The question of universal healthcare is shaping up to be a rather serious focus in this election cycle. With costs out of control and each year seeing more and more of us without access to affordable health insurance or health care, many see universal health coverage as the best (and, perhaps, only) longer term solution to the problem. This piece on NPR focused on the difficulties of “making ends meet without health insurance.” It isn’t a pretty sight.

While many Christians embrace the extent to which this, too, is a moral issue, sadly we still have those who seek to erect ideological boundaries by misusing scripture. On my blog, I examine one of the common arguments against universal health care offered by a writer on the Religious Right. This writer seems to think that the primary motivators of a biblical position is one that is driven by “tough love” and “personal responsibility.” Yet:

Throughout the bible, God continually models giving people far better than they deserve. In fact, if one looks at Jesus' own ministry wherein he feeds the hungry, heals the sick, and both characterizes and models God as one who blesses others without regard to merit (in the Sermon, God's goodness itself is characterized as blessing without regard to merit), the value system espoused by this writer would make Jesus, oddly, pretty unbiblical!

The author then moves to his central argument that universal healthcare is socialism, and socialism is unbiblical (presumably, something we all just know). Again, the author misses important points:

One does not have to argue that socialism is the only form of economy scripture allows, but to argue that it is precluded overlooks too much. Oddly, this writer would have to judge numerous of God's commands as "unbiblical." For example, God commands years of release, wherein debts are forgiven every seven years, as well as years of Jubilee, wherein lands are returned to their ancestral owners. God commands that garments offered as collateral by the poor be returned at night, since the poor would require them to stay warm. Amos 2 gives pretty harsh judgment of those who do not obey this command. Scripture requires that profit maximization be set aside to allow food to be gathered from the fields by the poor. Jesus commands that we give to those who ask from us, and in the Great Judgment of Matthew 25, he makes it quite clear that care for those on the margins is central to his assessment of our lives. These aspects of scripture were not missed by C.S. Lewis, who argued that, to be biblical, an economy would be more socialistic than not.

Sadly, the most serious underlying problem in the author’s evaluation is that it is driven mostly by a rather unbiblical set of precommitments:

In short, this writer has absolutized a particular vision of economies and has missed that what God intends us to make foundational is very different. [Rather than absolutizing markets and an abstract sense of freedom as the right to maximize profits, scripture makes convenental relationships central, as Walter Brueggemann notes.] We are called both to model and to defend economic relations that make neither dependence nor independence primary, but which instead make central the idea of mutual interdependence. It is the mutuality of relations that come from our owning our obligations to each other - whether embodied in governments or not - that determines whether a given system is biblical or not. Sadly, the writer missed this altogether, and, thus, missed giving us a Christian analysis.

For my full article, go here.


Chuck Gutenson is a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary and blogs at http://www.imitatiochristi.blogs.com/

The dust has settled. Most - if not all - of the cameras and the national media have vacated Blacksburg, Virginia. America, and even the Virginia Tech campus, seems to be trying to move on. There’s a presidential race to dissect. American Idol is headed towards its stretch run. The Virginia Tech shooting becomes another American tragedy that slips into the American subconscious.

I must admit that as a Korean-American I have tried to stay under the radar on the recent events at Virginia Tech. I’m almost glad that the slaughter is no longer a lead story. There was too much shame, there was too much pain.

When it was first announced that the shooter was a Korean-American, there was a visceral reaction on my part. This is an individual with a funny sounding name, just like mine. This is an individual who grew up in an immigrant home in the Washington, D.C., area, just like me. This could have been someone who once sat in the back of my youth group, deliberately lowering his eyes and avoiding all human contact.

How did I treat the misfit when he showed up at church? There is a collective shame felt by the Korean-American community for not taking care of one of our own and possibly preventing a national tragedy. It's not completely rational, but it is reflective of the valuing of community among Asians. Maybe collective shame is a good thing to feel every once in awhile. Maybe then, the shame of racism will be a social issue rather than being reduced to an attempt to absolve individual guilt (and what individual is actually guilty of racism? It is so much easier to scapegoat Imus and pretend that corporate racism doesn’t actually exist). So I, personally, feel the shame of someone that looks like me being responsible for the slaughter of innocent lives.

After the initial shock and sense of shame came the frustration and anger. Why do the newscasters continue to point out that the shooter was a South Korean national when he was more American than Korean? Why is the South Korean government issuing not one, but two public apologies on behalf of an individual who was clearly more shaped by American culture than by his Korean origins? Why would anyone feel the need to lash out against the entire Asian-American community for the actions of an individual? Why can’t even one national newscaster pronounce his name right?

Believe me, I have no sympathy for the shooter. My sympathy is with the families of the victims. I just hope the circle of sympathy doesn’t have to spread too far.

Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah is Milton B. Engebretson Assistant Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary and a member of the Sojourners/Call to Renewal board. He blogs at: http://www.xanga.com/scrah

The latest news on Darfur, Iran, Immigration, Iraq, Africa-US military, Colombia, US-India nuclear deal, Episcopal church, faith-Barak Obama, faith- Rev James Forbes, Tenet book, and select commentaries.


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Darfur. World rallies for Darfur action - "Organisers of the Global Day for Darfur said events were taking place in 35 capitals to mark the fourth anniversary of the conflict." Britain gives Sudan days to meet demands - "As public consciousness of the grim situation in Darfur grows, the difficulty of prosecuting what is often popularly called genocide is becoming clearer." Why genocide is difficult to prosecute - "As public consciousness of the grim situation in Darfur grows, the difficulty of prosecuting what is often popularly called genocide is becoming clearer."

Iraq. Maliki's Office Is Seen Behind Purge in Forces - "A department of the Iraqi prime minister's office is playing a leading role in the arrest and removal of senior Iraqi army and national police officers, some of whom had apparently worked too aggressively to combat violent Shiite militias," U.S. Clashes With Militia in Baghdad - "Militiamen loyal to the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr clashed with American forces in northern Baghdad on Sunday, an Interior Ministry official said, the latest in a series of indications that the militia might be emerging from two months of self-imposed dormancy."

Iraq-military. They also serve their conscience - "Although their numbers are still small compared with the draft-fueled Vietnam veterans' movement four decades ago, California's Iraq veterans are gaining a voice in opposition to America's continued military presence in Iraq. Recent antiwar demonstrations in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other cities have seen the first sizable contingents of veterans from the conflict."War Called Riskier Than Vietnam - "President Bush recently said that "there's a lot of differences" between the current war in Iraq and the Vietnam War. As fighting in Iraq enters its fifth year, an increasing number of experts in foreign policy and national strategy are arguing that the biggest difference may be that the Iraq war will inflict greater damage to U.S. interests than Vietnam did."

Iraq-Congress. Congress' vote on Iraq war is only a prelude - "To buy time for his buildup of more than 28,000 troops to show results, Bush asked his commander in Iraq, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, to deliver a progress report to the nation in early September. That helped stave off Republican defections as Congress debated whether to impose a timetable for troop withdrawals." GOP's Base Helps Keep Unity on Iraq - "The experiences of the few Republicans to vote against the war help explain the remarkable unity that the party has maintained in Washington behind an unpopular president. … That cohesion reflects the views of the GOP's core voters, who see the war in Iraq in fundamentally different terms than Democrats and political independents do," The White House Scales Back Talk of Iraq Progress- "The Bush administration will not try to assess whether the troop increase in Iraq is signs of political progress or greater security until September, and many of Mr. Bush's top advisers now anticipate that any gains by then will be limited,"

Iran. Iran to Attend Regional Talks on Iraq Violence- "The government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran announced that it would attend a regional conference on Iraq later this week, setting the stage for the first cabinet-level meeting between Iran and the United States since the end of 2004." Inside the struggle for Iran- "A grand coalition of anti-government forces is planning a second Iranian revolution via the ballot box to deny President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad another term in office and break the grip of what they call the "militia state" on public life and personal freedom."

Africa-US military. U.S. force aims to secure Africa - "The United States hopes by year's end to establish an Africa Command that will anchor military operations across a continent seen to be of increasing strategic importance and threatened by transnational terrorists."

Colombia. Colombian Seeks to Persuade Congress to Continue Aid - "Faced with allegations of government ties to paramilitary death squads and criticism from prominent Democrats, President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia is heading to Washington this week to try to unlock frozen American aid and salvage a trade agreement with the United States." Colombian Prosecutor Probes U.S. Firms - "[Colombia's chief prosecutor] spoke ahead of a trip to Washington this week to seek aid for his overburdened office and help obtaining evidence against U.S.-based multinationals he's investigating for allegedly financing the paramilitaries."

Immigration. Senators grasp at a chance for reform - "Lawmakers who back immigration reform, recognizing that their chances are dwindling rapidly, are girding for a last-ditch attempt to pass a sweeping bill before their efforts are swallowed up by an early campaign season and an acrimonious political mood."

US-India nuclear deal. India-U.S. nuclear pact remains stalled - "The high-profile nuclear cooperation deal that lies at the heart of warming ties between India and the U.S. has run into serious trouble over the fine print. Officials on both sides are expressing growing frustration over each other's seeming intransigence in overcoming the final obstacles to sealing the agreement,"

Episcopal church. Visit by Anglican Bishop Draws Episcopal AngerThe Anglican archbishop of Nigeria, a fierce critic of the Episcopal Church for its acceptance of homosexuality, is arriving next week to install a bishop to lead congregations around the country that want to break from it.

