan. He has left his original publisher, Zondervan, and has jumped to HarperOne. (Both publishers are owned by Rupert Murdoch’s giant News Corporation.)

Rob’s latest book, Love Wins, has just been released in paperback—along with a rainbow-array of matching paperback editions of all five of Rob’s books. You can see the spines of the books in the photo above. And, we’ve got links to Amazon, below, if you care to order the new set.

In this talk, Rob describes his life, his ministry and his hopes for the future. He tells a series of stories—some hilarious and some deeply moving. Then, toward the end, he fields questions from the crowd at the Viper Room (and a few online questions, too). The entire video runs close to two hours—so pour a cup of your favorite beverage, settle back, crank up the online volume and enjoy this video.

WORD OF WARNING: Rob’s producers have set up this video to loop continuously as it streams. That means you will join the video in progress—somehwere in the middle of this long talk from the Viper Room—and it will loop through the end and the begining. On and on. But, hey: That’s OK, isn’t it? Most of Rob’s stories in this video are self contained so you can enjoy them in almost any order.

NOTE: If you don’t see a video screen to click in your version of this story, please click here and your web browser will reload our ReadTheSpirit story. The video screen should appear. Enjoy!

 

WANT THE NEW MATCHED SET OF BOOKS?

They’re cool. You can see how the spines line up like a rainbow, above. They’re perfect for a back-to-school gift, for a Christmas gift … or just to enjoy them yourself. Here’s where to get them via Amazon:

Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith

Jesus Wants to Save Christians: Learning to Read a Dangerous Book

Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections Between Sexuality and Spirituality

Drops Like Stars: A Few Thoughts on Creativity and Suffering

Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived

Originally published at readthespirit.com, an online magazine covering religion and cultural diversity.

 

Wander with us? ER to Blade Runner … Jiggity Jig

August 2, 2012 by

Want some fun? Wander with us!
Here at ReadTheSpirit, we call columnist Rodney Curtis the Spiritual Wanderer. It’s the title of his first book that you can order in his section of ReadTheSpirit. The title describes the way he … well, he wanders. And, he invites us to wander, which is why so many fans love his writing. And, pssst! He’s got two new books coming out by the end of this year—so you might want to aquaint yourself right now with one of our most popular writers.
How does this wandering work?

PART 1: THE ER PART

Rodney’s newest column is a great example. It’s a simple story about how Rodney—who readers know is a survivor in an epic battle with cancer—was called by his Mom to take her to the ER. This was role-reversal in caregiving, something millions of us experience each year, right? But then, you’ll notice “Jiggity Jig,” the name of this particular column and … well, reading over the column as the Editor of ReadTheSpirit, that phrase—that phrase—it started bouncing around in my own memory. Where did it originate?

PART 2: MOTHER GOOSE

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,
Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.

We all know that originated with Mother Goose hundreds of years ago. Of course—assuming no impressionable children are reading this—we all can admit that Mother Goose never existed. She’s a mythic archetype for nursery rhymes and for beloved illustrators of children’s books to envision. Still, I was thinking of that phrase and wandering … and as I wandered through some references to children’s literature I discovered that, in fact, there was no actual pig in the earliest 1805 version of Mother Goose’s Rhymes for the Nursery. And that meant … there was no jiggity-jig. No need for a rhyme with pig, so no jig in 1805.

In fact, the 1805 version went like this:
To market, to market to buy a penny bun,
Home again, home again, market is done.

To that, I said: Rubbish! This must have been a bizarre mistake in that 207-year-old edition of the book! Then—alas—I kept trolling through literary history until I came to the original version. That’s John Florio’s, A Worlde of Wordes, or Most Copious, and exact Dictionarie in Italian and English, published in 1598. John Florio etched that nursery rhyme in moveable type, ink and velum without a pig or a jig. That meant: Somewhere in the middle 19th century enough parents had swapped the bun for a pig and the “done” for a “jiggity jig.” Certainly, by the 20th century, all children got the correct version with pig and jig.

