CULVER AcabEmy CoNVOCATION
DECEMBER 9, 1991
JOHN M. BUCHANAN, PASTOR

FourRTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CHicaAGoO

RESPONSIBLE

LET ME BEGIN BY TELLING YOU ABOUT
eimegs

DomMINIC.
Danae]

WE COULD, OF COURSE, BEGIN WITH
rneory.\ I COULD READ FROM THE BIBLE, OR
THE MAYFLOWER Compact, \or THE DECLARA-

SRG . Ee
TION OF Iperenoence. \1 COULD READ FROM
THE KORAN OR EVEN THE CHARTER OF CULVER

fn rena Se.
ACADEMY AND, IN SOME WAY, DOCUMENT THE

zs
NOTION THAT SERVICE TO OTHERS IS VERY

CLOSE TO THE HEART OF OUR wunanzry | THAT

HUMAN ORGANIZATIONS \AND HUMAN INSTITU-
bea ea ena

Taonga HUMAN POLITICAL sTRucTURE|paseD

ON THAT NOTION ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL
Pee =

TO HUMAN LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.
Pe

T CoyLp DO THAT AND PROBABLY WILL
<a

SOONER OR LATER, BUT IF I BEGAN WITH IT,

ade 2 Mav Behten nent

YOU WOULD PROBABLY SAY,/{ "HO Hum, ') AND

WEE

YAWN AND THANK GOD FOR THE QUIET OF A

et

BORING CONVOCATION IN WHICH TO HAVE A
NICE LITTLE NAP.
So INSTEAD, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT

Pan estrn

SOMETHING MUCH MORE INTERESTING - DOMIN-

rc. | For ME, DOMINIC DEFINES A LOT OF

THINGS.| gi. 'M OFTEN THINKING ABOUT HIM AS
Se

I FALL ASLEEP AT NIGHT. Bec aru as odhssy hn
= War frumd shp

DOMINIC, FOR ALL PRACTICAL PUR-

=o 1's

POSES, LIVES IN AND AROUND THE FouRTH

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF Cuzcaco. | Most
DAYS HE USES OUR REST ROOMS,\ OFTEN TIMES

STRIPS NAKED AND BATHES, \aas A CUP OF
ary =

See

COFFEE \ or A SANDWICH. \ Ano AT NIGHT,

ESO
AFTER TEN OR SO WHEN THE LAST MEETING I5
OVER, | urcurs OUT; {ano MY WIFE AND I WHO
Pe tsar EXE

LIVE ON THE CORNER OF MICHIGAN AVENUE

AND CHESTNUT STREET -(one OF THE BUSIEST

INTERSECTIONS IN AMERICA, |START SHUTT-~

Dee en earereuror ta

pews
TING FOR THE nzgHT, \DomzNc BEDS

BOWN ON OUR STEPS \ or IN A CORNER, OR

UNDER A BUSH.

Weer

DOMINIC 15$ HOMELESS. \ DEPENDING ON

WHO YOU ASK HE IS ONE OF 5,000 - oR
eee
PERHAPS 40,000 HOMELESS PEOPLE IN
eesoor
curcaco. | BUT HOMELESS DOES NOT REALLY
DESCRIBE HIM, | He IS SICK. THE PEOPLE
Pee SS \ whry,

AT NORTHWESTERN HOSPITAL WILL TELL YOU

THAT DOMINICK IS A PARANOID
AAO AEN

SCHIZOPHRENIC. \ HE LIVES IN A VERY
qe

mae
DIFFERENT WORLD FROM MOST OF US. | He
SEES PEOPLE VERY DIFFERENTLY. §iNQRTH~

WESTERN HOSPITAL GIVES HIM POWERFUL

Dt bene |

DRUGS WHICH KEEP HIM sTaBLe.\ BuT IF HE

DOESN'T GO TO THE OUTPATIENT CLINIC ON

THE RIGHT DAY ,\ OR IF HE LOSES HIS PILLS

OR FORGETS TO TAKE THEM, HE GETS VERY
See, Pat orearcardnncar’

