Prayer = Being Fully Alert and Present - Barbara Brown Taylor

Act In The Face Of Oppression - William Wilberforce

Have We No Decency?: A Response To President Trump - The National Cathedral

We must boldly stand witness against bigotry, hatred, intolerance, and xenophobia.

As a society, we have begun to grow accustomed to a level of insult and abuse in political discourse that violates each person’s sacred identity as a child of God. We have begun to grow accustomed to a steady stream of language and accusations coming from the highest office in the land that plays to racist elements in society.

Mr. Trump’s words are dangerous. When violent dehumanizing words come from the President of the United States, they are a clarion call, and give cover, to white supremacists who consider people of color a sub-human “infestation.”

As leaders of faith who believe in the sacredness of every single human being, we must boldly stand witness against the bigotry, hatred, intolerance, and xenophobia that is hurled at us, especially when it comes from the highest offices of this nation. We must say that this will not be tolerated. 

To stay silent in the face of such rhetoric is for us to tacitly condone the violence of these words. We are compelled to take every opportunity to oppose the indecency and dehumanization that is racism.

The full article is available here

Prophets, Walls, and Trump - Scott Fritzsche in Unsettled Christianity

Let’s be honest, Nehemiah may have built a wall, but Joshua tore one down, so at best the Bible is ambiguous about walls when stories about them are used for proof-texting.

A lot of proof-texting religious conservative have taken to comparing the wall which President Trump is calling for and the wall which Nehemiah built in the Old Testament.

Trump is not Nehemiah and we are not Israel. The problem with this analogy, specific to Nehemiah, and his wall, is that the circumstances are completely different in numerous ways.

Nehemiah sought the permission of the ruler to return to Jerusalem to build the entire city back up, including the wall. The Jews at this time are under the rule of the Persians, specifically, King Artaxerxes. Here is our first significant difference. We are not under the rule of any foreign power who we must ask permission of in order to return to our homeland.

Also, if we are comparing Trump to Nehemiah and Trump’s proposed wall to Nehemiah’s wall, then we must look at not only the men, but their missions, as well as the circumstances. The circumstances in a religiously pluralistic society and the circumstances in a Jewish society that is theocratic are completely different.

For the sake of whatever witness the church has left, stop claiming that Trump belongs to God. Stop calling any president a modern day prophet.

Let’s be honest, Nehemiah may have built a wall, but Joshua tore one down, so at best the Bible is ambiguous about walls when stories about them are used for proof-texting.

The full article is available here

Benediction: God's Spirit Is Our Source of Contentment and Hope (based on Isaiah 43:19)

God's Spirit restores and brings forth life, so may we find contentment and hope in the promise of all things being made new. God's Spirit speaks to us anywhere and everywhere, so may we listen carefully for that still, small voice.

As we take comfort in all of the everyday sources of God's limitless grace, may we also be sources of hope and renewal in our corners of this world which God created and called "good."

God's Love Isn't Limited By Legal Status - Do Justice

Every human being is made in God's image. As a result, we are commanded to treat all human life with respect and kindness.

It is clear that God loves immigrants, who are among the most vulnerable members of society. An ancestor of Jesus, Ruth was an immigrant and benefited from God's concrete love through the laws that God gave to the Israelite tribes that made provision for the poor and the immigrant.

God's love for the immigrant is also revealed in the life of Jesus. In Matthew 2, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus took refuge in Egypt when King Herod ordered the mass execution of Jewish boys of a certain age. Their lives were at stake, so Egypt became their temporary home.

God's love extends beyond legal status or country of origin. God does not give us the job of judging whether anyone is worthy of  love. Every human being in God's image. As a result, we are commanded to treat all human life with respect and kindness.

Can we overcome our obstacles? Can we overcome our fears? Can we love like Jesus loved? God's love requires that we no longer hold the stranger at arms-length because of Jesus’ radical identification with the least of these.

The full article is available here

A Guide to Your Rights When Interacting with Law Enforcement - Catholic Immigration Network

Undocumented immigrants and their families have rights. These "Know Your Rights" resources are available in multiple languages and include pictures and explanations of the different warrants that officials may use in immigration enforcement actions.

The full guide is available here

Gratefulness Is Prayerfulness - David Steindl-Rast

Americanism Is A Rival Religion To Christianity - Brian Zahnd