But, I was wandering … and, in fact, as my memories rolled, I didn’t recall that particular phrase from Mother Goose. My own family home was piled high—literally piled floor to ceiling in some rooms—with books. But we weren’t big on Mother Goose. No ….

PART 3: TO CLOVERFIELD FARM

My late Aunt Helen, in one of her book-filled rooms on her big farm in Indiana, had the Cloverfield Farm books from the 1920s by Helen Fuller Orton. I never asked Aunt Helen about this collection of books on her shelves. Perhaps she collected them, as a girl, because the author and she shared a name. Today, I have no idea where those books may be. She probably sold them in the huge public sale she organized when she retired from the farm. Amazon was little help. A handful of Orton’s books are available in used editions from resellers—but not the particular classics I recalled. So, I wandered over to Project Gutenberg and—Bingo!

Project Gutenberg has Bobby of Cloverfield Farm, just sitting there online for free. I recognized the red cover immediately. But as I searched the text, Orton only gave us the rhyme in an off-kilter way: “jigglety, jigglety, shakety, shake.” It must have been another Cloverfield novel. And, yes, Gutenberg also has Prince and Rover of Cloverfield Farm. Yes, in that story, Orton recalls it the right way:

As they drove along, Bobby was silent for a long time.
At last he said, “I know what this is like, Mother.”
“What is it like?” asked Mother.
“To market, to market, to buy a fat pig. Home again, home again, jiggity jig.”

Clearly, Helen Fuller Orton had that phrase rattling around in her head throughout her career. But … I was still wandering … There was something else about that phrase … And then it hit me … Toys and Teddy Bears and a very strange toymaker!

PART 4: BLADE RUNNER AND BACK HOME AGAIN

It’s in Blade Runner! If you’re not familiar with the obsession that many fans have with the mysteries of the 1982 movie, based on a novel by Philip K. Dick, then suffice it to say: There are at least a half dozen distinct versions of the movie—each with advocates and each one the basis for different arguments about the final meaning of the film. But that wasn’t what finally “clicked” in my memory. No, I wasn’t thinking about the DaVinci Code-like mysteries of the movie and its many versions.

I was remembering J.F. Sebastian! He is the mysterious toymaker in Blade Runner, played by the melancholy character actor William Sanderson. A lonely genius, Sanderson built all kinds of artificial life forms—including toys. To warm his otherwise gloomy home just a bit, he programmed a toy soldier and a Teddy Bear to greet him at the front door each evening, after work, and recite: “Home again! Home again! Jiggety-jig! Goood evening, J.F.!”

And I realized … I had wandered over to cult movies—fan-favorite films—and I had come full circle. That was the subject of Rodney’s previous column: Let’s Talk About Films Again, Shall We?

We were home again … Come on! You know it! … Jiggety-jig!

Originally published at readthespirit.com, an online magazine covering religion and cultural diversity.

Benjamin Pratt: The Brass Communion Rail

July 15, 2012 by

Ale and evangelism!
For millions of Christians, they go together like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. After all, Lewis and Tolkien were ringleaders of the Inklings, who famously haunted the Eagle and Child (the pub in Oxford shown in today’s two photos) along with Charles Williams, Hugo Dyson and sometimes other writers and scholars. Eventually, the friends were gathering to read aloud and discuss their works most Mondays and Tuesdays in a room of the pub still known as the Rabbit Room.

Not long ago, we passed the 30th anniversary of Theology on Tap—the very popular American Catholic version of pairing pints with preaching. That particular American format has flowed back across the oceans East and West to a dozen other countries’ public houses. Countless Catholics have partaken since the early 1980s in conversations led by priests—as well as some of the church’s leading lights. The late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin enjoyed Theology on Tap. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington D.C. since 2006, once showed up to try his first evening teaching at a pub and received a huge round of applause.
“That’s the warmest welcome I’ve ever received in a pub,” Wuerl told the patrons. Then he smiled, and added, “That’s the first welcome I’ve ever received in a pub!”

