Marty on Falwell

Martin Marty wrote a telling eulogy of Jerry Falwell (well, sort of…) in his regular Sightings column (published by the University of Chicago Divinity School) last week. In it, he says, “Falwell is best viewed from the perspective of what has been called "historical" or "(Reinhold) Niebuhrian" irony. In such irony a human agent — in this case, Falwell — acts, forgetting that while his humanness commits him to acting with an intention to use his knowledge, power, security, and virtue, his ignorance, weakness, insecurity, and vice compromise or even counter the intention.” You can read the rest here.

The public mind’s concept of a church actively involved in society seems to have morphed during the Falwell years, as stridency drowned out decades of more thoughtful perspectives. That loss has hurt both the mainline churches and the people at large. Perhaps we can begin to recapture some of that loss by speaking more quietly, but with no less conviction.

Meeting Them Where You Can

Two recent items highlight the variety of ways in which parishes in the Diocese are reaching out in their ministries. The Rogantion Day service at Church of the Good Shepherd, Montoursville, got a nice write-up in the Williamsport Sun Gazette. You can see it here. The article pictures Christine Purcell and John Hoover, and it includes a short history of the Rogation Day observances.

Now, for something completely different….. what happens when you invite a large group of motorcycle riders over for a “blessing of the bikes” and a nice, slow ride on Mother’s Day? Well, as the folks at St. Andrew's, Shippensburg, discovered, you get a great turnout, you get an opportunity to have more than a dozen local businesses underwrite the event, and you can raise some serious money for outreach projects. Those aren’t exactly traditional vestments that Janice Fritz and Ted Babcock are wearing, but talk about meeting the people where they are….

Working at Religion

Alex Beam wrote an interesting piece in the Boston Globe last week entitled “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” You can read it here. Beam castigates both the conservative and the progressive for their propensity to flee or find something else rather than hunkering down and doing the hard work that’s required to make an enterprise as complex as the Episcopal Church work. The parishes that are most healthy are those that have collectively engaged in this work, and that foster a sense of trust, meaning, and purpose. Beam concludes by noting that, “It is… hard work to worship alongside people who may not share your precise beliefs, or your sexual orientation. It's so much easier to start your own church, or to pretend that someone in Africa has the answer to your problems, or to worship a rock star with tinted glasses.” Easier, perhaps, but a lot less satisfying when all is said and done.