January 22, 2008

Sarah Vowell the Preacher

Read this op-ed article by Sarah Vowell.

And if you don't want to, at least read this quote from it:

Here’s what Dr. King got out of the Sermon on the Mount. On Nov. 17, 1957, in Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, he concluded the learned discourse that came to be known as the “loving your enemies” sermon this way: “So this morning, as I look into your eyes and into the eyes of all of my brothers in Alabama and all over America and over the world, I say to you: ‘I love you. I would rather die than hate you.’ ”

Go ahead and re-read that. That is hands down the most beautiful, strange, impossible, but most of all radical thing a human being can say. And it comes from reading the most beautiful, strange, impossible, but most of all radical civics lesson ever taught, when Jesus of Nazareth went to a hill in Galilee and told his disciples, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.”

I can't tell you exactly why, but her whole op-ed struck me as well-written, well-said, and actually supportive of Christianity in what it's really meant to be. It gives me hope that people like Vowell can see that still.

1 comment:

Blythe said...

It's a refreshing article, exactly for the reason you stated: She still thinks a Christ-like christianity can exist, though she may not believe in it. Thanks for sharing that.