Dr. Benjamin Pratt, author of Guide for Caregivers and the James Bond Bible-study book called Ian Fleming’s Seven Deadlier Sins reports that he is not personally a regular at brass rails. However, he does occasionally enjoy a good pint, and he recognizes the long-standing tensions between secular and sacred communion rails in many communities around the world. For those bridging the gap in the rails, he offers this prose-poem—a prayerful meditation he invites you to reflect upon and share with friends.

He calls it simply:

The Brass Communion Rail

By the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Pratt

Ever present Lord,
I was sitting on a bar stool
At the local Sports Bar,
My feet on the brass rail,
Having a Guinness and a burger.
Keeping an eye on the game,
I opened my laptop,
Taking notes for an upcoming sermon.

Three young men approached—
Teased me about drinking black, bitter mud.
I said, “Guinness is Gaelic for ‘genius’!
I’m hoping to be one
Since I’m trying to write a sermon.”
We laughed.

They teased me some more:
“Your team’s losing Pastor!”

I loved those guys right away.

They kept me laughing and finally said,
“Maybe we’ll see you Sunday, Pastor!
Hope the Guinness works,
But if it doesn’t—
A fiver says your Heart and Faith will!”
They were off, their laughter ringing.

Back at my pint and portable,
Sipping and tapping notes,
I noticed a man a few stools over—arise.
He shuffled my way,
“Excuse me, did I hear those guys call you Pastor?”

“You did!”

“I’m surprised to meet a Pastor drinking in a Sports Bar,
But maybe things have changed!
I haven’t been in a church since …
Well, the truth is: I left! They made me so mad!
I couldn’t or wouldn’t ever live up to their standards of perfection.
Hypocrites! They didn’t live up to them either.
I knew what they did when they weren’t at church.”

“You still have a lot of sadness about that,” I said.

“I thought I was only angry, but—
Maybe I am sad about how it all worked out.”

“You wouldn’t have spoken to me if you were only angry.”

“Where’s your church, Pastor?”

“Lots of places. Sunday mornings on Elm Street.
More often in hospital rooms, funeral parlors, gardens, offices, the jail,
Or at this Brass Communion Rail.
Looks to me like you’ve already joined us.
Welcome!”

He sat again.
This time on the stool next to me.

My silent prayer:
Ever-present Lord,
Bless us to know that our
Brass Communion Rail
Is where we join You in tending bar,
Bringing grace to anyone in need.

Amen

CARE FOR MORE FROM BENJAMIN PRATT?

There are links to Dr. Pratt’s two books, above. If you’re looking for fresh ideas to use in your congregation, we can report: A growing number of congregations nationwide are forming small groups to discuss the spiritual support of America’s 65 million caregivers. Ben’s book is a great guide in that process. Plus, this autumn is the 50th anniversary of James Bond movies—so Ben’s Bond Bible study book is a timely choice for a fall series. This meditation, The Brass Communion Rail, is posted jointly into ReadTheSpirit and the website for Day1, the nationwide radio network. If you are active in your congregation, click on that Day1 link and bookmark Ben’s section of that website. Each month, Ben posts another resource you’ll enjoy—and want to share with friends. He welcomes you to share these words.

Originally published at readthespirit.com, an online magazine covering religion and cultural diversity.

13 True American Stars We All Should Know

July 1, 2012 by

PHOTOS FROM TOP: Kent Nerburn and his wife, the writer Louise Mengelkoch, on the porch of their Minnesota home; socks on a clothesline; Robin Roberts and Missy Buchanan in New York on the GMA show discussing their book about Robin’s mother; documentary filmmaker Ian Cheney; the cover of Joe Sacco’s Journalism; musician Carrie Newcomer; comedian-pastor-author Susan Sparks; theologian James Cone; the Goodwin family; travel writer Judith Fein has fun on one of her many global journeys; former-Amish writer Saloma Furlong; musician Fran McKendree; and bread related to Benjamin Pratt’s meditation. For July 4, we celebrate Americans
who are devoting their lives to strengthening our communities in creative ways. CLICK THE LINKS in each of these 13 mini-profiles to read a wide range of creative, inspiring stories. Enjoy!

