Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Milwaukee Minister Speaks Eloquently About The "Blood Libel," And Contemporary Violence

If you're lucky enough to come across some fine, provocative and informative writing, perhaps even teaching, and you've got a blog with an all-encompassing title like "The Political Environment," you post that information.

That's why I'm linking to the text of a recent sermon delivered by the Rev. Andrew Warner, Minister at Milwaukee's Plymouth Church United Church of Christ.

Someone who heard the sermon - - "Beyond Libel: Remembering the Crucifixion without Telling a Lie" - - described it as particularly moving and sent it to me electronically.

I read it - - twice - - and thought it was one of the clearest, scholarly treatises on violence, religion and anti-semitism I'd ever seen - - and found it highly relevant during this week of Easter and Passover celebrations.

And also relevant, regrettably, because of religious and sectarian strife in the Middle East.

You can access the text by clicking on the "sermons" button on the left margin of the Church webpage here.

1 comment:

Rick Esenberg said...

My disagreement with the sermon probably goes to the source of anti-semitism among Christians. Rev. Warner thinks its embedded in the Gospels and Acts. I think there is no fair reading of either that supports antisemitism. (Although I realize that he thinks that the "correct" reading does not, so maybe I'm picking nits.)As I learned in Catholic grade school, the jews who called for Jesus' death were "us" and Acts makes clear that one of the major issues in early Christianity was whether one must become a Jew to be a Christian. How all this somehow devolved into a justification for anti-semitism (but not for the Nazis who were materialists) is a sad commentary on human nature.

I do think that it is revealing, however, that Rev, Warner seems to think that the current energy in anti-semitism is from Christians. He may be missing something there.