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Friday, December 29, 2006
 People often ask me what I'm reading. This year, I read a lot of books on politics—and was impressed by a number of important books such as State of Denial, The Looming Tower, and The Audacity of Hope. But my favorite books of 2006 mostly go beyond the bestseller list and include:
The Last Week by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. Borg and Crossan's careful study of Mark's account of the Passion is one of the most interesting exegetical treatments of Jesus' death I've ever read. I taught an Introduction to the Bible for several years at an undergraduate college—but Borg and Crossan taught me things I never knew. Especially noteworthy: their exegesis of the "Render unto Caesar" passage and their discussion of Palm Sunday. Some people stereotype Borg and Crossan, but The Last Week breaks through many of those presuppositions. With its passion for personal and political transformation, this book will surprise you. Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor. This is a wonderful, literary, and tender memoir of the pastoral life—and Ms. Brown Taylor's eventual exit from her pulpit to become a college professor. It is not, however, a story of loss. Instead, she writes of "leaving church" to find a broader participation in the priesthood of all believers, the "human church," to which we all belong. She raises some difficult questions—that will upset some readers—in an inviting and intelligent way. Tempting Faith, by David Kuo. Not only is Kuo's book an honest assessment of religion in the Bush Administration, but it stands with Chuck Colson's Born Again and Mark Hatfield's Between a Rock and a Hard Place as a classic of evangelical spiritual memoir in relation to politics. Kudos to Kuo for both strong content and reinvigorating an important genre in spiritual autobiography. Mind the Light, by J. Brent Bill. This is not a "big" book. Rather, it is, like Bill's earlier piece, Holy Silence, a small, gentle take on Quaker spirituality. He walks his readers through a path to encounter God's light—complete with "illuminating" exercises for individuals and groups. A refreshing book full of good news—especially in contrast to all the darkness in the world today. Both The Shia Revival by Vali Nasr and The Faith Club by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner examine important issues in understanding tensions between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Although very different, one scholarly (Nasr) and the other deeply personal (Idliby et al), these books move from theory and theology to the impact of religious difference in the contemporary world. Finally, All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming is the fifth in her Reverend Clare Fergusson mystery series—and it is clearly the best. Here, the priest-detective becomes a suspect in the murder of her almost-lover's wife and the narrative is full of ruminations on doubt, sin, and guilt. And the mystery is appropriately grim and grisly with an ending that I never could have guessed. Spencer-Fleming left me breathless waiting for the next installment! Diana Butler Bass (www.dianabutlerbass.com) is a regular blogger for God's Politics and a member of the Red Letter Christians. She is the author of Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith (Harper San Francisco, 2006), named one of the best of year by Publishers Weekly and Christian Century.
the latest reports on Gerald Ford, James Brown, John Edwards candidacy, poverty and obesity, domestic violence, U.S. population at 300 million, human trafficking, Saddam Hussein, Iraq, Somalia, cloned food and select op-eds Sign up to receive our daily news summary via e-mail »
Full news summary:
Gerald Ford. President Declares Tuesday A National Day of Mourning - "President Bush declared a national day of mourning and ordered the federal government to close Tuesday to mark the death of Gerald R. Ford." Ford Arranged His Funeral to Reflect Himself and Drew in a Former Adversary - "As he helped in recent years arrange the details of his own funeral, Gerald R. Ford reached out to an old adversary: Jimmy Carter, who defeated him for the presidency in 1976. Skip to next paragraphMr. Ford asked whether his successor might consider speaking at his funeral and offered, lightheartedly, to do the same for Mr. Carter, depending on who died first." Ford's Michigan hometown braces for crowds - "The procession of tourists and history buffs stretched for blocks along Union Avenue SE as people flocked to the childhood home of Gerald R. Ford."
Ford, Nixon Sustained Friendship for Decades - "Months before Richard M. Nixon set a relatively unknown Michigan congressman named Gerald R. Ford on the path to the White House, Nixon turned to Ford, who called himself the embattled president's "only real friend," to get him out of trouble." For Ford, Pardon Decision Was Always Clear-Cut - "President Gerald R. Ford was never one for second-guessing, but for many years after leaving office in 1977, he carried in his wallet a scrap of a 1915 Supreme Court ruling. A pardon, the excerpt said, "carries an imputation of guilt," and acceptance of a pardon is "a confession of it."
