Ethic of Tragedy

 Our celebration of Earth Day has me musing on the Ethic of Tragedy as perhaps the most humble and effective way of living faithfully in a tragic world. What follows is me going on and on about it, so read at your own risk. You’ve been warned.

One of my favorite texts in the Bible is Amos 5:19, about the person who fled from a lion and was met by a bear, only to escape the bear and make it home. When they entered the house, they put their hand on the wall to catch their breath and were bitten by a snake. Of course, since it is in Amos, it isn't told as a "story" per se, but my guess is that it originated as a story, so I'm going to keep telling it in that form. My further guess is that it originated as a proverbial story about someone for whom everything went wrong - a kind of "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of perspective. I think this story from Amos provides a tremendous jumping off point to speak about ethics from the perspective of tragedy. 

Take, for example, the Climate Change crisis. If you visit the "Climate Clock," you can scroll down and see that, if the world stays on its present course, we have less than 8 years "to save the world." The countdown spins by so fast it creates a kind of anxiety and is a powerfully effective means of showing the severity of carbon in the atmosphere, the need to stop our dependence on fossil fuels, etc. Some people might consider this kind of information a "scare tactic," but for others a true "sign of the times." We often hear the same kind of urgency in letters that we might receive from the left or the right, arguing that unless we support candidate X or win this next election, "they" are going to bring disaster and ruin us all. 

Setting aside for a moment whether these stark messages are true, partly true, or downright fabrications (a la FOX News and Dominion), they seem to be effective in getting people off the snide and into the arena of action or fundraising. It's an ethic of urgency, based on a binary choice between this or that; right or wrong; good or evil; us or them. 

But here's a nagging thing about efforts to address Climate Change. I have an electric car, which I charge every night from my home, which is powered by solar panels. Only if I drive over 50 miles in one day do I have to switch from electric to hybrid and use gas. I love it financially because I've filled the tank twice in 2023 - and that was because my son borrowed it when he was home from school for a week. And I love it environmentally, because I think fossil fuel companies in the US and around the world justify their existence on the "supply and demand" model, but actually create the demand that they pretend to fill. I feel creepy buying gas because I am participating in what I believe is a misleading and sinister operation. 

However, I know electric vehicles and solar panels are not perfect solutions. The batteries in electric cars are sourced from cobalt, lithium, and nickel, which have terribly unjust supply chain problems - as do most raw materials, including the materials for solar panels and oil. And the extraction of those materials through mining can cause as much damage to the environment as mining the materials for a gas-powered car. Then, after their use, there is a significant controversy over whether those batteries can be fully recycled, partly recycled, or eventually disposed of, and adding further toxicity to the ground. While electric cars and solar panels help reduce carbon output, there are still environmentally damaging issues that need addressing. It's like avoiding the roar of the lion and the jaws of the bear, only to be bitten by the snake hidden on the wall. 

Here's my thought on the matter - Christian Ethics has always been exercised in a tragic nexus. Think of "just war" theories. Or Bonhoeffer joining a plot to assassinate Hitler. Or Christian missionaries bringing the gospel to the unchurched, on ships owned by the Dutch Trading Company that exploited those same peoples. It is rarely a matter of pure evil v. pure good. To use the language of Reinhold Niebuhr, it is ever a matter of proximate good and sometimes the lesser of two evils. 

I think other biblical resources that try to reflect on this tragedy are Genesis 3 and the stories about Judas. In Genesis 3, the ground itself is cursed as part of Adam and Eve's disobedience. The ground. That's the context in which human life happens, especially if we just read Genesis chapter 2. The context in which we live is disrupted by and suffers the effects of human sinfulness. It is part of the inescapability of life on earth. And, of course, the stories that follow in Genesis - murder, Babel, the flood - show the consequences of such a tragic context. There is indeed 'right' and 'wrong' in those stories, but the point is that every story takes place within a tragic context. 

Likewise, the gospel attempts to describe Judas shows how the early church struggled with his culpability. Was he simply a schmuck making an evil choice? Yes, he was taking from the kitty all along. Yes, he sold out. Yes, he conspired. And also, no. It was destined for Jesus to be handed over. Jesus himself says, "Go do it quickly" when handing Judas bread during the last supper. And judging from the prayer in the garden, Judas and God seemed to be on the same page. Judas even tried to return the money and committed suicide in response to his actions. Judas was both part of something outside of his control and was a responsible agent making choices with awful consequences. And that's a textbook definition of an ethic of tragedy. 

