The Outlook – April 11, 2016

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Seminary libraries Israel/Palestine Horizons 9 22 27 33 LOOK in www.pres-outlook.org The Presbyterian AN INDEPENDENT BIWEEKLY ON THE PC(USA) VOL. 198 NO. 8 APRIL 11, 2016 FIVE USD UTLOOK { SPRING BOOKS LITERATURE & LIBRARIES

OPRS, a faith-based organization

in Columbus, Ohio,

more than 73,000 people in

Ohio counties annually through

wholly owned subsidiaries,

and

Independence

of the 12 OPRS

and apartments,

living, memory

term care.

provides home and community based services, offers hospice

operates seven adult day centers, manages two senior centers, and continues to expand nationally through its iPartner program.

Providing home health

Akron/Canton Region 330.873.3468

Serving Ashland, Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit & Wayne Counties

Central Ohio Region 614.433.0031

Serving Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway & Union Counties

Greater Cleveland Region 440.953.1256

Serving Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake & Portage Counties

Mahoning Valley Region 330.533.4350

Serving Ashtabula, Columbiana, Jefferson, Mahoning, Portage, Stark & Trumbull Counties

Miami Valley Region 937.415.5666

Serving Allen, Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Hardin, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Preble & Shelby Counties

Partnering with other

Ohio

Kendal Northern Ohio • 440.731.8801

Serving Lorain County

216.851.8200

Serving Cuyahoga County

Kansas 316.685.1100

Senior Independence Hospice

Serving St. Francois, Iron, Madison,

Genevieve

Montana 406.655.5800

Senior

Southwest Ohio Region 513.681.8174

Serving Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Preble & Warren Counties

Greater Toledo Region 419.865.1499

Serving Erie, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky & Wood Counties

724.864.7388

Southwestern

Westmoreland & Allegheny

OHIO PRESBYTERIAN RETIREMENT SERVICES EXPERIENCE • STRENGTH • MISSION Llanfair Retirement Community Cincinnati • 513.681.4230 Westminster-Thurber Community Columbus • 614.228.8888 Mount Pleasant Retirement Village Monroe • 513.539.7391 Dorothy Love Retirement Community Sidney • 937.498.2391 Cape May Retirement Village Wilmington • 937.382.2995 Lake Vista of Cortland Cortland • 330.638.2420 Breckenridge Village Willoughby • 440.942.4342 Rockynol Akron • 330.867.2150 Swan Creek Retirement Village Toledo • 419.865.4445 Park Vista of Youngstown Youngstown • 330.746.2944 The Vineyard on Catawba Port Clinton • 419.797.3100 OPRS COMMUNITIES
headquartered
serves
41
its
OPRS Communities
Senior
(SI). Most
communities feature homes
assisted
care, rehabilitation and long
SI
care,
1001 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, Ohio 43229 • 614.888.7800 • www.oprs.org
Sarah
Moore Health Care Center Delaware • 740.362.9641
not-for-profit organizations to provide home and community based services
McGregor •
of Mid-America
Ste.
and Washington Counties
Independence of Montana • Serving Yellowstone County Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Serving
Counties Virginia 434.386.3800 Westminster Canterbury Lynchburg Serving South Central Virginia – Based in Lynchburg
and hospice services • www.seniorindependence.org OPRS PresToday 21915.indd 1 2/19/15 4:06 PM

22 | SEMINARY LIBRARIES

What’s new in the atmosphere and services of libraries? Timothy Lincoln of Austin Seminary tells how libraries are becoming increasingly social and connected.

24 | PC(USA) NEWS Leslie Scanlon reports on this spring’s NEXT Church conference and the recent report of the Study Team on Prospects for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine.

22 INSIGHTS AT A GLANCE Earl Johnson. Horizons 9. Outlook Standard lessons for May 1 & 8 Classified ads Benedictory by Claudia Aguilar Rubalcava 05 Editor’s outlook Come and see 06 Board of Pensions Announces new options 10 | SPRING BOOKS These full-length reviews of notable releases and a compendium of shorter reviews will surely fill your reading list for the spring. 10 CONTENTS IN FOCUS ON THE COVER: Image agency: istockphoto.com. APRIL 11, 2016 | 03
24 05 The Presbyterian AN INDEPENDENT BIWEEKLY ON THE PC(USA) VOL. 197 NO. 02 JAN. 19, 2015 FIVE USD UTLOOK Seminary libraries Israel/Palestine 33 LOOK in www.pres-outlook.org The Presbyterian AN INDEPENDENT BIWEEKLY ON THE PC(USA) UTLOOK { SPRING BOOKS LITERATURE & LIBRARIES 06 IMAGE AGENCY: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

READERS’ OUTLOOK

Re: Marks of the church (pub. Feb. 29, 2016)

Together with where we read it, your blogger’s stimulating piece contains a pleasant echo from some 50 years ago. What, indeed, should we say the church is for in the 21st century? Begin by looking a few pages forward and back — at David Gambrell’s lucid celebration of the liturgical calendar’s role in church life, at editor Duffield’s missional look at Holy Week’s promise amidst secular indifference, at Roy Howard’s revelation of a new and potent side of Calvin that no one has seen, at continuing and frankly searing Presbyterian honesty about its own internal operations and, finally, at Paul Roberts’ uplifting message of hope and non-violence using a West African symbol together with the lives of John Lewis and M.L. King. What is the church for? As we used to say: Just let the church be the church.

Boom! Nice article Chris. It got me thinking about the church universal again. In terms of purpose, this resonated with me because of the lectionary a couple of weeks ago (Luke 4:14-21) in which Jesus (and by extension the church) explained his mission/purpose. I don’t often hear this used when it comes to mission and ministry and maybe it’s because, like you say, it’s “not sexy and appealing.” Yet, there is a purpose outlined here — by the power of the Spirit, bringing good news to the poor, release to captives, sight to the blind, letting the oppressed go free and pronouncing the favour of the Lord. Interesting for us to reflect on how our faith communities are

actually living out this purpose or instead settling for being places of “marketable salvation” only.

Re: PMA board discusses report of review committee (pub. Feb. 29, 2016) Walter Brueggemann argues persuasively that the biblical message is ambiguous regarding God choosing the Jews to occupy certain land. This is a telling counterpoint to those who attempt to justify the current occupation of Palestinian lands based on a reading of Scripture. Scripture does have messages relating to the occupation that are decidedly unambiguous. Palestinian land is being occupied through stealing (settlements and separation wall) and through killing (incursive wars and extrajudicial executions). These actions are unblurred contraventions of the Ten Commandments and, I will add, of the moral values of my Jewish friends.

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TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.

OUTLOOK

Published by the Presbyterian Outlook Foundation Inc., 1 N. 5th St., Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219

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Jill Duffield jduffield@pres-outlook.org

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Vol. 198-08 • April 11, 2016

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EDITOR’S OUTLOOK

Come and see

Capital “T” truth is out of fashion these days. I have been reading lately about the “new culture of learning” that details the exponential tech nological change that has radically altered the way we learn. People like John Seely Brown are pointing out that in such a world, knowing “context” is more important than knowing “content.” I’ve been intrigued. Most of what Brown writes resonates even as it alienates — because I am not a digital native and am what is known as a “late adapter.” His observation that many people, particularly younger generations, value “collectives” over “community” and re gard “participation” over “belonging” is both fascinating and befuddling to me.

This new culture of learning is about agency and passion; in fact, “institu tional backing is no longer a warrant for credibility.” Brown, in his book “A New Culture of Learning,” writes that meaning “now arises not from interpretation (what something means) but from the contextualization (where something has meaning).” In this new culture of learning, human beings are Homo faber, those who make context and therefore meaning. Further, we are in a world “where im ages, text and meaning can be manipulated for nearly any purpose.” I don’t doubt Brown’s claim, what with Photoshop and iMovie and Dubsmash. Manipulating meaning is easy and the manipulations not always obvious. So I am left, frighten ingly enough, like Pilate, asking, “What is truth?”

I guess I should be asking instead, “Where is truth?”

Where is truth? Is there such a thing in our post-everything context, a con text that eats content for lunch, a context that can be manipulated almost at will? I feel unmoored as I am bombarded with the pings of notifications on my phone, a newsfeed full of articles from multiple sources and an endless amount of information available in my pocket or purse. What is truth? Where is truth? Is there any Truth?

John’s Gospel reminds us that grace and truth came through Jesus, that we must worship in spirit and in truth, that the truth will set us free and that indeed Jesus is the truth. But then Pilate, with Jesus right in front of him asks, “What is truth?” The question resounds through time and seems to get louder with each passing generation. I had a teenager tell me of her faith, “I have a hard time be lieving in a God I have not actually experienced.”

She was open to the possibility of God, even the specifics of Jesus and his story, but sought some tangible evidence, a personal experience. She was asking not: What is truth? But rather: Where is truth? As Brown points out, “In the digital world, we learn by doing, watching, experiencing.” Respectful as this digital na tive is of church and church people, institutional authority wasn’t enough. Like Thomas, she wants to put her hand in Jesus’ side. She knows all too well how easy it is to manipulate images, texts and meaning. She does it daily on her iPhone. What is truth? No, where is truth?

As daunting as this current context is for old school people like me, it is also hopeful. We have biblical guidance for answering this where question, right at the beginning of John. The very first disciples ask of Jesus: Where are you staying? Jesus responds, “Come and see.” Nathanael a few verses later asks,

“Where did you get to know me?” Je sus says, “I saw you.” We are equipped to answer, “Where is truth?” by point ing to the One who is truth, trusting that Jesus already knows the ones we invite to come and see him.

John Seely Brown talks about the importance of inquiry, imagination and indwelling in this new culture of learning. He writes, “Indwelling is the set of practices we use and develop to find and make connections. … It is the set of experiences from which we are able to develop our hunches and sense of intuition.”

Honoring the questions of those who have a hunch about God, invit ing them to join in the practices of our faith and welcoming their contribu tions will lead to our both experienc ing the Way the Truth and the Life. Come and see.

Grace and peace,

APRIL 11, 2016 | 05
Where is truth? Is there such a thing in our post-everything context, a context that eats content for lunch, and can be manipulated almost at will?

A

CLOSER

Board of Pensions announces updates

PHILADELPHIA (PNS)

The board of directors for the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have announced a new employer portal, scheduled for a July launch. It will allow employers to configure benefits packages offered to employees, facilitate employee contribution calculations and provides flexibility for a variety of ministry contexts.

No longer an “all or nothing” benefits plan, em ployers can select a variety of coverage and savings options for their employees, including:

• the Pension Plan,

• the Retirement Savings Plan,

ABOVE: The board hopes the new tools will convince existing employers to stay with the Board of Pensions and attract new employers, such as Presbyterian colleg es, seminaries and retire ment living communities, to begin using its options.

• medical coverage in the PPO and/or an exclusive provider organization, and

• death and disability coverage and availability of dental, supplemental death and supplemental disability coverage.

The configuration tool will also contain employerspecific pricing based on a number of factors such as geographic location and demographic of covered employees. The plan provides transitional support through 2019 for organizations that incur higher costs at certain coverage levels.

“Eighty percent of our employers have one em ployee — the installed pastor,” said Frank Spencer, Board of Pensions president. “It becomes more manageable, especially for small churches.” He hopes the new tools will convince existing employ ers to continue with the Board of Pensions and at tract new employers, such as Presbyterian colleges, seminaries and retirement living communities, to begin using its options.

