Mardi Tindal
Critics and Conversations
Posted on: 07/31/2012 07:55
I’ve been overwhelmed by the tweets about my response to Margaret Wente’s Globe and Mail article on ‘The collapse of the liberal church.’ Thank you!
And this morning’s letters to the editor in the Globe contribute more to these important conversations, as does Lawrence Martin’s ‘Religion’s fair game if it motivates politics.’
General Secretary Nora Sanders and I decided together that she would write a letter to the editor and I would offer my response on our website. That has worked out well.
Never fear the critics. I repeat what I’ve learned well from Parker Palmer: “There’s almost always something to be learned from critics.”
And more importantly, Jesus exhorts us to not fear.
We are blessed by the conversations…
Opportunities to participate in God’s healing of soul, community and creation!
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Comments
Alex
Posted on: 07/31/2012 11:08
Way to go!
spirit wind 7
Posted on: 08/01/2012 14:02
The Old Testament is full of political work and energy. Walter Bruggemann has a study on this very thing... it's not new for religion and politics to mix it up.
I agree that Harper's right wing agenda is religiously motivated, and ours is Jesus motivated. The factor of love and fairness in any market scheme when deleted, or ignored, turns into greed. The two global market crashes stem directly from that system that takes people for a ride and the results have been the 'money changing tables' have been upended.
The church needs to be watchful of its own part as we work to change it to be fair and equitable for everyone. True, enough, we each have our own take on Scriptural passages. The walk and talk of Jesus was: Love God, who made you, loves you beyond anything you can imagine...then you can love yourself...and so then you know how to love your neighbour. The order of that verse speaks volumes. God, us, others.
It also includes Creation itself. Our life on this amazing planet will end as we kill off our ability to breathe untainted air, drink clean water, and grow food in good, rich soil.
Economy and Health are partners for life with Creation. Change it around....Creation is an equal partner with Health and Economy. Any way you move those pieces, any one of them left out, or compromised the puzzle cannot be a whole picture. It breaks down and is destoyed by the Players.
We are Players. The Church, and certainly the United Church has claimed its message loud and clear and has a deeply invested role in being a Player and passing on the loving legacy of our loving Creator's air, water, earth, fire...to generations to come.
Our First Nations are in the front line of destruction heading straight for them..again. We need to listen to them and follow their lead as we wing our way to the 41st GC in Ottawa. Listen to the young people who will inherit what we leave behind.
To make an idol of the economy and destroy what gives life is deadly. We are called to love God and our neighbour as ourself. How we treat others measures that love. Creation is all of us and everything beyond us: space, the Universe itself.
God made everything....so, we do not own Earth, or what's in it, or on it... BUT, we do own our own thinking and actions and the results of these.
Individually, or collectively, in every choice we make we choose to be part of a problem, or to be part of the solution. Sitting on the fence is death by default. So economy is political, and faith is the call to politcal action, when political powers are bringing Earth's life to its knees.
Does anyone really believe that money can buy life, if the soil cannot grow food? The air is unbreathable? Or, the lowered sperm count around the Oil Sands and the affected areas it has seeped into, will go up.....
with anything but changing how..things are done..... Because we have decided for life instead of gain?
May God bless the GC's 41st meeting and all Commissioners, guests, and those who dare heed the Call to offer themselves to be the next Moderator.
And thank you Mardi Tindal for calling us to wake up and renew our vital need to love Creation..for Life depends on it. You have been a blessing! God speed in your leave-taking and following the Spirit in new and energizing ministries along your path.
There is no doubt, you will continue to be a blessing!
Namaste!