Faith-Barack Obama. A Candidate, His Minister and the Search for Faith- "Twenty years ago at Trinity, Mr. Obama, then a community organizer in poor Chicago neighborhoods, found the African-American community he had sought all his life, along with professional credibility as a community organizer and an education in how to inspire followers. He had sampled various faiths but adopted none until he met Mr. Wright, a dynamic pastor who preached Afrocentric theology, dabbled in radical politics and delivered music-and-profanity-spiked sermons."

Faith-Rev. James Forbes. Forbes leaves Riverside pulpit pulling no punches - "as Forbes reflected on his 18 years in one the country's most prestigious and visible pulpits, he hardly sounded wistful. In fact, Forbes, 71, who will officially retire in June, seems fully ready for what he calls a next great chapter - setting his sights on nothing less than the spiritual renewal of the nation."

Tenet book. Tenet Details Efforts to Justify Invading Iraq - "White House and Pentagon officials, and particularly Vice President Cheney, were determined to attack Iraq from the first days of the Bush administration, long before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and repeatedly stretched available intelligence to build support for the war, according to a new book by former CIA director George J. Tenet."

Commentary.

BELIEFS; Moral Plots and Subplots in the Latest Ruling on Abortion (Peter Steinfels, NY Times) - "Life today is lived on slippery slopes. Which ones seize our attention and crystallize our fears? What moral outrages or absurdities, lurking at the bottom, stir our energies? How steep is the incline? Where can we throw up a railing, dig a trench, clear a landing, keep our footing? Questions like these determine a great deal of public moral debate."

Hagel's Stand (Robert D. Novak, Washington Post) - "Sen. Chuck Hagel returned from his fifth visit to Iraq to become one of two Republicans to join Senate Democrats in voting Thursday to begin withedrawal of U.S. troops. It was not an easy vote for a conservative GOP regular and faithful supporter of President George W. Bush's other policies. A few days earlier, Hagel sat down with me and painted a bleak picture of the war and U.S. policy."

It is not what happens to us in any day that gives content to our lives, but whether or not we let its experience sink into us. ... It is one of the highest powers given to anyone. In reflection I come upon feelings that I had been too afraid to experience in the moment. In the quiet of reflection I take the risk and the time to let censored thoughts as well as feelings into consciousness, to discover what is causing the uneasiness in me.

- Elizabeth O'Connor
from Cry Pain, Cry Hope

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Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

- Mark 10:28-31

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After preaching at an evangelical conference for young Latino/a ministers in Florida some time ago, someone asked me, “Gabriel, how would you define yourself?” This question certainly has a myriad of answers but considering the context of my surroundings I guess I knew what he was asking. The query had to do with how I position myself theologically, socially, and politically. This was a difficult question to answer in light of my embracing what Brian McLaren calls A Generous Orthodoxy. The small biography attached to the programs gave some clues to my theological and social eclecticism. I grew up as a Pentecostal pastor’s kid, serve as a Nazarene pastor, have an M.Div. from a Reformed seminary, and am doing doctoral work at Union Theological Seminary in New York.

Often when speaking to a new group of people, many assumptions are made depending on how I am introduced. If they lead with "Pentecostal" or "Nazarene" I’m pegged as a conservative Republican who has made up his mind about most things. If they lead with "Latino" and "Union Ph.D. student," the assumption is that I am a theological social liberal who has made up his mind about most things. Now I know I'm not the only one who, in searching to be a faithful disciple of Christ, eschews facile definitions too often used to divide and alienate. There are an increasing number of Latino/a, black, white, and Asian evangelicals (just to name a few groups) who in their search to be faithful to the gospel draw from a plethora of sources. Perhaps we are labeled as post-modern believers or anti-traditionalists. The truth is we are part of a long history of Christians struggling to be faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ.

So, who am I? I am just one of a growing group of Latino progressive evangelicals. In the words of John the Baptist, from the Latin Vulgate, “Ego vox clamantis en deserto.” I am Latino, because I was born in New Jersey of Puerto Rican parents and learned both español and Ingles. I am evangelical because I believe in the transforming power of Jesus Christ and the gospel for the individual and the larger social structures. I am progressive because I hold to the prophetic stream in Christian tradition that says we must do better to live more in line with Christian moral imperatives.

What does this mean to the larger Christian church in the United States, independent of nomenclature? Progressive Latino/a evangelicals are a growing group that says, “Hear us. We have something to say to the larger church.” We do not say "amen" to everything just because someone claims to speak from the evangelical perspective. Neither do we nod in affirmation for all who claim to speak from a Latino/a progressive perspective. We understand our paradox quite well. We are usually pro-family and pro-comprehensive immigration reform that gives dignity to the undocumented. The war in Iraq is of deep concern, particularly in light of the loss of life not just of Iraqi non-combatants but also of too many poor whites, Latinos/as, and blacks. We think that poverty, economic inequality, and the environment are just as important moral issues as abortion, stem cell research, and same-sex marriage.

Some years ago I began meeting with Latino/a evangelical colleagues who were working on articulating together who we were. The Latino Leadership Circle is just one manifestation of people living fully and authentically in ways that some call paradox.


Rev. Gabriel Salguero is the pastor of the Lamb’s Church of the Nazarene in New York City, a Ph.D. candidate at Union Theological Seminary, and the director of the Hispanic Leadership Program at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is also a board member for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Peggy Noonan, a special assistant and speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, isn't exactly my favorite pundit, but she's right on in her OpinionJournal.com column today on the effect on children of our cultural propensity toward in-your-face violence.

Her strongest language is aimed at the callousness of the rich:

We are frightening our children to death, and I'll tell you what makes me angriest. I am not sure the makers of our culture fully notice what they are doing, what impact their work is having, because the makers of our culture are affluent. Affluence buys protection. You can afford to make your children safe. You can afford the constant vigilance needed to protect your children from the culture you produce, from the magazine and the TV and the CD and the radio. ... The lacking, the poor, the working and middle class--they have no protection. Their kids are on their own. And they're scared.

Suffer the little children.

Jim Rice is editor of Sojourners magazine.

I’ve gotten a couple of requests from people wanting to know how to contact soldiers. Manhattanville College in New York has a really good My Soldier Program that matches civilians and active duty soldiers for letter exchanges and support. Manhattanville is a college with a strong social justice bent and the program was developed by Iraq veterans in conjunction with students. It puts politics aside while letting U.S. troops know that people back home care. It was co-founded by Sgt. Juan Salas, a 23-year-old Manhattanville student who served 14 months in Iraq and is now back on campus. The letters Juan received meant so much to him that he wanted to generate thousands more for troops who are still deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.

By enrolling in the My Soldier Program, you can “adopt” a soldier. Then you will receive guidelines about what kinds of things a soldier might like to receive, as well as a red “My Soldier” bracelet. More than 300,000 people have joined the My Soldier Program, volunteering to write to almost 150,000 soldiers. If you as an individual or your group are looking for a method of connecting with soldiers, I recommend Manhattanville’s My Soldier Program. Once you join, you can download a starter kit and off you go! (Additionally, if you know soldiers looking for letter exchanges with civilians, they also can sign up at the My Soldier Program.)

Additionally, though it’s difficult to write to Iraqis, there are a couple of blogs that can foster connection. Check out Raed in the Middle and Baghdad Burning. Let us know of other people-to-people connections with Iraqis.

Rose Marie Berger is an associate editor of Sojourners magazine.

When tragedies such as last week’s shooting at Virginia Tech happen, the media pay a lot of attention to the horrible facts, the deaths of so many innocents, the profiles of their lives, and, of course, the suffering of their families. That is certainly appropriate even though heart-wrenching. And last week, we ended up knowing more than we probably wanted to about the mentally disturbed young man who committed the shootings, including those hard-to-watch and spine-chilling videos.

But there is another side of the picture that is often underemphasized. It is that these kinds of tragedies almost always have a way of drawing out the most amazing examples of human compassion, caring, bravery, and even heroism. These are often noted in the media, but not always given the attention they deserve. The late children’s TV show host Mr. Rogers often said, “In a crisis, always look for the helpers.” During the 9/11 tragedy, focusing on the helpers was especially important to my young son Luke. And I would say, in tragedies such as the shootings at Virginia Tech, we should always look for the heroes. It’s a way to discover the best of humanity again in such depressing and dehumanizing situations. Let’s look at a few of the heroes of Virginia Tech.

Prof. Liviu Librescu, 76, grew up in Romania, survived the Holocaust where his family was jailed by the Nazis, and then the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu. But he died at Virginia Tech when, as The New York Times reported,

Professor Librescu never moved from the door of Room 204 in Norris Hall at Virginia Tech, witnesses said, even as the gunman, Cho Seung-Hui, was shooting. Directing his students to escape through windows, Professor Librescu was fatally shot.

Prof. Librescu was buried last Saturday in Israel. His son had this tribute:

"I believe you are looking at us from above, at this gathering, and saying: 'What, don't you have anything to do? I did what I had to do,' " Arie said. "A hero has to have a combination of characteristics, which you had."