SICK|AND DOESN'T TRUST ANYONE, |DOESN'T

=e

REALLY WANT ANYONE CLOSE TO Ham, [won'r

GO INSIDE ANY ENCLOSED STRUCTURE BECAUSE
= =

NOW HE IS SEEING EVERYTHING CLOSING IN,

THREATENING HIM, \SUF FOCATING HIM.

er:

CSo, ,11's NOT THAT THERE ARE NO BEDS

ame TIS

Ul

FOR Dowzuzc. | HE'S TOO SICK TO COMES
rnpoors | HE IS NOT DOING BIZARRE
THINGS, | SCARING PEOPLE, MAKING FUNNY

eee
NOISES. | HE IS, THE POLICE WILL TELL
YOU, NO APPARENT DANGER TO HIMSELF OR
ANYONE ese. | HE DOESN'T LOOK AWFUL...

STS

LITTLE pIrTY, [WRAPPED IN A BROWN ARMY

pLancer, | sur THERE ARE PLENTY worse. |} So

THERE ARE NO LEGAL REASONS FOR HOLDING

HIM IN A HOSPITAL OR JAIL.

WHAT WILL uapen?\ Once PEOPLE LIKE

eye

THAT ARE ON THE STREET, {HEY USUALLY DIE

IN ABOUT TWO OR THREE vears | $g_Dominic

WILL FREEZE TO DEATH ONE OF THESELMIGHTS

- OR CATCH A VIRUS WHICH WILL TURN INTO
tie

PNEUMONIA AND DIE OF THAT.
wae...

. Le pce

Wy

_— =? Do YoU REMEMBER AESOP’S FABLE,
|

Lerucs Wass ,
e “Walt 4

WA,
Soom etter
WHOSE RESPOURTEELITY TS HE? WHOSE a Ceu) VA) bog
IS CHARGE OF DomINIc? Hes G cla lle Xe vege
AT THE MOMENT - NO ONE - OR IS IT Aun soc
\ 3 \rw CWT

EVERYONE? WHIC AY BE THE SAME ANSWER

ACTUALLY. WHEN EVER E Is RESPONSIBLE, |

NO ONE IS, YOU KNOW.

SE Se

"BELLING THE CaT?"
THE MICE LIVED IN A STATE OF

PERPETUAL FEAR BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT
eee

MENACE WHICH HOVERED OVER THEIR VERY

Es

EXISTENCE. | SO THEY HELD A GENERAL
[ieee 7

MEETING TO DISCUSS WHAT MEASURES THEY
iio

MIGHT TAKE TO OUTWIT THE ENEMY, THE CAT.

A YOUNG MOUSE ROSE TO SPEAK:
eS ee

| "YOU WILL ALL AGREE THAT OUR CHIEF

DANGER CONSISTS IN THE SLY AND
P eiiaaiiidl

TREACHEROUS MANNER IN WHICH THE ENEMY

APPROACHES US. \ Now, IF WE COULD RECEIVE
———— |

SOME SIGNAL OF HER APPROACH, WE COULD

—

EASILY ESCAPE FROM ver.| I VENTURE,

ey a
THEREFORE, TO PROPOSE THAT A SMALL BELL

BE PROCURED AND ATTACHED BY A RIBBON
AROUND THE NECK OF THE CAT. \ By THIS
MEANS WE SHOULD ALWAYS KNOW WHEN SHE WAS
ABOUT AND COULD EASILY RETIRE WHILE SHE
WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
_
"THIS PROPOSAL WAS MET WITH GENERAL
APPLAUSE."
niin
WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA - BRILLIANT -
!
creative! \ But THERE IS AN UNHAPPY
ENDING.
A WISE OLD MOUSE GOT UP AND SAID:
"THAT IS ALL VERY WELL, BUT WHO IS
_———
TO BELL THE Cat?"