Sometimes I think we have to be like Bonhoeffer - and perhaps Judas - and go out knowing that we're going to commit a sin, whether it's an assassination, a betrayal, or despoiling the environment in some way. But we go out resolved to do so because not doing so would result in a greater sin - the annihilation of Jews, God's plan of salvation being unfinished, or an even worse form of environmental catastrophe. In an ethic of tragedy, our hands are not clean, so we rely on grace. In an ethic of tragedy, the result is not certain, so we rely on hope. And in an ethic of tragedy, the way is not clear, so we rely on humility and the best collective wisdom we can attain. This is the long and difficult journey of taking up our cross and following the Christ. 

Mark of St. Mark

Shifting into Neutral

 Let me begin by sharing two things. First, since November I’ve been part of an “EcoPreacher Cohort,” co-hosted by the BTS Center and Creation Justice Ministries. You can read about it here. We meet once a month online and participate in hearing plenary presentations and small group discussions. The information and challenges of the program have been marvelous. I joined the program for my own development as an environmental theologian, with hopes that it would prepare me for better leadership here at St. Mark, as well as in my own journey of faith. 

Second, in 2006, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) passed a resolution call on all Presbyterians to go Carbon Neutral as a Bold Christian Witness to Help Combat the Effects of Climate Change. Among other things, the resolution, “calls upon all Presbyterians to take [Climate Change] seriously, to pray asking for God’s forgiveness and guidance, to study this issue, to calculate their carbon emissions, to educate others, and to use less energy, striving to make their lives carbon neutral.” Back in 2006, the emphases were on reducing one’s carbon output as well as purchasing carbon offsets. Today, given the greater severity of our climate crises, there is more urgency for us to attend to reducing our carbon output. 

This year the PCUSA published a “Guide to Going Carbon Neutral,” which you can download or read here. Part of the guide says that going carbon neutral “involves all aspects of church life from the pulpit to the classrooms, to the kitchen, to the community, beginning with a commitment from the Session.” Last November your Session did exactly what the guide calls for, by adopting this document as a guideline that will help us to make both our church campus and our individual homes more carbon neutral. Our Peace and Justice Commission stepped up to spearhead this work and have formed a Task Force to lead us toward compliance. And you responded well in our March 19th congregational meeting, by approving a loan for us to start the process of installing solar panels on our campus buildings. That was one major step in the long and faithful road of attaining carbon neutrality.

Of course, this direction is nothing new for St. Mark. We are continuing the marvelous work that was led in the past by our Ecophilians, particularly during the crucial time when our church campus was being designed and built. St. Mark was declared by the International Audubon Society to be “the greenest church in America” due to those efforts, and for over ten years we have been annually certified as an “Earth Care Congregation” by the Presbyterian Church (USA). The step of going “Carbon Neutral” is a continuation of that work, with many hard and exciting parts. Thanks to all of you who have led us so faithfully this far. Now, we have direction to move forward. 

This Sunday our Peace and Justice Commission and our Carbon Neutral Task Force invite you to come to the Fellowship Hall after worship to hear an Earth Day presentation in the Fellowship Hall after worship at 11:00 a.m. Our featured presenter is Dr. Kathleen Treseder, a climate change expert, who will be sharing her thoughts on St. Mark becoming a carbon neutral congregation. This is a very important time for us and will follow a worship service that is all about living thankfully and well in this beautiful earth that God has made. 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

Many Thanks

 Friends, 

Do you know anyone ages 18-40 who would be interested in an 8-week internship this summer, to learn faith-based organizing skills? CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) is accepting applications between now and April 24. To find out more, click here. 

My portion of today’s message will be brief but heartfelt. I want to give thanks. Thanks to all the folks who warmed up, tuned up, rehearsed, decorated, lit matches, bought flowers, baked goods, turned A/V knobs, read liturgy, studied Scripture, discussed readings, taught classes, and simply showed up throughout our Lenten Season, Holy Week, and Easter events and celebrations. We had a full slate of opportunities for study and worship throughout the season and many of you enabled us to have them and many of you took advantage of them. And the joy on Saturday, then twice on Sunday, of our celebration of the resurrection was palpable and wonderful. Thank you for being the church, so faithfully and meaningfully. 

