Site Visit Reflection: First Congregational Church of Christ

For my site visit, I attended Palm Sunday Service at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I'm not personally religious, but if I were to become religious, this is the church I would attend. I love this church because it's quite liberal. FCUCC is open and affirming, which means they welcome anyone and everyone into their church, regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, gender orientation, or marital status. A lesbian couple sat in front of me and they looked comfortable; everyone welcomed them. Reverend Broadbent, the main Reverend at FCUCC, works to make the sermons engaging and applicable to today's world. He sometimes discusses politics, but not in a way that forces his beliefs upon the church members. FCUCC focuses on love rather than sin and evil; I've never heard the words "hell" or "Satan" in the church. In an earlier blog post, I discussed Diana Bass' ideas on saving Christianity, and I think loving and welcoming churches like FCUCC could help save Christianity.

Visit http://www.fcucc.org/ for more information.

Longtime Atheist Converts to Christianity After Benefiting from Christian Kindness

Two months ago, Patrick Greene was threatening to sue Henderson County, Texas for placing a Nativity scene in front of the public courthouse. The longtime atheist activist was unable to continue the lawsuit after he developed cataracts in his eyes. He was also forced to quit his job as a taxi driver, and after losing his job Greene found it difficult to support himself and his wife. Jessica Crye, a member of a Christian church, heard of Greene's trouble and encouraged her fellow church members to raise money for Greene. The church raised $400 for Greene. Greene was "flabbergasted that Christians would help atheists," and the kindness of the church caused Greene to reconsider his faith. After experiencing Christian kindness, Greene said the little details of Christianity stopped bothering him and he chose to accept faith, especially because Christianity explained the "vast difference" between humans and animals. 

What intrigues me about this article is how kindness caused Greene to undergo a serious and sudden change of faith. Can kindness cause someone to suddenly accept Christ as savior and the Bible as fact?

Article:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/patrick-greene-atheist-christianity-conversion_n_1404196.html

Resurrecting Christianity

In "A Resurrected Christianity," Diana Butler Bass discusses the current crisis facing Christianity. Christians are dwindling and Atheism is on the rise, and Bass explains why. She thinks organized religion has become hypocritical and irrelevant to millions, and feels the Christian mindset must be altered in order to save Christianity. According to Bass, Christianity has centered around the following 3 questions in the past:


1) What do I believe? (What does my church say I should think about God?)
2) How should I behave? (What are the rules my church asks me to follow?
)3) Who am I? (What does it mean to be a faithful church member?)

Christianity has historically centered (to a certain extent) about following a specific doctrine and a specific set of rules. Bass feels if Christianity is to survive, it must become more centered on individual spirituality, and focus on a different set of questions:

1) How do I believe? (How do I understand faith that seems to conflict with science and pluralism?)
2) What should I do? (How do my actions make a difference in the world?)
3) Whose am I? (How do my relationships shape my self-understanding?)


Christianity must engage in the questions of belief, behavior, and belonging in order to bring people back to church. Bass encourages Christianity to move away from its rigid structure and make room for individual thinking, as opposed to the dictated thinking of the past. 


I think the picture I included above sums up the rising atheism throughout the world and also connects with Bass' ideas. Many people today don't feel compelled to participate in a religion which expects them simply to follow rules. I think religion is much more powerful if it encourages people to think about why and how they should act instead of telling them. Bass wants Christianity to stop telling people the answers, and instead guide them in figuring out questions of belief, behavior, and belonging. 


Article:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-butler-bass/a-resurrected-christianit_b_1410143.html

Belief in God Prominent in Poor Countries

Though Belief in God is generally declining throughout the world, poor and developing countries often show a high degree of belief. The University of Chicago recently released a report titled "Beliefs About God Across Time and Countries" which found the Philippines to be the country with the highest belief. 94 percent of Filipinos said they had a strong belief in God and always had. On the other end of the spectrum, 13 percent of East Germany said they believed in God. The University of Chicago found that poor and Catholic nations usually exhibit the highest degree of belief in God. They also found that belief usually increases with age. Unbelief is most prominent in northwest Europe and in former Soviet states (excepting Poland). Belief has generally declined, but Slovenia, Israel, and Russia have seen increases. 

The top 5 countries for people who sad they believed in God without doubts are:

1. The Philippines

2. Chile

3. Israel

4. Poland

5. The United States

I find this study interesting. I wonder if poor nations exhibit a higher degree of belief because they're looking for something to find hope in, and someone to guide them through a difficult time. But the U.S. isn't usually considered a poor country, it must be religious because of other reasons. What factors determine the "religiousness" of a country?

Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/19/belief-in-god-highest-developing-countries_n_1435945.html?ref=christianity

San Felipe de Neri

I was in Albuquerque for a few days over Spring Break, and while there I found a beautiful church called San Felipe de Neri.The church was started in 1706 by Fray Manuel Moreno, who came to Albuquerque from Bernalillo in 1704 or 1705. 30 families from Bernalillo moved to Albuquerque with Moreno, and together they began a church. The church was initially named San Francisco Xavier by Don Francisco Cuervo y Valdez, who founded the city of Alburquerque and named it after the Viceroy of New Spain. The Duke of Alburquerque ordered that the titular saint be changed to San Felipe de Neri in honor of King Philip of Spain.The old church collapsed in 1792, and the church that stands today is constructed in the shape of a cross, with adobe walls five feet thick. Today, San Felipe de Neri is staffed with diocesan priests

and deacons of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.


Visit the San Felipe de Neri website at:http://www.sanfelipedeneri.org/

Nuns Criticized by Vatican for Being Too Feminist

The Vatican orthodoxy watchdog has ordered a crackdown on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the largest umbrella group for nuns in the U.S. The group has been accused of undermining the Roman Catholic teachings and promoting "certain radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith." An American archbishop was appointed to oversee the reform of the group.  The  Leadership Conference of Women Religious is also tied with NETWORK, which plays a key role in promoting Obamacare. This tie was questioned by the Catholic Church because Obama's health care overhaul will provide government funding for abortions. Sister Simone Campbell said, "Our position on health care was application of the one faith to a political document that we read differently than the bishops." The Vatican has reported that the group faced a "grave" doctrinal crisis, and that the group has made statements that "disagree with or challenge positions taken by the bishops." Many feel the Vatican's attack on the Leadership conference reflects the Church's misogyny, and consider their actions a insult to the nuns who teach, run hospitals, and play vital roles in the church.

Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/vatican-orders-crackdown-on-us-nun-association-leadership-conference-of-women-religious_n_1434866.html?ref=christianity

Progressive Muslims and Christians

A new group of Muslims is gaining followers in the U.S.: Muslims for Progressive Values. These Muslims believe that traditional practice of Islam is outdated, and they practice a more progressive form of Islam. They might marry outside the Muslim faith, they might be homosexual without repercussions, they might even drink alcohol. Women lead prayers, gay imams perform marriages, and men and women pray side by side. The Muslims for Progressive Values believe Islam needs to move forward, out of the past and into the future.

Christian churches are also moving forward and becoming more liberal. The Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Episcopal Church allow gay and women clergy. The United Methodist Church ordains women. 


Both of these movements are gravitating towards a liberal approach to their religion; they're moving away from the traditional practice.


Article:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/progressive-muslims-launch-gay-friendly-women-led-mosques_n_1368460.html?page=1

"Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner?"

In light of the recent suicide of Tyler Clementi, Reverend William E. Flippin, Jr. discusses homosexuality and the idea of "hate the sin, love the sinner." Christians who condemn homosexuality as a sin explain that they still unconditionally love everyone with the statement: "hate the sin, love the sinner." Though Christians claim they  love homosexuals (just not their sexual orientation), homosexuals feel separated from churches that condemn their sexual orientation and from their parents who've been taught to hate homosexuality. Flippin wonders if these Christians are truly following in Jesus' footsteps, when Jesus showed compassion towards everyone, even an adulterer who was to be stoned. In Flippin's mind, turning away homosexuals and condemning their behavior  is far from compassionate, and it's not what Jesus would do. In new York, Pastor Heidi Neumark created a shelter specifically for homeless LGBTQ youth/young adults. The goal of this shelter is to help people transition out of the shelters and become independent, productive adults. I think Neumark, her shelter, and churches who are open and affirming allow homosexuals to feel safe and loved, and offer shelter from the onslaught of hatred towards homosexuals. In my opinion, the issue of homosexuality and Christianity boils down to whether you think Jesus' compassion and love for everyone outweighs the evidence that Jesus believed homosexuality to be a sin.

