This weekend I finished Orange Is the New Black, season three.  I think this was the best season so far, and I was particularly drawn to the presentation of faith.  The final moments of the final episode were quite beautiful.

This Daily Beast article reviewed the role of faith in the show, and hits the nail on the head.  

Orange Is the New Black is a show about how Big Faith, what Soso calls “capital-R Religion,” is a trap—the kind of faith that believes in ultimate justice and in final answers, the kind that says you can be confident in how the story ends. It’s the kind of faith that’s brittle, fragile, that sets you up for a brutal fall. Orange Is the New Black is a show that, as its fans can attest, takes great pleasure in keeping you from knowing how anyone’s story will end. It’s a show that’s deeply skeptical that everything happens for a reason and everything works out in the end—as anyone who’s spent any time studying the real-life prison system would be.

But the other kind of faith? Little Faith? Faith as tiny as a mustard seed? The kind that won’t throw away the armor of cynicism but will take it off long enough for a swim, that says that there’s no clear path by which everyday kindness and love will fix this broken world and bring a happy ending to our story? That’s the kind of faith that, by not asking for too much, isn’t too easily broken. It’s the kind that can survive betrayal, suffering, hypocrisy—even prison.

After weeks of joking with friends online about developing a bracket for the GOP primary, I thought the first debate gave us some sense of how to break it down.  Here is my bracket, with some explanations and predictions to follow.

1)  It seems that there are two major wings to the current GOP, with some overlap, obviously.  One is the traditional center of the party, those mainstream candidates who represent traditional conservatism and its issues, with the rare remaining moderate (like Pataki).  Of course what counts as a traditional conservative has shifted to the right over the years.  The other wing I'm labelling the "Right Wing" as a catch all.  

2)  The mainstream wing I've divided into three groupings.  Traditionally there might have been four.  One is the moderate, usually meaning a social moderate and fiscal conservative, of which there is only one in this year's race, and he won't be advancing very far.  There is also usually a foreign policy hawk division, of which this year there is only one candidate.  Sometimes there is a fight among those whose specialty is business and finance (I almost called this the "Steve Forbes slot").  This year Fiorina represents that and looking at Gilmore's website, he's trying for that.  But I didn't think that this year they represented a complete sector of the field.  I did lump together a number of candidates as Mainstream, again acknowledging that this has shifted to the right over the years.  In recent election cycles Christie and Rubio were both Tea Party darlings and both Kasich and Bush have very solid conservative records as governors.  But it seems to me that these four candidates are fighting to the establishment center of the party in this cycle in a way that the three over governors I've labeled "True Conservatives" are not.

3)  "Tea Party" seems to mean too many things, so I didn't use it as a particular wing or sector of the primary.  "True Conservative" seemed a good label for the three governors Walker, Jindal, and Perry who are closer to the establishment than the rest of the Right Wing but are running to the right of the traditional establishment candidates.  Ted Cruz would seem to ride the fence between Evangelical and Ideologue, but has of late presented himself mostly as competing for the Evangelical vote.  The Ideologue category has no common theme other than these are candidates who are trying to upset the apple cart.  Yes, Paul represents a distinct Libertarian sector, but of late that doesn't seem to affecting the conversation as much.

4)  Jindal and Perry seem to be competing with each other to be noticed.  Neither one of them, it appears to me, will overtake Walker, who rises automatically to the final four.  It doesn't mean he'll be one of the final four candidates standing, just that he'll win his division.  This contest between the three of them may be over before any votes are taken.

5)  Oddly the runners up in the 2008 and 2012 elections (Huckabee and Santorum) are going head-to-head for the same voters.  It seems to me that the Iowa Caucuses should settle that contest.  Then, a lot will depend on South Carolina, which would seem to settle the issue between the Huck/Sant winner and Ted Cruz as to who carries the Evangelical torch and whether this cycle that candidate will again be the runner is still to be determined.

6)  I can't imagine any of the ideologues advancing very far once actual votes are taken, and much of their support will likely shift to a different candidate.  Paul appears to have lost his earlier mojo; at one time he seemed likely to advance farther in this race. 

7)  My prediction is Walker versus either Huckabee or Cruz as the torch carrier for the Right Wing.  Maybe that will be settled in the Florida primary?

8)  Pataki will drop out early when he garners no votes.  Graham will pin his hopes on a South Carolina win, but I'm not sure what happens after that for him.  Gilmore shouldn't even be in the race, and Fiorina will have her moment, it appears.