James Brown. Brown packs Harlem's Apollo one last time - "Even in death, the Godfather of Soul still pulled out all the stops to please a crowd. So it seemed Thursday, when thousands of Brown's fans, friends and family gathered for a final public viewing and wake." A Loud, Proud Send-Off for an Icon of Soul- "James Brown gave one last show in Harlem yesterday, three days after his death, in a golden coffin lined with white velvet, on the flower-bedecked stage of the famed Apollo Theater, before a crowd of thousands who had lined up for blocks to see him."
John Edwards announces. Edwards Formally Joins 2008 Presidential Race - "Former senator John Edwards of North Carolina launched his second campaign for the White House from this flood-ravaged city with a call for the United States to reduce its troop presence in Iraq and a plea for citizen action to combat poverty, global warming and America's reliance on foreign oil." Edwards hopes persistence pays off in presidency - "With the ruins of New Orleans as his backdrop … Edwards called on Americans to take action against poverty, global warming and other troubles as he officially launched his 2008 campaign for president." Edwards takes another shot at run for White House - "Should he win the White House in 2008, John Edwards has a few modest goals: end poverty, provide health care for all, inspire Americans to help others and make his country once again "the great light for the rest of the world."
Poverty and obesity. Obesity battle starts young for urban poor - "By the time they reach the age of 3, more than one-third of low-income urban children are already overweight or obese, according to a study released yesterday that provides alarming evidence that the nation's battle of the bulge begins when toddlers are barely out of diapers." Poorer tots more likely to be obese - "Hispanic children from low-income families were most at risk, with 44 percent either overweight or obese, compared with 32 percent for white and African-American children from similar households."
Domestic violence. Domestic abuse rates drop; racial gap persists - "Domestic violence rates fell sharply between 1993 and 2004, the Justice Department said, noting that American Indian women and native Alaskan women are far more likely to be victimized than whites and other minorities."
300 million. U.S. population clock ticks to 300.9 million - "When the clock ticks over to midnight Sunday and 2007 arrives, the United States will have nearly 2.9 million more people than a year earlier."
Trafficking. 50 Boys Who Were Forced to Work at Factories in India Are Freed - "For two years, Bhola worked more than 15 hours a day without being paid or allowed to visit his parents. On Thursday, a local private organization freed Bhola, now 12, and 49 other child laborers like him."
Saddam Hussein. Hussein's lawyer pleads for mercy - "Saddam Hussein's lawyer made a last-ditch effort to impede the former president's execution, beseeching world leaders to prevent the United States from handing over Hussein to Iraqi authorities who plan to hang him." Iraqi PM: no delay in execution - "The Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, said there will be "no review or delay" in the execution of Saddam Hussein." U.S. Is Told Hussein Hanging Seems Imminent - "Preparations for the execution of Saddam Hussein began taking on a sense of urgency late Thursday as American and Iraqi officials suggested that he could be hanged within a span of days rather than weeks." The Rush to Hang Saddam Hussein- "Toppling Saddam Hussein did not automatically create a new and better Iraq. Executing him won't either."
Iraq. Bush Considers Economic Package for Iraq - "Among the steps being considered are short-term jobs and loan programs aimed at winning back the waning local support for the U.S. presence in Iraq, the officials said. They described the ideas as part of a classic effort to quell an insurgency through a combination of economic, political and military means." Bush Considers Up to 20,000 More Troops for Iraq - "The Bush administration is considering an increase in troop levels in Iraq of 17,000 to 20,000, which would be accomplished in part by delaying the departure of two Marine regiments now deployed in Anbar Province, Pentagon officials said Thursday." Soldiers in Iraq say troop surge won't stop killing - "Many of the American soldiers trying to quell sectarian killings in Baghdad don't appear to be looking for reinforcements. They say the call for a temporary surge in troops is a bad idea."
Somalia. Ethiopians Help Seize Somali Capital - "Ethiopian-backed troops moved unopposed into Somalia's unruly capital of Mogadishu on Thursday, taking over from fleeing Islamic fighters as clan elders and politicians met in an effort to establish the first viable secular government in the country since 1991." Somalia Forces Retake Capital From Islamists - "Just hours after Islamist fighters abandoned Mogadishu, the capital from which they ruled much of Somalia, thousands of troops of the transitional government marched into the city in a stunning reversal of fortune." Ethiopians are split over their foreign invasion - "Just as the Iraq invasion has divided Americans, Ethiopians are split over their government's decision to get involved in Somalia's brewing civil war by sending troops across the border."
