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The quelling word

Emancipation is (still) coming: A poem inspired by Revelation 21:1-6a

Written against the backdrop of New Year's Eve services, 1862, when African Americans gathered to await news of US President Abraham Lincoln's promised "Emancipation Proclamation."

The angel breaks with Heaven’s hail!
from Joy’s horizon on every weary heart,
amid that unruly, precarious land beyond
where cheery sentiment stalls and merry,
bright roads end. Now, in terrain beyond all
mapping, the adventure begins. No warranty
reaches this far. Creature comforts here are
few, risks are high, and danger surrounds.
Here winded Breath calls to bended knee
with promises of ecstasy and manna’s
fragile provision. Here water clefts rocks to
slake desperate thirst. Chained, tamed hearts
will never survive, deprived as they are of
Mercy’s solvent power to undo generations-old
resentments, driven deep by fear’s reflexive
habit into armed entrenchments. The
temptation is strong to abandon earth’s rancor
in favor of Heaven’s rapture. Yet from Joy’s
horizon storms the quelling word: Heaven’s
abode is anchored in earth’s tribulation.
The proclamation has been rendered;
incarnation, tendered; emancipation,
though delayed, will not finally be hindered.
Misery’s tearful eye will glisten with elation;
mournful cries shall rise in thankful jubilation.
Despoiling death itself will yield to adoration.
Behold! All things—from earth’s bounded
borders to Heaven’s blissful shore—stand
destined under Glory to be made new.
The quelling word to a quarreling world:
Come home. Come home.

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.com
Inspired by Revelation 21:1-6a, lectionary text for the 2015 New Year's Eve Watch Night service.

Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire

by Brian Walsh and Sylva Keesmaat (2004), reviewed by Vern Ratzlaff

“Colossians is a subversive tract for subversive living and it insists that such an alternative imagination and alternate way of life is found and sustained within the context of community.”  For Paul, “the Christian household is an alternative to the dominant Roman model of household life” (p 9). Walsh and Keesmaat recognize the contextual nature of reading, and focus on postmodernity and globalization that shape our worldview; we live in a “global consumerist empire,” similar to that which the church in Colossae lived in, and so this is a critique not only of the time in which Paul wrote but also of our time.

The authors suggest we follow Paul, who was following the prophets (p 85). Paul weaves a vision of life, a vision that tells us who rules the world, where wisdom is to be found, and he identifies two themes that focus our response to the empire: a radical sensitivity to suffering and G-d’s overarching creational intent (p 107), a creation-wide intent of Israel’s G-d that militates against its being co-opted by a totalizing idolatry (p 104). Their perspective is powerfully given in a poem based on the great Christ hymn of Col 1:15-20. “We see a kingdom that is an alternative to the empire” (p 156) characterized by resurrection, ascension, liberation and eschatological ethics. Also, a relational ethic, an ethic of secession that leaves something to join with something else, seceding from imperial sexuality, idolatry, violence.

An ethic of secession arises when we cease to be comfortable in the empire. The writers invite us to explore what it means for a church that seems not to suffer but, rather to thrive, under empire, to live freed from “the oppressive absolutes of the empire” (p 233).

Vern Ratzlaff is a pastor and professor of historical theology at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

 

Set Them Free: The Other Side of Exodus

by Laurel Dykstra (2002), reviewed by Vern Raztlaff

Exodus is a disturbing book that sees G-d siding with the oppressed and the marginalized; this means that the western church recognizes its own immense privileges under corporate capitalism and identifies with the Egyptian oppressor. Dykstra’s Set Them Free is a book about biblical Egypt, global capitalism, liberation and oppression.

The great empires that succeeded Egypt (Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Rome—and Britain and the United States!) operated by domination, extraction of resources and exploitation of labour. Egypt was the site of forced labour, religious oppression and the execution of children (p 59)—sound familiar? Profit, personal comfort, control, dominion, slave labour, displacement of indigenous people, cultural arrogance, global military power. Then and now.

