Introduction

The resources in the ROOTS magazines for this week largely focus on issues within our local communities with a gesture towards our national life. If we attempt to translate James’ model of ideal community and ideal leadership style to the world stage where might he lead us?

 

Context

In recent days the news has reported attacks, riots and demonstrations across the Middle East and in Afghanistan and other Islamic countries allegedly provoked by an anti-Muslim US-originating film-clip published on YouTube. These culminated in the murder of the US Ambassador in Libya last week and a series of murderous attacks on Coalition forces in Afghanistan. Everything suggests the violence will not cease this week. What should our response be, as individuals and as nations?

 

Reflection

James (4.2) cites ‘murder’ as an ungodly response to not getting what we want. This may seem just to fit the Islamist response to the YouTube clip: tasteless but non-lethal bigotry is met with deadly force. We ought to reflect on motes and beams (or specks and logs c.f. Luke 6.41-42)! Some people suggest that to get its way the West has indulged in extreme violence against Islamic countries, in the invasion of Iraq (where arguably open war originated with the Allies) and more recently by intervening in Libya (where some say the West escalated the violence).

As we follow on from last week’s message of the power of the tongue, President Obama greeted the murder of his Ambassador with firm language but not with strong enough condemnation or a clear enough promise of revenge for his critics. This crystallises a dilemma of national leadership. We appreciate the dangers of confrontation and – set aside power-crazed psychopaths – approve in principle policies guided by a wisdom ‘peaceable, gentle, willing to yield’ (3.17). Still, we demand the protection afforded by a government willing to wave a big stick at need, like the Romans in ancient Judea! Does a policy of appeasement (cf Neville Chamberlain in 1939) inevitably lead to more and greater wrongs?

Some commentators say that sectarian strife and terrorist violence were virtually inevitable once the Arab Spring had overthrown that array of repressive dictatorial regimes. Those regimes were the antithesis of the consensual, gentle communities ‘without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy’ (3.17) of which James speaks. Does accepting the human impossibility of any state leaping straight from repression to serene and generous inclusiveness leave the West helpless? Are there, in Syria or elsewhere, any interventions which would not simply add to the totality of violence? Are there ways to lift the heavy human cost of community redefinition off suffering civilians other than putting troops or diplomats right in harm’s way?

 
What price free speech? Salman Rushdie responded to these events saying ‘nothing’ should be ‘off limits’. But can ‘art’ be distinguished from mere scurrility, and such abuse of freedom alone proscribed by law? Are sophisticated secular westerners capable of that cleansing self-discipline James recommends (4.8)?

Prayers

A Meditation on wisdom in conciliation, to use before Prayers of Petition and Intercession

We are ever ready to give thanks for the Wisdom that makes peace.
But the way to such peace is perilous.
Does Wisdom make peace even while wrongs are un-righted and crimes are un-punished?
Does she wait to make it until the guns fall silent, the streets are heaped with the slain and the conqueror stands proud above the field?
No! Wisdom must find the chance for peace only after the Doves have been recompensed for their suffering and yet before the Hawks have won all they hope to gain.
Wisdom must remember that Doves, frightened by violence and hatred, can turn into Hawks;
also, that with grace and a little persuasion, Hawks can be turned into Doves.
Wisdom must try to bring the Doves to meet the Hawks at their least hawkish,
in those transient moments of dove-ishness, when they realise that they too are vulnerable, human and imperfect.
And she must see that the Doves, now confronting dove-ish gentleness, are not immediately inspired to turn hawkish, hoping to gain from their adversaries’ weakness.
Wisdom must be sensitive yet strong, firm but able to compromise, constant and wily.

God Almighty, guide of the universe, yours is the only true strength.
Christ, bearer of the sins of the world, you alone know how to conquer through perfect gentleness.
Holy wisdom, with the strength of the Father and the gentleness of the Son, you bring true peace to God’s kingdom.
May we learn from you how to seek peace with the kingdom, in our hearts and in the world.
Amen.

Questions

• Is it better to view the YouTube material so as to know what the fuss is about or to ignore it so as to refuse to increase its apparent popularity?
• Is free speech ever more important than the genuine vulnerabilities of a minority community?

Action

James implies that good inter-community relationships begin at the grass-roots, with individuals! Within your congregation or fellowship group, audit your relationships with any minority group in your community or neighbourhood.
Do you really seek to maintain a mutually respectful relationship?
Do you have any contact at all? What could you do to improve the situation?

Young people

Young people may well have Islamic class-mates. Consider:

• Are your Islamic friends clearer about and/or more committed to their faith than you and your Christian friends?
• Do you think a committed faith position makes it easier or harder to get on with people of another faith?
• Do you feel isolated or vulnerable in school because of your faith and if so how does it affect your behaviour? How might this help you to understand the actions of other minority groups?

 

 

Brenda Vance is a URC elder and retired University Teacher of English.

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