A Higher Way - A Pastoral Letter from Rev. Dr. Lee Spitzer

I sometimes like to share things of interest from other pastors, and that's what I'm doing today.  The Rev. Dr. Lee Spitzer is the General Secretary for American Baptist Churches - USA, and he recently wrote a pastoral letter addressing what he sees in society today.  Here is an excerpt:

In brief, our culture suffers from a form of spiritual amnesia.  Having forgotten or ignored the Baptist and biblical core conviction of the infinite worth of every human being because we are all made in God's image, many movements and individuals no longer act as if longing one's neighbor is a fundamental and necessary manifestation of a just and healthy society.  We are so quick to judge, denigrate, criticize, attack, and assume to be superior to those with whom we differ.  There is precious little grace, courtesy and mutual respect remaining in American discourse and life.  We must recapture these virtues which can resupply society with much needed social capital.  

This is a very well written document that, I hope, will get you thinking about your position on some issues.  Some of the issues he brings up are considered political issues, and he calls out the need for discourse and biblical thinking wherever you are in the political arena, and whatever your political affiliation. 

He talks about loving our neighbor, and the need to have that love which motivates us to serve all people in need.   He goes on to talk about what that love would look like in the context of racism, immigration, and those who suffer from violence, especially violence in the form of sexual harassment and human trafficking.  And he talks about showing our love to our 114 churches in Puerto Rico who have lost so much from recent hurricanes.

The letter is bit long, but it's well worth a read.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear your comments...

          A Higher Way: American Baptists and Our Neighbors