Cloned food. F.D.A. Tentatively Declares Food From Cloned Animals to Be Safe- "After years of delay, the Food and Drug Administration tentatively concluded yesterday that milk and meat from some cloned farm animals are safe to eat. That finding could make the United States the first country to allow products from cloned livestock to be sold in grocery stores."
Op-Ed. Resolution for the right (Cal Thomas, Washington Times) - "With Democrats about to assume control of the House and Senate for the first time in 12 years, Republicans in general, conservatives in particular and conservative Christians especially face an important choice."
 Judging from your comments, my piece on the passing of former president Gerald Ford seems to have rubbed some people on both sides the wrong way. Some think that by contrasting his decency and honesty to the current administration I don't realize "how rude it is to politicize someone's passing." And, comparing one Republican president to another somehow made me partisan. Then there are some who thought his pardoning of Richard Nixon was wrong and apparently wanted more criticism of Ford.
For the record, I think the news headlines these past few days, referring to his "legacy of honor," "legacy of healing," - and the editorials, "Ford and forgiveness," "reconciler-in-chief," "profile in decency," etc. are symbolic of a real yearning in the country for those qualities. Our current situation is so polarized that the decency, integrity, and honesty of President Ford, for which he is and should be remembered and honored, are seen as unusual. There are not many politicians today, of either party, who can claim those attributes. In yesterday's Chicago Tribune, a piece by senior correspondent William Neikirk concluded, after talking with friends and associates of President Ford, along with political analysts from both parties, that "a moderate conservative like Ford would have a hard time governing in today's harsh political climate where both parties seem at each other's throats, analysts said.
In the recent midterm elections, voters appeared to send a message that they were fed up with divisiveness in Washington. As a result, politicians with some of Ford's abilities for bridging the partisan divide could find greater support than once believed." The political world in Washington has become so bitter that simple friendships between Members of Congress of different parties are almost non-existent. President Ford belonged to an earlier era where there could be vigorous disagreements, but still strong friendships across the aisle. A story in today's New York Times told how "As he helped in recent years arrange the details of his own funeral, Gerald R. Ford reached out to an old adversary: Jimmy Carter , who defeated him for the presidency in 1976. Skip to next paragraph Mr. Ford asked whether his successor might consider speaking at his funeral and offered, lightheartedly, to do the same for Mr. Carter, depending on who died first." And as for politicizing his passing, it's interesting that Ford himself gave two interviews in which he was strongly critical of the current administration, but stipulated that they be embargoed until his death. Seems to me that in doing so he politicized his own passing. In the Washington Post, Bob Woodward recounts: "Rumsfeld and Cheney and the president made a big mistake in justifying going into the war in Iraq. They put the emphasis on weapons of mass destruction," Ford said. "And now, I've never publicly said I thought they made a mistake, but I felt very strongly it was an error in how they should justify what they were going to do." As the weekend of his lying in state is about to begin here in Washington, I honor the memory of a good and decent man. His wife, four children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren are in my prayers. Duane Shank is senior policy adviser for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.
I may not have school-age kids like Bart Campolo, but this list represents pretty much everything I've read this year - as much as I'd like to pretend that these are the "best" of the many many volumes I've consumed. Maybe because I read just before bed, and tend to fall asleep after a page or two, especially when reading nonfiction... Also note that many of these books are very, very short, and almost none were published in 2006. Monday Marriage: Celebrating the Ordinary, by Gerald and L. Marlene Kaufman. I'm getting married on March 31, and this book was a quick but helpful read in creating realistic expectations as my fiancé and I prepare to mutually submit to each other in love the wedding industrial complex. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess. This edition includes the "lost" final chapter that was excised from all U.S. versions prior to 1987 - including Stanley Kubric's film. Christus Victor, by Gustaf Aulén The subtitle pretty much says it all: "An Historical Study of the Three Main Types of the Idea of Atonement." Hocus Pocus, Mother Night, Timequake, and Welcome to the Monkey House, by Kurt Vonnegut. Not that his books don't tackly deadly serious themes, but it's Vonnegut's humor that prompts me to down one of his novels after some grueling theological treatise - and sends me to the "V" section every time I visit a used book store. You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down, by Alice Walker. Compelling short stories of the complexities of overlapping racial, political, and sexual identities. Part of my self-assigned white male homework. Black Theology and Black Power, by James Cone. More white-guy-homework, and as with Walker, this is critical education on the Black American experience. Monnew, by Ahmadou Kourouma. A gift from my fiancé, who wrote her senior thesis on French colonialism in Africa. Kourouma chronicles the arrival of the French in a fictional African nation through the eyes of animist/Muslims who alternately resist and appease thier "Christian" exploiters.
Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness, by William Styron. Recommended reading for anyone who has a loved one that struggles with depression - i.e., just about everyone. You will never fully understand the darkness that they grapple with, but you should at least try, and this book will help. It was also interesting to read a memoir by the author of The Confessions of Nat Turner and then read a character in You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down criticizing it. My books are talking to each other! Changes that Heal, by Dr. Henry Cloud. Obviously written for an evangelical Christian audience (and hence lays the proof-texting on a bit thick), this book's greatest contribution is to help remove the stigma of mental illness and affirm the value and necessity of seeking qualified therapists - when many in the church harmfully assign such problems to deficiencies of faith. The Areas of My Expertise, by John Hodgman. You may recognize Hodgman from apperances on The Daily Show, where he's a fake expert commenting on fake news. This book is something of a fake almanac - a mishmash of one-quarter fact, two-thirds fabrication, and five-eighths hilarious hogwash. (If you're annoyed by my fuzzy math, you may not enjoy this book.) Ryan Beiler is the Web Editor for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.
The important thing about protest is not so much the short-range possibility of changing the direction of policies, but the longer range aim of helping everyone gain an entirely new attitude toward war. Far from doing this, much current protest simply reinforces the old positions by driving the adversary back into the familiar and secure mythology of force. Hence the strong "patriotic" reaction against protests in the United States. How can one protest against war without implicitly and indirectly contributing to the war mentality?
- Thomas Merton, in New Seeds of Contemplation
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Thursday, December 28, 2006
 While I was doing research on the New Atheism, I had the pleasure (not) of viewing the DVD The God Who Wasn't There. As expected, the film's glowing reviews are from atheist Web sites (surprise, surprise). But regardless of one's particular beliefs, this film is to pardon the pun, godawful. In a nutshell, the director, who outed himself as a former fundy turned atheist, picked the best of the New Atheist thinkers. Meanwhile, the Christians profiled included the Branch Davidians, Charles Manson, and a woman who cut off her baby's arms for God. The Gospel narratives were depicted through select film clips and fringe historical accounts that made Gojira (1954) seem realistic by comparison. No anti-God film would be complete without unauthorized footage from Mel Gibson's The Passion to prove that Christians just love violence. Had this filmmaker bothered to interview a single credible Christian scholar, this documentary might have been able to posses at least some semblance of street cred. As I was goggling The God Who Wasn't There, I came across BreakPoint's announcement about The Blasphemy Challenge. Seems that right before Christmas, a group calling themselves the "Rational Response Squad" invited a hundred youths to trade in their soul for a DVD of this documentary. Yeah, this is kinda funny – I mean if you're going to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, you gotta do lot more than post a video on YouTube. While I'm sure many of these kids were trying to get a rise out of their parents, I do wonder how many folks out there take this hooey at face value. Speaking of pseudo-documentaries, so far, I haven't seen any sign that Coral Ridge Ministries' is planning a similar "salvation special" offering a free copy of their documentary Darwin's Deadly Legacy. While I haven't seen this film yet, based on what I read on their Web site, something tells me it's yet another biased bit that paints all Christians in a less than favorable light. Call it a strong hunch.
While both New Atheists (Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris) and their extremist counterparts (Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter and Newt Gingrich) give very distorted views of the faith, the challenge this presents for us as Christians to show a Third Way. At least for me, I found that reading Brian McLaren's recent post "The Politics of Joy" gave me some food for thought here during this holiday season.  Becky Garrison is the Senior Contributing Editor for The Wittenburg Door. Her piece, Contemplating Coulter Christianity, an Amazon Short, is now available on Amazon.com.