Total assets in the Board of Pensions balanced portfolio were at $8.2 billion on Dec. 31, 2015, even after investments incurred a 1.1 percent decrease in 2015. The balanced portfolio is the investment fund for the Pension Plan, Death and Disability Plan, Endowment Fund, and Assistance Program as well as for restricted gifts made to the Board of Pensions.

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GLANCE
LOOK SOURCE: STATISTA, 2016 { RELIGIOUS BOOK SALES REVENUE }
IN THE U.S. BETWEEN 2011-2014 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 $609 million $562 million $547 million $554 million IMAGE AGENCY: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Small Church Residency Program ends

LOUISVILLE (PNS) Seven years after first recruiting, selecting, and sending its inaugural class of recent seminary graduates to serve hard-tocall churches across the denomina tion, the “Small Church Residency Program”— originally named “For Such a Time as This”— will come to a close. Since 2010 the program has placed pastoral residents in geograph ically and culturally diverse, rural, small-town and urban settings across the PC(USA).

Although the program was under written in large part in its first years by a substantial grant from an anony mous family foundation, which was not renewed, the decision to discon tinue the program was a combination of scope and financial factors.

Since the program’s inception, 43 recent seminary graduates have served 50 congregations in 20 presbyteries. Residency pastors have the option, with their congregations, to continue their pastorates beyond two years, which many have.

—Emily Enders Odom

Read the full PNS story on the Outlook’s website at: www.bit.ly/smallchurchresidency

Rosemary Mitchell named interim senior director for funds development

LOUISVILLE (PNS) Rosemary C. Mitchell, a Presbyterian teaching elder and certified fund-raising ex ecutive, who joined the Presbyterian Mission Agency staff as a mission engagement advisor in January 2014, has been promoted to interim senior director for Funds Development.

In her new role, Mitchell will provide strategic and operational di rection and leadership for the PMA’s funds development ministry while continuing to build financial support among individuals, congregations and mid councils for the Compassion, Peace and Justice ministry area.

“It is a privilege to serve our church in this capacity, overseeing a wonderful team of people who are deeply committed to mission,” said Mitchell. “We all see the ministry of funds development as mission driven and intended to build up the body of Christ.”

Prior to joining the PMA, Mitchell served as vice president for Seminary Relations at Princeton Theological Seminary. Before working at Princeton, Mitchell — who was ordained by Susquehanna Valley Presbytery — served two congregations in Washing ton, D.C., and Rochester, New York.

PMA completes voluntary separation program

LOUISVILLE (PNS) Twenty-six of 46 eligible employees of the Presbyterian Mission Agency have taken voluntary separation packages as part of costsavings measures instituted earlier this spring. The program was offered to PMA staff members at least 60 years of age with at least five years of continu ous service at the PC(USA).

Package details varied by employee and was based on years of service. In total, $2.34 million will be paid out through December 2016 via the voluntary separation program. Salary, benefits and unused vacation accounted for $1.8 million; $390,000 was paid as the $15,000 incentive to each partici pant; and an additional $150,000 was paid as benefits on the incentive.

ABOUT PEOPLE Ordinations

Rachel Philipp Vione, to associate pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Northport, N.Y., by the Presbytery of Long Island

Retirements

Anthony Catullo, from pastor, Union Presbyterian Church, Clintonville, Pa.

Warren Dennis, from professor, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, N.J.

Michael F. Harvey, from pastor, Carson Presbyterian Church, Carson, Iowa

Dennis Russell Hett, from member at large, Lincoln, Neb.

Jane F. Holslag, from mission coworker, Lithuania Christian College, Klaipeda, Lithuania

Dorothy Metropol, from validated ministry, Inman, S.C.

Sungman Park, from pastor, Rock Presbyterian Church, Columbus, Ga.

Joseph Ripley, from member at large, Lake Michigan Presbytery

Stephen B. Saville, from member at large, Prospect Hill Presbytery

Mark W. Stoub, from pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Bay City, Texas

Rachel Jack Thompson, from temporary pastor, Bedford Presbyterian Church, Bedford, N.Y.

William Reid Watt, from pastor, Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, Canton, Ohio

Glenn Weaver, professor of psychology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich.

APRIL 11, 2016 | 07

AT A GLANCE

ABOUT PEOPLE (continued)

Deceased

John R. Blue, 74, Jul. 10, Tulsa, Okla.

William John Bovard, 90, Jul. 18, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.

Philip C. Brown, 72, Jun. 21, Minneapolis

Thomas C. Clay, 94, Jun. 17, Roa noke, Va.

F. William Clemenson, 87, Aug. 27, Franklin, Ind.

Robert Wayne Herron, 72, Aug. 1, Greensboro, N.C.

William P. Honeywell, 84, Jun. 19, Lynchburg, Va.

William H. Hudson, 75, Jun. 20, Sharon, Pa.

William C. Hunt Jr., 72, May 28, Greensville, Texas

John N. Gregg, 80, Jun. 8, Estancia, N.M.

Paul A. Moyer, 88, Jun. 28, Ft. Col lins, Colo.

Howard R. Quinn, 90, Jun. 19, Mil waukee

David W. Sherwin, 85, Jun. 30, Cleveland

Kent D. Smith, 80, Jun. 28, East Randolph, Vt.

Floyd H. Starr Jr., 68, Jun. 13, Zanesville, Ohio O

Been

The total annualized salary of the 26 employees who left the agency un der the program was $1.7 million plus an additional $750,000 in benefits. Pending upcoming budget and person nel decisions at the April PMA board meeting, it is uncertain how many of these open positions will be rehired, which will determine what portion of the potential $2.45 million savings will be maintained annually

PC-Biz redesigned

LOUISVILLE (PNS) PC-Biz, the web site that houses Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly busi ness, has a new look and an updated structure, improving navigation and accessibility for users. And, the make over is just in time as commissioners, advisory delegates and others prepare

for the 222nd General Assembly (2016), set for June 18–25, in Port land, Oregon.

“PC-Biz is critical to the work done by the General Assembly, and enables those gathered and the church at large to access all the business in an ac curate and timely manner,” said Tom Hay, director of assembly operations.

Among the greatest improvements for PC-Biz is its ability now to be read on computers, tablets, and smart phones in a size and format right for that screen. The former PC-biz app is no longer needed.

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For More News, visit us online at pres-outlook.org.

BOOKMARK

God Hovered Over the Waters by William A. dePrater III Wipf & Stock, Eugene, Ore. 188 pages

This book on the emergence of the Protestant Reformation might well serve adult classes or study groups in local congregations by providing an overview of the Reformation in its historical and social context. The scope of the study is broad — includ ing precursors to the Reformation, while also outlining the issues and events as they unfolded in Britain, the Netherlands and France, as well as Germany and the Swiss cantons. Attention is paid to the second gen-

eration, extending into the 17th cen tury and the Synod of Dort and the Westminster Assembly. The familiar theological issues of the Reformation are described simply, without requir ing much background to get the main points. The author does not romanticize the era of reform, but pays attention to aspects of it that appear less than attractive in retrospect, cit ing, for example, Luther’s urging of Christians to burn down synagogues.

The author includes a short chap ter on the Catholic Reformation then concludes with an assessment of the Reformation for Protestants today. The author sees clearly that there is much in contemporary Protestantism that needs to be critiqued and makes some suggestions of his own. The book includes a list and description of Reformation confessions, timeline of events, bibliography and index.

Guest review by RONALD P. BYARS, professor emeritus of preaching and worship at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia

8 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK O
ordained? Accepted a new call? Congregation celebrating an anniversary? Help us tell all. Write us at: aboutpeople@pres-outlook.org

FROM THE ARCHIVES

10 years ago — April 10, 2006

In 1944 editors E.T. Thompson and Aubrey Brown announced the change of the name of the magazine to the Presbyterian Outlook.

“We choose this name because it describes our purpose and hope –to give the Presbyterian outlook on evangelism, stewardship, missions, … education, worship, … the Church, the nation, … and the world; … on things

past, … present and on the things which are still to come. … We shall endeavor, with God’s help, to present a helpful, constructive, Presbyterian, thoroughly Christian outlook on all matters which properly concern us — as Christians and as Presbyterians.”

The editors of the past challenged the assumptions of their day. When others looked “askance at ordaining women, they pressed us to see one another as equals. At a time when segregation was an accepted reality, they envisioned a church and community where such divisions would give way to the wide embrace of grace. … The Presbyterian outlook is one always to be questioned, challenged and amended.”

From the editorial “A new Outlook: Now all the more” by Jack Haberer

IN THIS CORNER

A women’s Bible study group in Texas put this announcement in the bulletin: Women’s Bible study will be held Thursday morning at 10 a.m. All women are invited to lunch in Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

PRESBYTERIANS IN ACTION

CALENDAR CHECK

APRIL 13-15 CLINTON, S.C. Together is Better: A Conference for Small Church Missional Clusters featuring Ray Jones, Jay Coker. Thornwell Home for Children. trinity-presbytery.org/together2016

APRIL 15-17 HARRISONBURG, VA. Women’s Spirituality Retreat featuring Julie Richardson. Massanetta Springs Conference Center. sacramentallifewomen.wordpress.com

APRIL 18-21 MONTREAT, N.C. Trent@Montreat featuring Theresa Cho, Byron Wade. Montreat. montreat.org/trent

APRIL 25-27 SAN DIEGO Fellowship Community Annual Theology Conference featuring Michal Horton. First Presbyterian Church. fpcsd.org

APRIL 29-MAY 1 HUNT, TEXAS 2016 Men’s Conference. Mo-Ranch. moranch.org

MAY 9-11 RICHMOND, VA. Sprunt Lectures featuring Beverly Gaventa. Union Presbyterian Seminary upsem.edu/sprunt2016

MAY 9-12 DECATUR, GA. Being the Beloved Community: Welcoming Children of All Abilities to the Church featuring Bethany McKinney Fox, Mark Crenshaw. Columbia Theological Seminary. ctsnet.edu/lifelong-learning

JUNE 12-17 MARYVILLE, TENN. Horizons: High School Youth Theology Institutues featuring Anne McKee. Maryville College maryvillecollege.edu/horizons

JUNE 19-24 HUNT, TEXAS Worship is ExtraOrdinary (Presbyerian Association of Musicians) featuring Kimberly Bracken Long. Mo-Ranch. presbymusic.org

JUNE 19-24 AND JUNE 26–JULY 1 MONTREAT, N.C. Grace and Gratitude (Presbyerian Association of Musicians) featuring Carol Bechtel, Martha MooreKeish. Montreat. presbymusic.org

Gary and Marlene Van Brocklin are mission co-workers in Sri Lanka and regional liaisons in South Asia. They recently visited Bangladesh and travelled with Drs. Les and Cindy Morgan who have served there 25 years. They visited the Santal churches that have been struggling for many years. However, recent months have brought 300 new members and land has been pur chased to build a new church.

—Send your congregation’s “action” story to Marj Carpenter, 1425 E. 6th St., #105, Big Spring, Texas 79720.

HE/SHE SAID:

“As long as we are wedded to ‘effectiveness’ we will take on smaller and smaller tasks, for they are the only ones with which we can get results.”

PARKER PALMER (reported by On Being)

APRIL 11, 2016 | 9

2016 spring books

IMAGE AGENCY: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Bearing the Unbearable: Trauma, Gospel and Pastoral Care

Once we are out of crisis mode after an intense pastoral situation, pastors often think about what we should have done differently. We wonder if there are tools of which we are unaware that we could have offered to hurting people. On the flip side, we worry that we were (or are) in over our heads, wading into the deep waters of counseling and psycho therapy without appropriate training. Too often the lines get blurred between pastor and family therapist/addiction counselor/psychologist. When pastors know just enough psychology to be dan gerous, we can do more harm than good when offering care to our congregants.

“Bearing the Unbearable” does not solve the problem of pastors overstep ping the boundaries of their expertise, but it does offer pastors and other faith leaders guidance as to what falls within our realm and what needs to be referred to professionals with more specific training. Deborah Hunsinger keeps each chapter grounded in theology — her chapter on laments is especially so. Her assertion (with examples from

ne member of a family forced to take out a restraining order against another. Two little boys refusing to visit their father for the weekend because of fear of violence. A group of high school students reeling from the accidental death of a beloved teacher. A young adult who has given her life over to heroin, and the attendant sorrow of her family. Bewildered and griefstricken parents lamenting the loss of their first child to sud den infant death syndrome. The murder of a session member. Countless older adults mourning the deaths of their own grown children. These are just a few of the pastoral care scenarios that I have faced in 20-plus years of ministry. Any pastor can recount such incidents — moments when we have drawn in breath and prayed for God to help us find the right words to comfort our people. Or, for God to help us know when to close our mouths and simply be present to people in their pain.

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the Psalms) that a lament is not a ces sation of relationship with God — but a determination to communicate with God through our pain — could be a life rope for people who are in the midst of raging at God.

Hunsinger pays particular attention to the gifts that pastors can offer that are unique to our vocation — namely presence and community. She points out

what a holy privilege it is to bear a piece of another person’s sorrow — which is congruent with my own experience as a pastor.

One concern I have with the book is the breadth of topics Hunsinger attempts to cover. There are brief discussions of PTSD, family systems theory, object relations theory, empathy, nonviolent communication and restorative practic es. They are all interesting and potential ly helpful, but each subject needs more exploration if we are to be able to use the theories wisely. Nevertheless, “Bearing the Unbearable” is a useful addition to any pastor’s library. Hunsinger pro vides excellent introductions to each of these subjects and more. Anyone who wants to delve deeper into one subject or another can utilize her footnotes for further reading.

LESLIE A. KLINGENSMITH is pas tor of St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church in Silver Spring, Maryland.

APRIL 11, 2016 | 11
Too often the lines get blurred between pastor and family therapist/addiction counselor/psychologist. When pastors know just enough psychology to be dangerous, we can do more harm than good when offering care.
BOOK IN REVIEW

Blue Note Preaching in a Post-Soul World: Finding Hope in an Age of Despair

“B

lue Note Preaching in a Post-Soul World” is an insightful offering on the black homiletical traditional.

In this collection of lectures and sermons, Otis Moss III examines what it means to preach from a “blues sensibility,” communicating hope to communities expe riencing turmoil.

Moss, it should be noted, is the son of theologian, civil rights leader and gifted preacher Otis Moss Jr. In this book, Moss shows us the influence of his upbringing while also dis playing his own theological and exegetical prowess. His work continues in the vein of his father, yet draws from the cultural influences of his own time — namely hip-hop culture.

The first three chapters are lectures Moss delivered in 2014 for Yale University’s Lyman Beecher Lectures. He brilliantly draws from music theory and history to craft this concept he

calls “the blue note gospel.” Moss con nects the musical tradition of the blues to African-American homiletics, which holds in tension the desperation of the times (blues) with hopefulness for the future (gospel). He masterfully weaves Scripture and song in his illustrations and examines how a “blues sensibil ity” must adapt in a hip-hop world. The “post-soul generation” — Moss’s appellation of millennials — encounters the gospel differently from their blues predecessors. In response, Moss crafts a framework for preaching using Tricia Rose’s four pillars of hip-hop.

It is in his Lyman Beecher lectures that we're able to see what an intellec tual powerhouse Moss is. His theses are well informed, cogent and incisive. The remaining four divisions of the book are sermons Moss lifts as examples of “blue note” preaching.

Sermons are orations — spoken things — that often lose something when read in print. This is probably even more true for sermons in the black preaching tradition, because the sermon is often

dialogical and relies on congregational participation and support as much as the preacher’s own delivery. Unfortunately, the sermons Moss’ includes in the book don't escape that tendency. There is nothing like hearing an “OM3” sermon, yet what you do “hear” in the reading of his sermons is a preacher who knows his community. Moss is clearly preaching to the people of Trinity United Church

of Christ in the south side of Chicago. Some of his cultural references may be lost on a hearer who is outside of that context. Though the sermons are prob ably more accessible to more people than the lectures, he never scarifices exegeti cal heft in order to achieve that acces sibility. You can still tell he has done some intense work, even if he does make it look easy! For those who’d like to hear Moss, QR codes to each of the Lyman Beecher Lectures are included after each of the first three chapters.

In “Blue Note Preaching in a PostSoul World,” Moss gives a hopeful way forward for preaching in difficult contexts. We are challenged (or given permission) to wrestle with text and context, daring to proclaim that, even when it's not all right, it's all right. In this way, Moss helps us appreciate anew the contributions of the black preaching tradition.

DENISE ANDERSON is a writer and pastor of Unity Presbyterian Church in Temple Hills, Maryland.

12 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK
We are challenged to wrestle with text and context, daring to proclaim that, even when it's not all right, it's all right. In this way, Moss helps us appreciate anew the contributions of the black preaching tradition.
BOOK IN REVIEW

The Revelatory Body: Theology as Inductive Art

in the world as well as necessary to such interpretation.”

This process of discernment is nec essary, Johnson argues, for theology to be engaged with the living God rather than enclosed by idolatry of words without life. He is concerned that textual experts or fearful read ers encase God in texts that are eas ily controlled and managed. Although Scripture itself certainly testifies to the presence and power of God active in human experience, the process of shifting attention to the text rather than the experience began early in the Christian tradition. The consequence of such a shift is a dead God addressed in proper sounding theological, bibli cal and liturgical language, but who is no longer truly present in actual life. “A turn to human experience actu ally opens Scripture to what it was intended to address in the first place; likewise, an attention to the every active self-disclosure of God in the world actually supports the statements of the creeds.”

his is an extraordinary collection of essays by a first-rate scholar and theologian who has written extensively on early Christian traditions. In his book “Living Jesus” he famously declared to his Jesus seminar crit ics, “if Jesus is not raised, then Easter is an nothing more than autopsy report.” Here, Johnson argues “theology must always begin and always find renewal, not with words found in texts, but with the experience of actual human bodies.” His proposal directly offends and chal lenges the Barthian tradition, yet Johnson does not abandon Scripture or the creeds. Rather, he is clear in his intention to enliven both the reading and interpretation of sacred texts by paying careful attention to the presence and power of God in actual experiences. Mincing no words, he writes, “The idolatrous dimension of theological language appears when it claims to be sufficient to the interpretation of God’s work

T

Theology, according to Johnson, must be an inductive art, perceiving the Spirit of God disclosed in human bodies. “I hold that theology seeks to articulate and praise the presence and power of God in the world, and that this power and presence is an ever-emergent reality.” He probes this conviction by exploring the body in

play and in work, the sexual body, the aging body and the exceptional body. There is fresh honesty here about both the limits of Scripture and the depth of human experience that remains as mysterious as the living God. As he ponders the challenges of the aging body in a culture that adores youth and denies death, Johnson writes poignantly, “more and more, I have been struck by the truth that the world leaves us before we leave the world. I am increasingly aware of how strange the world appears to me.”

Johnson is a careful scholar; his enormous gifts are displayed here with humility and honesty. He believes that God is a living God whose presence and power is revealed in bodily experience. In the end, his argument is an invitation to discern this God in all experiences.

ROY W. HOWARD is the Outlook book editor and pastor of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church in North Bethesda, Maryland.

APRIL 11, 2016 | 13
Johnson is a careful scholar; his enormous gifts are displayed here with humility and honesty. He believes that God is a living God whose presence and power is revealed in bodily experience.
BOOK IN REVIEW

The Givenness of Things: Essays

The contemporary behavioral scienc es’ dismissal of the mind and what we have traditionally called the soul reflects a general propensity in contemporary American culture. The eclipse of the humanities by science and technology, motivated by a misplaced sense of urgen cy among policymakers, signals a societal devaluation of the human person.

“Givenness” refers to the reality of a phenomenon — love, fear, the soul — even if we cannot give an account of it in scientific or purely material terms. And part of this “givenness” is the fact of human brilliance, depth, variety and even sacredness. Robinson insists that as a species we do, in fact, have a God-given loveliness, despite our many villainies.

Robinson’s high anthropology is con sistent with, and flows from, her high Christology. Taking as her texts John’s Gospel prologue and Colossians 1:1519, Robinson asserts that the nature of Christ is intrinsic to creation; humanity partakes of a “quality and substance” at the center of Creation that is Christ. Robinson writes as a Christian and an American deeply troubled by trends in thought and speech that are undermin

obinson’s new collection of essays is a reflection on the brain and consciousness, mind, self and soul. Returning to themes she explored in “Absence of Mind,” with neuroscience rather than evolutionary psy chology as the subject of her critique, Robinson rejects rationalistic, reductionist views of the human mind just as physics has rejected a mechanistic view of the uni verse. Neuroscience’s methodology, which is restricted to the examination of what its own imaging technology can show, can only give a sadly deficient account of who we are. The essays touch on the thought of Shakespeare, John Wycliffe and the Lollards, Locke and Descartes, Jonathan Edwards, Bonhoeffer and, especially, Calvin as resources for an inquiry into what it means to be human. The book is a defense of the beauty and mystery of human beings, creatures “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

R

ing what the church and America have to offer the world. She laments the capitulation of the mainline churches to the false imperative of “relevance” that has led them to abandon their own theology, culture and traditions, a loss that has rendered them silent as “Christianity” is represented to the world as a redoubt of ignorance, intol erance and self-righteousness. She also decries the hypocrisy of Christians in

the public sphere who can speak of the undeserving poor, allow the existence of for-profit prisons, and promote the death penalty. Her essays are an appeal to American generosity, once assumed but now in question.

These essays are passionate, even angry, at reductionist ways of thinking, at meanness of spirit in politics and gov ernance, at the low valuation of human beings evidenced by so much of our economic thought, political discourse and pseudo-scientific intellectual trends, but they are also pervaded by a sense of wonder and joy. The question these essays ask is a haunting one: Why do we human beings no longer take pleasure in our own brilliance, and what has hap pened to our capacity for wonder? To honor who we are as a species is to offer grace to each other. The hardest ques tion Jesus puts to us, Robinson says, is not whether we believe in him, but “whether we believe in man.”

LISA KENKEREMATH is the interim pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Virginia.

14 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK
Robinson decries the hypocrisy of Christians who speak of the undeserving poor, allow the existence of for-profit prisons, and promote the death penalty. She appeals to American generosity, once assumed but now in question.
BOOK IN REVIEW

Lincoln and the Jews: A History

F or professional historians, Civil War special ists and enthusiasts of all stripes, Abraham Lincoln is a seemingly endless source of fascination. Benjamin Shapell observes that 16,000 books on our 16th president have already been published and hundreds more appear each year. Given this dense literary wealth, is there anything left to say on the subject? Unsurprisingly, the authors of “Lincoln and the Jews: A History” give a resounding “yes.”

