This week we have seen two conspicuous examples of genuine Christianity. The first was in Francis’s papal encyclical teaching our shared responsibility to preserve the environment in which we all live and to the poor:
The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change. The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home. Here I want to recognize, encourage and thank all those striving in countless ways to guarantee the protection of the home which we share. Particular appreciation is owed to those who tirelessly seek to resolve the tragic effects of environmental degradation on the lives of the world’s poorest. Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded.
Lost in the predictable kneejerk reactions and political posturing was the essential truth that unless our actions are informed by values other than mere acquisitiveness we are all in desperate trouble. We can and will disagree with the pope in his views on economics or in our decisions on what policies should be pursued but I hope we can agree with him on the values that should inform those policies.
The second example was the reactions of the families of the victims of Dylann Roof during initial court appearance in Charleston:
Relatives of the Charleston church shooting victims gave emotional statements during Dylann Roof’s initial court appearance Friday, some of them breaking into sobs as one after another they told the man suspected of killing their loved ones that they forgive him.
“You took something really precious from me. I will never talk to her again,†the daughter of 70-year-old Ethel Lance, one of nine people killed in Wednesday’s massacre, said. “But I forgive you and have mercy on your soul. You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people. But God forgives you. I forgive you.â€
They didn’t respond that way because they were weak or indifferent but because they knew they couldn’t call themselves Christians unless they responded to even the most grievous injury with forgiveness because that’s what Christians are called to do.
Through the years we have been deluged with reports of the many hypocrisies and evil deeds performed by Christians in blatant contradiction of what they claim to profess. There’s an expression that’s at least half a millennium old—tell the truth and shame the devil. Those two examples of conspicuous Christianity are the truth about it and I hope we see much, much more of it.
Both the Pope and the Charleston families have already been attacked for these statements, especially by people who profess to be Christian. Sad.
Steve
I’ll attack the Pope for asking for me to sacrifice without his Papal ass doing Jack shit. Tired of the rich & powerful asking me to turn off my air conditioner whilst they flit about from fabulous home to fabulous home in their private jets. Fuck ’em all.
Francis isn’t living in the papal residence and he’s avoiding the trappings of the papacy as much as he can. He’s living in much more modest digs instead. He’s really trying to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
Is he planning on selling of the Sistine Chapel and moving the Papal digs to, say, an abandoned factory complex on Detroit? Think of the money they’d make, that could then be spent on good works, all while reducing overhead.
He can live in a few rooms, but the manse is still there. The tremendous pomp and ceremony of the Papacy is still there. That’s not going away.
And I’d love it if he’d start by shaming the rich jackholes who fly to environmental confrences in their private jets while bringing along the wife, kids & two nannies instead of telling me to sweat & carpool.
As you like to say, I’ll start believing its a crisis when the people in charge start acting like it.
Both the Pope and the Charleston families have already been attacked for these statements, especially by people who profess to be Christian. Sad.
The pope has been criticized (not attacked) for not allowing any meetings with those dissenting from the AGW doctrine in April’s climate summit, sponsored by the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Climate skeptics were essentially rebuffed from having an opportunity to influence the papal document, now circulating as the pope’s authoritarian words on what is causing climate change. It’s considered a major defeat for those who see those root causes differently.
As for any Christian flak given the Charleston families — all I’ve seen, from most corners of this country, has been awe and admiration for the solidarity of victim’s families, in applying “forgiveness” so unconditionally. They decisively chose to respond with love rather than the hate and plundering, evidenced in other recent tragedies. It’s become a vivid example of enacting one’s faith rather than just speaking empty words. What an inspiration and credit it is to Charleston to put energy in uniting themselves, versus defaulting to the race-baiting craze many leaders are predisposed to call for when senseless acts of violence occur.
Well, I agree Dave, I think it’s nice to see people actually demonstrate their values.
Dave,
I ran across this on Facebook and thought of your love of dogs:
http://www.earthporm.com/chinese-woman-travels-1500-miles-spends-savings-to-rescue-dogs-from-dog-eating-festival/