Dykstra writes, “We fit in among the functionaries in Pharaoh’s court rather than among the workers in the slave labour camps” (p 126). Exodus believes people could actively resist empire and its allies of the oppressed: global capitalism makes this difficult. Looking specifically the land of Egypt leads us to focus on environmental/ecological issues, issues of women, and connections between modern corporate exploitation of the natural world and of other humans” (p 196).

Set Them Free identifies key theological perspectives for this task: salvation (“sin” as corporate), solidarity, conversion (transformation), humility, vigilance, recovery, apocalyptic (“we live under the empire of global capitalism, but also in the kingdom, the beloved community, a world beyond empire” (p 204). Together with Shipphrah and Puah (the Jewish midwives) and Pharaoh’s daughter, we can come out of empire (p 213). A wonderful book.

Vern Ratzlaff is a pastor and professor of historical theology at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

John, Jesus and the Renewal of Israel

by Richard Horsley and Tom Thatcher (2013), reviewed by Vern Ratzlaff

Interpretation of John’s gospel has traditionally focused on its unique Christology, a spiritual gospel (according to Clement), meaning that John’s story is less Jewish than what we see elsewhere. Horsley and Thatcher argue that “the Gospel of John portrays Jesus engaged in a renewal of the people of Israel against the rulers of Israel, both the Jerusalem authorities and the Romans who placed them in power” (p 1). They also articulate that religion was inseparable from political-economic life. The gospels are about all of life, life that is “inseparably political-economic-religious” (p 6).

We need to understand John’s story in its historical context. The fundamental social form in Roman Palestine was the village community, comprised of many multigenerational families. Rome ruled through a succession of client kings (Herod and his sons) or of religious collaborators (the Judean priesthood).

While Galilee was under the control of Herod’s son, Judea was under the control of the temple and its priesthood. During the lifetime of Jesus, Galilee and Judea were under different administration, but each had stories of resistance to the Romans. “There was a cultural divide that corresponded to the political-economic tradition, and the scribes and Pharisees who served the temple state” (p 33).

The authors point out Jesus’ talk with the woman at the well, saying “the worship of G-d in spirit and in truth is the alternative to the politically-economically centralized celebration of festivals in the Jerusalem (or Samaritan!) temples. It is a declaration of independence from rules and their  centralized institutional base in the temple” (p 179).  The authors also call on John’s modern interpreters, rather than looking for G-d in theological statements, to focus on” Jesus’ renewal of Israel in conflict with the rulers” (p 180). “The broader meaning of  Jesus’ actions resonated with people deeply rooted in the ancient Israelite tradition” (p 181).  A striking new perspective on John’s story.

Vern Ratzlaff is a pastor and professor of historical theology at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

 

Jesus and the Politics of Roman Palestine

by Richard Horsley (2014), review by Vern Ratzlaff

Horsley outlines the force of culture and the historical context of Jesus’ time that puts new perspective on the Roman occupation. The major conflict was not between Judaism and Hellenism, but between the Romans and their client Herodian and high priestly rulers on the one hand, and the vast majority of people living in villages on the other. “Jesus was catalyzing a movement based on the village communities that constituted the fundamental social form of Galilean and Judean society” (p x).

Horsley summarizes the popular movements in Judea, Galilee and Samaria that came into open conflict with the Romans and the temple authorities, the “messianic movements and popular prophetic movements” (p 39). He also points out the difference between what subordinates and superiors say and act, the difference between public transcripts and hidden transcripts (p 40). Peasant compliance was “a mark of acquiescence, not of support, and considerable discontent with Herod’s temple and the high priests had been building up precisely as the people acquiesced in Temple ceremonies and requirements under Herodian rule” (p 41).

In the context, Jesus’ words are not just “teachings” but speech acts (“performative speech”) that make something happen. Jesus’ call for renewal of Israel under the direct rule of G-d, in the tradition of the prophets, marked a politics of resistance and renewal, .ie., the religious political festival of Passover was the occasion and context for speaking truth to power (p 52).

