While catching up on my news this morning I found this story on http://andersonindependent.com/:
An autopsy found that asphyxiation by strangulation caused the death of Xavier Brown, a 19-year-old Anderson man who was found dead in his prison cell Thursday morning. The autopsy was performed Friday, and Lee County Deputy Coroner Larry Logan reported the findings. Josh Gelinas, spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Corrections, confirmed that Brown was found in a general population cell he shared with another inmate. Gelinas said a sheet was wrapped around Brown’s neck. He was pronounced dead by Lee Logan at 10:15 a.m. Logan said that when he arrived, a corrections department investigator was at the scene and Brown’s body was locked inside his cell. Gelinas could not comment on whether Brown had been receiving medical or psychiatric treatment before his death. Gelinas said the Department of Corrections and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are conducting separate investigations of Brown’s death.
Below is a comment on this story from a reader:
"So just to clear the record-a man was found dead in his cell. His cell mate was there with him....no deputy saw the man as he was dying, did anyone call for help or did the deputy not hear anything. Did this person(prisoner) give the arresting officers a bad time???.....A note to ponder-while a person is being held as a prisoner-is he not in the care of the people that put him in the jail cell???"
The comments above express some of my sentiments. As I read this story, my heart just broke. This young man probably felt so alone and hopeless. Is this the outcome we want from imprisonment? Another commentor on this story remarked that Xavier Brown had "a good head on his shoulders...just made one mistake."
My thoughts and prayers and with the Brown family today and all of those who feel hopeless and alone in their imprisonment. May they always know of the love of God and neighbor.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
True Anguish
I am a feeler. I am, most often, deeply affected by my experiences and the powerful experiences of others. When I began this blog, I assumed that I would feel anguished most Wednesdays after my Cross and the State class. I just knew that I would be experience anguish related to the death penalty, the pain of the victims, and the alone-ness of prisoners. I soon found out that this was not always going to be the case. During my time in this class I have met some amazing human beings and felt the Spirit moving in seemingly dire situations. While I have only been able to visit the prison in Jackson a handful of times, I am thankful for the encounters and conversations I have been blessed to share with the men there. So, while there have been moments of hopeful joy for me this semester, the past few weeks have, indeed, been chock full of anguish. Because of this intense anguish I have been feeling, I have not blogged in approximately three weeks. It is not that I haven't been reflecting on my experiences or devouring reading material on the justice system in the U.S.-I just haven't been able to fully process or even talk about my thoughts and feelings with others.
The week before Spring Break, we toured the Dekalb County jail. This was not originally part of our course, but after several students (including myself) requested that Stan set up a tour for us, there it went on our schedule. The Dekalb County jail is directly off I-285 on Memorial Drive and it is the way many get into the City of Decatur. You cannot miss this structure if you are driving 285-It is a massive circular structure, built in the style of Jeremy Bentham's design (described in an earlier post). The minute we entered this building, I felt that I was entering another world. It felt strangely institutional and disorieting at the same time. In fact, the purpose of the its design is to disorient those held there. For some reason our tour not only disoriented me, but it left me feeling sick to my stomach and deeply, deeply disturbed. And...it wasn't the prisoners or the guards that left me feeling disturbed-it was the atmosphere. The rest of the day for me was a daze, in fact, I came home and wept.
The things I most remember from our tour at the Dekalb County Jail are this:
-A feeling of being at the zoo...prisoners were presented as animals to be observed
-A sense that the structure and atmosphere is meant to scare...terrify...breakdown
-A feeling being close-in, pressed down on, hopeless
Since my experience at the Dekalb County Jail I have not been able to go and visit our friends at Jackson. Life has gotten busy, but I am also scared to go. I am not scared of the people, I am scared of my own feelings and emotions. It is so much easier to ignore the issues surrounding our penal system. It is so much easier to ignore crime. It is so much easier to ignore people who commit crimes. It is so much easier to ignore the victims of crime.
I am eager to see how my experience in Cross in the State will continue to evolve, change, and affect me in the coming months in years. I am hopeful that I will come out of this period of anguish and be able to truly hope and truly work to experience life and the grace of God in every situation, even the Dekalb County Jail.
