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Martin Luther King on 'waiting' |
| Susan Craig shared these reflections:
[1-15-03]
Friends,
As we approach Martin Luther King's
birthday and the weekend celebrating his vision and ministry, I am
re-reading his Letter from Birmingham Jail.
Remember that "8 [white] Alabama Clergymen"
had written him that "We recognize the natural impatience of people who feel
that their hopes are slow in being realized. But we are convinced that these
demonstrations are unwise and untimely..."
And I love his response, which I commend to
you. I'll make a few quotes, but read the whole darn thing! He says better
than I might articulate myself why we must not give in to the "Wait - the
time's not right" argument.
His quotes:
One of the basic points in your statement
is that our acts are untimely. ... Frankly, I have never yet engaged in a
direct action movement that was 'well-timed,' according to the timetable of
those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of [segregation]...
We must come to see ... that 'justice too
long delayed is justice denied.' ... you will understand why we find it
difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over,
and [men] are no longer willing to be plunged into an abyss of injustice
where they experience the bleakness of corroding despair. ...
I have almost reached the regrettable
conclusion that the Negroes' great stumbling block in the stride toward
freedom is not the White Citizens' 'Counciler' or the Ku Klux Klanner, but
the white moderate who is more devoted to 'order' than justice ... who
constantly says 'I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree
with your methods of direct action; who paternalistically feels that he can
set the time-table for another [man]'s freedom; who lives by the myth of
time and who constantly advises the [Negro] to wait until a 'more convenient
season.' Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating
than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. ...
I had also hoped that the white moderate
would reject the myth of time. I received a letter this morning from a white
brother in Texas which said: 'All Christians know that the colored people
will receive equal rights eventually, but is it possible that you are in too
great of a religious hurry? ...
The time is always ripe to do right. Now is
the time to make real the promise of democracy. ...
Now is the time...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for listening to his great voice -
and may justice prevail, soon!
Susan
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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