Horsley outlines Jesus’ role in healing, in restoring sufferers to their supportive families and village communities; he cogently distinguishes between “disease” and “illness” (p 84), and emphasizes illness (response to disease) as related to political perspectives. His outline of the nature of Jesus’ disagreement with scribes and Pharisees, and the impact of the crucifixion  is powerfully developed. “Jesus’ execution was transformed into a symbol of renewal of the people in what was now a public opposition to the imperial order” (p 167).

Vern Ratzlaff is a pastor and professor of historical theology at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

 

Exiles: Living in a Post-Christian Culture

Michael Frost (2006), reviewed by Vern Ratzlaff

In the western world, by the middle ages, church and state had become pillars of the social culture, supporting each other. Where at one time followers of Jesus had met secretly, now they were given some of the greatest temples and meeting spaces of the empire. Christianity moved from being a dynamic, revolutionary, social and spiritual movement to being a static religious institution with its attendance structure, priesthood and sacraments. It became Christendom.

But it has been in decline, where the institutions and values no longer have a major role. The church is experiencing a “sharp and dramatic deterioration in its influence and impact on western society” (p 5), as “the institutions that have been developed to express Christian convictions decline in influence’ (p 6). Some see the church as dying; others express hope not in the reconstitution of Christendom but that the end of this epoch “actually spells the beginning of a new flowering of Christianity.

The death of Christendom removes the final props that have supported the culturally respectable, mainstream version of Christianity” (p 7).  The passing of Christendom might be compared to the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, best described as exile, where we can no longer rely on temporal, cultural supports to reinforce our message, moved by the confronting message of Jesus.

Frost refers to Brueggemann’s analysis (in Cadences of Home) that calls for exiles to reaffirm their dangerous mission, practice dangerous promises, offer a dangerous critique of society, sing dangerous songs. The book is a powerful call to follow Jesus. The work of exiles is the rediscovery of the genius of the teaching of Jesus and the practice of the earliest Christians (p 26).

Vern Ratzlaff is a pastor and professor of historical theology at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

News, views, notes, and quotes

Signs of the Times  •  17 December 2015  •  No. 50 (WOO-hoo!)

Processional. “Ode to Joy” flashmob performance (orchestra and choir), Sabadell, Spain.

A full moon will rise on Christmas for the first time since 1977, only the ninth in US history. The next coincidence won’t occur until 2034.

Right: Full moon over the Bridger Mountains near Bozeman, Montana. Photo by Bruce T. Gourley.

Invocation. “Sisters and Brothers, bend an ear to the singing of angels. Not that of seasonal carolers who pause at lace-curtained windows: offering familiar and favorite tunes in delicious harmony and frosted breath, providing splendid distraction from the agonized arias of the innocent. But for angels who, in the midst of Caesar’s endless census, erupt from darkest eclipse with unnerving news.” —continue reading Ken Sehested’s poem, “The Singing of Angels”

Call to worship. “Canticle of the Turning” performed by Emmaus Way.

In case you haven't already figured this out, you can listen to the music links and read at the same time. Simply open two side-by-side copies of this page, with music playing on one, reading on the other, switching back and forth as you wish.

Yikes! According to the recent “Templeton Giving Survey,” American citizens expect to spend 37 hours shopping for holiday gifts. That’s compared to 15 hours they’ll spend helping charities over the entire year.

Good news. “Vernon Hills High School [in Chicago] is objecting to Islamophobia and racism with an initiative called “Walk a Mile in Her Hijab.” Over a dozen non-Muslim girls agreed to wear a traditional Islamic head scarf to better understand the Muslim faith and life as a Muslim woman.” —The Siasat Daily (Thanks, Michael.)