The week before Spring Break, we toured the Dekalb County jail. This was not originally part of our course, but after several students (including myself) requested that Stan set up a tour for us, there it went on our schedule. The Dekalb County jail is directly off I-285 on Memorial Drive and it is the way many get into the City of Decatur. You cannot miss this structure if you are driving 285-It is a massive circular structure, built in the style of Jeremy Bentham's design (described in an earlier post). The minute we entered this building, I felt that I was entering another world. It felt strangely institutional and disorieting at the same time. In fact, the purpose of the its design is to disorient those held there. For some reason our tour not only disoriented me, but it left me feeling sick to my stomach and deeply, deeply disturbed. And...it wasn't the prisoners or the guards that left me feeling disturbed-it was the atmosphere. The rest of the day for me was a daze, in fact, I came home and wept.
The things I most remember from our tour at the Dekalb County Jail are this:
-A feeling of being at the zoo...prisoners were presented as animals to be observed
-A sense that the structure and atmosphere is meant to scare...terrify...breakdown
-A feeling being close-in, pressed down on, hopeless
Since my experience at the Dekalb County Jail I have not been able to go and visit our friends at Jackson. Life has gotten busy, but I am also scared to go. I am not scared of the people, I am scared of my own feelings and emotions. It is so much easier to ignore the issues surrounding our penal system. It is so much easier to ignore crime. It is so much easier to ignore people who commit crimes. It is so much easier to ignore the victims of crime.
I am eager to see how my experience in Cross in the State will continue to evolve, change, and affect me in the coming months in years. I am hopeful that I will come out of this period of anguish and be able to truly hope and truly work to experience life and the grace of God in every situation, even the Dekalb County Jail.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The Church in the World
I haven't blogged in awhile. There are two reasons for this: my life suddenly got busy and I have been marinating. For the past couple of weeks I have found that readings from my other classes (theology, polity, exegesis) have been colliding with my readings and experiences in the Cross and State class. I have also found that my forays into the world: watching the news on CNN, checking out other blogs, and conversations with my fellow human beings are also colliding with my experiences in Cross and State. Lately I have been thinking a lot about the church in the world (probably because our topic for theology this week is "the nature of the church")
As we approach Easter, I am convicted that the the gospel is about reconciliation. Plain and simple reconciliation by the power of God revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ and continually made possible in our lives through the work of the Holy Spirit. None of us deserve the reconciliation and redemption made possible by Jesus' death and resurrection...it is a free gift of God to all. As Christians who are part of ONE CHURCH, we are called to proclaim this good news and extend it to others on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ. Reconciliation is not our work, but work that we are called to do when we claim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
In thinking about the church's call to Christ's work of redemption and reconciliation I am also thinking about what is going on in our country and the world right now...
The healthcare debate is hot and heavy right now in our country, particularly since it was passed in the House and the Senate. As my father-in-law put it this weekend: 50% of our country is rejoicing and 50% is complaining and Christians are on both sides of the debate. I just read a blog post by a pastor in Anderson, SC entitled "My thoughts on Healthcare Reform...". The first sentence reads, "Short version-it doesn't matter." This pastor goes on to claim that, "Paul never staged a political protest (even though Christians were being set on fire!) Jesus never organized a political rally (even though the Roman army had invaded Israel and were forcing their rule over them.) Jesus was not a Republican...or a Democrat!" This blogger goes onto to encourage Christians to trust in the Sovereign God to take care of things and he includes some thoughts on the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you want to read his whole blog, check it out at http://www.perrynoble.com/.
Now, I don't want to bash this church leader or his thoughts on the gospel, but I do disagree with his thoughts on politics and the church. Jesus was not a Republican or a Democrat because he was not an American. He was a Palestinian Jew and part of the 1st century Roman Empire. What Jesus did on earth shook up the POLITICS of Judaism and the Roman Empire. Think about it: Jesus was crucified at the hands of the government and the religious authorities of his day!
I think the policies of our federal government do matter, particularly for the doctrine of reconciliation. Think about the Theological Declaration of Barmen that is in the PC(U.S.A.)'s Book of Confessions. What if the German Christians had not made this statement against the Nazi Government in the 1930's? Also...check out these thoughts by Amy Plantinga Pauw from my theology reading this week: "Some nineteenth-century American Presbyterians promulgated the doctrine of the "spirituality of the church." They argued that the chuch was not to become involved in social and political matters because its mandate was spiritual: to proclaim the gospel. But by claiming that slavery was a political issue that the church should leave alone, the promulgators of the "spirituality of the church" were not being apolitical: they were defending the institution of slavery."
