When I was invited to join the board for the Hollywood Urban project in 2006, I thought I was way out of my league. Then I walked through changing our model, joining an amazing organization called DOOR, after which a few key board members' terms ended and I became chair. I am way out of my element, but am so grateful to DOOR for letting me learn as I try to lead and so relieved that there are books like Doing Good Even Better written by such stars as the former chair Edgar Stoesz of Habitat for Humanity.
June 2008 Archives
I think if someone asked me if I believed all of what is in the Christian Scriptures, I would have to admit that I don't believe all my current interpretations. The way I read some passages in Leviticus would lead me to think of God as vengeful, angry, or even racist. I'll agree with Sam Harris on this one. I am so grateful for the God I see in Jesus and feel assured that there is a way to reconcile this incarnation with what I do not currently understand. The truth is always bigger and more paradoxical than we imagine.
In the midst of trying to live this Christian life: trying to navigate the interpretation of perplexing scripture, live the gospel that is good news to the poor, and make educated political choices that reflect the heart of God for society- I forget what I love about Jesus. Sure I can regurgitate the significance of Jesus' death for my eternal salvation, but to be perfectly honest I would probably have an easier time telling you what I admire about Ghandi or Martin Luther King Jr than I would the historical Jesus. In this regrettable state, I happened to pick up a book that Brad had been given from an author he knows--Margaret Feinberg. The Organic God opened with just the cure for my religiously convoluted mind--a page that asked what you liked about Jesus. As I suspected, coming up with attributes beyond the list of Greek inspired virtues like compassion and justice took a few more minutes than I'd like to admit. Then, I thought of how Jesus confronted narrow-minded traditional religion with the priority of purity of heart that translated into tangible social transformation rather a mere adherence to rules that ensured outward personal piety. What a guy! I need to revisit and add to my list a bit more often.