Note to a friend, Rabbi Douglas.  “You’ll be interested in this. Most late afternoons I sit with Mom during her early dinner at the nearby assisted living facility where she resides. On Monday a combined Brownie-Girl Scout group came caroling. Two of the pieces they sang were Chanukah songs, one I hadn’t heard, about the miraculous oil lamp, the other a dreidel song.” —continued reading Ken Sehested's email exchange with Douglas

¶ “Mary is everywhere: Marigolds are named for her. Hail Mary passes save football games. The image in Mexico of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most reproduced female likenesses ever. Mary draws millions each year to shrines. . . . She inspired the creation of many great works of art and architecture (Michelangelo’s “Pietà,” Notre Dame Cathedral), as well as poetry, liturgy, and music (Monteverdi’s "Vespers for the Blessed Virgin"). And she is the spiritual confidante of billions of people, no matter how isolated or forgotten.” —"How the Virgin Mary Became the Most Powerful Woman in the World,” Maureen Orth, National Geographic

Words of confession. “And so this is Xmas (war is over) / For weak and for strong (if you want it) / For rich and the poor ones (war is over) / The world is so wrong (if you want it) / And so happy Xmas (war is over) / For black and for white (if you want it) / For yellow and red ones (war is over) / Let's stop all the fight (now).” —John Lennon, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”

Words of assurance. “And finally, brethren, after while, the war will be over.“ —“Study War,” by Moby

¶ “It's odd how those who dismiss the peace movement as utopian don't hesitate to proffer the most absurdly dreamy reasons for going to war: To stamp out terrorism, install democracy, eliminate fascism, and most delusionally to ‘rid the world of evil-doers.’” —Arundhati Roy in “40 Days With Peacemakers: A daily reflection offered by William Penn House"

Intercession. A soulful rendition of “Ave Maria,” by Aaron Neville.

More evidence (if more is needed) that cartoonists are at least as important as theologians in pointing out popular theological confusion: Says Jeffy, one of the kids in the cartoon’s “Family Circus” household, to his Mom as he prepares to say his bedtime prayers: “Can God give Santa Claus a message? I just remembered something I wanted.”

Can’t make this sh*t up. Bargain basement “14-piece Caucasian Nativity Scene” available at Sam’s Club, discounted from $119.86 to $79.71.”

For those who get the blues amid the cheery holiday hoopla, Duke Ellington’s “Melancholia” is especially for you.

Religion in a kinder public spotlight. In reporting from the recent UN Climate Change conference (COP21) in Paris, one NPR report noted, parenthetically, that among the strongest advocates in Paris were leaders from faith communities, specifically mentioning those inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home, a statement by Tibetan Buddhist leader Dahli Lama, and the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change.

What does “COP21” stand for? "Conference of Parties, 21st meeting." This event drew 150 heads of state, the largest such gathering in history. A total of 195 nations sent representatives. You can download a free copy of the UN Conference on Climate Change’s agreement.

What’s the significance of the “Paris Agreement” on climate change? There are several ways to assess it. First, compared to what was in place before (the collapsed Copenhagen initiative of 2009, and the 1997 Kyoto protocol, which neither the US nor China ratified), this new accord is historic and creates the kind of momentum needed to create real and lasting change. Is it enough? Maybe, maybe not—most climate change activists are not convinced. Will the major CO2 emitter countries actually enforce this new agreement? More maybe, maybe-not.
        In the end, if you require political optimism to sustain attention and commitment, disappointment—and the corresponding lethargy it creates—will more likely than not be the result. Hope (the conviction that a different world is possible) and faith (“the evidence of things not seen”) are still essential.

Old school Christmas classic. “A Cradle in Bethlehem,” Nat King Cole.

For an analysis of the recently concluded “Paris Agreement” on climate change, see Tim Donnell and James West, “World Leaders Just Agreed to a Landmark Deal to Fight Global Warming," Mother Jones.

¶ “The most inspiring moment of December 12 was not the adoption of the United Nations Paris agreement but the sight of more than 20,000 people on the streets, building the power of the people, demanding climate justice and an end to dirty energy.” —Jagoda Munic, Common Dreams

Animated video map (2:25 minutes) of what the Earth would look like if all the ice melted.