In a long feature on the day in Blacksburg, The Washington Post told of several students in a German class. After an initial round of shots, the shooter left, then suddenly returned.

[Trey] Perkins and two classmates, Derek O'Dell and Katelyn Carney, ran up to the door and put their feet against it to make sure he could not get back in. They would have used a heavy table, but there were none, and the desks weren't strong enough. Soon the gunman tried to get back in. The three students pressed against the door with their arms and legs, straining with their lives at stake. Unable to budge the door, the gunman shot through it four times. Splinters flew from the thick wood. The gunman turned away, again.

Then there were the unnamed heroes. Drs. Davis B. Stoeckle and Holly Wheeling were the surgeons in the emergency room of the hospital in Blacksburg. The Post wrote:

As they worked, Stoeckle and Wheeling heard stories of bravery from the wounded: students pushing others into closets to protect them from the barrage of bullets and helping one another with makeshift tourniquets and bandages.

As we continue to mourn those who died, and pray for their families, let’s also celebrate the helpers – the heroes. When tragedies remind us of the worst, saddest, and darkest elements of humanity, it is crucial to also witness and be reminded of the best and most heroic in us as well. Heroism is the moral response to tragedy.

Bill Moyers Journal aired a great program Wednesday night called "Buying the War," a commentary asking how the mainstream press got Iraq and the question about WMDs so wrong in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion. You can click here to watch it or read a transcript online.

I lived in Amsterdam from November 2002 until September 2003, so I was out of the U.S. media's reach during the time Moyers covers - the time the Bush administration was building the case for war. While Americans were bombarded with ominous messages of fear and imminent danger, I was in a country where the messages were ones of incredulity at the U.S.'s lone-ranger arrogance in the face of the wishes of most of the international community. After the invasion, the European voices turned to anger and defiance, and poured into the streets and squares in protest.

Major European cities, including Amsterdam, held anti-war rallies involving tens and even hundreds of thousands of people in those first months after the invasion. It has taken the U.S. four years to get to that point. While a small number of Americans were against this war from the beginning (including some in the Christian community), it has taken the general public nearly four years to reach the level of disapproval and outrage Europeans voiced since the moment "shock and awe" hit the ground in Baghdad.

That begs the obvious question of input - what were the messages being fed the U.S. public at a time when the rest of the world was seeing things very differently? As Moyers points out, dissenting views in mainstream American media were hard to come by back in 2002 and 2003. While now it might be more "in vogue" for mainstream press to question the war, where were those voices four years ago? This is a serious indictment of our supposed free and independent press, especially during times when it matters most. It is not that some news sources wouldn't have toed the administration's line in the months leading up to the war, but most dismaying is the point Moyers brings out, that any dissenting views were marginalized or wiped away altogether. Dan Rather, who - as did all major network anchors - supported the invasion and bought the "evidence" the administration was peddling, said that unspoken pressures in the newsrooms were that no network wanted to be perceived as unpatriotic or, worse, supportive of terrorism. Concern for viewership and the bottom line overrode concerns for truth and fairness in reporting. Waving the flag loudly and proudly is simply better for ratings, and that remains true today.

Those dissenting voices existed four years ago, but they were not allowed to speak on the biggest stage during the most critical time. Four years and thousands of body bags later, we are the worse off for it. Where was the free and independent press when we needed them?

Bob Francis is the Organizing and Policy Assistant for Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

the latest news on Iraq and Congress, the Democratic debate, climate change, missiles in Europe, family, and abortion


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Iraq-Congress. Senate Passes Bill Seeking Iraq Exit; Veto Is Expected- "The Senate sent President Bush a $124 billion war spending measure that he has promised to veto, forcing Democrats to begin confronting the difficult question of what to do after the president acts." Senate Sends War Timetable To Bush's Desk - "The Senate approved a $124 billion Iraq war spending bill that would force troop withdrawals to begin as early as July 1, inviting President Bush's veto even as party leaders and the White House launch talks to resolve their differences." Senate defies Iraq veto threat - "The Senate's action outlines an exit strategy but also pitches the nation into a period of political brinkmanship and uncertainty as Congress and Bush dig in for what is likely to be a protracted showdown over terms of the bill that would pay for continuing war operations."

Iraq-intelligence. Durbin kept silent on prewar knowledge - "The Senate's No. 2 Democrat says he knew that the American public was being misled into the Iraq war but remained silent because he was sworn to secrecy as a member of the intelligence committee." Ex-C.I.A. Chief, in Book, Assails Cheney on Iraq- "George J. Tenet, the former director of central intelligence, has lashed out against Vice President Dick Cheney and other Bush administration officials in a new book, saying they pushed the country to war in Iraq without ever conducting a "serious debate" about whether Saddam Hussein posed an imminent threat to the United States."