Having spent 35 years hunting among private collections and obscure auctions for Lincoln letters, Shapell cannot help but show off the sacred relics of his passion, liberally illustrat ing his book with images of memorable papers and other artifacts. With the passion of a true devotee, he admits to having been “transformed as a collector” upon encountering numerous documents in which Lincoln expressed his respect and compassion for the Jewish people.

At the beginning of the 19th cen tury there were about 3,000 Jews in the United States, who mostly lived along the eastern seaboard. It is unlikely, therefore, that Lincoln encountered any Jews dur ing his boyhood in Kentucky. But Jewish immigration continued apace through out the century, and by 1865 there were about 150,000 Jews in the country. Lincoln came to know Jews as acquain tances, friends and colleagues. Most important among these was Abraham Jonas, whom Lincoln referred to as “one of my most valued friends” and who played a crucial “backstage role in the maneuverings that led to Lincoln’s nomi nation” for the presidency.

In his first two years as president, Lincoln frequently referred to Americans as a “Christian people.” As he gained experience, however, he learned and grew; by the 1863 Gettysburg Address, he used the inclusive phrase “this nation under God.”

In an age of intense and unreflective anti-Semitism, a characteristic common among his generals, Lincoln naturally and unpretentiously acted without preju dice. He appointed Jews to be post

masters, consuls to foreign states, quar termasters for the army and military chaplains. When General Grant issued his Orders No. 11 that expelled Jews from his war zone, Lincoln immediately countermanded it.

Lincoln had a lifelong love affair with the Old Testament. The authors note that “he quoted, and referenced, the Old Testament about a third more times than he did the New; and in ref

erencing the Deity some 420-plus times, used the phrase ‘Savior’ but six,” and he never directly referred to Jesus. In his 770-word second inaugural address, he quoted and alluded to all Old Testament references. In 1866, Mary Todd Lincoln recalled that during a carriage ride on his last day on earth he expressed the desire to visit Palestine.

Jews formed only a tiny minority in the United States during Lincoln’s presi dency, and the majority of Jews were Democrats who sided with the South. Lincoln’s genuine affection and fair-treat ment of the Jews, therefore, can have had little to do with political calculation. Yet by the end of the war, the authors con clude, “he had done more than any previ ous president to promote Jews’ advance in American society.”

This is an important story, told with warmth and charm, revealing yet anoth er fascinating side to one of our most engaging presidents.

MICHAEL PARKER is director of graduate studies and professor of church history at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt.

APRIL 11, 2016 | 15
Lincoln’s affection and fairtreatment of the Jews can have had little to do with political calculation. By the war’s end, the authors con clude, “he had done more than any previous president to promote Jews’ advance in American society.”
BOOK IN REVIEW

BOOKS

Trouble I’ve Seen Drew G.I. Hart

In the vein of the spiritual “Nobody Knows the Trou ble I’ve Seen,” Drew Hart bears witness to the trouble he has seen and the experience of many black people. He takes a serious look at the social conditions that sustain racism. In particular, Hart examines the rea sons for the divide among white and black Christians. His aim is for Christians — white and black — to look more honestly at the socialization that has led to entrenched racism.

Meeting God in Paul Rowan Williams

WJK Press, 104 pages

These lectures were originally offered at Canterbury Cathedral for Holy Week. Yet, as with many of public offerings by Williams, the lectures are not confined to one season. The former archbishop has a way of offering profound insights in simple form. A great in troduction to Saint Paul.

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The Crucifixion

Fleming Rutledge

Eerdmans, 696 pages

This is likely to be for generations the definitive theo logical work on the death of Jesus Christ. Fleming Rutledge is an unflinching preacher and teacher who has the rare ability to speak comprehensively of the crucifixion, drawing upon classic theological texts, biblical sources and literature. She speaks truthfully of the centrality of the death of Jesus Christ, arguing that anything less severs the nerve of the gospel and renders it meaningless. If there is one major theologi cal book to read this year, I recommend this one.

A Nazareth Manifesto

Samuel Wells

Wiley, 336 pages

One of the finest theologians and ethicists offers a long-needed call for the church to be with the peo ple in its communities and neighborhoods, rather than doing for them. The church must find ways to be in relationship with those whom it has more often “served” rather than loved. The argument has been made before, but no one has done this more eloquent ly than Samuel Wells. The embodiment of the mis sional church is here.

Prayers for All Seasons (Year C)

Michael Schwartzentruber & Ellen Turnbull, editors

Wood Lake Publishing, 181 pages

This is an excellent collection of prayers for worship leaders following the Revised Common Lectionary. The prayers are based on the readings of the day in a variety of formats, covering the entire year.

Spiritual and Walking Guide: Leon to Santiago on the El Camino Stacey Wittig

Spiritual Walking Guides, 104 pages

The author has walked the Camino de Santiago sever al times and provides a devotional guide for pilgrims walking the portion from Leon, Spain, to Santiago de Compestela. The guide includes daily Scripture read ings, mediations and questions for personal reflec tion. There are details about where to sleep and how to navigate your way without maps. The author is a trustworthy guide.

Walking with Jesus through the Old Testament Paul Stroble

WJK Press, 136 pages

Stroble has found an intriguing way of exploring the Old Testament through the Emmaus road experience of Jesus and the two disciples. What Scripture did Je sus explore that caused their hearts to burn? This is

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This Is Why I Came

Mary Rakow

Counterpoint Press, 204 pages

is unlikely to find another novelist who treats the biblical stories with such fierce respect, yet daring to hear them in a fresh way. She fearlessly opens up the space where belief and unbelief collide with one another. Rakow brings a theologically trained mind and a novelist’s skill to these searing accounts of sto ries told by the main fictional character Bernadette. This is a disturbing book. One will not read the Bible in quite the same way after this novel.

Wholeheartness

Chuck DeGroat

Eerdmans, 208 pages

The author is a therapist who draws upon the work of Brené Brown and others to point to a way of life

that is wholehearted rather than exhausted from be ing distracted by the demands of ministry. This is much more than a self-help book. It provides guid ance and practices toward a new way of living. He has developed an Internal Family Systems theory that is quite helpful.

Confucius for Christians

Gregg A. Ten Elshof

Eerdmans, 110 pages

The author is a Christian professor of philosophy who asks an intriguing question: What might it look like to pursue a life of discipleship to Jesus that in corporates wisdom from the Confucian tradition? He then sets out to answer that question in a fascinating exploration of the ways the wisdom tradition from the ancient “Analects” of Confucius can encourage those who are committed to following Jesus.

MOVING

Skip Higgins

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The Wound of Faith

Dane R. Gordon

Foothills Publishing, 88 pages

This new collection of poignant poems combines philosophical probing into the nature of things with a deep faith that refuses the easy way. The wound of true faith is a mark that will not be erased or healed.

Journeying with Luke

James Woodward, Paula Gooder and Mark Pryce

WJK Press, 128 pages

This brief commentary on the Gospel of Luke follows the lectionary year. There are helpful suggestions for sermon preparation, daily devotions and even small group questions exploring Luke’s particular perspective.

The authors make no claim to comprehensiveness; rather, they want to present a solid presentation of key themes in the Gospel.

Two Dogs and a Parrot

Joan Chittister

BlueBridge Books, 192 pages

The author is a popular nun who is well known for her spiritual direction and compassion. In this book she explores a theology of creation through her experience with animals. The stories and the joy within them provide easy access to thinking about God’s creation. She writes: “This is a book about the role of animal companions in the development of our spiritual lives.” We share the planet with all God’s creatures. Chittister affirms this with great warmth and theological dash.

Jesus the Storyteller

Stephen I. Wright

WJK Press, 224 pages

This is a first-rate exegetical discussion of the parable of Jesus by a British scholar who previously wrote “Preaching the Atonement” and “Preach ing the Incarnation.” Here, Wright explores the significance of stories by Jesus and how they have a significant influence on his ministry. A ground-breaking book on the parables.

Time: From Famine to Feast

Donna Schaper

Wood Lake Publishing, 69 pages

The author is a long-time pastor, community arts advocate and social activist. Here she takes on the subject of “time famine,” often described as “time suck” or “time poverty” by those who persistently lament they have not enough time. Her aim, which is grounded by 52 practices for each week of the year, is to move to “time feast” in which people come alive with hope, freedom and joy in living.

Making Disciples, Making Leaders (Second Edition)

Steven P. Eason and E. Von Clemans

Geneva Press, 150 pages

This is the second edition of one of the finest books available for

Help Mothers and Children Survive and Thrive

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Presbyterian officers’ training (leadership develop ment). Both authors have long experience in pastoral ministry and bring that experience to this program for stronger leadership.

Jeremiah for Everyone

John Goldingay

WJK Press, 256 pages

Goldingay continues his excellent work of making the Old Testament Scriptures accessible. In this one, he ad dresses the main themes of Jeremiah and asks probing questions that open up the text in fresh ways. In these questions raised by Jeremiah, one can hear contempo rary concerns. “How could God allow this suffering?” “Can the flame of faith burn in the darkness?” This commentary is a fine addition to the “Everyone” series and could be perfect for a small group study.

100 Things Every Child

Should Know Before Confirmation

Rebecca Kirkpatrick

WJK Press, 160 pages

A delightful and very helpful book by a veteran edu cator who does here exactly what the title describes. I know of no better book that will provide such help for youth leaders and parents.

Renew Your Life

Kai Mark Nilsen

IVP Books, 160 pages

The author is a certified pastoral coach who also works with the Renovaré Institute. In this book, he intends to help pastors find strategies for preserving their spirit and remaining hopeful, energetic leaders. If you are weary and carrying heavy burdens — or know someone who is — this book is for you. O

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SOCIAL AND CONNECTED: The library in today’s seminary

A TALE OF TWO LIBRARIES

Library buildings seem to come in as many styles as cars. Which of these two theological libraries is more appealing to you?

As you enter the first library, there is an impos ing lobby, rather like a bank. The front desk is massive. You pass a sign that proclaims: Silence in the library. You quickly get the message. No one is talking. You look up and see a window that could have been taken from a church: a Gothic arch with tinted glass filtering in quiet northern light. In the glass is a Latin motto: Sola Fide. In this library, there are shelves upon shelves of books. Here and there you see busts of important cultural figures: Athena, Shakespeare, Gandhi. The library has worktables and individual places to read. If there are restrooms and vending machines, they are dis cretely out of sight. Being in this library seems like a mixture of going to church (in the hush just as the prelude ends) and going to a museum to view great art. You feel a bit underdressed. You almost expect the librarians to wear habits like monks. Let’s call this library the classic library

Perhaps you are looking for another type of theological library. Let’s visit another one.