¶ “Historically, the transition from one energy system to another, as from wood to coal or coal to oil, has proven an enormously complicated process, requiring decades to complete. In similar fashion, it will undoubtedly be many years before renewable forms of energy replace fossil fuels as the world’s leading energy providers. Nonetheless, 2015 can be viewed as the year in which the epochal transition from one set of fuels to another took off.” —Michael T. Klare, “A New World Beckons”

Market prophecy? “Fossil fuel stocks tumbled while renewable energy soared on Monday, the first day of trading after global leaders cemented their landmark climate pact in Paris.” —Lauren McCauley, Common Dreams

¶ “If it’s melted, it’s ruined.” Top 5 important and hopeful things about the Paris talks, from Ben & Jerry’s activism manager (1:39 video—scroll down a bit).

¶ “Every year the problems are getting worse. We are at the limits. If I may use a strong word I would say that we are at the limits of suicide.” —Pope Francis, Reuters, commenting to reporters on the climate crisis during a news conference aboard the plane bringing him back to Rome from his Africa visit

For an a cappella, tight-harmonied, country-flavored arrangement of “O Holy Night” by Home Free.

It was big news in 2007 when China became the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide, surpassing the US. What isn’t often noted is the fact that China has a population more than four times that of the US. In other words, the average US citizen is responsible for 4.3 times as much pollution as the average Chinese.

Modern incarnation image. One of the strategies for undermining theological hubris is widening our images of God’s purpose, presence and provision. The accent is on expansive images, not simply “inclusive” ones.
        Take this one, for instance, of Lek, an Elephant Nature Park (ENP) keeper, singing a lullaby to Faa Mai, an elephant under her care. Can you picture God tending us in this way?
        By the way, ENP, in Chaing Mai, Thailand, rescues elephants from tourist and illegal mining operations, allowing them to live out their days in a natural habitat.

Preach it. “We need to build the movement even bigger in the coming years, so that the Paris agreement turns into a floor and not a ceiling for action.” —Bill McKibben, New York Times

War’s edge context of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.” The Christmas hymn was written by Unitarian minister Edmund Hamilton Sears (1810-1876) in the days leading up to the Civil War. The song’s original third stanza is missing in most hymnals: “But with the woes of sin and strife / The world has suffered long; / Beneath the angel-strain have rolled / Two thousand years of wrong; / And man, at war with man, hears not / The love-song, which they bring: / O hush the noise, ye men of strife, / And hear the angels sing!” —Michael Hawn, “History of Hymns: ‘It Came Upon a Midnight Clear’”

Call to the table. “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Pierce Pettis.

Just for fun. “Deck the Halls” inspired fun from the Shawnee Mission East High School Choir (3 minutes).

Lectionary for Sunday next. “Clothe yourselves with royal attire: With compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bearing with one another in the midst of disagreement, Forgiving one another in the aftermath of conflict. Having known forgiveness, by the One whose breath fills our lungs, we are granted the power to forgive others.” —continued reading Ken Sehested’s “Only this is sure,” a litany for worship inspired by Colossians 3:12-17

Altar call. “There’s a light, there’s a light in the darkness / And the black of the night cannot harm us / We can trust not to fear for our comfort is near / There’s a light, there’s a light in the darkness.” —“There’s a Light,” performed by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Emmylou Harris, Pat Benatar, Sheryl Crow and Shea Seger

Benediction. Samford University’s a cappella choir singing Jan Sandström’s stunning arrangement of “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.”

Recessional. Go for it. “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah,” the Royal Choral Society and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Featured this week on prayer&politiks:

• “Call to Adventing,” a call to worship for Advent by Abigail Hastings

• “Keeping Watch: The angels’ appearance to the shepherds,” an Advent litany inspired by Luke 2

• “The Singing of Angels,” an Advent poem

• “Note to a friend, Rabbi Douglas,” email exchange with Ken Sehested

• “Only this is sure,” a litany for worship inspired by Colossians 3:12-17

A word from Gerald, prayer&politiks’ guardian angel. “Masterful, insightful, powerful, courageous, moving writing,” is what Bill, a religious journalist and editor, wrote about Ken Sehested’s “Undo the folded lie: Notes on the reckless folly of our season.”  And Mandy, a pastor, wrote “Thank you for lending your wise and prophetic words. I needed to hear them, and, am sharing because I know there are others who need to hear them too.”
        These are among the reasons for supporting prayer&politiks, through your contributions of financial support and/or by circulating material from the site to your friends and contacts along with your own endorsement.

