James Lawson

I have officially sat through at least one of all my classes. My night class on Tuesday is entitled "The Nonviolent Struggle" taught by James Lawson. James Lawson was one of the leaders in the Civil Rights movement, particularly in Nashville. He is an older gentleman, white hair, with a very calming presence and an articulate diction. Here is a story that recounts my extreme intimidation in the presence of this man.

After asking us why we took his class, he asked us a series of questions. How many of you have been involved in a picket line? Half the class raises their hands. How many of you have been involved in a social struggle for change that lasts longer than 6 weeks? How many of you have been involved in Civil Disobedience? Three people raise their hands. How many of you have been arrested? No hands. He just looks at us. All I can think is that this man thinks we're a bunch putz's that like the idea on nonviolence but have no experience. Of course, we're sitting in front of man who was arrested for being a conscientious objector during the Korean War.

Later in the class he mentions a certain distinction. Though the authors of the books we will read make a distinction between nonviolence (as ideological) and nonviolent action, James Lawson sees no distinction. Nonviolence is a lifestyle that is not relegated to some distant realm of theory but makes its home in the nests of the practical way living.

I have not been arrested, and my little protest at Olivet against the war can hardly count as Civil Disobedience.

Class Schedule

I need to take the time to expound on the past week, but it's been crazy. Below is my class schedule: I'm excited to say the least.

MWF: Formation of the Christian Tradition (9:00)

MWF: Hebrew Bible (11:00)

T, R: History of Christian Liturgy (11:00)

T: The Non-Violent Struggle, taught by James Lawson (6-9)

Classes have finally started. I'm a student again, this time at Vanderbilt.

Where is our allegiance?

Last night, Barack Obama and John McCain met for the first time since becoming the presumptive nominee of their parties. Interestingly, they met at Saddleback church with Pastor Rick Warren as the moderator. Many people know him as the author of Purpose Driven Church/Life and establising massive networking machine within protestant evangelicalism. While there are things I like and dislike about Warren, that was not the point of last night's forum. (Though I am thankful he has moved away from right wing single issues political evangelicalism: abortion is important, but so is poverty, racism, HIV/aids, hunger, and human trafficking).

Last night was a unique time for both candidates to speak openly and honestly about their positions, character, and assumptions about leading the country. I don't get any of the cable news channels, but I was able to watch it online streaming from msnbc. I don't want to spend too much time talking about all the details. Briefly, I thought Obama was more personal and open. He seemed willing to discuss and explain how he believes what he believes. McCain was very straightforward and seemed to just reiterate everything his party platform already says.

One thing stuck out to me. It was something McCain said, and actually something he had written in TIME Magazine a few weeks ago. He tells a story of when he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. His guards used to bind his hands and legs together with his head tucked down by his feet throughout the night. One night, a guard came in and loosened his ropes. A few hours later, he came back and tightened them again. A few months later, at Christmas, McCain was allowed to go outside for a few minutes. This guard, without saying a word, came and drew a cross in the dirt. McCain said last evening, "For a minute there, we were just two Christians worshipping together."

I thought it interesting that it was only for a minute. Obviously this is interpreted many different ways, but I see this as a deeper theological expression. For both the guard and McCain, nationalism comes before Christianity. I understand that many in the blogosphere may disagree, but when Christian is pitted against Christian in violent aggression for the sake of national interest, the church has a problem. The guard was unwilling to leave his post for the sake of another Christian (though he did risk much). McCain joined the military explaining that this his country has always been 'number one' in his life.

I often times wonder, if I may borrow a phrase from Ron Sider, what would happen if the church spent as much time and effort on peacekeeping as nations spent on war. We might be able to move from two enemies worshipping for a brief moment to two friends bound by the love of Christ deciding to renounce violent aggression. The time has now come where we can come together and worship in spirit and in truth.

A Fractured Unity

This morning Joy and I went to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Franklin, TN. It was a good experience. One thing in particular stuck out to me: the beauty of the liturgy. Good evangelical protestants have often labeled more liturgical services as archaic, old, or out of date. I think it has more to do with a lack of understanding rather than the mode of service. The service flow has a centuries old witness. When I experience such a service I can't help but think that thousands of churches are reading this scripture and proclaiming the Lord's death at the same time, and we are not alone. Those who have gone before us are also 'groaning in child birth' as we await the holistic redemption waiting for us. They are present, as is Christ.

I particularly noticed the transition from the homily into the creed. As the media has made abundantly clear, the Episcopal church of the USA has been going through a rough patch. The seminal issue revolves around the acceptance of gay bishops. Some are for it and some are not. There was an honesty this morning when this was addressed. However, it was not a message against or even for homosexuality within the church. It was a message of love in the midst of our differences. One can interpret our differences as our views about homosexuality, our certain doctrines, or even the way in which we conduct a service. What matters is that Christ is in all and through all. And we as a church are still trying to figure that out.

The serviced progressed from the homily right into the first words of the Nicene Creed: "We believe in One God, the Father, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen." How beautiful a movement. To go from talking about the divisions that have arisen within the community and then still professing the unity that is in the body of Christ culminating in the Eucharistic feast. May the love of Christ continue to knock down the barriers that keep us from loving each other.