Iraq-war. General Says Iraq Pullback Would Increase Violence- "The top military commander in Iraq, Gen. David H. Petraeus, warned that an American troop pullback this fall would lead to an escalation in sectarian killings and worsening violence." Petraeus sees more violence if force shrinks - "Petraeus also offered new details of Iranian involvement in Iraq, addressed U.S. efforts to counter the suicide bombings that have killed hundreds of Iraqis in recent months, and warned of the likelihood of additional American casualties." Top US commander warns of worse to come in Iraq - "Gen Petraeus, who was put in charge of the Baghdad troop "surge" to pacify the Iraqi capital, warned of the enormous commitment and sacrifice facing the US in Iraq. His downbeat assessment, in contrast with Mr Bush's optimistic statements, stiffened the resolve of Democrats in Congress pushing for an early withdrawal of US troops."

Democratic debate. In Debate, Democrats Show More Unity Than Strife - "the first Democratic presidential debate of the 2008 campaign, a surprisingly sedate and meandering affair, filled with as many moments of awkward humor as memorable insight into the qualifications of the candidates or the policy differences among them." Candidates Unite in Criticizing Bush - "Democratic presidential candidates largely set aside their differences here Thursday and presented a united front of opposition to President Bush and his Iraq policy, urging the president not to veto newly passed legislation that sets a timetable for beginning the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the conflict." Democrats get their first close-up - "Even as they roundly attacked President Bush's policies on Iraq, the leading Democratic candidates for president sought to burnish their credentials Thursday as tough leaders who would defeat terrorists." Democrats face off in 1st debate - "The leading Democratic candidates for president, attempting to project strength on national security while condemning the war in Iraq, portrayed themselves as resolute in the fight against terrorism."

Missiles in Europe. Putin to Suspend Pact With NATO- "President Vladimir V. Putin said that Russia would suspend its compliance with a treaty on conventional arms in Europe that was forged at the end of the cold war, opening a fresh and intense dispute in the souring relations between NATO and the Kremlin." Putin retaliates for American antimissile plan - "The announcement, made in Putin's annual speech to parliament, further ratcheted up tensions between Russia and the United States over the antimissile system, which Moscow views as a step toward building a much larger system directed at Russia and China." Putin threatens to scrap weapons treaty - "Putin described the US plan to site missile interceptor and radar bases in Poland and the Czech Republic as a "direct threat". Nato countries were "building up military bases on our borders and, what's more, are also planning to station elements of anti-missile defence systems in Poland and the Czech Republic", he said,"

Climate change. Vatican issues green message - "The Vatican added its voice to a rising chorus of warnings from churches around the world that climate change and abuse of the environment is against God's will, and that the one billion-strong Catholic church must become far greener." States take lead in cutting carbon emissions - "While the US ponders whether to curb greenhouse gases, several states are pushing ahead with plans that already are bearing fruit. At least 21 states and the District of Columbia are on track to create 46,000 megawatts of renewable power by 2020, eliminating 108 million metric tons of carbon-dioxide emissions a year that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere," Public Remains Split on Response to Warming - "Americans in large bipartisan numbers say the heating of the earth's atmosphere is having serious effects on the environment now or will soon and think that it is necessary to take immediate steps to reduce its effects,"

Family. Youths fear decay of family - "The survey asked the 601 youths, 80 percent of whom were born in California, 7 percent elsewhere in the United States and 12 percent outside the United States, to identify "the most pressing issue facing your generation in the world today." Twenty-four percent chose "family breakdown" as their biggest concern, followed by violence in local communities (22 percent), poverty (17 percent) and global warming (14 percent)."

Abortion. States see new fights on abortion - "Buoyed by last week's victory in the U.S. Supreme Court, abortion opponents in various states are dusting off old laws and drafting new ones to curb access to the nation's most controversial medical procedure."

I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. For you say, "I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing." You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

- Revelation 3:15-17

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Water ... has an enormous range of meanings for us as human beings. Our bodies are mostly water, and our thirst reminds us to replenish that water. We are born from the waters of the womb, and something about a pool draws us to plunge back into it and covers ourselves. But if we stay under for too long, it means death. Coming up to the surface and breathing again is almost like being reborn. ... Water washes us clean and makes us feel fresh and new again. Baptism takes - and adds to - all these meanings.

- Hoyt L. Hickman

from the Workbook on Communion and Baptism

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I want to personally invite you to Washington, D.C., on June 3-6 to participate in Pentecost 2007: Taking the Vision to the Streets. I'm asking you to come because this is not just another conference: This will be an important step in a campaign aimed at the critical presidential election year of 2008. What is the plan? We hope to do nothing less than put poverty on the national agenda, and challenge candidates from both parties to present the nation with their plans for dramatic poverty reduction both at home and globally. I believe we can really make a difference, but only if we are all in it together.