the latest reports on Gerald Ford's legacy, James Brown's funeral, the murder rate, Ethiopia-Somalia, Iran, Iraq policy and interfaith dialogue Sign up to receive our daily news summary via e-mail »
Full news summary:
Gerald R. Ford. 38th President Leaves A Legacy of Healing - "A nation deeply polarized by war and partisanship came together yesterday to mourn Gerald Rudolph Ford as a healer during a previous era of division," Praise for 'a legacy of honor' - "The nation's capital prepared Wednesday to honor former President Gerald R. Ford with the pomp and solemnity of a state funeral," Low-Key Services Planned in D.C. And Michigan for Modest President - "The body of Gerald R. Ford will arrive Saturday in Washington and lie in repose in the Capitol Rotunda, but in keeping with the unassuming former president's style, his state funeral will be as modest as such an affair can be." After Ford's Death, Tributes Are Set for Capital- "Services for Mr. Ford, the 38th president, who died late Tuesday, will begin Friday in Palm Desert, Calif., with private prayers for the family at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church … The next day, his body will be flown to Washington. The hearse is to pause at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in recognition of Mr. Ford's naval service in the Pacific. His state funeral is to be conducted on Saturday evening in the Capitol Rotunda, after which the public will be allowed to file by the coffin. A service will be held next Tuesday in the Washington National Cathedral."
Editorial Tributes.
Chicago Tribune - Gerald Ford and forgiveness
Christian Science Monitor - Gerald Ford, reconciler-in-chief
Los Angeles Times - The Ford presidency
Boston Globe - Gerald R. Ford, 1913-2006
New York Times - Gerald R. Ford
Washington Post - Profile in Decency
USA Today - Unassuming Ford was perfect salve for a wounded nation
Ford Disagreed With Bush About Invading Iraq - "Former president Gerald R. Ford said in an embargoed interview in July 2004 that the Iraq war was not justified. "I don't think I would have gone to war," he said a little more than a year after President Bush launched the invasion advocated and carried out by prominent veterans of Ford's own administration. ... "Rumsfeld and Cheney and the president made a big mistake in justifying going into the war in Iraq. They put the emphasis on weapons of mass destruction," Ford said." Would today's GOP go for Ford? - "In death, former President Gerald R. Ford might be coming back into style. Friends and colleagues said that there is a yearning among many voters in his own party for the kind of pragmatic politics of compromise that Ford embodied. But internal Republican Party dynamics make it unlikely he could rise to power today. Independents and moderates would like him, but not the staunchly conservative Republican base."
James Brown. Thousands expected at Brown's Augusta service - "James Brown will get a proper Harlem farewell on Thursday, with a horse-drawn carriage leading a procession prior to a public viewing for Brown at the Apollo Theater. … A high-tech marquee at the Apollo offered: "Rest in Peace Apollo Legend The Godfather of Soul James Brown, 1933-2006." Brown's epic "Live at the Apollo" album streamed from the marquee speakers. In Augusta, preparations continued for the private service on Friday and Saturday's public service at James Brown Arena." Where Stars Have Risen, Paying Tribute to One Fallen - "Thursday, from 1 to 8 p.m., the body of James Brown, who died on Monday, will lie in state onstage at the Apollo on West 125th Street." Godfather of soul, and of our goal (Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune) - "As an impressionable student, I was changed forever by Brown's recounting in an interview in the late 1960s about his own struggles against childhood poverty. "I used to shine shoes on the front steps of an Augusta, Ga., radio station," he said. "Now I own that radio station." So could we all, he was telling our generation, if we took full advantage of the doors that were opening to us."
Murder rate. Major cities see rise in murders - "After years of decline, the number of murders climbed this year in New York City and many other major American cities, reaching the highest levels in a decade in some places."
Ethiopia/Somalia. Somali Islamists see gains slip away but hold onto capital - "Troops from Ethiopia and Somalia's weak transitional government cornered Islamic fighters Wednesday in their stronghold of Mogadishu, setting the stage for a possible showdown over Somalia's seaside capital." Islamists desert Somali capital - "Troops loyal to Somalia's transitional government poised to retake Mogadishu after Islamist fighters abandoned the city." Islamists Seem to Give Up Grip on Somali City- "The Islamist forces who have controlled much of Somalia in recent months suddenly vanished from the streets of the capital, Mogadishu, residents said Wednesday night, just as thousands of rival troops massed 15 miles away."
Ethiopia's children. Malnutrition Is Cheating Its Survivors, and Africa's Future- "Almost half of Ethiopia's children are malnourished, and most do not die. Some suffer a different fate. Robbed of vital nutrients as children, they grow up stunted and sickly, weaklings in a land that still runs on manual labor. Some become intellectually stunted adults, shorn of as many as 15 I.Q. points, unable to learn or even to concentrate, inclined to drop out of school early."
