Talking about the "things that matter most" on July 13
4:00 – Politics for Christians: Statecraft As Soulcraft
Politics is concerned with citizenship and the administration of justice--how communities are formed and governed. The role of Christians in the political process is hotly contested, but as citizens, Francis Beckwith argues, Christians have a rich heritage of sophisticated thought, as well as a genuine responsibility, to contribute to the shaping of public policy. In particular, Beckwith addresses the contention that Christians, or indeed religious citizens of any faith, should set aside their beliefs before they enter the public square. What role should religious citizens take in a liberal democracy? What is the proper separation of church and state? What place should be made for natural rights and the moral law within a secular state?
5:00 – Many Are Called: Rediscovering the Glory of the Priesthood
In Many Are Called, Dr. Scott Hahn enthusiastically encourages Catholics around the world to renew their focus on the sacred role of the Catholic priest. Using his unique ability to present deep spiritual and theological ideas in the language of everyday life, Dr. Hahn examines the biblical and historical roots of the priesthood to explain the centrality of the priest in the life of the Church. He brings reinvigorated attention to the many roles of the priest—provider, mediator, protector, teacher, judge, and more—all of which are united in the priest's place as spiritual father to God's people, and ultimately he shows that it is through the priest, empowered by God, that the continuing presence of Jesus Christ makes itself known to our world.
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Re: The Francis Beckwith Interview -- Fannie Lou Hamer
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt that Fannie Lou Hamer was a devout Christian. But even if she wasn't, an appeal to the will of God is a great tactic. What better way to shame an American politician into doing the right thing? Would an appeal to the Golden Rule have worked? Maybe. How about an appeal to simply doing the right thing? Possibly. But why not pull out all the stops? Fannie was no dummy.
I searched the internet trying to find a reference to Mrs. Hamer making an appeal to the "will of God." She may very well have done so, but I didn't find it. Al, if you have a reference, I would love to see it.
However, I did find an account of Mrs. Hamer's confrontation with Hubert Humphrey. I found it at American Heritage. Here it is:
“The trouble is, you’re just afraid to do what’s right,” she gently told Humphrey, who was on the verge of tears. “You want this job, and I know a lot of people have lost their jobs, and God will take care of you, even if you lose this job. But Mr. Humphrey, if you take this job, you won’t be worth anything. Mr. Humphrey, I’m going to pray for you again.”
If we can believe this account, Mrs. Hamer told Humphrey that he was "afraid to do what's right." Now it might be the case that Mrs. Hamer was concerned about right action because it was God's will. On the other hand, it might be the case that she developed a concern for right action because of her experience of living in Mississippi. She was treated as a second class citizen and she didn't like it.
Listen to Mrs. Hamer's testimony before the Credentials Committee at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. She did not mention the will of God. She did talk eloquently about her experiences. There was a reference to God in her testimony. She had been arrested and put in jail. She heard a woman getting beaten. The woman getting beaten began to pray and asked God to have mercy on the people beating her. Here's a transcript of her testimony.
And here's a more detailed article from American Heritage describing the history that led the clash at the 1964 Democratic convention.
My first link to American Heritage didn't work. I'll try it again. Click here if you're interested. The article is called "What Happened to Hubert."
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