9)  Bush and Rubio seem to be locked in a battle of the Floridians.  Will that primary settle their contest or will both carry through for months?

10)  One of either Kasich or Christie will be in a stronger position before voting starts and could gain momentum after others drop out.  Maybe the Michigan primary will be key to them?

11)  Except for 1964, the nominee has traditionally come from the traditional, mainstream, establishment side.  This year could be an anomaly, but it seems to me that the real race for the nomination is between Bush, Rubio, and either Kasich or Christie (acknowledging that like 2008 and 12 the right wing standard bearer may last to the end).

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I did not dislike the book because of the portrayal of Atticus, which I found to be interesting and not inconsistent with Mockingbird (I've been very intrigued and puzzled by the bellyaching over Atticus).

Nor am I ranking the book this low because it is an unpolished work, which it is. Clearly a few more rounds of editing would have significantly improved this volume.

***Spoiler Alert***

I disliked the novel because of its accommodationist conclusion. Yes, empathy and understanding of other viewpoints are important, but some viewpoints should be confronted with the force and vigor that Scout shows in her fight with her father. I felt completely let down by Part VII (especially the critical and abhorrent role that domestic violence plays in the climax). Scout should leave Maycomb and should distance herself from her family.

That said, there were parts I found quite good. One of the best chapters was the coffee that Aunt Alexandra forces upon Scout. This chapter was very well written dialogue and character study, revealing the social setting. Scout's introspective voice was strongest in this chapter, as well. I liked that device throughout the novel and how the introspective voice was used to develop Scout's individual conscience (the true plot of the novel). In places, including the Coffee chapter, the introspective voice was almost like Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man.

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An Introduction to the Metaphysics of St. Thomas Aquinas by Thomas Aquinas
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This slim volume is a series of excerpts from Aquinas addressing a number of metaphysical topics. The editing is well done and presents a good, concise summary of Aquinas' views. I simply find most of the topics and his thoughts on them to be quite boring.

The one exception being the discussion of Beauty. Much there was of interest to me, though that section drew heavily upon Pseud-Dionysius, whom I've never read. Here's the great paragraph that opens the chapter on Beauty in this volume:

"Nothing exists which does not participate in beauty and goodness, since each thing is beautiful and good according to its proper form. . . . Created beauty is nothing other than a likeness of the divine beauty participated in things."

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Our ABC's

Psalms 119

by the Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones

First Central Congregational UCC

2 August 2015

 

 

    This summer we have been exploring the Psalms. Today we are going to look at Psalm 119, which is the longest Psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. Don't worry, I'm not reading the entire thing.

    Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. Each eight verse section is devoted to a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which each line of that section beginning with that letter. This literary affect cannot be translated into English.

    Basically, Psalm 119 is a primer into the way of life God desires for God's people. It is the Hebrew ABC's of God's law, used to teach children. The great Bible scholar Walter Brueggemann writes that this psalm "affirms that the biblical tradition is an adequate, reliable guide to the pilgrimage of human life." Elsewhere he wrote "The commandments [of God] liberate and give people space in which to be human. . . . [they are] a starting point, a launching pad from which to mount an ongoing conversation with God through daily experience."

 

[Psalms 119 excerpt]

 

    The ABC's of the good life? Sounds like a good idea for a baptismal Sunday. So, for Sebastian and all our children and really for every one of us, since we are all children of God still learning, here are your ABC's.

 

    Adventure awaits the one who enters upon the way of God. For the Christian life is a life of action.

    We are born by a mothering God and born again into new life when we enter upon the way of Jesus. This journey is a process of becoming, not of being—for who we are is not established already in some essence. We are responsible for creating ourselves by the choices we make, the lives we lead, the actions we perform.

    We are all beautiful, sharing in the goodness and the glory and the love of God. And beauty is what we aspire to—a more beautiful world where everyone and everything lives in harmony and abundance. A world of blessing.

    God calls us out of our complacency and self-centeredness into a life of communion—communion with creation, with other people, and with God. Communion requires commitment and courage.

    Speaking of creation, behold the wonders of nature—the stars and the planets, the intricacies of living molecules, the complexities of the atom. Creation declares the glory of God. And, we are created with minds able to grasp and understand the cosmos. We share with God the power of co-creators using our own imaginations and abilities to fashion a new and better world.

    Remember that change and novelty are the way of the universe, for God has declared, "Behold, I am making all things new."