Iran. Iran votes to review ties with UN nuke agency - "Iran's parliament voted to urge the government to re-examine its ties with the UN nuclear agency after a Security Council decision to impose sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear program." Iran to 'Revise' Any Relations With Monitors in Nuclear Area- "It is unclear what "revise its cooperation" means. But the measure was considered by some moderate members of Parliament to be less severe than earlier versions proposed by conservative members, who had wanted Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and ban all inspectors."
Iraq policy. Bush and Security Advisers to Meet Today on Iraq Strategy - "President Bush's top national security advisers arrived here to hone a new Iraq strategy that administration officials said seems increasingly likely to include a surge of additional troops to try to help stabilize the country." Bush, advisors gather as aide rebukes Biden on Iraq - "The White House responded sharply Wednesday to a senior Democratic senator's criticism of possible increases in the U.S. military deployment in Iraq as the president prepared to discuss the war today with top advisors." G.O.P. Senator in Spotlight After a Critical Iraq Speech - "At the close of the Senate's lame-duck session, in between formulaic tributes to senators departing voluntarily or otherwise, a Republican backbencher suddenly rose to give one of the most passionate and surprising speeches about the war in Iraq yet delivered in Congress. Skip to next paragraphFor a solid Republican who had originally voted for the war, the words spoken by the senator, Gordon H. Smith of Oregon, on the evening of Dec. 7 were incendiary and marked a stunning break with the president."
Boston Globe feature on interfaith dialogue- Ideas Forum contributors:
 Good neighbors (By Diana L. Eck)
Faith and reason (By Richard John Neuhaus)
Truth and power (By Reza Aslan)
Face to face (By Alan Wolfe)
A Christian imperative (By Mark A. Noll)
I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. - Elie Wiesel
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Wednesday, December 27, 2006
 In 2006 I read so many excellent books, old and new. Here are about 20 of my favorites ... in no order of importance: Fiction: The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett My Name is Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok Nonfiction: A Passion for Islam, by Caryle Murphy No God But God, by Reza Aslan The Great Turning, by David C. Korten Beyond Growth, by Herman E. Daly A Framework for Understanding Poverty , by Ruby K. Payne Our Endangered Values, by Jimmy Carter War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, by Chris Hedges Poetry by: Wendell BerryDenise LevertovMary OliverBiography:Chronicles, by Bob Dylan Theology: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, by Leonardo Boff Christ the Liberator, by Jon Sobrino A Future for Africa, by Emmanuel M. Katongole Sex and the Single Savior, by Dale . B Martin Jesus and Empire, by Richard A. Horsley God and Empire, John Dominic Crossan How (not) to Speak of God, by Peter Rollins Spirituality: Irresistable Revolution, by Shane Claiborne There have been many other good books too, but it's hard to know when to stop! The best of the best, for me, was Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, by Leonardo Boff. It filled my mind and heart with worship.
 "Our long national nightmare is over." With the news of the passing of former President Gerald R. Ford, I can still hear those words.
More than thirty years later, it's difficult to remember the chaos of 1973-74. A year after winning a landslide election over George McGovern, the Nixon administration was rapidly unraveling. By the fall of 1973, a number of top White House staffers had either resigned or been fired, the battles between Richard Nixon and the Watergate special prosecutor were raging, and a special Senate committee had held extensive hearings and was seeking the release of documents and White House tape recordings. On October 20, the battle came to a head when President Nixon fired the special prosecutor and abolished the office, leading to the resignations of both the attorney general and deputy attorney general. On a parallel track, only ten days earlier, Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after pleading no contest to charges of tax evasion. In December, Gerald Ford was confirmed as vice president. By the summer of 1974, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled that Nixon was required to turn over the tapes, the House Judiciary Committee passed three articles of impeachment, and within two weeks, Richard Nixon became the first president in U.S. history to resign. He was succeeded by Ford – who became the first president never elected as either president or vice-president. The obituaries in this morning's newspapers recount his short administration – the two events at the top of my memory are his highly controversial pardon of Nixon and his presiding over the final end of the U.S. war in Vietnam. And, I remember opposing his policies on a number of fronts in those years. But it is those memorable words from his speech after taking the presidential oath of office that are the most relevant today:
I believe that truth is the glue that holds government together, not only our Government but civilization itself. … In all my public and private acts as your President, I expect to follow my instincts of openness and candor with full confidence that honesty is always the best policy in the end. My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. As we enter 2007, our country is mired in another seemingly endless war we were deceptively led into, we have a president in a state of denial, and we live in a deeply divided country. We need once again to hear those simple, direct words from a president - "truth is the glue that holds government together," "honesty is always the best policy," and "our long national nightmare is over." They are the best legacy of Gerald R. Ford. Duane Shank is senior policy adviser for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.