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. Language not otherwise indicated above is that of the editor. Don’t let the “copyright” notice keep you from circulating material you find here (and elsewhere in this site). Reprint permission is hereby granted in advance for noncommercial purposes.

Your comments are always welcomed. If you have news, views, notes or quotes to add to the list above, please do. If you like what you read, pass this along to your friends. You can reach me directly at klsehested@gmail.com.

Only this is sure

A litany for worship inspired by Colossians 3:12-17

Friends, of all the things we believe or disbelieve, only this is sure:

We are a delight to the One who crowns the earth with sky,

Who shines on the soil by day and shelters the heart by night.

Because of this jubilant news, clothe yourselves with royal attire:

With compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience.

Bearing with one another in the midst of disagreement,

Forgiving one another in the aftermath of conflict.

Having known forgiveness, by the One whose breath fills our lungs,

we are granted the power to forgive others.

And by forgiving others, we linger in the Shadow of Mercy.

So let us announce the goodness of God on Mount Mitchell*

And may Town Mountain*  echo our joyous songs of praise!

#  #  #

*Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, stands northeast of Asheville, NC; Town Mountain runs through Asheville. If you use this litany, adapt these geographic references as appropriate. Inspired by Colossians 3:12-17.
©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org

Note to a friend, Rabbi Douglas

The mixed meaning of religious tolerance

        “You’ll be interested in this. Most late afternoons I sit with Mom during her early dinner at the nearby assisted living facility where she resides. On Monday a combined Brownie-Girl Scout group came caroling. Two of the pieces they sang were Chanukah songs, one I hadn’t heard, about the miraculous oil lamp, the other a popular dreidel song.

        “The fact that such music is employed in caroling, especially here in the South, is a pretty interesting phenomenon. The other interesting thing is that none of the other songs were about the Christmas nativity, but about Frosty, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, white-Christmas-dreaming, etc. Except for the finale, a lovely preadolescent rendition of ‘Silent Night.’

        “I think it’s a good thing, at least in the short run, that Chanukah has filtered down into civil society holiday traditions. Maybe we’re finally emerging from that ugly current in the Protestant Reformation, as when Martin Luther penned The Jews and their lies. Though, even given the uptick in violence against Muslims in this country, FBI statistics reveal that 59% of hate crimes are against Jews.

        “In the long run, though, I’m not sure if this growing civil tolerance is a good thing. Your story runs the risk of being domesticated as much as ours already has been.

        “We watch, and wonder, ever waiting for a sign.” —Ken

Douglas responses. “Events are not without complications. Jews are freer than we have ever been and accepted in places where Jews were not welcome when I was growing up. We are in an era of an African American President and the rise of Trump.

            “We are in an era of hyper-capitalism that is appalling.  We lost Chanukah and Christmas a long time ago. The majestic defiance of human beings who, when it is really dark, light lights, has become about gifts. So very sad to me.”

#  #  #

©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org

Keeping watch

A litany for worship: The angels' appearance to the shepherds, inspired by Luke 2

In that region there were shepherds, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Keeping watch. In darkest night. Far from hearth and home, stumbling on slumbering hill.

Then an angel stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around, and they were terrified.

As are we, in the face of torturing headlines and threatening news. As are we, when our own lives detour into tangled terrain.

But the angel said, “Do not be afraid, for I am bringing good news of great joy for all people.

Oh Messenger of Mercy, draw near to our secret fear with joyful, triumphant  news of release from our grief.

Upon a watchtower I stand, O God, continually by day and throughout the night.

Then comes the news: the Empire is imploding, and its gods lie in tatters.

Bring water to the thirsty, meet the fugitive with bread.

In the days to come, the bent bow will relax, and the drawn sword will find its rest. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation!

Inspired by Luke 2:8-15 and Lamentations 21:8-9, 14-15
©Kenneth L. Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org
Reprint from “In the Land of the Living: Prayers personal and public”