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April Focus - Resurrection
War on Terror, War on Death
The war with Iraq highlights in a dramatic way the complexity of the challenge of life in the 21st century. As the technical revolution continues to reduce the size of the global village, how do we build a genuine worldwide community out of so many diverging interests?
The justification for war begins with the horror of international terrorism and the existence of weapons of mass destruction. A dirty bomb (the name on the street for a conventional bomb made more lethal by the inclusion of radio-active material) carried in a suitcase and detonated in an urban center is the stuff of which nightmares are made.
The terrorist threat to the United States is a reality the rest of the world has known for 50 years. The claim that terrorism is the only alternative powerless people have to assert their right to human dignity is an empty claim. How does killing children at random assert a right to human dignity?
Wise moralists avoid universal statements. But the wise moralist may indulge one universal claim: All terrorists live outside the wall of the global city in the most desolate wilderness inhabited only by snakes, scorpions, and vicious rats. (One grieves the insult to snakes, scorpions, and vicious rats.)
Yet, as a response to terror, war is a clumsy tool. Imagine the surgeon entering an operating room with a club. Then again, when a head of state makes terror a policy of government, and deception the basis of international relations, what practical alternative remains but war?
Such is the challenge of the 21st century. Terrorism is just one small piece in a highly complex worldwide social system no one understands because it is only now emerging.
How do persons living in community together disagree on fundamental issues and yet remain in community together? This is difficult in families. Extrapolate the challenge to a planetary context. The mind crashes.
The death and resurrection of Jesus has never been more relevant than it is today. In this event God broadcasts to the world: No matter how bad it gets, grace prevails.
The world does not call Jesus "Lord," because he is a better teacher, or religious leader, or moral philosopher than Buddha or Mohammed or the avatars of Hinduism. Each of the world great spiritual traditions have important and valuable perspectives that will help the world find its way forward in the challenge of the 21st century. The world calls Jesus "Lord" because Jesus, the one who died, lives.
Long before there was a war on terrorism, there was a war on death. Jesus death on the cross was the final battle. The victory shout of Easter, "Christ is risen!" proclaims a reality that completes and fulfills the hopes of every spiritual tradition. In the power of resurrection death is defeated once and for all.
To have faith means to embrace the reality that God's grace manifested in the resurrection of Jesus works in the world still. God's resurrection power is at work in Asia, in Africa, in the Americas and Europe and in the Middle East, wherever people believe that God's grace has the power to prevail over every injustice, over every act of violence, over every broken dream.
Jesus stands up from out of the grave and says, "Peace." Peace - the righting of all wrongs, the restoration of all that is broken, the completion of all work unfinished - begins with the recognition that God's grace prevails in human history.
Will humanity survive the challenge of terrorism and clumsy wars of the 21st century? Will humanity endure and prevail through the global complexity to come? Will God's blessing continue to transform human life? Yes, and yes, and an unqualified yes! And for one simple reason: Jesus Christ is Lord
March Focus: Truth
February Focus: Covenant Groups
January Focus: Sabbath
2002:
December Focus: Shut Up and Sing
November Focus: Spiritual Gifts
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Intentional Faith
Monthly Focus Archive
2006:
Easter Focus: New Covenant
Lenten Focus: A Covenantal Response to Poverty
February Focus: Moving Forward
2005:
December Focus: Longing
November Focus: The Gift of Years
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Foundations
Summer Focus: The Book of Acts
Easter Focus: Tapestry
Lenten Focus: Rule of Life
January Focus: The Next Wave
2004:
December Focus: Surprising Grace
November Focus: Free Indeed
October Focus: Money Madness
September Focus: The Outrageous Promise
Summer Focus: Into the Fullness
June Focus: Thick Faith
Easter Focus: All Things New
Lent Focus: A Hungry World
February Focus: Commitment
January Focus: Unity
2003:
December Focus: Hope
November Focus: Worship
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Seasons of Faith
Summer Focus: The Gospel of John
May Focus: Faith
April Focus: Resurrection
March Focus: Truth
February Focus: Covenant Groups
January Focus: Sabbath
2002:
December Focus: Shut Up and Sing
November Focus: Spiritual Gifts
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Intentional Faith
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