As you enter this library, you immediately smell coffee. You notice that, yes, there is a coffee shop near the front door. Straight ahead is a small desk, barely large enough to hold the computer screen that sits on it, staffed by a librarian. Above the desk hangs a sign: You have questions? Have a seat. Let’s talk. You keep walking and enter a large, open space. It’s rather noisy. A group of patrons are moving two tables together and rearranging chairs. In another corner, someone is taking a nap with a book on her lap. Someone else is walking around with a tablet computer, using one of the library’s databases. He is also talking on his phone using a Bluetooth headset. The whole building has Wi-Fi, of course; it’s a library. You walk up stairs to the second floor and notice another sign: Go left for study rooms; Go right for media lab. You decide to go right. You see more people using computers. You see others in a room listening to a professor speak. The instructor isn’t in the room; she is a large pres ence on a monitor, conducting class from another

city. You keep walking and see more signs: Straight ahead for books and Elevator to quiet study floor.

Let’s call this second library the social library.

In your mind’s eye, you may have visited a classic library and a social library. Both might be found on a seminary campus. There are virtues to both kinds of places. The classic library proj ects history and subtly ties you into a larger story about knowledge, faith and continuity. The classic library also carefully collects and preserves printed material for the sake of a specific set of users. The downside of the classic library is that it sends the message that you are a guest — a guest who might mess up the neat arrangement of knowledge stand ing at attention on the shelves, a guest who needs to understand the explicit and implicit rules of silence and respect for order. On the other hand, the social library seems much more like a Barnes & Noble bookstore. Come in and look around, it says. Have a cup of coffee, check your email, hang out, read a book. We are sure that you will see something you like. The social library feels like it has less of an obligation to identify with the past. This library is focused on what you want to do today. You may want a quiet place to study (and it’s there), but the social library teases you to into noticing the other people around you. The kind of scholarship going on here feels less solitary and more collaborative than what happens in the classic library.

WHY ARE THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS BUILDING SOCIAL LIBRARIES?

As North American theological schools make choices about building libraries, most choose to build a version of the social library. In addition to the profound improvements in information tech nology that have developed since the rise of the Internet, the reasons are related to what today’s library users want a library to do for them.

Seminaries are building social libraries because of the way that the library supports the school’s mission of teaching and research. The mission of a seminary library is tied to the mission of the school that it serves. Having visited many theologi cal schools as part of accreditation visits, I can say confidently that the mission statements of virtually

22 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK

all seminary libraries affirms that they collect information related to what the school teaches and the research interests of professors. Given a limited budget (and the library budget is always limited), libraries spend their money to support teaching and learning first and foremost. So, a Presbyterian seminary library is going to buy three new biogra phies of John Calvin in a given year because Calvin is taught as a key theologian. In the same year, a Methodist seminary library might buy one Calvin biography — if the budget allows. In short: Semi nary libraries support the local needs of students and faculty.

Because libraries at theological schools hold teaching and learning in privilege, the design of seminary library buildings takes into account research findings concerning how students go about getting an education. In 2016, fewer students studying for master’s-level theological degrees attend seminary full time than in 1990. Fewer of them live on campus. They may live and work miles away from their school and come to campus only when their classes meet. Current students want access to needed library resources without making a special trip to the library. To meet this need, it makes sense for libraries to purchase information in digital form when it’s available. These resources now include specialized encyclopedias and the complete texts of academic journals spanning many years. Many theological libraries in North America subscribe to resources like ATLASerials, a database that indexes and provides instant online access to thousands of articles in more than 300 major religion and theology journals. Students and faculty can access these databases from any place they have an Internet connection. For the same reason, many theological libraries also subscribe to e-books. These virtual books can be accessed (checked out) without setting foot in the library.

Because theological schools often teach in ways that require students to collaborate on projects, it makes sense to create spaces in new libraries where students can work in groups (including talking in the library) rather than emphasizing quiet study spaces like individual study desks. Research about how students study shows that many are quite comfort able reading on their smartphones while riding on the bus or doing academic work while hanging out in a coffee shop. Students and faculty have access to the Internet (and thus to the electronic resources of seminary libraries) almost anywhere there is cell phone service. In other words, the library is in competition with other inviting places for students to read and study. Architects and librarians design

buildings with social spaces, informal furniture and coffee shops — in part, to lure library patrons into the library. Once there, they will discover not only a pleasant place to study and a collection of materi als specifically chosen to meet their academic needs, but staff to assist them in finding information.

The coffee-shop atmosphere of areas of seminary libraries — with free Wi-Fi for all and espressos made to order — is a response to the stunning spread of cheap, effective access to the Internet in so many places. Students expect that going to the library should not be a trip to a history theme park (Booklandia, perhaps). Theological students want the library to be as technologically connected as the rest of their lives. The social library is thus also a connected library.

SOCIAL, CONNECTED AND VALUABLE

In these musings, I have painted the classic library and the social library in contrasting colors to make the point that North American user expectations about what a good theological library is have changed since 1990, before information technol ogy became inexpensive and ubiquitous. Like the classic library, however, the social library of theological schools also acknowledges its links to the history, traditions and enduring witness of the church. Indeed, in a time when social media pumps out a torrent of smiles and sighs on every subject, the distinctive role of theological libraries in the formation of future church leaders stands out in striking contrast.

Seminary libraries are places that provide access to a winnowed subset of information about Chris tian doctrine and history, a far cry from the blunt instrument of Google searching. They employ professional staff to assist students and professors in exploring millions of pages of texts to find what is most pertinent for an assignment or research project. Seminary libraries take seriously the mission of theological education and how students study so that seminary graduates can lead with heartfelt passion that is informed by the patient whispers of the great cloud of witnesses who have thought deeply about the Christian faith. Social and connected, seminary libraries are an indispensable gift to the church.

TIMOTHY D. LINCOLN is the director of the David L. and Jane Stitt Library at Austin Pres byterian Theological Seminary and is the vice president of the American Theological Library Association. He is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

APRIL 11, 2016 | 23 IN FOCUS

What’s next for NEXT? Conference explores ministry ideas, grapples with racism

What does it mean to have “faith at the crossroads?”

That’s what nearly 600 Presbyterians spent three days talking about at the NEXT Church national gathering, held Feb. 22-24 at First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, and which they’ve now gone home to keep unpacking.

While much in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) may be worrisome — a denomination that’s losing members and influence, churches unable to afford paid leadership, changing national demographics that the PC(USA) does not reflect — NEXT is not a place to come for mourning.

NEXT functions as kind of a pitching machine of ideas — trying to envision what can be, what’s already coming to life, tossing out possibilities

and priorities on everything from community organizing to art in worship to outreach and mission.

“Presbyterians are at a crossroads — we feel it in our work, we feel it in our communi ties, we feel it in our lives,” said Karen Sapio of California, co-chair of the NEXT strategy team. Shavon Starling-Louis of Rhode Island, who’s on the NEXT strategy team, said the difficult issues include racism, homophobia, church splits, church decline and divisions between conserva tives and liberals.

NEXT itself is “at a crossroads of our iden tity as well,” Starling-Louis said. NEXT has grown rapidly and is trying to clarify its role and purpose — describing itself as a network of PC(USA) leaders “who believe the church of the future will be more relational, more diverse, more collaborative, more hopeful and more agile.”

24 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK
GLENNA HUBER SHARED
THE
WORK
OF
BUILD
(BALTIMOREANS UNITED IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT).

This was the sixth national gathering NEXT has convened, and points of discussion included how to involve more ruling elders (many of whom would to take time off from work and don’t have continuing education dollars to spend); to have greater geographic, age and racial diversity; and how to have a more regional presence in a denomination of mostly small churches. “There aren’t that many churches that are big enough to fit 600 people in the sanctuary with breakout rooms” and are within in walking distance of enough hotels and restaurants, Sapio said during a workshop session.

Still, some who did attend said they felt ener gized and encouraged by what they heard at NEXT. Renee Roederer of Michigan helped lead a pre-conference gathering for seminarians, and said “it was great, it was well attended. … They love encountering creative ministry ideas. They feel coming here counters a scarcity mindset,”

allowing them to set aside their anxiety about what a career in ministry might be like, and think about how to translate the gospel in a new culture and context. Also, “just to connect with friends is huge for them,” Roederer said. “It’s huge. NEXT Church is an extroverted Presbyterian’s dream. I am in heaven.”

One emphasis of this gathering was race relations — with speakers and workshops on structural racism and white privilege, and a com mitment from NEXT to try to have half of its advisory and strategy teams made up of people of color by 2017. Too often, white Presbyterians are essentially sending this message: “There are brown people outside our doors, and we need them to join our dying church,” said Jessica Vasquez Torres, an experienced anti-racism trainer and speaker at the conference.

Her words pointed to a difficulty: how to move from the reform rhetoric of big gatherings

APRIL 11, 2016 | 25 IN FOCUS
PARTICIPANTS TURNED TO THEIR NEIGHBORS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION IN THE SANCTUARY.

like these to putting those creative ideas to work at the grassroots.

From the pulpit, preachers and speakers spoke directly of the resurgence of racism and the obligation of Christians to respond. “It looks like we’ve stepped into a time machine … where racism is blatant” — an unapologetic 50th anniversary of racism and classism, said Aisha Brooks-Lytle, associate pastor of Wayne Presby terian Church in suburban Philadelphia.

Some of the evidence she presented:

» T he litany of people of color dying at the hands of police — including Samuel DuBose, a 43-year-old father whom a University of Cincinnati police officer shot and killed July 19 after stopping him for having a missing license tag. Brooks-Lytle said she had to explain to her 10-year-old son that that killing didn’t happen decades ago — it was just last summer. “Black males are being shot as if the are target practice,” she said. At any age.

» T he gap between the haves and have-nots is explicit and growing. In the name of gentri fication, the working class gets pushed out of affordable housing. “The educational divide keeps getting bigger and bigger. And in Flint, we are watching in horror as the basic needs of clean water have been compromised for the poor.” Also in Flint: “It seems like some people in power had knowledge of these issues, but had access to clean alternatives for themselves.”

Allan Boesak of South Africa delivered a blazing challenge to the PC(USA) — saying the church must use its privilege to stand on the side of the poor and oppressed, and the fight against injus tice must be “real, radical and revolutionary.”

Boesak, a former president of the World Alli ance of Reformed Churches who now serves on the faculty of Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, spoke on the eve of his 70th birthday. He was enthusiastically greeted by Heath Rada, moderator of the PC(USA)’s 2014 General Assembly, who has traveled with Boesak to South Africa and who said what he learned from Boesak has “changed my life.”

Boesak described racism as systemic and oppressive, and he took these Presbyterians to school on the importance and the difficulty of reconciliation — as the denomination approaches the vote expected at the 2016 General Assembly in June to add the Belhar Confession from South Africa to the PC(USA) Book of Confessions, which would make it the first confession the PC(USA) has adopted to come from the global South.

“The signs of the church are the dove and the lion and the lamb and the fish, but never the cha meleon,” Boesak told the NEXT crowd.

In the end, Boesak said, God will judge if the church has done enough. If God asks where are your wounds and you have none, the question will be: Was there nothing worth fighting for?

“I pray to God that we will have something to show.” O

26 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK
CANDLES WERE LIT DURING TAIZÉ WORSHIP. LISLE GWYNN GARRITY, RESIDENT ARTIST OF THE CONFERENCE, PAINTS DURING WORSHIP.

Report released on “two-state” solution to Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

While the door to a viable Pales tinian state is “closing rapidly, if it is still open at all,” the Presby terian Church (U.S.A.) should support efforts for a political arrangement that accords with its values, including but not limited to a two-state solution and a Jerusalem where Jews, Muslims and Christians have access to sites considered holy in their faiths.