Last year, we launched "From Poverty to Opportunity: A Covenant for a New America," a powerful tool for breaking the liberal-conservative paralysis on poverty, transcending the frozen ideological debate that traps the poor between false alternatives, calling the nation to a results-based program, and moving us all to higher ground. This year, we will take the Covenant to a new level by calling on our national leaders to put poverty near the top of the political agenda.

Taking the Vision to the Streets begins with a Sunday night revival, where I will share the preaching with Rev. Sam Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and Rev. Freddie Haynes, senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. We will also have inspiring gospel music to lift our souls for the work ahead.

A panel of church leaders and activists, including Brian McLaren, Sam Rodriquez, Rich Nathan, and Shane Claiborne will lead a discussion on “How to Put Poverty on the Agenda of your Local Church.” Marshall Ganz will lead an organizing institute to give you practical skills for putting poverty on the agenda.

We’ll be giving our 6th annual Amos and Joseph Awards. This year’s “Amos,” a person who faithfully uses a position of influence to benefit those in poverty, is Gary Haugen, president of International Justice Mission, a human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression. Our “Joseph,” a person who comes from a humble background to serve God and community, is Rev. Romal Tune, president of Clergy Strategic Alliances, which works to equip pastors and congregations with the skills necessary to build power and improve their communities.

And, in its fourth year now, our Emerging Leaders program (for faith-inspired activists younger than 30) may be one of the most exciting offerings of the conference. This includes a special evening with Christa Mazzone. Here, young leaders have the opportunity to establish relationships that could last a lifetime as we all seek to build a new movement.

We are also finishing the details on our presidential candidates forum on faith, values, and poverty. I’ll have an exciting announcement tomorrow about who will be joining us; you don’t want to miss it.

As a participant, you will join workshops and seminars offering very practical training in how to use the Covenant, develop organizing skills, learn how to do effective media work, round out your knowledge of the issues, deepen your understanding of "prophetic advocacy," and network with other faith-based advocates, especially from your region.

Click here to learn more about Pentecost 2007, June 3 - 6 in Washington, D.C.!

Pentecost 2007 is the next step in a campaign that will last through the 2008 election year season and beyond - don't miss this important event.

Vote with your feet. Take the vision to the streets. Show up to make a difference. Tell the media, by your presence, that the faith community cares about our neighbors in poverty. Tell your political representatives the kind of leadership that you expect from them - we'll set up the appointments for you. And there will be a Capitol Hill reception, like last year, at which both Democratic and Republican leaders will speak.

So do come. And bring some friends. Send this invitation to others. Bring a delegation from your community, church, or school. Drive if you live a day's drive away or less, or make your plane reservations today.

Click here to register for Pentecost 2007.

We need you to sign up right away: Make a statement about your faith and its implications. Washington needs to hear from you, and we need your help and support. See you soon!
And stay tuned for the exciting announcement tomorrow on our presidential forum.

Violence by terrorist groups has caused great suffering for Israelis, and has served as the rationale for many of Israel's most restrictive policies regarding Palestinians. For that reason, it is all the more important to hear stories of Palestinians and international activists that are opposing Israeli policies nonviolently. Mairead Corrigan Maguire received the Nobel peace prize in 1976 for her work as co-founder of the Community of Peace People (www.peacepeople.com) in Northern Ireland. This is her story:

On Friday, April 20, outside Ramallah, Palestine, Ann Patterson and I attended the Second Bil’in International Conference on Non-violence. We joined the Bil’in Popular Committee on their weekly nonviolent protest march to the Israeli “apartheid wall” to bring attention to the wall that separates Palestinians from their land and, in this case, cedes land to expand Jewish settlements in the area. Together with Israeli peace activists and internationalists from more than 20 countries, we made the trek to the wall. The internationals came from France, the United States, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, Britain, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, and India. It was at the “security wall” that I was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet and gassed by Israeli Defense Forces [photos]. Watch the video:



Before the peace vigil, I participated in a press conference with the Palestinian Minister for Information, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, in front of the international press corps. Minister Barghouti praised the nonviolent vigil of the Bil’in people and the nonviolent resistance of many people around Palestine, saying that Bil’in is a model and example to all. He called for a stop to building the wall, and for the upholding of Palestinian rights under international law. I supported his call and thanked the people of Bil’in – offering my support for the nonviolent resistance to the wall because it contravenes international law, including the International Court of Justice decision in The Hague. I also called for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine, which soon will mark its 40th year. I called for recognition by the international community of the Palestinian government, together with restoration of economic and political rights of the people.