Article:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/reverend-william-e-flippin-jr/hate-the-sin-love-the-sin_b_1364510.html

Chinese Police Raid Underground Christian Newspapers

On March 26, Chinese police raided the offices of two underground Christian newspapers, A Kernel of Wheat and A Foreign Land, seizing four important employees. These newspapers are part of the House Church movement, a group of 40 million Chinese who practice Christianity in private because the government doesn't approve of their religious practices. The House Church movement is comprised of an underground network of Christians who meet in private homes for worship. Chinese Christians have been forced into this set-up because the Chinese government disallows Christians to register larger spaces for worship and repeatedly cracks down on open-air gatherings. The political atmosphere is tense in China at the moment, and so is the religious atmosphere if Christians are being prevented from practicing and Christian newspapers are being persecuted.

I had no idea that the Chinese government was intolerant of Christianity. The intolerance seems to be increasing the tension in a nation that's already feeling stressed. As I mentioned in my last blog, I'm a strong believer in religious tolerance.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/chinese-police-raid-underground-christian-newspapers_n_1386490.html

Chats with CU Missionaries

I've been approached a lot recently by the Christian missionaries on the CU campus. They're very nice and interesting to talk to, but the concept of approaching random people on campus with the purpose of encouraging them to change their beliefs seems a little odd to me. 

I was first approached by a woman (Becky) who didn't fully embrace God and the Christian faith until college. She gave up boys and partying and explained how she felt guilty about rejecting a Father who was perfect and good. Then Becky explained how God had led her to her fiancee, and how God had also spoken to Becky's fiancee and guided him to her. I found her story interesting and beautiful, but it bothered me that she continued pressuring me to come to her Bible study and church after I explained that I wasn't religious and didn't feel compelled to become religious. 

A few days later, I was approached by another young woman who continued to pressure me after I explained that I'd already spoken with one of her missionary colleagues and that I wasn't interested in attending church. Like Becky, she was also kind and polite, but it bothers me when people try to enforce their religion on someone else. 

A religious friend of mine also tried to convert me and explained that she wanted to help me enrich my life through God. God had made my friend's life beautiful, and she wanted to help me find that path as well. The gestures of my friend and the missionaries are kind, but I think a kinder gesture is religious tolerance. I would have appreciated the missionaries much more if they had briefly explained their opinions and listened to my beliefs and then dropped the subject. Instead they continued to pressure me, which only frustrated me instead of encouraging me to change my beliefs. Thinking about all the wars and suffering caused by religious differences makes me very sad, and I think if we could practice more religious tolerance in our daily lives, we could practice religious tolerance in wider situations. 

Is College Bad for Religion?

In the Huffington Post article "Is College Bad for Religion?" Rev. Dr. Lucy A. Forster-Smith challenges Rick Santorum's claim that "62 percent of kids who go into college with a faith commitment leave without it." Forster-Smith, as a university chaplain, takes offense at this claim. She feels that the wider spectrum of religious views found in college life can enrich faith, and that dedicated university chaplains and religious leaders help student's faiths to mature. Religious college students are "so earnest, so convicted, so ready to step into a cultural crossfire between absolutes and steady their eye on cleaning up the mess," says Forster-Smith. Perhaps college education helps religious students see past the narrow, strict faith they might've been raised with. Education encourages students to think deeply and critically about what's important and meaningful, which can expand and deepen a student's faith.

In my personal life, I've observed a trend opposite of the one Rick Santorum describes. My roommate and friend has become more religious since coming to college. Back at home, her family wasn't particularly religious in the sense that they believed in the Christian faith but didn't attend church or study the Bible. Now that she's come to college, my friend has found  many opportunities to practice her faith. She attends Bible studies, meets with a religious counselor, and attend's a women's prayer group. In this way, the religious opportunities in college have allowed her to encourage her faith in new ways.

A friend who attends Baylor University experienced a different series of events but with the same result of enriched faith. This friend is a middle ground Christian: she's not super conservative but neither is she liberal. She searched for a church in Waco, TX where Baylor is located, but found them too conservative for her liking. My Baylor friend felt a little lost without a church; the church she attended in Colorado Springs (where we're both from) was like a second home to her. This church fit her like a glove and nourished her faith. But at Baylor, she had to work on her relationship with God on her own. Being religious without her church challenged my friend and forced her to learn how to be religious on her own. The wave of conservativism at Baylor also encouraged my friend to think about her own personal beliefs.

I think how college affects a person's faith depends on the student and how they approach religion. Those who come to college questioning their faith or those who were forced into church by their parents may find that college allows them the freedom to discard religion. But I think college challenges faith in a positive way for those who came to college truly believing in the joy of their religion.

Link to the Huffington Post article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lucy-forster-smith/is-college-bad-for-religi_b_1310788.html

A.J. Jacobs' Year of Living Biblically

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/a_j_jacobs_year_of_living_biblically.html

I couldn't figure out how to embed this video onto this page (those technologically more advanced than I should explain how to do this so I can stop looking dumb), but the link will lead you to a TED video called "A.J. Jacobs' Year of Living Biblically." Jacobs had a positive experience overall, but realized that many issues emerge when one interprets the Bible literally. Should we stone adulterers because the Bible tells us to? Should scientific knowledge be ignored because it conflicts with the Bible? The issues Jacobs encountered made him wonder if interpreting the Bible literally is truly productive. Jacobs suggests a new law, the "law of pick and choose" which suggests for individuals to decide which Biblical rules are important to follow and which are impractical. But when you pick and choose which laws to obey, are you still following God? On the other hand, is it necessary for literalists to stay confined by rules which were proposed many years ago for a very different world? Jacobs' dedication to the laws of the Bible sparks discussion of how to interpret the Bible.

Lilith, "Evening on the Ground," and "The Dinner Party."

Iron and Wine's "Evening on the Ground (Lilith's Song)" is not only interesting for the ear, it's also interesting for the mind because it encourages discussion of the story of Lilith. To understand how the song connects to Lilith, we should first look at her story. Here's a link to Lilith's tale as found in the Alphabet of ben Sira:

 http://jewishchristianlit.com/Topics/Lilith/alphabet.html

The text describes Lilith as a fiercely independent woman who refused to obey Adam. Lilith felt she and Adam were equals and that she had no obligation to submit to Adam's will. This version of the legend portrays Lilith in a negative light: she spawns demon children and disobeyed both Adam and God. Though Lilith is generally seen as evil and full of sin, some view Lilith more positively, as a passionate rebel and feminist. "Evening on the Ground" interprets Lilith's story in such a way. The song's lyrics are as follows:

Evening, evening on the ground

And there is no one else around
So you will blame me
Blame me for the rocks
And baby bones and broken lock
On the garden
Garden wall of eden
For the spider bites
And all your love as we were
We were born to fuck each other
One way or another
But Ill only lie
Down by the waterside at night

Hey man, tiny baby tears
I will collect a million years
And you can blame me
Blame me, I will wear it
In the empty, hollow part of my garden
Garden wall of eden
And the clamour as they raise the curtain
You will, you will never make me learn
To lay beneath the mountain
Cause I'll only lie
Down by the waterside at night

"Evening on the Ground" is found on the album Woman King. Each song on this album is dedicated to a female spiritual figure. Though Sam Beam, (whose stage name is Iron and Wine), is not religious, he finds spiritual figures intriguing and sparks discussion of these figures through his music. Beam interprets Lilith's story as that of a feminist who necessarily rebelled against Adam. He almost portrays Adam as the evil one in the story rather than condemning Lilith as sinful. Lilith is instead portrayed as a sort of victim who rebelled against Adam ("you will never make me learn...I'll only lie down by the waterside at night"). However, the lyrics also parallel the text. Notice how Lilith refused to "lay beneath" in both the song and in the legend. Furthermore, both the song and the text describe how Lilith fled to the sea after leaving Adam. The line "We were born to fuck each other one way or another" is also interesting and inspires further insight into the story of Lilith. In my interpretation, this line has a double meaning: it refers to Lilith's role as Adam's mate but also foretells their stormy relationship because Adam was unable to concieve of Lilith as his equal. In this way, Iron and Wine's "Evening on the Ground" leads to discussion of Lilith and challenges the traditional view of Lilith as a sinful and evil creature.

Sam Beam is not the only one who views Lilith as a powerful feminist; the artist Judy Chicago incorporated Lilith into her controversial artwork "The Dinner Party." In this piece, Chicago and her colleagues constructed a massive triangular dinner table with 39 place settings, each of which represents a notable female. The floor space inside the table (also known as the Heritage Floor) is inscribed with the names of 999 additional females of great worth. Lilith doesn't have a place setting, but her name is one of those inscribed on the Heritage Floor. "The Dinner Party" is a feminist masterpiece in that it pays homage to females who made valuable contributions to the world. I also like to think about the conversation that might have occured if 39 brilliant women sat down to dinner together. What ideas might have been born? By including Lilith in "The Dinner Party," Judy Chicago, like Sam Beam, saw her as a courageous feminist and not as an evil demon.

For more information about Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party" visit:

http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/home.php

The site also talks a bit about Lilith and her place in "The Dinner Party":

http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/heritage_floor/lilith.php