That’s part of the findings in a 56-page report released by the Study Team on Prospects for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine. The team’s report and recommendations will go before the 2016 General Assembly, which will meet in Port land in June.

The 2014 General Assembly instructed the Advi sory Committee on Social Witness Policy to review the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s support for the “two-state” solution to the Israeli-Palestinian con flict. The new report fulfills that mandate.

The new report, “Israel-Palestine: For Human Values in the Absence of a Just Peace,” says the PC(USA) has clung for years to the international consensus favoring separate states for Israelis and Palestinians, with a shared Jerusalem. During that time, it says, Israel’s “trajectory of continued settlements and brutal occupation” has made that goal “difficult if not impossible” to achieve.

“De facto annexation, land confiscation, and government subsidized settlement growth have increased” since the signing in 1993 of the first Oslo Accord, which was supposed to chart the path to peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the report says. It says the “systematic violation of Palestinian rights and democratic values” has eroded Israel’s moral legitimacy.

The report finds that the 1993 and 1995 Oslo Accords produced limited successes, including creation of the Palestinian Authority, conditions have “stagnated or worsened” on several core challenges. It notes that:

» East Jerusalem, which the Accords envisioned as the capital of a future Palestinian state, has been cut off from the rest of the West Bank, and that Israel has annexed the entire city.

» Palestinians’ right of return, guaranteed under international law, remains unfulfilled, while Jews are granted immediate Israeli citizenship.

» More than 650,000 Israeli settlers inhabit set tlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem that are considered illegal under international law.

» S ecurity for both Israelis and Palestinians remains “an existential concern.”

» Borders have become less clear, due in part to Israel’s construction of a fortified wall in defi ance of a ruling by the International Court of Justice.

» Israel severely limits Palestinians’ access to transportation, raw materials, Internet access and even potable water.

The report says deprivation and suffering among Palestinians living in Gaza have been especially severe. The entire population there “is being punished collectively” by Israel because of the anti-Israel ideology of the dominant political and military power in Gaza, Hamas.

The report holds out little hope that this steadily deteriorating situation will change in the near future. Not only does Israel wield far greater power than the Palestinians, but the U.S. govern ment’s assistance to Israel “vastly overshadows” its assistance to the Palestinian authority, it says.

“In this situation, the Church should foster relationships with partners who share its values, be they Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or secular, without being misled by mirages of peace agree ments ungrounded in realism about power,” the report says. It denies any intent “to demonize any people or belief system”, but says its aim is rather to show “the results of giving one group greatly disproportionate power over another.”

In the past, the report says, as part of the “overwhelming support” for Israel in the United States, the PC(USA) and other Christians have been complicit in enabling Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. But the report also spells out the series of steps the PC(USA) has taken since 2006 to bring moral and financial pressure on Israel to

APRIL 11, 2016 | 27
GA 222 2016 IN FOCUS

alter what the church views as policies of unjust occupation and exploitation.

Those steps included the 2012 General Assembly’s recommendation that members and congregations avoid buying goods manufactured in illegal Israeli settlements and the 2014 GA’s recommendation that the church refrain from investing in three U.S. companies that supply equip ment to the Israeli Defense Forces.

The report recommends that the PC(USA) work to uphold these values:

» T he dignity of all persons, despite our universal capacity to do harm;

» S elf-determination of peoples through democratic means;

» T he building up of community and pursuit of reconcili ation;

» E quality under the law and reduction in the separation that fosters inequality;

» Recognition of our complicity and the need for confes sion and repentance; and

» S olidarity with those who suffer.

The study group also encourages the 2016 General Assem bly to adopt a series of recommendations. Among them:

» T hat the PC(USA) “urge the Israeli government, as a matter of policy and practice, to stop the collective pun ishment and isolation of broad sections of the Palestinian population — the blockade of Gaza, the demolition of Palestinian homes and the administrative detention, the torture and forced feeding of Palestinian detainees — and to restore the ID documents and citizenship status that have been stripped from Palestinians in East Jerusalem and elsewhere.”

» T hat Presbyterians “be encouraged to provide vigorous support if the Government of Israel and representatives of the Palestinians (Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, at present) come to an equitable agreement on a new politi cal arrangement — possibly with two-sovereign states as envisioned at Oslo.”

» T hat Presbyterians urge the United States government not to “exercise our nation’s Security Council veto over Palestinian efforts for statehood or standing in interna tional courts and treaties, nor oppose investigations and

an invitation

You are invited to attend the Presbyterian Outlook's General Assembly luncheon

Enjoy lunch, meet and hear the candidates for moderator/ co-moderator as they make brief presentations. Many of the past moderators attend the luncheon as well as many leaders in the church. The Outlook will also present the E.T. Thompson Award to a person deemed an outstanding leader to the church, Heath Rada

Saturday, June 18 • 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are available as you register through the GA website

28 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK

possible censure or penalties for human rights or war vio lations committed by either Palestinian or Israeli entities.”

» T hat “Israel, as a member state of the United Nations, be requested (again) to permit the presence of UN peacekeep ers on the borders of Gaza and Israel and at checkpoints, despite previous refusals to follow UN resolutions or permit access to UN investigators.”

» T hat the General Assembly urge the U.S. Congress “to hold hearings into the use of US made and subsidized mili tary and police equipment by the Government of Israel in carrying out policies that abuse human rights, violate Geneva Accords, or oppose American principles of reli gious liberty and non-discrimination.”

» T hat the General Assembly emphasize the importance of having “vital communities” of Jews, Muslims and Chris tians in Jerusalem, in accordance with the United Nations’ intention that Jerusalem become “an international city to honor and provide access to the holy places” of all three faiths.

» T hat “the Presbyterian Foundation and Board of Pensions refrain from investments that support violence against Israelis or Palestinians, including finance and support for the economic activity and expansion of settlements outside of Israel’s internationally recognized borders, in accord with previous General Assembly actions.”

» T hat appropriate PC(USA) agencies “support measures by the Internal Revenue Service (or related units of the United States government) to investigate and possibly revoke the 501(c)(3) status for organizations, and tax deductions for individuals, that promote and finance the development or operation of Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law and obstacles to peace.”

Members of the study team are:

» Mark Douglas, professor of Christian ethics, Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia.

» Sam Jones, principal at Third Coast Consulting, formerly of the Carter Center, from Atlanta.

» L eila Richards, a physician and former medical volunteer in Southern Lebanon and Gaza, of Pittsburgh.

» Douglas Tilton, political scientist and Southern Africa Coordinator for the Presbyterian Mission Agency, based in South Africa.

» Steven Webb, economist formerly with the World Bank and a member of ACSWP, from Reston, Virginia.

The study team also sought written comments last fall from those interested in the issue, and held a listening session in Washington D.C. last September.

APRIL 11, 2016 | 29
The study team's report and recommendations will go before the 2016 General Assembly, which will meet in June.

In recent years, the PC(USA)’s debates over Israeli-Pal estinian relations have drawn much scrutiny and incited considerable passion — particularly a controversial deci sion by the General Assembly in 2014 to divest roughly $21 million from three firms (Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions) that it determined were involved in nonpeaceful activities in the region. Advocates of divestment contended it was a way for the PC(USA) to take a moral stand against oppression of Palestinians, but opponents and some Jewish leaders condemned the action as reflecting ani mosity towards Israel.

The report from the Study Team on Prospects for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine did not immediately generate the kind of heated backlash that divestment proposals in prior years have done.

A few weeks before the study team released its report, the group Presbyterians for Middle East Peace, a grassroots advocacy group which opposed the PC(USA)’s decision to divestment from the three firms, also released a report on the two-state issue.

That report, called “Two States for Two Peoples,” acknowledges that currently, the likelihood of a viable

two-state solution “is being called into question by both Israelis and Palestinians, as well as some in the international community.”

Despite those challenges, however, “the two-state solu tion remains the best and most viable path towards ending the conflict and establishing sustainable peace,” the orga nization’s report states. “The two-state solution is just and recognizes the rights and aspirations of both peoples. It is the only plan with significant support from Israelis, Palestinians, and advocates for both peoples around the world.”

It also states that Christians are called to be peacemak ers, and “we must respect the rights, dignity, and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians. We must also act with Christian humility, and recognize that peace will come from Israelis and Palestinians reconciling with one another and a negotiated solution that cannot be imposed from the outside. Our role must be to support people of good will on both sides of the conflict.” O

The full report and recommendations can be found on our website at: www.bit.ly/outlooktwostate

THE CENTER FOR CATHOLIC AND EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY

TODAY’S CHRISTIAN CHURCHES ARE FINDING THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER THE ESSENTIAL CENTER OF AMERICAN SOCIETY’S SPIRITUAL AND MORAL LIFE.

We are experiencing the emergence of a deeply fissured world where Christian faith and life is increasingly seen as one option among many. How can we analyze, diagnose and act faithfully to best proclaim the Gospel in this new situation?

Join us for our annual ecumenical conference for clergy and laity :

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WILLIAM T. CAVANAUGH , DePaul University KATHRYN SHIFFERDECKER, Luther Seminary PAIGE HOCHSCHILD, Mount St.
University DAVID NOVAK , University of Toronto ANTON VRAME , Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in
ROBERT HENDERICKSON , St. John’s Cathedral 30 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK We’ve been helping people get outside in Michigan for 91 years! • Summer Camps and Expeditions • Mission Trips • Leadership Development • Retreats and Family Reunions www.campwestminster.com 313-341-8969 Changing Lives Since 1925
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OINSIGHTS

Honorably rewired

What can you do with a pastor when he/ she stops being a pastor? This question is a paraphrase of Bing Crosby’s forgot ten ballad, “What can you do with a general when he stops being a general, what can you do with a general when he is unemployed?”

Pastors respond to retirement in different ways. For many, it is a longed-for period when they can start over again, move closer to extended family, travel or do things they have put off.

But it is not that simple. When John Buchanan retired from Fourth Church in Chicago, he was asked at a professional conference what he missed most about the ministry and became so overcome with emotion that he could not continue. Pastors are called to service, but when they retire it may seem as if they are being rerouted to a new country like Abraham and Sarah (at ages 75 and 65 respectively), to a golf course, to a mission field or to a recliner. If they move, life may need to be rebooted. Bereft of instant recognition and friendship in the parish, they may find themselves searching for a new church home, new friends and new patterns.

future than its history.

One problem we may face in a new age of senior citizens working longer and more productively is that con gregations and presbyteries are as uncertain about what to do with retired pastors as the pastors themselves. Perhaps a comment made at a recent presbytery planning meeting reflects what is frequently taken for grant ed: “We assume that they are all doing fine, are glad to be out of the presbytery and want to be left alone.”

Pastors are called to service, but when they retire it may seem as if they are being rerouted to a new country like Abraham and Sarah (at ages 75 and 65 respectively).

Because senior citizens (and younger adults) are so proactively involved in American culture now, we may need to recognize that age ism can be as prevalent inside the church as it is outside. In a study on teaching diversity and social jus tice, Barbara J. Love and Kathleen J. Phillips suggest that a necessary future goal in universities should include the identification and devel opment of action strategies to elimi nate manifestations of ageism in order to contribute to the transfor mation of society.

Perhaps it is time for us to check our assumptions about what to do for and with pastors who are retired.

For me, it was not as easy as I expected. Because my wife and I were not able to travel or move (two parents in a local nursing home), I enjoyed new freedom to pur sue writing, college teaching and serving on presbytery and community committees. But I still felt somewhat adrift. I had informed my congregation that I would not attend worship or perform baptisms, weddings or funerals – but I missed our church family, helping people and the routine of preparing and delivering sermons. Sometimes I also wondered about my role in presby tery when various colleagues implied that suddenly my main function would be to supply wisdom from the past when, in fact, I am more concerned about the church’s

EARL S. JOHNSON JR. is an honorably rewired pastor in Johnstown, New York, and is a lecturer in religious stud ies at Siena College.

32 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK

HORIZONS

Between the garden and the city

tant to live with the imagery of what God has in mind. God ’s purpose for the world is healing and God ’s love triumphs in the end.

elation 21:21-27).

At the beginning of the Bible there is a garden, a river and a tree (Genesis 2:4-14) and at the end is a city, a river and a tree (Revelation 22). In both Genesis 2 and Revelation 21-22, God dwells among and with the people. In between the garden and the city, there are lots of stories of the mess humanity makes in our turning away from God and God ’ s continuing unearned grace woven in and through the chaos we create.

When we view the news or read the daily headlines, much of what we see is the destructiveness of humanity: greed, sickening violence, life-sucking poverty, gridlock government, human bickering and abuse. Stories of children and adults being gunned down are common. Public education often fails the most at-risk children. Waves of im migrants flee the fighting in the Middle East. Slavery is the highest it has ever been. Approximately 150-200 species grow extinct each day — 1,000 times higher than in the normal eco logical processes.

Yet Christians are a people of hope. Though Presbyterians see the deadly infection of sin in all individuals and institutions, we trust that God is at work to bring new life and transforma tion. God is our hope.

God ’s continuing story is that of God reaching out to humanity with a love that will not let us go. God is like a father running to welcome the lost son home. God is like a mother who will not abandon her child.

We are the people of hope, you and I, though day-to-day we may not feel it. That is why it is extremely impor

Let’s look at the closing chapters of the biblical story in Revelation, chapters 21 and 22. At the end of time, there is a new heaven and a new earth. God will dwell with us and we will be God ’s community. God will “wipe every tear from our eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more” (Revelation 21:4).

Carson Brisson is associate profes sor of Bible and biblical languages at Union Presbyterian Seminary in

Flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb will be a river flowing through the middle of the city and there will be the tree of life. Everyone will have clean water to drink and water for crops, so famine will be gone. The leaves of the tree of life will be medicine for the healing of the nations. Centuries of hatred will come to an end.

We live with the end in mind. We live with hope because Jesus as Lord has the last word. In the words of “A Declaration of Faith ” (a confession af firmed by the 1977 General Assembly, though not in our current Book of Confessions):

We are the people of hope, you and I, though day-to-day we may not feel it. That is why it is extremely important to live with the imagery of what God has in mind.

Charlotte, North Carolina. He tells the story of teaching a college class on the Bible in his early career. In the back of the class sat one young woman who always looked disinterested and bored. Brisson knew that she was the daugh ter of a man who had died in the Viet nam War and she, understandably, had known a lot of misery. When the class reached Revelation 21, where God wipes away tears, this young woman’ s hand went up for the first time. Her question was simple, “Every tear?” Yes, every tear of the past and the present will be wiped from our eyes.

In this city, there will be 12 gates, never shut, and into the city will come people of every nation. The city will be illuminated by God ’s glory. The defor mities of racism and the huge disparity between the rich and the poor will be gone because the nations will walk by the light and do the will of God (Rev

In our time, we see only broken scattered signs that the renewal of all things is underway ... but we see Jesus as Lord. ... hope plunges us into the struggle for victories over evil that are possible now in the world, the church, and our individual lives. Hope gives us courage and energy to contend against all opposition, however invincible it may seem, for the new world and the new humanity that are surely coming.

We live with the end in mind. The love and forgiveness of Jesus has the power to transform others and us. That is good news that the world needs to hear.

ROSALIND BANBURY is associate pastor for adult ministries at First Church in Richmond, Virginia.

APRIL 11, 2016 | 33
HORIZONS BIBLE STUDY 2015-2016 COME TO THE WATERS Lesson 9: Revelation 21 & 22

Scripture passage and lesson focus: Luke 17:1-10

The Gospel writers wrote their ac counts of the life and death of Jesus approximately 30-60 years after the events happened. They were dependent on the oral traditions they received. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they frequently arranged units of oral tradition, especially remem bered sayings of Jesus, in order to provide practical instructions for the developing early Christian congre gations. The opening section of Luke 17 is a good example. Here, several sayings of Jesus that appear in different contexts in the other synoptic gospels have been brought together to guide the emerging Christian communities.

9:42 and Matthew 18:6 make expli cit). They are “little” in the sense that they lack status or power. So Jesus urges his followers to safeguard the faith of all believers, especially the weak and vulnerable.

In addition, Jesus expects his followers to forgive a fellow believer who is penitent — even if that believer asks for forgiveness seven times in the same day. Again, Jesus uses hyperbole to emphasize the impor tance of forgiveness.

for is the power to act more faith fully, more in line with their trust in God. Jesus reminds his followers that faith in any amount is powerful.

The apostles who want increased faith may be asking for the wrong thing. Jesus implicitly corrects them by saying, in effect, that the power of faith is not dependent on its amount. Here, faith is not something that can be measured. The basic point is that faith is essential and powerful.

Luke 17:1-4 — Treatment of the vulnerable

Speaking in hyperbole (deliberate extreme exaggeration), Jesus says that if a person causes a fellow be liever to renounce the faith, “it would be better for such a person if a mill stone were placed around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”

A heavy millstone would inevi tably result in death by drowning. This imagery may be especially pain ful for those of us who have watched reports about refugees, many of them women and children, who have drowned while fleeing oppression and warfare.

Luke describes the graphic imagery Jesus uses to underscore the seriousness of behavior that is not acceptable. Jesus speaks on behalf of “these little ones.” They are be lievers (as parallel passages in Mark

Luke 17:5-6 — All you need is faith

What Christian has not at some time wished to have a stronger faith? Many Christians would echo the words of the father of the boy whom Jesus healed, “I believe, help my unbelief.”

While doubt may be a subtle indication of a deeper underlying faith, our all-too-human tendency is to act on impulses that are not rooted in our faith. Perhaps if we had more faith, our impulsive behavior would be more in line with our faith. Or would it?

In this passage, Jesus replies to his disciples’ request for increased faith with a perplexing comment. “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

In other words, an impossible expectation becomes possible if you have even the tiniest amount of faith. Obviously, trees will not grow in the salt water of the ocean. And a mus tard seed is the tiniest of all seeds. But even that tiny amount of faith will get an impossible job done. So having faith greater than a mustard seed is not necessary or even desirable. All it takes is a little tiny bit of faith to accomplish the impossible, Jesus says.

Perhaps what the apostles (Luke equates the twelve disciples and apostles; see Luke 6:13) were asking

Luke 17:7-10 — Obeying Jesus’ commands

Assuming the socioeconomic rela tionships that prevailed in firstcentury Hellenistic society, Jesus offers an impossible hypothetical situation. Would any slave owner invite a slave to join the master for a meal? The implied answer is “of course not!” Furthermore, would the slave owner thank the slave for doing what had been commanded? “Of course not!”

Then Jesus abruptly reverses the roles in this saying. His followers are told that when they do what they have been commanded to do, they must acknowledge that they are “worthless slaves.” Jesus expects his followers to be obedient and do what they are commanded to do.

For discussion

What causes people to stumble and forsake their faith? Why is asking for forgiveness difficult for people to do? Should you forgive a per son who is not sincerely penitent? How should faith influence political decisions? Does it bother you that Jesus describes obedient followers as “worthless slaves”? O

O OUTLOOK STANDARD LESSONS UNIFORM LESSON FOR MAY 1, 2016
34 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK

Scripture passage and lesson focus: Luke 17:11-19

In order to describe the characteris tics of Christian faith, Scripture pro vides us with many brief snapshots of people whose behavior demonstrated both positively and negatively what it means to be a person of faith. From the father of the epileptic boy who said “I believe; help my unbe lief,” to the struggling Peter whose denial caused him to weep bitterly, to the sinful but forgiven woman who showed her great love for Jesus by anointing his feet with oil, they all demonstrated their faith by their actions. Our faith becomes concrete in our behavior.

In our passage today, Luke sur prises us with a healing story about 10 lepers. Part of the surprise is that only one of the 10 said “thank you” to Jesus, while nine went on their way without so much as a word of gratitude.

It may be tempting to turn this miracle story about the healing of 10 lepers into a lesson on proper etiquette: Don’t forget to say “thank you.” That might be what we would expect to hear from our mother or grandmother. But Luke’s account of a thankful leper (and nine ungrateful lepers!) has much more to offer than a lesson in politeness.

that would unfold there. On the road somewhere between Samaria and Galilee — some scholars have ques tioned the accuracy of Luke’s vague geographical references — Jesus en ters a village where he encounters a group of lepers. The lepers had a skin disease that rendered them unclean, so they kept a distance between themselves and Jesus in accordance with Jewish law (Leviticus 13:45-46).

The lepers must have heard about the healing miracles Jesus had per formed. Eager for relief from their disease, they cried out to Jesus for mercy. They addressed him as “mas ter,” for which Luke uses a somewhat unusual Greek term comparable to rabbi or teacher.

Jesus responds by directing the le pers to visit the priests, which would mean a trip to the temple in Jerusa lem or to priests who lived in the vicinity. Earlier, in Luke 5:12-14, Jesus had also cured a leper and com manded him to go to a priest to make a thank offering and to be declared free of his disease. The directive of Jesus gives to the lepers assumes that a healing miracle was about to take place; otherwise there would be no reason to consult the priests. Almost as an afterthought Luke adds, “as they went, they were made clean.”

removing the disease that had rendered him unclean.

Luke seems to take special delight in recognizing community outsiders like the cured Samaritan who manifested a special relationship to Jesus or played a crucial role in his parables. An unmarried young woman in Nazareth, shepherds near Bethlehem, a baptizing prophet in the Jordan valley, a demon-possessed man in Capernaum, a tax-collector named Levi, a Roman centurion, a tomb-dweller named Legion, a woman suffering from chronic bleeding, a blind beggar on the road to Jericho and a chief tax collector named Zacchaeus — they all came to believe in Jesus.

Jesus acknowledges the Samaritan’s identity when he asks about the other nine lepers who had been healed. “Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” To that foreigner Je sus said, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” The Samaritan’s faith brought him back to Jesus to say “thank you.” That is a surprising example of grateful faith.

For discussion

Luke 17:11-14 — Jesus cures 10 lepers

Since Luke 9:51, where Jesus and his disciples were rejected by the resi dents of a Samaritan village, Jesus has “set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

With a prophetic sense of mission, Jesus set out on a journey to the city of David and the decisive events

Luke 17:15-19 — One gives thanks

When one of the healed lepers no tices that his leprosy has vanished, he bursts out with a shout of praise to God. He returns to Jesus, bows down before him respectfully, and thanks Jesus. At this point Luke adds a crucial detail. He identifies the former leper as a Samaritan.