Both Dr. Barghouti and I called for the release of the BBC journalist Alan Johnston, held by Palestinian militants in Gaza. I also called for the protection of journalists all over the world, whose ability to cover the truth is being infringed upon by violence. During the press conference the Israeli military drove through the gate onto Palestinian land, with many foot soldiers. They surrounded the international press gathered and warned us that if we did not disperse they would attack in five minutes. Dr. Barghouti and I condemned this as an abuse of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and of a peoples’ right to peaceful protest.

After the press conference, we returned to the village of Bil’in and joined the peace vigil as it moved down the road towards the wall. Several hundred people participated with the Palestinians leading the march. I walked with my Palestinian interpreter who told me his home was on the other side of the wall. His 12-acre land had been confiscated by Israeli authorities and his 400- year-old olive trees uprooted and taken to Jerusalem to be planted in new Israeli settlements.

When those participating in the vigil got half way down the road, the Israeli soldiers started firing tear gas and plastic bullets directly at us. At another point they used water canons. We were a completely unarmed peaceful gathering. The soldiers blocked the upper part of the road, which prevented Dr. Barghouti and some of the Palestinians from joining the main vigil group. Then those of us in the main group were tear-gassed. As I was helping a French woman retreat, I was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet.

Two young women - one from the U.S. and one from New Zealand - helped me towards an ambulance. I saw an elderly Palestinian mother carried on a stretcher into the ambulance. She had been shot in the back with a plastic bullet. I saw a man whose face was covered in blood and a Palestinian youth overcome with the gas. About 20 people were injured.

When we could, Ann Patterson and I went back to the protest, where the people were being viciously attacked with tear gas and plastic bullets. I was overcome with gas and had a nose bleed that resulted in being carried to ambulance for treatment. We were advised by medial staff not to return to vigil and obliged to leave our friends several hours later still heroically trying to get near the wall. This attack from the Israeli soldiers was a totally unprovoked attack upon civilians.

We were all traumatized by our experience. With the gas still in the air, the words came flowing back to me from a Palestinian doctor who said, “The whole Palestinian people, after 40 years of occupation, the whole people of Palestine are traumatized. It is time the international community acted to put a stop to this suffering and injustice of our people.” I agree: Enough is enough. It is time for action to force the Israeli government to enter into unconditional talks to end this tragedy of tragedies against the Palestinian people.

Click the link below to the speech Ms. Maguire's gave at the nonviolence conference before the demonstration:

Nonviolence: The Way Forward for the Human Family
An address by Nobel peace laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire

Salaam Aleikom, Shalom, my Friends,

I am very happy to be here and I would like to thank the organizers of this conference for their kind invitation to speak to you. I have chosen to speak on the subject “Nonviolence–the Way forward for the Human Family.” I am deeply conscious that many Palestinians have committed their lives to working for a nonviolent solution to the Israeli/Palestinian problem, and they are committed to the nonviolent Palestinian resistance movement, to resist the wall and Israeli occupation. I fully support this movement, as I believe that all forms of nonviolent resistance to the wall are legal, as the wall itself contravenes international law, including the International Court of Justice decision in The Hague. I believe the separation wall is a monument to fear and failed politics. I look forward to joining you in nonviolent resistance at the wall.

I am aware that there is a strong Palestinian tradition of nonviolent resistance, and your history records that Palestinians responded to the Israeli occupation with a well-organized nonviolent resistance movement. I am aware, too, of the risk attached to participating in this movement, as at demonstrations, etc., many are targeted by police and picked up later, being ‘charged’ with being at demonstrations - and their confessions are used to pick up others that they name under duress. Some are Palestinian children, 14 or so. This practice by Israeli security should cease immediately if there is to be any hope for peace. Yet, you continue to struggle in spite of daily hardships, checkpoints, oppression, and humiliation, in trying to do the basic things of life, like getting to work, educating and feeding your children.

I believe for many Palestinians daily living is so hard, it is indeed an act of resistance. I thank you all for this. I am honored to join in solidarity with you in your rightful demand for equality, freedom, and the upholding of human dignity through the full implementation of U.N. resolutions, human rights and international laws, which are currently being broken and violated by the Israeli government. I believe the European Council and all governments of the European Union should recognize the Palestinian government and cancel all economic, social, and political restrictions which have been placed upon it. The EU Council and Governments of the European Union should recognize the opportunity to revive the peace process with Israel and Palestinian governments.

I fully support and encourage you as you continue to peacefully organize, protest and resist, and to continue building your nonviolent grassroots peoples’ movement which will be the cornerstone of a new Palestine/Israel, and a new Middle East.

I am consc