I don't want this blog to turn into a debate about healthcare or any other particular political debates, but I do want to put out there that I think that God calls us, individually and corporately (as the church), to the work of reconciliation and sometimes that work is in the realm of politics. It was for Jesus when he died on the cross at the hands of Roman authorities, it was for Christians who opposed slavery in the 19th century, it was for the German Confessional Church in 1934, it is for those who feel called to stand up for or against current healthcare reform policy, and it is for me as I advocate against state and federal policies that prohibit reconciliation and redemption for people who are incarcerated in our prison system. As Susan Casey put it last week when she visited with our cross and the state class-redemption is no longer possible for those we execute. Personally, I would like to think that reconciliation and redemption is possible for God even when we humans kill one another, but why do we want to kill and take judgement into our own hands?
If we don't stand up for those things we feel the Spirit is convicting us about then we fail to be followers of Christ. If we don't take a stand against injustice in the world (even if it is in the realm of politics) then we fail to be the church who proclaims the good news of the gospel!
As we approach Easter, I am convicted that the the gospel is about reconciliation. Plain and simple reconciliation by the power of God revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ and continually made possible in our lives through the work of the Holy Spirit. None of us deserve the reconciliation and redemption made possible by Jesus' death and resurrection...it is a free gift of God to all. As Christians who are part of ONE CHURCH, we are called to proclaim this good news and extend it to others on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ. Reconciliation is not our work, but work that we are called to do when we claim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
In thinking about the church's call to Christ's work of redemption and reconciliation I am also thinking about what is going on in our country and the world right now...
The healthcare debate is hot and heavy right now in our country, particularly since it was passed in the House and the Senate. As my father-in-law put it this weekend: 50% of our country is rejoicing and 50% is complaining and Christians are on both sides of the debate. I just read a blog post by a pastor in Anderson, SC entitled "My thoughts on Healthcare Reform...". The first sentence reads, "Short version-it doesn't matter." This pastor goes on to claim that, "Paul never staged a political protest (even though Christians were being set on fire!) Jesus never organized a political rally (even though the Roman army had invaded Israel and were forcing their rule over them.) Jesus was not a Republican...or a Democrat!" This blogger goes onto to encourage Christians to trust in the Sovereign God to take care of things and he includes some thoughts on the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you want to read his whole blog, check it out at http://www.perrynoble.com/.
Now, I don't want to bash this church leader or his thoughts on the gospel, but I do disagree with his thoughts on politics and the church. Jesus was not a Republican or a Democrat because he was not an American. He was a Palestinian Jew and part of the 1st century Roman Empire. What Jesus did on earth shook up the POLITICS of Judaism and the Roman Empire. Think about it: Jesus was crucified at the hands of the government and the religious authorities of his day!
I think the policies of our federal government do matter, particularly for the doctrine of reconciliation. Think about the Theological Declaration of Barmen that is in the PC(U.S.A.)'s Book of Confessions. What if the German Christians had not made this statement against the Nazi Government in the 1930's? Also...check out these thoughts by Amy Plantinga Pauw from my theology reading this week: "Some nineteenth-century American Presbyterians promulgated the doctrine of the "spirituality of the church." They argued that the chuch was not to become involved in social and political matters because its mandate was spiritual: to proclaim the gospel. But by claiming that slavery was a political issue that the church should leave alone, the promulgators of the "spirituality of the church" were not being apolitical: they were defending the institution of slavery."
I don't want this blog to turn into a debate about healthcare or any other particular political debates, but I do want to put out there that I think that God calls us, individually and corporately (as the church), to the work of reconciliation and sometimes that work is in the realm of politics. It was for Jesus when he died on the cross at the hands of Roman authorities, it was for Christians who opposed slavery in the 19th century, it was for the German Confessional Church in 1934, it is for those who feel called to stand up for or against current healthcare reform policy, and it is for me as I advocate against state and federal policies that prohibit reconciliation and redemption for people who are incarcerated in our prison system. As Susan Casey put it last week when she visited with our cross and the state class-redemption is no longer possible for those we execute. Personally, I would like to think that reconciliation and redemption is possible for God even when we humans kill one another, but why do we want to kill and take judgement into our own hands?