Luke’s readers were certainly aware that the long-standing animosity between Jews and Samaritans was bitter and deep. Yet here Jesus, the Jewish healer, extends God’s leprosy-curing power to a Samaritan. Furthermore, the healed Samaritan bows before Jesus and thanks him for

How does your congregation wel come modern equivalents of lepers or Samaritans? The Heidelberg Catechism on our Book of Confessions summarizes the Christian faith in three words: guilt, grace and gratitude. How does your faith show your gratitude? What specific concrete actions demonstrate your gratitude?

JAMES A. BRASHLER is professor emeritus of Bible at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.

UNIFORM LESSON FOR MAY 8, 2016
OUTLOOK STANDARD LESSONS APRIL 11, 2016 | 35

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CLASSIFIEDS

INTERIM ASSOCIATE PASTOR. First Presbyterian Church of Edwardsville, Illinois, is in a growing suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. View MIF at fpcedw.org . Submit PIF and letter of interest to Associate Pastor Transi tion Team at APPT@fpcedw.org

TENT MAKING MINISTRY OR RETIR

EES. Yakutat Presbyterian Church in Yakutat, Alaska, is seeking a special person to be our pastor. We are located along the southeast Alaskan coast. The beauty of the

Gulf of Alaska on one side and the mountains on the other are unrivaled in the U.S. A manse is available. For more information, contact Cathy at yakutatpc@yahoo.com

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church is an active 650-member congrega tion located in the vibrant downtown area of Denton, Texas. Denton, home to two universities, was voted “Best Small Town in America” by USA Today. We are seeking a PASTOR/ HEAD OF STAFF with at least 5-10 years of experience who feels called to serve with a warm and welcoming congregation. We strive to glorify God through exceptional music and worship, quality education and meaningful outreach. Come get to

know us better at saint-andrew.com Send PIF or questions to our PNC at SaintAndrewPNC@gmail.com or call Betty Alford at 940-367-9907.

Need a vacation/retreat? Small church in eastern upper peninsula of Michigan seeks pastors from May through October to give a message on Sunday morning in return for the use of the manse as a vacation/ retreat home for the duration of their stay. For additional details, please contact Bob Vaught at 906-2973560 or email unionpresb@lighthouse.net .

get in the game

PLACE YOUR AD IN THE Presbyterian Outlook

Located in the “No. 1 Best College Town in the U.S.,” according to Forbes Magazine,the OXFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in south west Ohio is seeking an enthusiastic, engaging SOLO PASTOR. This position requires someone who will equip us to reach out in new and progressive ways to students, faculty, staff and community members, while still maintaining the wonderful qualities of our 380-member church.

We encourage you to see our website at oxfordpresbychurch.org , view our MIF #8387 or email us at pncoxford@gmail.com

ASSOCIATED PASTOR (DESIGNATED)

The Old Stone Church

(First Presbyterian Church of Cleveland, Ohio)

We are seeking an associate pastor energized by and eager to engage in ministry with us, particu larly connecting with the growing number of young adults, families and urban professionals in downtown and near-downtown com munities. Additional ministry opportunities are envisioned through small group development and leadership, alternative worship and ongoing pastoral care to the congregation and newcomers alike.

The Old Stone Church (OSC) is an inclusive, diverse, warm and wel coming congregation located in the heart of downtown Cleveland and has been loving Christ and serving the city spiritually, socially and culturally since 1820. Known as Cleveland’s historic church with a contemporary spirit, OSC is actively engaged with community partners providing impactful leadership to a renaissance city expe riencing unprecedented residential growth and renewal. To learn more about OSC and to view the MIF visit OldStoneChurch.org

Ad Manager George Whipple toll free at 1-800-446-6008

IN CELEBRATION …

The centennial of SHANDON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

SHANDON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in Columbia, South Carolina, is celebrating its centennial year, which will culminate in its observation on the weekend of Sunday, May 15, 2016. The year leading up to the Centen nial Celebration Weekend has and will continue to include opportunities and observances written, exhibited, expounded and acted out to recog nize God's blessing on what began in the then-tiny suburban town of Shandon and that blossomed into this large urban church in Columbia. Former members from over the years, their families, former staff and ministers, ministers brought up in the Shandon embrace and all persons having connections are invited to join us during the time intervening — and, for the celebration to be held on the weekend of May 15, it would be appre ciated if those anticipating coming please inform our Centennial Cel ebration committee by email so that your presence may be appropriately recognized (respond to fantmary@ gmail.com). If you have memories that you would like to share, please inform us in the same way. The year will experience renovations to a portion of the sanctuary and installation of a new organ for the facilitation of worship. O

36 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK

T HE I SRAEL /P ALESTINE M ISSION N ETWORK of the P RESBYTERIAN C HURCH

Kairos Palestine: A Moment of Truth

Runaway

Zionism Unsettled: A Congregational Study Guide

What role have Zionism and Christian Zionism played in shaping attitudes and driving historical developments in the Middle East and around the world? How do Christians, Jews, and Muslims understand the competing claims to the land of Palestine and Israel? What steps can be taken to bring peace, reconciliation, and justice to the homeland that Palestinians and Israelis share? Zionism Unsettled embraces these critical issues fearlessly and with inspiring scope. The 74-page illustrated booklet and companion DVD draw together compelling viewpoints from Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Israel, Palestine, the US, and around the globe. This is an invaluable guide to deeper understanding, with focused discussion prompts to make it an ideal educational resource for churches, mosques, synagogues, and all classroom settings.

Available at Amazon.com Print book: $12 Kindle (color display) edition: $7.99

Zionism Unsettled does not represent the views of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Kairos Palestine is the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” of our time. This Confession of Faith, written in 2009 by a broad spectrum of Palestinian Christian leaders, lifts up the classical theological virtues of faith, hope, and love that lie at the heart of the Christian Gospel. It affirms that resistance to injustice and oppression is firmly grounded in these principles. It is both an anguished cry in a dark hour and a profound testament to unquenchable hope. This special 24-page publication pairs the Kairos Palestine statement with a three-week study plan that provides individual readers and congregational groups with essential historical, political, and theological context as well as a list of thought-provoking questions to stimulate reflection and discussion.

PC(USA) Store: Item number 26466-10-001 1-19 copies: $2 each 20+ copies: $1.50 each

Order from the PC(USA) Store online http://store.pcusa.org

Steadfast Hope: The Palestinian Quest for Just Peace

Expanded second edition, April 2011

What are the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the common myths and misperceptions about the conflict, and the role of the US government in the conflict and the peace process? What challenges and opportunities lie ahead in the quest for peace? How can congregations contribute to the cause of just peace? Steadfast Hope presents a compelling snapshot of the current situation on the ground, highlighting the tragic human costs of war and occupation, as well as Muslim, Jewish, and Christian peacemakers working for justice and reconciliation. This 48-page, richly illustrated booklet includes a DVD with short segments for group discussion and a study guide for lesson plans.

PC(USA) Store: Item number 26466-11-001 1-9 copies: $10 each 10-19 copies: $7 each 20+ copies: $5 each

RESOURCES FOR CONGREGATIONAL OR INDIVIDUAL STUDY, DESIGNED TO DEEPEN THE CHURCH’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND ENRICH OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH ITS PEOPLE.

The Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) engages in activities that promote involvement with Middle Eastern churches and other partners by US congregations. Established by action of the 216th General Assembly of the PC(USA) in 2004, the network of volunteers speaks TO the Church, not FOR the Church. Please visit our website for information about our mission, study resources, advocacy opportunities, mission partnerships, preaching seminars, travel opportunities, and more.

APRIL 11, 2016 | 37
or by phone 800.524.2612
(U.S.A.) www.theIPMN.org
Bestseller! Over 10,000 copies sold

BENEDICTORY

Forgetfulness and remembrance

MY MOM, A VERY SERIOUS AND THOUGHTFUL PERSON, called me a couple of weeks ago, laughing uncontrollably. Since this was completely out of character for her, I asked, “What is going on with you?” She replied, “I am remember ing all the stupid things you have done. I can’t believe you are alive.” She kept laughing and started reminding me of every single time I did stupid things. Some were things I didn’t even remember. Things that embarrassed me. Things I had blocked from my mind.

There are things we want to forget. I want to forget the hurtful things I have said and done. I want to forget the shameful things that I have done. I want to forget the harm that has been done to me.

According to authors Huang and Dalton in the Journal of Consumer Research, motivated forgetting (what we call “selective memory”) is a “psy chological defense mechanism where by people cope with threatening and unwanted memories by suppressing them from consciousness.” Basically, this means that we do not want to remember because we do not want to suffer. So, why remember?

sands of people because of systemic racism.

Some seminarians and I have visited a detention center in Lumpkin, Georgia. Over a few visits, we spent time with the detainees and have been crushed hearing the stories of our brothers and sisters being discriminated against, treat ed poorly and abused. We heard stories of people cross ing a river and wandering through deserts in search for a promised land. We remember because the Israelites’ story, that seemed it took place so long ago, is our story. Today.

We remember because even that which has been for gotten is part of who we are. By acknowledging our past, even the painful past, we can heal, repent, ask for forgiveness and change our ways. By remembering our past we can change the future but also we can change the present; we can change our attitudes and behaviors so that we start showing hospitality to strangers, even those who are not strangers but feel like strangers in their own land — and in doing so, we may be entertain ing angels.

BY REMEMBERING OUR PAST WE CAN CHANGE THE FUTURE BUT ALSO WE CAN CHANGE THE PRESENT AND IN DOING SO, WE MAY BE ENTERTAINING ANGELS.

In my view, the Bible is all about forgetting and remem bering. The story in Joshua 4 is about remembering a painful past, the time of slavery in Egypt and the mighty acts that were needed to deliver the Israelites from that situation. When God commanded the Israelites to set up a memorial in Gilgal, it was because God probably knew the Israelites would forget. And we know they did.

There are things in the history of this country that we want to forget. Things that brought pain and suffering to many people. We want to forget the millions of lives displaced forever by the institution of slavery. It happened so long ago … why remember?

We want to forget about the Japanese-American intern ment and the thousands of families that were placed in concentration camps. It happened so long ago … why remember?

The Israelites suffered under Egyptian rule and wan dered in the wilderness for forty years. It happened so long ago … why remember?

We remember because we are still incarcerating thou-

How can we go about remember ing? Hebrews 13 tells us: “Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.” We remember through constant prayer but also through action. We remember by visiting those in prison, by sitting with those who are tortured. And we remember by sharing a meal at the table, set by the One who was imprisoned and tortured in solidarity with all who are imprisoned and tortured.

CLAUDIA AGUILAR RUBALCAVA is associate dean of student services at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia.

38 | THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK
Someday, she’ll be ready to answer the call to serve God’s people. Today, your gift to the Theological Education Fund will make her “yes” possible. www.presbyterianfoundation.org/tef 200 EAST TWELFTH STREET • JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA • 47130 1.844.896.2959

YOUR GIFT SPEAKS IN MANY LANGUAGES

Presbyterian donations help Wycliffe translate the Bible and combat poverty.

Bible translation work fulfills the Great Commission and the Great Commandment – bringing God’s Word to people in their own language – and in the process combatting poverty, raising literacy, and demonstrating the love of Christ. The Presbyterian Foundation is working with hundreds of Presbyterian congregations and Wycliffe Bible Translators to reach 209 million people who do not yet have the Scriptures in their own language.

how you can join the Last Languages

Learn
Initiative at: www.PresbyterianFoundation.org/wycliffe.

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