Now, I yield the remainder of this week’s message to our Finance Commission: 

"We are pleased and grateful to report that we have received an excellent response to the recent 2023 pledge outreach.  Pledge commitments currently exceed the 2023 budget target by +$90,000.  Current pledges total $830,000 which reduces our operational (income vs expenses) deficit to approximately -$27,000.   As a reminder, we had faced an original 2023 budget deficit of -$117,000. This represents a significant improvement in our financial position, and although it is difficult to make full year projections based on 3 months, this should leave us with a very manageable 2023 operational budget.  As has been mentioned, we are still projecting needed facilities improvements and solar project expenditures that will be covered separately by our reserve savings and a loan from PILP.  The Finance Commission would like to thank the entire congregation for your prayerful dedication and vital support of St. Mark Church.  We look forward to delivering this positive update to the congregation during worship this Sunday, April 16."

(Mark again): Yet another thing for which I am thankful! When we give with such generosity, it is another indicator that none of us simply “goes to church.” We are the church. What a joy!

Mark of St. Mark

Holy Week Post

 Friends, 

 

What a powerful week we are in. It began with the joyous sounds of “Hosanna!” as we joined those powerful voices, welcoming the Christ with seditious protest language, crying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” That raucous event gave way to a much quieter and somber supper on Thursday, as Jesus washes the disciples’ feet and give them a new command (“Maundy” is the Latin word for “mandate”) to love one another. It was there that Jesus disclosed that one of them would betray him and that Simon Peter would deny him thrice. But it was also a time of promise – a promise that Jesus would not leave them orphaned, but that the Spirit would come and enable them to remember Christ’s teaching and would bring them peace. Now, today, Friday, is the day of the week when the deeds are done – Judas has betrayed, the disciples have abandoned, Peter has denied, justice has been politicized between Herod and Pilate, soldiers have killed, friends have cried, the temple’s curtain has been torn, and the sky has gone black. It is as if every facet of human contrivance has failed and now the world itself has gone into mourning. 

 

The powerful spiritual asks, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” We can easily answer, “No, that was over 2,000 years ago!” But we can more truthfully answer, “We are there every time justice is denied, or violence is held up as the answer, or innocents die, or we justify killing enemies. This story is not just a story from history. It is an exemplary story about the depths of human tragedy, with all of us in starring roles. 

 

It is against this tragic backdrop that we celebrate Easter. We know that resurrection happens in the story – we did this last year and all the years before that. Knowing that resurrection follows death can have to different effects. It can be our reason for denying the reality and true pain of death, to treat the drama of Holy Week as nothing more than a pretense because we’ve read the next chapter already. Or, resurrection can be the gift that enables us to face Holy Week full on, reckoning with what it reveals about our human condition and our inability to fix it. It may sound morose to say, “Yes, I was there when they crucified our Lord,” but we have the courage to say that when we know that our problematic human is not the last word. 

 

So, friends, I invite you to spend this day in reflection. Be bold about the corrupt systems on which we rely, the zero-sum ways that what benefits us often hurts others, the tragic nature of how sometimes even our best efforts merely substitute one kind of problem for another. That’s what Friday is all about. And then, on Saturday and Sunday, we’ll get together and raise our voices in praise that sin and death do not have the last word. 

 

See you on the other side of Friday, 

Mark of St. Mark

Abrahamic Religions Reading Scripture

 Please do not let the opportunity to register for our March 25 workshop, A New Map: Navigating the Path of Scripture and Sexuality. You can find more information and register here.

 

Friends, 

 

As I begin today’s message, I am sitting in the parlor of the St. George House at Windsor Castle. The last two days have been quite interesting. In addition to sitting among buildings, walls, and crypts that are imbued with British royal history, Chris and I have met fascinating people as part of the Faith in Leadership program, which is housed here on the castle’s grounds. The participants are all clergy from the three Abrahamic religions, and all serve in England except for one who is from Singapore. In addition to fascinating presentations from psychologists, peacemakers, film producers, and a brigadier general, we have had many opportunities to discuss our personal experiences of being faith leaders in our cultural and religious contexts. It has been both informative and challenging. 

 

One particular exercise that I appreciated immensely was called Scriptural Reasoning. We read three scriptural texts, one from the Hebrew Bible, one from the New Testament, and one from the Koran. It began with a very brief overview of the context for each text, given by someone from the text’s tradition. Then we broke up into groups and spent an hour reading and discussing the texts together. It was quite structured. A Rabbi read the Hebrew text in Hebrew and a Muslim led us through the discussion of it. A Christian read the New Testament text in Greek and a Jew led the discussion. And a Muslim read the Koran text in Arabic and a Christian led the discussion. We were encouraged to keep out comments within the text itself, although each of us invariably spoke to the extra-biblical commentaries and traditions that shaped how we read the text. It was quite an experience to see, not only the different nuances in the translations that we read, but the different ways that our three faith traditions read texts. A child preparing for bar or bat mitzvah will learn to read Hebrew and many Jewish worship services are let in Hebrew. The Koran is only considered the Koran in Arabic, and a translation is considered a translation of the Koran, not the Koran itself, so scholars and religious Muslims learn Arabic. 