If we don't stand up for those things we feel the Spirit is convicting us about then we fail to be followers of Christ. If we don't take a stand against injustice in the world (even if it is in the realm of politics) then we fail to be the church who proclaims the good news of the gospel!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Preaching and The Cross & the State
I find that all of my studies this semester have been further illumined by my readings, experiences, and reflections from my Cross and the State Class. This past Sunday I preached at Fair Play Presbyterian Church in South Carolina. Somehow our class' conversation with Randy Loney from last week made it's way into my sermon (must have been the Spirit!). Here is my sermon from Sunday. I would like to work on some more sermons that further incorporate what I am learning and experiencing through our class this semester. I would also like to note that this sermon received a positive response from the FPPC congregation. Check it out and let me know what you think!
“What God Has Promised”
Joshua 5: 9-12; 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21
I don’t know about y’all, but I feel like this has been a LONG winter and I am so ready for spring! Granted, we have not had as much snow in the southeast as our northern and Midwestern brothers and sisters, but we have certainly had more than we are used to. Over this past week, I have seen and felt several signs of spring, and I have to admit…I am struggling to wait patiently for it to fully arrive. In fact, my aunt, who lives right down the road in Townville, said this last week: “Chickens hatching, goats born and puppy tails, spring has to be close!” I especially crave the arrival of spring when I am here in the upstate of South Carolina. I love living in Atlanta, but the minute I cross into South Carolina on I-85, I feel at home and I feel a deep connection to the land. The Israelites in our passage from Joshua were also exploring their connection to land-the promised land of their new home Canaan. While we are all anticipating the arrival of spring and the planting season, they were anticipating the fruits of the first harvest in Canaan! I imagine that the joy we feel over the arrival of spring is nothing in comparison to the joy experienced over the first harvest of the Israelites in Canaan.
We must remember: we’ve been waiting for the arrival of spring for only a few months, the Israelites waited to inhabit the land of God’s promise for forty years, an entire generation! For years before their journey in the wilderness they had been waiting on the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey to come to fruition. Through famine, oppression in the form of slavery, and desert wanderings they lost hope and confidence in God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” As we see in Joshua 5, God was true to the promise made to Abraham: “the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year”; however, God’s timing was probably not up to the Israelite standards.
Impatience with God’s promises also seems to be alive and well in the life of the Corinthian church that we read about in our New Testament passage today. Just as we ponder at the words, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new”, I am sure the Corinthians did, too. We’re looking for signs of newness present in the arrival of spring and in the state of our world. How can everything be “new” if our world continues to show signs of brokenness? Children are still growing up in abusive homes, slavery is alive and well in parts of our world, and greed is rampant as the poverty rate is growing…where is this new creation? The Corinthians were longing for the return of Christ in light of Roman domination and discord within their community. Paul urges the Corinthians, Paul tells them in the surrounding chapters, “do not lose heart” and “now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation”. Just because Christ was not physically in their midst and just because Christ has not physically returned to be among us, the saying is true: reconciliation and a new start is possible here and now, by the power of Christ!
Reconciliation is tough stuff: it is tough within our families, within our churches, and within society. As tough as reconciliation can be, we must never forget that God goes with us, aiding our reconciliation attempts. Whenever the power of our strength and our love is not enough, God is there working through us. I would like to share a story of reconciliation that I find incredibly powerful: Earlier this week, I met with my new friend Randy who serves as a pastor for men on death row in Georgia. Over our two hour conversation, Randy shared stories of the men he visits with weekly. All of the men that Randy ministers to are murders, waiting to be killed themselves. If anyone is waiting for promises of new life and reconciliation, it is some of these men, their families, and the families of their victims. One of the stories Randy shared with us speaks deeply to our passages today. One young man he visited on death row had killed his mother, father, and sister. Every year his grandparents and aunt, the family members of his victims, came to visit him in prison. They would always meet Randy at the local truck stop restaurant after visiting their grandson and nephew. They shared with Randy that they had forgiven their grandson for his murderous actions because that is what their Christian faith led them to do. They were frustrated; however, because he did not respond to their forgiveness and love when they visited. They would sit quietly with him, occasionally talking of the weather, but the family shared no conversations of substance. Finally, after they had been visiting him annually for a decade, he broke down with remorse and accepted their forgiveness. In 2 Corinthians, God promises new creation and reconciliation, but the family of the young man on death row had to wait over a decade for these promises to come to fruition.