    Which should inspire your delight and your desire. Make it your discipline each and every day to delight in the world and the people around you, in the food you eat, the songs you hear, the beauty you behold.

    God invites us to desire, wish, and dream as well. What will make you fully alive? What will the glory of God radiating in you and through you look like?

    What God desires for all creation is an ecstatic fellowship, participating in the ecstatic fellowship that is God. As our Reformed tradition teaches, the chief end of humanity is to glorify God, and to enjoy God forever. Enjoyment is creation's end; its purpose and goal. Enjoyment is the meaning of your life.

    Which should free you. Free you from all the burdens and sins that would constrain you. Free you to form genuine relationships, to create the family of your own choosing, the family who supports and encourages you. The family who will remain faithful to you as you remain faithful to them. And don't forget that friendship is the greatest good.

    To be a good friend, to maintain the fellowship and fidelity of family, will require faith and forgiveness. The world makes it easy to become a cynic, a skeptic, a pessimist. Faith trusts that everything will turn out well, that your relationships can be healed when broken, that the world can and will become a better place. Faith in action includes forgiveness. Forgiveness is essential to the good life—forgiving yourself and letting go of shame and guilt, accepting forgiveness when offered to you, and being the first to offer forgiveness to other people.

    "The glory of God is a humanity fully alive," as St. Irenaeus taught. Your life is a gift that God has already declared to be very good. In order to retain that goodness and gain the glory, then learn to be grateful, generous, and gracious.

    And be humble, for you aren't the center of the universe and you don't know everything.

    Human life is impossible without hope. Remember that every moment in life has an infinite number of possible futures. You are never permanently trapped by the way things currently are. Learn the lesson that Christians are the eternal beginners.

    Use your imagination to gain insight and inspiration as to what the future might become.

And remember that God's love is always an inclusive love. If you hear anyone teaching that God excludes people for this or that reason, you'll know immediately that that person does not speak for God.

Our God is a just God. Your work, therefore, is the work of justice—helping the oppressed, the poor, the disenfranchised. For where you find those people is where you will find God at work in our world.

The work of justice can be difficult to sustain, for the work takes time and effort and there are many setbacks and defeats. Therefore, you'll need some joy in your life. One of my personal favourite names for God is contained within the hymn "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee." That name is "Wellspring of the Joy of Being." God is Joy, so if you follow your joy, there you will discover God as well.

    Kindness is almost always the answer to every difficult situation. Kindness is the smallest and gentlest form of love, and love is the greatest power in the universe for God is love.

    Stand in awe of the mysteries. Theologian Mary Grey, in her book Introducing Feminist Images of God, writes, "the very inexhaustibility of [the divine] mystery admits the possibility of new imagery, new naming, fresh and startling experiences of the divine." For, according to Grey, God is always the "God of Surprises."

    Which resonates with one of the core teachings of our faith tradition in the United Church of Christ, a teaching passed along by John Robinson, pastor to our Pilgrim ancestors, "there is yet more light and truth to break forth out of [God's] holy word."

    Love your neighbor as yourself, especially when that neighbor is very different from yourself.

    Be open. "Open doors to conversation. Invite people in. Invite light in. Open doors within yourself. Think about the big picture. Be open to possibilities. Welcome new ideas. Push the envelope. Grow. And keep growing." For we are a pilgrim and pioneer people.

    Praise God.

    Pray.

    And keep your priorities straight, particularly Peace.

    Don't get lost on some quixotic quest for wealth or success or personal ambition.

    As you can see, the Christian life isn't about rules. This adventurous life is about being a radical follower of Jesus.

    Repent if you wander off of the way of God. Turn around and head again in the right direction.

    Sing songs and tell stories. For songs will lift your spirits and stories will tell you who you are and what to do.

    Don't be selfishness. Instead, live a life of service, in solidarity with those who need your help.

    Learn to trust and be trustworthy.

    Give thanks.

    And spend as much time as you can watching trees.

    God loves you unconditionally, which means you'll always be welcomed back home, no matter what you do or how often you stray from these teachings.

    Be bold with your visions and consistent with the virtues.

    Acquiring wisdom takes a lifetime of effort and failure but wisdom begins quite simply in our childlike wonder at the world around us.

    So, if you've listened to what I've said, I've described the way of excellence. We will do our best to train you in this way, but it is ultimately your choice. Remember, we love you, God loves you.

    With zest I invite you: the adventure begins.