Century marks

Christian Century, March 22, 2003

DOING PENANCE: The Christian petition "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" is rooted in the Jewish practice of penance and penitential prayer, says Ellen Charry of Princeton Theological Seminary. Yet this practice has never been institutionalized in Christianity to the degree it was in Judaism, which devotes a full month to penitential prayer and the practice of personal forgiveness, and which puts the burden of reconciliation on the trespasser. "Perhaps a month was allotted each year because it is so difficult to do," says Charry. Christians have two seasons for penance, Advent and Lent, but the Christian focus is more vertical than horizontal, dwelling on our relationship with God rather than each other. The only symbol of interpersonal reconciliation left for many Christians is the exchanging of peace. In many cases, that is merely a handshake with strangers (Interpretation, January).

SPEAKING OF LENT: "Let's play" is not the typical Lenten mantra, but for Elizabeth J. Canham "Lent is a good time to stop doing and try being." True, "relinquishment lies at the heart of the Christian gospel and is a counter-cultural choice that hones our discipleship." But what we need to give up is something more substantial than eating chocolate or watching TV. It is our "workaholic guilt that degrades the value of play" and our anxiety" about not having enough of everything...." So rather than depriving yourself of something for Lent, consider taking up painting, listening to music, reading good novels, walking in the woods, writing poetry, dancing, soaking in a hot tub or enjoying good food with friends (Weavings, March/April). Marlene Kropf has another image for Lent--a spring housecleaning for the soul. "In the daily round of life, dust and cobwebs accumulate in our souls. The hidden corners of our hearts become encrusted with grime or filled with forgotten debris. During the weeks of Lent, God's Spirit is given the opportunity to clear away the clutter, sweep away the dust and wash us clean. We are invited to prepare ourselves--heart, soul, mind and body--for the new life of Easter" (The Mennonite, February 18).

SAD DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: "The thing about Mister Rogers is, he likes you just the way you are," said a seven-year-old admirer of Fred Rogers, who died February 27. Added Gloria Steinem: Rogers was "the only human being on TV to whom you would entrust the future of the world." But perhaps the most endearing tribute to the longtime host of a public television show for children was recounted in Esquire a few years ago. Rogers wanted to meet Koko, the gorilla who had been taught American Sign Language. Koko had watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, so when they met, the 280-pound gorilla gave the diminutive Rogers a big hug. And then Koko took off Mister Rogers's shoes (Washington Post, February 28).

HARD LESSON: When Howard L. Harrod lost his prostate and then his testicles to a fast-growing cancer, he struggled with what it meant to live in a male body without potency or desire. What was particularly tormenting was the memory of what he once had, a situation exacerbated by teaching on a university campus filled with youth with raging hormones. He had to confront what feminist thinkers have described: that the sexual socialization of males is excessively genital, and that men's focus on particular female body parts objectifies and depersonalizes women. The loss of his body parts and functions mattered less to Harrod's wife, who helped him to value other forms of intimacy and interaction-"touching, holding, sharing feelings, and being deeply present to one another"--and Harrod claims that in that respect he flourished for the near decade that he lived with the disease. He died in February (JAMA, February 19).

CELEBRATING MARRIAGE: Britain celebrated National Marriage Week in mid-February, with support from the archbishop of Canterbury, the Catholic primate for England and Wales, the general director of the Evangelical Alliance, the Chief Rabbi of Britain and a Sikh leaden Organizers called for greater government support to help marriages stay together. Harry Benson, who runs a marriage support project, said: "The state spends 15 billion pounds [$23.7 billion] dealing with the fall-out of broken marriages--yet for every 3,000 pounds spent on family breakdown only 1 pound is spent trying to keep families together" (Zenit News Agency, March 3).

OUT OF BED ON SUNDAY MORNINGS: Black youth are much more inclined to attend Sunday worship than white youth, according to the recent National Study of Youth and Religion conducted at the University of North Carolina. This difference is especially pronounced by the senior year of high school: 45 percent of black seniors report weekly church attendance, in contrast to 31 percent of white seniors. Why the disparity? Some speculate that the church always has been more important in the black community; that youth are more drawn to the lively services typical of black worship; that black parents are more persistent in getting their children to church; and that church is the one place where a marginalized social group can find hope. Research also indicates that youth who go to church are less likely to drink, smoke, abuse drugs or get in trouble with the law; and they are more prone to play sports, do volunteer work in the community and excel in school (Kansas City Star, February 26).