 

The Christian tradition is quite different in that regard. Pastors in the Presbyterian Church are required to study Greek and Hebrew as part of our seminary training, but, frankly, many pastors do not attend to the Greek and Hebrew texts beyond passing their ordination requirements. Even for those of us who do (full disclosure: I work often with Greek New Testament texts, but my Hebrew is practically nil anymore), we do so in a way that is different than Jews or Muslims. Greek was an imperial language, not a sacred or culturally meaningful language. I study Greek texts mostly to prevent me from simply taking the English translation into whatever direction I wish. It is a disciplinary tool of study, not some magical portal to understanding or a way of being a step closer to God. Importantly, on the Day of Pentecost, the Christian message was proclaimed in many languages. In a strange way, no particular language or culture is sacred for us, because every language and every culture can bear the sacred. Many people have tried to make Latin or certain aspects of European culture the “classic” or “standard” of Christian faithfulness, but I would protest that those efforts are unfaithful to the New Testament story. 

 

The relationship between faith and culture is both necessary and complex, so I cannot explore it as much as it deserves right now. But for now, let me express what an honor it has been for Chris and me to be part of this interfaith dialogue, and particularly to be able to express who we are as part of the body called “St. Mark.” We have spoken about our church, our commitments to the environment, to full and meaningful inclusion, to social justice, in ways that were different from the perception that many of our British friends have of churches in the US. So, thank you for being the kind of church that thrives from interfaith dialogue and cultivates a justice-orientation toward the world. 

 

As usual, but especially when abroad, I am honored to be,

Mark of St. Mark

The Church in the World

  

I have some exciting news to share – at least it’s exciting for me. When I was in Belfast last year during my sabbatical, I met a gentleman named Krish Raval, who is the head of an interfaith organization in England called Faith in Leadership. Krish and I became close immediately and spent a lot of time talking about interfaith issues. The Faith in Leadership program was initiated by Prince Philip and their offices and dormitories occupy about 25 rooms in the Windsor Castle complex. I received a note from Daniel Wehrenfennig, the director of CIEL, who led the trip to Belfast, that Krish had invited Daniel and his spouse Seanne, along with Larry and Dulcie Kugelman, and Chris and me to attend the March meeting of Faith in Leadership. We will be attending as participants and as small group leaders. So, Chris and I will be going to London from March 11-18, to participate in the conference and to see London (a first for both of us!) In my absence, SueJeanne Koh will be preaching here on the weekend of March 11-12, and Jennifer McCullough will be leading the Text Study with a Monday video and the Wednesday morning discussion on March 13 and 15. 

 

Through participating in this meeting, I hope to become better equipped for some of the roles that I hold as the pastor of St. Mark. Particularly, I am the chair of the Faith Leaders Council for United to End Homeless (which puts me on the Leadership Council and the Executive Council of U2EH as well). I am also a new Faith Leaders representative on the Friendship Shelter board, which operates mostly in south county. Each of these roles enables me to be a voice for St. Mark and for progressive Christians in Orange County, with relations to representatives of other faiths and to some leaders within the evangelical communities. In each case, I am learning (I think I’m learning; I’m trying to learn at any rate) to work cooperatively with persons who share good will, even if we don’t share the same faith perspectives. I honestly feel that the church’s voice in public/private endeavors is a critical one, and I try to represent it the best I can. 

 

When I am engaged in these works of grace, I am constantly thankful and honored to represent St. Mark and I am reminded of how effectively you are as the church. I cannot tell you the number of times that I’ve seen the dawning recognition of folks who say, “Oh, I know that church.” They will mention the Pacific Chorale and Choral Arts Initiative events on our campus, or they will name someone they know from the Hoag Board, the Orange County Community Foundation, the OASIS Board, or one of our Deacon outreach partners. And I smile and say, “Yes, that person is St. Mark alright.” It is delightful. I find myself happy to be St. Mark in the world because of how you are St. Mark in the world. 