Reconciliation is a vital part of God’s promise of new life found in Christ. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians: “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us”. I can’t help but wonder: maybe we can’t always see the new creation promised in Christ because we don’t take our charge as ambassadors of reconciliation seriously. As the Interpretation Commentary on 2 Corinthians puts it:
“We can’t claim peace with God unless we are at peace with our neighbors…The theme of restoration of an original ‘Golden Age’ is found in many cultures; it appeals to something in all of us which longs for a fresh beginning. With Paul, however, this longing is no longer a wish about a faraway future, but a present reality. Through his cross and resurrection, Jesus Christ has already created his followers anew.”
We must trust that we have already been reconciled to God: in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We must also remember that the time is here and now for reconciliation with God and neighbor. If reconciliation and the promise of new life is possible in the bowels of a prison, then it is possible for us, here and now. There may be times when we, like the Israelites, think that God’s timing is not up to our standards, but believe me, it is. God gave the Israelites a land and a work to do and in our passage from 2 Corinthians God gives us a land and a work to do as well. Our work is the ministry of reconciliation and our land is the whole earth, each person we encounter in life. Our task is to be ambassadors for Christ, to help usher in God’s new creation.
While we are waiting for spring, in our Christian life, we are also in the midst of waiting for Easter, when yet again, we will be reminded that we are made new by the transforming power of Christ. Today, we will gather around this table to break the bread and share the cup. May this be a joyful feast, as it was for the Israelites in Gigal as they feasted on the produce of the land. Let this be a glimpse of God’s new creation, let this be a taste of reconciliation as the Spirit lifts our hearts to God to gather around the table with all believers in every time and place. Brother and sisters, children of God-Hear the good news: Just as there was a day that the Israelites no longer ate manna in the wilderness, there will be a day when we will no longer feast around this human table, but we will feast at the table of the Lord at the heavenly banquet of the cosmos! Because what God has promised, God has done and continues to do.
“What God Has Promised”
Joshua 5: 9-12; 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21
I don’t know about y’all, but I feel like this has been a LONG winter and I am so ready for spring! Granted, we have not had as much snow in the southeast as our northern and Midwestern brothers and sisters, but we have certainly had more than we are used to. Over this past week, I have seen and felt several signs of spring, and I have to admit…I am struggling to wait patiently for it to fully arrive. In fact, my aunt, who lives right down the road in Townville, said this last week: “Chickens hatching, goats born and puppy tails, spring has to be close!” I especially crave the arrival of spring when I am here in the upstate of South Carolina. I love living in Atlanta, but the minute I cross into South Carolina on I-85, I feel at home and I feel a deep connection to the land. The Israelites in our passage from Joshua were also exploring their connection to land-the promised land of their new home Canaan. While we are all anticipating the arrival of spring and the planting season, they were anticipating the fruits of the first harvest in Canaan! I imagine that the joy we feel over the arrival of spring is nothing in comparison to the joy experienced over the first harvest of the Israelites in Canaan.
We must remember: we’ve been waiting for the arrival of spring for only a few months, the Israelites waited to inhabit the land of God’s promise for forty years, an entire generation! For years before their journey in the wilderness they had been waiting on the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey to come to fruition. Through famine, oppression in the form of slavery, and desert wanderings they lost hope and confidence in God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” As we see in Joshua 5, God was true to the promise made to Abraham: “the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year”; however, God’s timing was probably not up to the Israelite standards.
Impatience with God’s promises also seems to be alive and well in the life of the Corinthian church that we read about in our New Testament passage today. Just as we ponder at the words, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new”, I am sure the Corinthians did, too. We’re looking for signs of newness present in the arrival of spring and in the state of our world. How can everything be “new” if our world continues to show signs of brokenness? Children are still growing up in abusive homes, slavery is alive and well in parts of our world, and greed is rampant as the poverty rate is growing…where is this new creation? The Corinthians were longing for the return of Christ in light of Roman domination and discord within their community. Paul urges the Corinthians, Paul tells them in the surrounding chapters, “do not lose heart” and “now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation”. Just because Christ was not physically in their midst and just because Christ has not physically returned to be among us, the saying is true: reconciliation and a new start is possible here and now, by the power of Christ!
Reconciliation is tough stuff: it is tough within our families, within our churches, and within society. As tough as reconciliation can be, we must never forget that God goes with us, aiding our reconciliation attempts. Whenever the power of our strength and our love is not enough, God is there working through us. I would like to share a story of reconciliation that I find incredibly powerful: Earlier this week, I met with my new friend Randy who serves as a pastor for men on death row in Georgia. Over our two hour conversation, Randy shared stories of the men he visits with weekly. All of the men that Randy ministers to are murders, waiting to be killed themselves. If anyone is waiting for promises of new life and reconciliation, it is some of these men, their families, and the families of their victims. One of the stories Randy shared with us speaks deeply to our passages today. One young man he visited on death row had killed his mother, father, and sister. Every year his grandparents and aunt, the family members of his victims, came to visit him in prison. They would always meet Randy at the local truck stop restaurant after visiting their grandson and nephew. They shared with Randy that they had forgiven their grandson for his murderous actions because that is what their Christian faith led them to do. They were frustrated; however, because he did not respond to their forgiveness and love when they visited. They would sit quietly with him, occasionally talking of the weather, but the family shared no conversations of substance. Finally, after they had been visiting him annually for a decade, he broke down with remorse and accepted their forgiveness. In 2 Corinthians, God promises new creation and reconciliation, but the family of the young man on death row had to wait over a decade for these promises to come to fruition.
Reconciliation is a vital part of God’s promise of new life found in Christ. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians: “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us”. I can’t help but wonder: maybe we can’t always see the new creation promised in Christ because we don’t take our charge as ambassadors of reconciliation seriously. As the Interpretation Commentary on 2 Corinthians puts it:
“We can’t claim peace with God unless we are at peace with our neighbors…The theme of restoration of an original ‘Golden Age’ is found in many cultures; it appeals to something in all of us which longs for a fresh beginning. With Paul, however, this longing is no longer a wish about a faraway future, but a present reality. Through his cross and resurrection, Jesus Christ has already created his followers anew.”
We must trust that we have already been reconciled to God: in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We must also remember that the time is here and now for reconciliation with God and neighbor. If reconciliation and the promise of new life is possible in the bowels of a prison, then it is possible for us, here and now. There may be times when we, like the Israelites, think that God’s timing is not up to our standards, but believe me, it is. God gave the Israelites a land and a work to do and in our passage from 2 Corinthians God gives us a land and a work to do as well. Our work is the ministry of reconciliation and our land is the whole earth, each person we encounter in life. Our task is to be ambassadors for Christ, to help usher in God’s new creation.
While we are waiting for spring, in our Christian life, we are also in the midst of waiting for Easter, when yet again, we will be reminded that we are made new by the transforming power of Christ. Today, we will gather around this table to break the bread and share the cup. May this be a joyful feast, as it was for the Israelites in Gigal as they feasted on the produce of the land. Let this be a glimpse of God’s new creation, let this be a taste of reconciliation as the Spirit lifts our hearts to God to gather around the table with all believers in every time and place. Brother and sisters, children of God-Hear the good news: Just as there was a day that the Israelites no longer ate manna in the wilderness, there will be a day when we will no longer feast around this human table, but we will feast at the table of the Lord at the heavenly banquet of the cosmos! Because what God has promised, God has done and continues to do.
Monday, March 8, 2010
"The Round House"
It sure is interesting how my classes in seminary always seem to speak to one another and the current situation of my life...
I am currently working on paper for my Hebrew exegesis class on Genesis 40: 1-8. This passage is part of the Joseph narrative. In chapter 39, Joseph was put into prison by pharoah for alledgedly trying to rape Potiphar's wife. In chapter 40, two of pharoah's officers are put into the same prison because they sinned against pharoah and made him angry. The prison is referred to as "the round house". Now, the NRSV does not translate it as "the round house", but I do. The phrase is in construct: בבית הסהר. The first word (in Hebrew word order) is "in a house" and the second is "the roundness". I choose to translate this as "the round house" and BDB (Hebrew and English lexicon) seems to agree :) I find this incredibly interesting, particularly because of what Abramsky tells us about prison architecture in his book, American Furies. In 1787, English philosopher Jeremy Bentham developed a circular prison model where "every nook and cranny was accessible to the warden from his central command post" (page 18). This architectural design/prison model for behavioral modification did not take off the ground in the 18th century; however, this model is alive and well in the new 'Supermax' prisons of the 21st century. For all of you Decatur peeps, check out the DeKalb County Jail off of Memorial Drive. I find this connection very interesting and intriguing and I am continuing to think about it.
On another note,
In regard to the visit of the Metro State choir, Voices of Hope, visit to CTS last Wednesday-all I can say is THANKS BE TO GOD. Thank you, Lord, for this amazing experience and thank you for your presence in the lives of all of your children, no matter where they are. These women were truly inspiring and voices of hope in a broken world...a world where we are ALL held captive to sin and broken beyond measure.
I am currently working on paper for my Hebrew exegesis class on Genesis 40: 1-8. This passage is part of the Joseph narrative. In chapter 39, Joseph was put into prison by pharoah for alledgedly trying to rape Potiphar's wife. In chapter 40, two of pharoah's officers are put into the same prison because they sinned against pharoah and made him angry. The prison is referred to as "the round house". Now, the NRSV does not translate it as "the round house", but I do. The phrase is in construct: בבית הסהר. The first word (in Hebrew word order) is "in a house" and the second is "the roundness". I choose to translate this as "the round house" and BDB (Hebrew and English lexicon) seems to agree :) I find this incredibly interesting, particularly because of what Abramsky tells us about prison architecture in his book, American Furies. In 1787, English philosopher Jeremy Bentham developed a circular prison model where "every nook and cranny was accessible to the warden from his central command post" (page 18). This architectural design/prison model for behavioral modification did not take off the ground in the 18th century; however, this model is alive and well in the new 'Supermax' prisons of the 21st century. For all of you Decatur peeps, check out the DeKalb County Jail off of Memorial Drive. I find this connection very interesting and intriguing and I am continuing to think about it.
On another note,
In regard to the visit of the Metro State choir, Voices of Hope, visit to CTS last Wednesday-all I can say is THANKS BE TO GOD. Thank you, Lord, for this amazing experience and thank you for your presence in the lives of all of your children, no matter where they are. These women were truly inspiring and voices of hope in a broken world...a world where we are ALL held captive to sin and broken beyond measure.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
According to the Book of Order...
This semester I am taking the Cross and the State class along with Presbyterian History and Polity. I am actually beginning to like the Book of Order...alot (and so are several of my classmates)! I assume that most of us know that Jesus encourages his followers to visit the imprisoned (check out Matthew 25); however, did you know that the PC(U.S.A.)'s Book of Order does, too?!
"God send the church in the powr of the Holy Spirit to exercise compassion to the world,
a. feeding the hungry
b. comforting the grieving
c. caring for the sick
d. visiting the prisoners
e. freeing the captives
f. sheltering the homeless
g. befriending the lonely"
W-7.3000
I am by no means saying the the BOO has more authority than Scripture, but as Presbyterian Christians we have Scripture and the tradition of the church encouraging us to live out our faith through specific activities. Many churches are powerful advocates of the homeless, hungry, sick, grieving, and lonely...how many do the same thing for the prisoners and captives?
Stan shared with us in class on Wednesday that the churches traditionally involved in prison ministry include Catholics, Evangelical Protestants, and Peace Churches (Mennonite and Quaker). Several days later, in light of what I have read in the BOO, I am still puzzled as to why the PC(U.S.A.) denomination is not more involved in prison ministry. To be honest, I can easily think of reasons as to why this is true, but I think they are rather petty and insignificant. You know, visiting the imprisoned is not pretty or easy, but God is there...in EVERY prison. And, where God is, that is where we are called to be as followers of Christ. I pray that I will have the strength to live out all the components of compassion listed in the BOO in my life as one answering the call to serve.
My last question...what do y'all think?
"God send the church in the powr of the Holy Spirit to exercise compassion to the world,
a. feeding the hungry
b. comforting the grieving
c. caring for the sick
d. visiting the prisoners
e. freeing the captives
f. sheltering the homeless
g. befriending the lonely"
W-7.3000
I am by no means saying the the BOO has more authority than Scripture, but as Presbyterian Christians we have Scripture and the tradition of the church encouraging us to live out our faith through specific activities. Many churches are powerful advocates of the homeless, hungry, sick, grieving, and lonely...how many do the same thing for the prisoners and captives?
Stan shared with us in class on Wednesday that the churches traditionally involved in prison ministry include Catholics, Evangelical Protestants, and Peace Churches (Mennonite and Quaker). Several days later, in light of what I have read in the BOO, I am still puzzled as to why the PC(U.S.A.) denomination is not more involved in prison ministry. To be honest, I can easily think of reasons as to why this is true, but I think they are rather petty and insignificant. You know, visiting the imprisoned is not pretty or easy, but God is there...in EVERY prison. And, where God is, that is where we are called to be as followers of Christ. I pray that I will have the strength to live out all the components of compassion listed in the BOO in my life as one answering the call to serve.
My last question...what do y'all think?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Attempting to thoughtfully reflect
Last night I enjoyed fellowship and conversation with several good friends at a local establishment. At one point I brought up my experience in the Cross and State class and my blog. All of the friends present are followers of my blog and know some about the feelings this class and its readings have brought to the surface for me. Before this class I never thought I would be passionate about the caceral system in the United States or even capital punishment. I always heard of people who advocated for the rights of those imprisoned, but I never thought I would be one of those people. I was always rather indifferent on these issues, however, I realize now that I am one of those people. Will and I talk about this class, our readings, and our blogs almost everyday. Our experiences thus far have greatly affected our hearts, souls, and minds. I shared with my friends last night that I hope my sharing about my experiences never becomes overwhelming or annoying to them. In all actuality, I know it probably will. I am they type of person who shares my feelings about most things I experience in life, so why would I be any different with my experience with the Cross and State class? When I become involved with something (the church, local volunteer opportunities, sports teams, causes) I become extremely passionate about it. I don't just get involved with something on the periphery, I dive all the way in and I can sense that is what I am doing now. I now read Scripture, Reformed Confessions, news stories, and even literature in a new light.
The one problem with my newly aroused passion and awareness of the caceral system in the U.S. is that I find myself only focusing on those who were convicted of commiting crimes, not those who are the victims of these crimes.
The state of Georgia currently has a little over 100 people on death row. My home state of South Carolina currently has 56 people on death row, one of whom was sentenced to death in my home county (Anderson) on Thursday. Here is the link to this story:
http://www.andersonindependent.com/news/2010/feb/19/rivera-now-one-56-death-row-sc/
This story changes things a bit for me and challenges me and my faith in Jesus Christ. This man, Raymondeze Rivera, killed two young mothers in my home county. Before the jury went in to deliberate for 4 1/2 hours at the Anderson County Courthouse on Thursday, Mr. Rivera asked for the death penalty. If I was on that jury, what would I have done? I still don't agree with state-sponsored execution, but this man deserved to be punished and he asked for the death penalty. While I feel a kinship with the two women who he murdered, what would I feel if the women he killed were my close friends or family members?
In state of Georgia, one can be sentenced to death for three crimes: murder, rape, kidnapping. The thought of these crimes makes my stomach churn, particularly if they involve children. What I am struggling with today is...where do I go from here? My heart aches for the life of Melbert Ray Ford who is scheduled to be executed by the state of Georgia on Tuesday (2/23/10), but my heart burns with anger and compassion for the victims of Mr. Ford and Mr. Rivera. As a follower of Christ, what do I do? Do I live in this tension or choose a side?
The one problem with my newly aroused passion and awareness of the caceral system in the U.S. is that I find myself only focusing on those who were convicted of commiting crimes, not those who are the victims of these crimes.
The state of Georgia currently has a little over 100 people on death row. My home state of South Carolina currently has 56 people on death row, one of whom was sentenced to death in my home county (Anderson) on Thursday. Here is the link to this story:
http://www.andersonindependent.com/news/2010/feb/19/rivera-now-one-56-death-row-sc/
This story changes things a bit for me and challenges me and my faith in Jesus Christ. This man, Raymondeze Rivera, killed two young mothers in my home county. Before the jury went in to deliberate for 4 1/2 hours at the Anderson County Courthouse on Thursday, Mr. Rivera asked for the death penalty. If I was on that jury, what would I have done? I still don't agree with state-sponsored execution, but this man deserved to be punished and he asked for the death penalty. While I feel a kinship with the two women who he murdered, what would I feel if the women he killed were my close friends or family members?
In state of Georgia, one can be sentenced to death for three crimes: murder, rape, kidnapping. The thought of these crimes makes my stomach churn, particularly if they involve children. What I am struggling with today is...where do I go from here? My heart aches for the life of Melbert Ray Ford who is scheduled to be executed by the state of Georgia on Tuesday (2/23/10), but my heart burns with anger and compassion for the victims of Mr. Ford and Mr. Rivera. As a follower of Christ, what do I do? Do I live in this tension or choose a side?
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