(For fun facts and debunked myths about the actual holiday, read our Independence Day story.)

1 KENT NERBURN: OLD ARTIST
REBORN AS A VIRAL YOUTH

We love the first of our July 4 stars!
Kent Nerburn began his career as a sculptor, then morphed into one of America’s most beloved authors writing about Indian culture. Now, later in his life, Kent suddenly is having a ball going viral with a story from early in his career that often is headlined “The Cab Driver” or “The Taxi Driver” as it bounces around the Internet. We included a visit with Kent and his wife in our American Journey series in 2010. But, for the 2012 Fourth of July week, we’ve decided to join the viral publishing of Kent’s stirring “Cab Driver.”

2 DANIEL BUTTRY:
‘WE ARE THE SOCKS’

Speaking of “going viral,” inernational peacemaker Daniel Buttry is on his way toward a viral spread of an inspiring true story that involves prayer, international hot spots and—socks. Yes, socks, like the ones you may be wearing right now. Today, we also are joining in the viral republishing of Dan’s “We Are the Socks.” (Warning: Reading this story may be dangerous to overly comfortable readers.)

3 MISSY BUCHANAN: MATRIARCH
INSPIRES GMA’S ROBIN ROBERTS

Here’s another star you may not immediatley recognize. We’re publishing a new story by author Missy Buchanan about Robin Roberts’ family.
Years before other authors turned to writing about the spiritual challenges of aging, Missy was inspiring people to reach out toward older men and women in their communities. Recently, Missy helped Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts produce a book about Robin’s mother, Lucimarian Roberts. Now, the world knows that Robin Roberts is facing a life-and-death challenge this year. What you probably don’t know is the story of the spiritual matriarch at the helm of Roberts’ big family. That’s Missy’s story, today.

4 IAN CHENEY:
EYE-POPPING PBS FILM

Back in 2007, Ian Cheney brought us King Corn, a film that fans praise as a wake up call to the overwhelming dominance of corn in American culture. (Farmers and ranchers were not so happy.) But, on July 5, 2012, PBS’s award-winning POV series will premiere Ian’s latest film, “The City Dark.” In one hour of remarkable filmmaking, Cheney not only raises some urgent ecological questions—but he also touches on deep spiritual questions. ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm reviews Ian’s new film The City Dark and explains how you can see it on TV—or online.

5 JOE SACCO:
NEW LANGUAGE OF COMICS

Famous comics journalist Joe Sacco is the first Maltese-American writer we have featured in our pages. We mention that because Sacco’s life was shaped by his birth on Malta and his childhood in Australia. By the time he became an American, he already was well aware of the world’s breadth. Joe Sacco also is the most controversial “star” in today’s list of 13. There are nearly as many foes as fans of his provocative reporting in comic form. In reviewing his new hardback collection, Journalism, ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm argues that we should set aside our political arguments with Sacco. Instead, we should recognize that he is helping to create a new global language in news media.

6 CARRIE NEWCOMER:
CONNECTING WEST & EAST

Quaker folk musician Carrie Newcomer is as middle American as a Norman Rockwell painting. She even helps to fix hot dishes if a family in her congregation needs a hand. She once wrote a song celebrating the quirky names of Indiana’s county fairs. But she also is a restless creative spirit who is carving out new blends of traditional American and Indian music. Read our story about her album, Everything Is Everywhere, and learn how she collaborated with a famous musical ensemble from India.