 

So, thank you for being a church that reaches out within our walls and beyond our walls. And thank you especially for being the church that “joins Jesus at the margins.” Our Lenten theme this year is an opportunity for all of us to reflect deeply on what it means to follow the Christ, who is ever found among those whose “backs are against the wall,” as Howard Thurman puts it so powerfully in his book Jesus and the Disinherited. I hope you are taking advantage of our text studies of Luke’s gospel, our Great Decisions discussions, and our book study with New Hope throughout this season. They are great opportunities for us to grow spiritually and to be the church that joins Jesus at the margins. If you want to join the Wednesday evening discussions of Howard Thurman’s book, please jump in. You can get information about registering here. 

 

One final thought: Sometimes it is difficult to find the words that express how we are called to be a church that follows the Christ, when so many other expressions of the church seem to be representing Christ in ways that are exclusive and, to me, disheartening. I encourage you to take advantage of the workshop that we will host here at St. Mark, along with the congregation of Christ by the Sea, on March 25. We will hear a compelling presentation by Dr. David Lull and several panelists who will demonstrate ways that we can confidently live into our Christian calling to justice and inclusion. You can register for the workshop here. And thanks to Dr. SueJeanne Koh for all of her work in coordinating our Lenten season with New Hope Presbyterian Church and our workshop. 

 

It is a blessing to call myself, 

Mark of St. Mar

A New Map: Navigating the Path of Scripture and Sexuality

 This weekend is the first weekend of Lent, as we follow our path of “Joining Jesus at the Margins.” You can engage in the season in many ways: We have a Text Study of the Gospel of Luke; a Book Study of Jesus and the Disinherited by Dr. Howard Thurman; and are walking this path of discipleship with our sister community, New Hope Presbyterian Church in Anaheim. You can order a copy of Thurman’s book here and sign up for the book discussion here.

Have you ever wondered why it is that Christianity is supposed to be a love-driven way of life, but seems to be nasty and hateful when some people present it? Do you tire of always having to clarify something like, “When I say I am a Christian, I don’t mean like those people”? Do you even shy away from the word “Christian” or “church” at times, simply because you don’t want to be associated with exclusionary speech? If so, please know that you are not alone. There are books for sale entitled, They Like Jesus but Not the Church and Love Jesus, Hate Church. I haven’t read them, so this is a reference, not a referral. Just the fact that people have felt the need to write books trying to distinguish between Christ and the church – which is called to be “the body of Christ” – is disheartening. 

I suspect one reason many people have left the church through the last few decades has to do with the way the church presents the Scriptures as warrants for exclusion and bigotry. It is one thing to see how some church leaders are manipulating the Christian message to legitimize their bigotry. It becomes another thing they start citing Scripture to defend their exclusionary or demeaning stance. That is exactly how many of us were taught that Christians are supposed to act in the world – to know what the Bible calls sin and to oppose it in the name of Christ. So, if someone is taught (wrongly) to read the Scriptures as being anti-gay, the question is, “Can I be a faithful Christian if I am gay, or I am not anti-gay?” It leaves us asking if the Bible is true, or, at least how to read the Bible and not be a bigoted person as a result. 

If you have struggled with how to be open and loving while being faithful to the Scriptures; or if you know that you are following Jesus but don’t always know how to express your faith when others cite “chapter and verse,” I invite you to a workshop here at St. Mark called “A New Map: Navigating the Path of Scripture and Sexuality.” The workshop will take place Saturday, March 25, from 9:00am to 2:00pm and includes lunch. A production of our Adult Discipleship and Nurture Commission, in conjunction with Christ by the Sea United Methodist Church, our workshop’s featured presenter will be Dr. David Lull, retired New Testament professor at Yale Divinity School and Wartburg Theological Seminary, who will lead us in a deconstructive project of disclosing how the Scriptures are often misread and misused, before turning to a more constructive project of how to read the Scriptures more faithfully and lovingly. Dr. Lull’s presentations will be followed by a panel discussion from a variety of perspectives, as well as some Q&A opportunities. You can register for the workshop here or send questions here, and we will be providing more information as we get closer to the event. 

Whenever God’s people fall into using God’s name to legitimize their conventionality or prejudices, God raises up prophetic voices calling us back to doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly. I genuinely feel that God has given that prophetic voice to St. Mark for many years, and continues to call us in that way. This workshop will be one way to strengthen our resolve to be a capacious and welcoming community because we are faithful to the way of God that Christ makes known through the Scriptures. 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark