Letters to the Editor

Wrestling with Jesus

“Who Is This ‘Jesus’?” (Belden C. Lane, April 2016) is a beautiful and challenging reflection by one of the most authentic and honest voices of faith writing today. I keep wrestling with this same Jesus, whoever he is, because the struggle itself places me on a path that’s increasingly merciful and just. Thank you for this!

Terry Minchow-Proffitt
Kirkwood, Missouri

Don’t Leave Out Native Americans

Anne Courtright made a very important point about the treatment of Native Americans in her letter (“The Original ‘Original Sin’”) published on page 5 of your April issue. Sadly, on page 7 Jim Wallis omitted them when he speaks of “powerful voices.”

Are they simply not powerful because there are not so many of them? Ought we to be asking why they are not so numerous? Because we exterminated so many of them or isolated them on reservations.

I’ve lived and worked in rural Montana, Alaska, and Wyoming most of my life among different tribes. I care deeply about black lives mattering, but I grieve at the omission of the profoundly powerful voices of Native Americans. Don’t leave Native Americans out of the conversation when it comes to multiracial truth-telling.

Su DeBree
Livingston, Montana

Jealously Protect Their Rights

I don’t know a lot about the ins and outs of this topic (“Voting Rights—and Wrongs” by Myrna Pérez, April 2016) but I try to think of ways all sides of an argument can be helpful. I’m convinced most on either side are good folks and want what’s best—they just have different ideas about what will work. Here are some ideas: Churches and communities could raise money to help get the proper ID, offer rides to and from to get the paperwork done, and offer time off for employees. I don’t think I have a problem with limiting voting to citizens and other legal, long-term residents, but we should jealously protect their rights and do anything reasonable to get as close to 100 percent as possible.

Travis Chamberlain
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Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer

Natalie Wigg-Stevenson’s article “The Agony and Ecstasy of Baptism” (March 2016) reminded me of this story: When my friend gave birth to her daughter in 1980, she just could not face baptizing her infant in her Roman Catholic tradition since it would be the Father (priest) baptizing her child in the name of the “Father [God], Son, and Holy Spirit.” Her biological father had routinely “visited” her in the night for several years before she was old enough to move out, and whenever she heard the word “father” she remembered his twisted face above her.

Since I was active in the Metropolitan Community Church at the time, we invited her to have the baptism there. We used alternative language for the Trinity, and she selected “In the name of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer” joyfully. It was a beautiful ceremony and liturgically satisfying for everyone involved.

Richard J. Follett
Van Nuys, California