7 SUSAN SPARKS: LAUGHTER
IS THE BEST MINISTRY

She calls New York City her home. Her church shares a building with a hotel. That’s why, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11/2001, we invited Susan Sparks to write for ReadTheSpirit. We are recommending, today, that readers go back and take in Susan’s column, The Lifeboat of Laughter. In that piece she writes: Humor highlights our commonalties. When we laugh with someone … our worlds overlap for a tiny, but significant moment. … As W.H. Auden wrote, “Love your crooked neighbor with your own crooked heart.” Yes, insipring and wonderfully quotable!

8 JAMES CONE:
THE CONSCIENCE

Born in 1938 in Arkansas, the great theologian James Cone has taught students at New York’s Union Seminary since the 1960s. Watching the resurgence of bigotry in 2012, Cone’s effort to keep Americans from forgetting our history of racism certainly is timely.
In our most recent profile of Cone’s work, we wrote about him: He is eager to link together the many hard-won conclusions that he has drawn in his long career and, as a modern-day prophet, to sum up his central message for this new century. His newest book, The Cross and the Lynching Tree, is an important testament in that effort—if you care about bridging America’s racial divide.

9 The Goodwin Family:
More than a ‘Year of Plenty’

From the East Coast to the West Coast: The Goodwin family sprang onto the national scene with, “Year of Plenty,” a book about radically reorganizing their family’s patterns of gardening, eating, shopping and overall consumption. In summer 2012, you may enjoy revisting our 2011 interview with the Goodwins. At that time, we called their book brilliant and innovative. We wrote: This Norman Rockwell family sewed together a patchwork quilt of principles that real people can duplicate—and that takes the century-old adage “Think Globally, Act Locally” one step further. The Goodwins managed to “Think Locally, Act Globally”!
Take a moment with the Goodwins. They may change your family’s life.

10 JUDITH FEIN:
RETHINK TRAVELING

It’s summer. Millions are on the move. But, as you hit the road, are you thinking about the spiritual possibilities in your journey? Learn about The Transformative Magic of Travel with veteran travel writer Judith Fein, author of Life Is a Trip.

11 Saloma Furlong:
A Pilgrimage from the Amish

Millions of Americans saw a short version of Saloma Furlong’s story in the landmark broadcast of the two-hour PBS documentary, The Amish. Saloma is a rare and important new author, because she isn’t an outsider looking into Amish life. She comes from generations of Amish and tells her story in a memoir, Why I Left the Amish. This summer, millions of Americans will cruise through Amish communities nationwide, regarding these families with a nostalgia for our collective past. Meet Saloma Furlong and read about the real depth of Amish culture.

12 Fran McKendree:
MUSIC CAN MOVE THE WORLD

Musician Fran McKendree barnstorms the country week after week, leading retreats, performing at conferences and using music to stir men and women to wake up the sacred vocation that often is stifled within them. Fran regularly keeps in touch with ReadTheSpirit and we know that, above and beyond his work with church groups across the U.S., Fran is using his studio to send even more moving music out into the world. Want a vivid example of this? Read our story about Fran McKendree and his song, Times Like These.

13: Benjamin Pratt:
‘Bread & Hunger Games’

Finally, here’s a special gift to readers from the author Benjamin Pratt. Over many years, Ben has been both an expert on pastoral care—and a liteary scholar specializing in the works of various authors. Today, Ben Pratt closes our circle of 13 stars by offering us a meditation that you are free to share, connecting three elements: our daily bread, The Hunger Games novels, and a courageous story of a musical peacemaker in Eastern Europe. Please, make time for ‘Bread & Hunger Games’ by Benjamin Pratt.

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Originally published at readthespirit.com, an online magazine covering religion and cultural diversity.

Daniel Buttry: We Are the Socks

June 30, 2012 by

Here is the story that is circling the world, by the Rev. Daniel Buttry, a popular author and an international peacemaker for American Baptist Churches. His latest book is Blessed Are the Peacemakers. You’ll also find Dan in our 2012 July 4 series on 13 great Americans.
As he travels and talks about his work, Dan tells about a day that socks—simple socks—changed his awareness of God’s calls in our world.
Here is Dan’s original story …

We Are the Socks

By DANIEL L BUTTRY

I was packing—as I have packed for trips countless times throughout my life. It’s what I do, like most of us turn off an alarm clock, get dressed and grab a cup of coffee before heading to work. My preparations were automatic, well-honed from decades of circling the world. This time, I was heading to Liberia, where I have worked a number of times—but this time …

This time turned out to be different. And, it started with that clear verbal instruction I heard in my mind: “Pack some extra socks.” Now, you know that I am a Baptist minister and I pray regularly, but believe me: I’m not used to hearing such clear verbal instructions. And this one was so odd! Of all the answers to prayer I could have received, come on: Pack extra socks!?! But, the message was so clear. And I noticed that I had a little extra space in my bag. So, I did it. I packed more socks.

In Liberia I conducted a series of conflict transformation workshops. The last workshop was a two-day training at Providence Baptist Church in the center of the capital city of Monrovia. During a break, a young man came up to me to talk more intensely about some of the content in the training. We later had lunch together, and following the lunch we were hanging out in the workshop room. At some point he mentioned that he walked to church—he was a member at Providence as well as attending the workshop. I asked where he lived, and he said “New Georgia.” New Georgia! I knew where that was, a community way outside of town. He walked two hours one way, then two hours back, twice a week. He’d walked two hours to get to my workshop that day!

Then he took off his shoes. In all my travels I’ve never had anyone take off their shoes to show me their feet. In many cultures people take off their shoes or sandals before coming inside a room as a sign of respect, but this young man removed his shoes in the middle of our conversation to show me his feet. They were covered with sores. He had the hard leather dress shoes my parents used to make me wear to church decades ago—and no socks.

The next day was this man’s birthday. Finally, I could see the meaning of that voice in my head! I was able to give him many socks, some anti-biotic cream for his sores, and adhesive bandages to cover the wounds until they healed. I was stunned at the kindness of God to care for this man’s hurting feet, a man who walked two hours to church on wounded feet with hard shoes and no socks. I was brought half-way around the world to meet a need. Just as God cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, God was caring for this man.

But I was haunted by what happened. I was training among people who had been traumatized by a vicious war that left over 100,000 dead and countless people homeless. How could God care about this man getting socks when so many had lost their lives? Thousands who survived the conflict needed far more profound care than socks. Was God straining out a gnat of need and letting a camel of misery go down the drain? My initial celebration of discovering a need for the socks quickly soured under these searing questions and the reality of the overwhelming suffering in Liberia.

Quite a while later, I was in a worship service at my home church—just coming as I was into the presence of the Lord. Like that first silent voice, another message slipped very clearly into my mind: “You are the socks.” God knew about the need of all those traumatized by the war. God had me take the socks to a man who needed them to show that God knows and cares intimately about our pains and our lives. But it was not about socks. It was about my call. God knows the profound scarring and damage from the war, and all the other wars on our planet. There are people in need, and I am called to be socks to cover those wounds, to aid in the healing process. I am the socks.

Of course, it’s not all on me. Many other people are called to help in the conflicts in Liberia, Kenya, India, Burma, Georgia, Lebanon, Mexico, the Philippines and so many other places. Each person in his or her own way can open themselves to such a call, not knowing how or where it may come. Calls may take a multitude of forms. You might hear a voice like I heard about the socks, but that kind of experience is very rare in my own life. A call may come simply in the moment that something mundane suddenly is made clear to you.

A call can come to any one of us—at any time. And, if we are aware of it, then we must respond.

One thing I have learned: We’re all the socks in some way.

Do you know the need God has created you to cover and to ease?

————

Want more inspiring stories by Daniel Buttry? Dan is the international peace trainer and negotiator for American Baptist Churches. He circles the globe helping to build healthier communities in the midst of dangerous conflicts. Dan’s latest book is Blessed Are the Peacemakers, including stories of dozens of men and women who risked their lives on behalf of peace.