the latest news on Gerald Ford's death, Darfur, the Ethiopia-Somalia conflict, Iraq, congress, Saddam Hussein, presidential politics, faith and politics, James Brown's passing, and messages from the archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope Sign up to receive our daily news summary via e-mail »
Full news summary:
Gerald Ford. Gerald R. Ford Dies at 93 - "Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., 93, who became the 38th president of the United States as a result of some of the most extraordinary events in U.S. history and sought to restore the nation's confidence in the basic institutions of government, has died." Gerald R. Ford, 38th U.S. President, Dies- "My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," Mrs. Ford said in a statement…" Gerald Ford dies at 93 - "Untainted himself by Watergate, Ford was left the task of restoring public confidence in an institution badly damaged by the corrosive constitutional crisis…" Gerald Ford dead at 93 - "He was the only person to ever serve as chief executive without being elected president or vice president."
Darfur. Sudan's president accepts UN plan to bolster force in Darfur - "President Omar al-Bashir said in the letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that Sudan is ready to immediately implement two recent agreements endorsing a three-step UN plan to strengthen the beleaguered 7,000-strong African Union force in the vast western region of the country." Sudan May Allow U.N. Force In Darfur - "U.S. and U.N. diplomats were guarded in their reactions to the letter, which was made public Tuesday."
Ethiopia-Somalia. Ethiopians Closing In On Capital of Somalia - "Ethiopian troops fought their way closer to the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Tuesday, pushing back militias loyal to the Islamic Courts movement that has until now controlled much of the country." Islamists Retreat in Somalia - "The Islamist forces once in control of much of Somalia are crumbling faster than anyone expected and beat a hasty retreat back to their stronghold in Mogadishu," U.S. Signals Backing for Ethiopian Incursion Into Somalia - "The United States on Tuesday signaled its support for the Ethiopian offensive in Somalia, calling it a response to "aggression" U.N. envoy calls Somalia situation grim - "The conflict between Somalia's transitional government and Islamic militants has escalated dangerously, as Islamist leaders threaten a "holy war" against advancing government troops and allied Ethiopian forces, a U.N. special envoy told the Security Council."
Iraq. Democrats will soon get a say on Iraq - "After years of playing a marginal role in the Iraq war, congressional Democrats plan to move quickly next month to assert more control and undercut any White House effort to increase troop levels." Biden Opposes a Troop Increase in Iraq, Foreshadowing a Fight With the Bush Administration- "Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, rejected a troop increase for Iraq, foreshadowing what could be a contentious fight between the Bush administration and Congress." Biden to Fight Troop Buildup in Iraq - "I totally oppose the surging of additional troops into Baghdad, and I think it is contrary to the overwhelming body of informed opinion, both people inside the administration and outside the administration," Biden told reporters.
Congress. With Promises of a Better-Run Congress, Democrats Take on Political Risks- "After chafing for years under what they saw as flagrant Republican abuse of Congressional power and procedures, the incoming majority has promised to restore House and Senate practices to those more closely resembling the textbook version of how a bill becomes law:" Bracing for congressional probes, Bush hires lawyers - "President Bush is bracing for what could be an onslaught of investigations by the new Democratic-led Congress by hiring lawyers to fill key White House posts and preparing to play defense on countless document requests and possible subpoenas."
Saddam Hussein. Iraqi Court Upholds Hussein's Sentence - "Iraq's highest court upheld Saddam Hussein's death sentence, opening the way for the former Iraqi president to be hanged within 30 days, Iraqi judicial officials said."
Presidential politics. Strategy, Not Drama, in 'I Intend to Run in '08' - "… presidential announcements have become, more often than not, vestigial remnants of the way presidential politics were once conducted (or at least the way they are remembered). Rather than being big moments in which candidates lay down ideological markers and discuss what they would do as president, announcements are more of a pro forma exercise o | | |
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Much as I love him, the length and depth of