=
NOBODY SAID A WORD. | NO ONE WAS
= ee
WILLING TO BE RESPONSIBLE, [ro ASSUME THE
—————e fem,
VERY REAL RISKS INVOLVED IN DOING WHAT
ss
NEEDED TO BE DONE.
_=_ -—,

PRESTDENT COPELAND’S POINT, WHICH
GOT MY ATTENTION, WAS THAT #H#E-VERY

Resops_ teh Lule 3 Wet eyactly crtenporary | Th_pr Wen
of respees s\n \wh in Vat Ww, | Wha: is) = Al S'NG
nt _ wally Iker} € werd whuet Shyly Wwat

~ duel w\ St _ ary Wed Pr olilene « a
ee Salt Te cumwlabie pr prdileus vf lest

ee steqr:. environ crec\sw, peaks. i

uinar detuaetr , Cr -
~ @ai= ee else if Ww Woh th Wey

in

seb Ue taslbimeble Wak Vecauy fosbiralir wm fh

“hee SU's Wes
\WCENOTTON *UF~RESPONS TBE auimmene ar sg'" "ey
WEEE RATHER, THE "ME | (ppl sets
DECADE," rue "NEW NancrssrsM, "Prop us
WE WERE ENTITLED NOT TO RESPONSIBILITY
en ge
BUT TO COMFORTABILITY. "DO YOURSELF A
FAVOR, | TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, | BE YOUR
EE ee —_ v
OWN BEST FRIEND,\ YOU DESERVE A BREAK Ua \yeca~
TODAY" \BECAME THE LITANIES BY WHICH WE ww ©?

LIVE, A KIND OF NARCOTIC,» COPELAND—SAZD,

THERE... SIDE“OP "WHICH “IS” "THE POLITICS es \ te

OR=BEAME; "TSE. WHATEVER IS” GOING= WRONG CU 13
————,,
MUST..BE--SOMEBODY~BESE"S“FAULT: BIG \ \ Ww Ww

eer,

BIG BUSINESS, BIG LABOR, BIG 3 “espana -

GOVERNMENT,
—

EDUCATION. \"THEY") ARE MAKING A MESS OF

THINGS. IT'S ALL rere” FAULT.

LUSTFEAD™OF "THE ETHICS “OF "RESPONSI -
* 3
BILITY ,..WE--ARE..MORE--AND .MORE. WILLING. TO

_. ses
LEVE BY THE ‘POLITICS“OF=BEAMET™AND=WHEN
a
POSSIBLE Temeger A TIME COVER ARTICLE
LAST SUMMER \ SUGGESTED THAT WE ARE A

NATION OF BLAMERS, AND CITED A RECENT

haner
(wanes,

ak

VIEWING OF WALT DISNEY’ S TF aureden

WHICH ATTRACTED A HALF A DOZEN DIFFERENT

eames tt

PROTESTS AND PICKETS, INCLUDING PEOPLE
ae

WHO THOUGHT THAT TUTU-CLAD HIPPOS

FROLICKING TO THE DANCE OF THE Hours

WERE RIDICULING THE OVERWEIGHT. AND”
lamisnpit wearer eee:
ef

THE—DEPICTION OF EVOLUTTON IN” THE RITE™

-
TIME EDITORIALIZED THAT "THE
ere ba _
VICTIM'S PASSION FOR BLAMING EVERYONE
Cen J me "i é
EXCEPT HIMSELF - HAS ABOUT IT THE T 5
—_ ‘ setavs
IMMOBILITY OF ADDICTION," )A SENP2MENT watt,

mth 3 KEEN’ WRITING ABOUT MEN AND

MEN 'S= TAKING..- - SPONSTBELITY FOR THEIR

_

OWN-LEVESS KEEN SAYS THAT IN OUR ZEAL peek =
———— a é vk +
TO NOT{ "BLAME THE VICTIM WE HAVE createp\ **
oe wr *

A SANCTUARY. OF _VICTIMHOOD INTO WHICH

BOTH THE TRULY INNOCENT AND THE TRULY

| ail

GUILTY CAN RETREAT. |. GAMBLERS ,\ DRUG

pee

DEALERS, es HARASSERS,\ CHILD_ ABUS-

BLE?" \HE asks. | "NQ_ on ONE curity? | No ONE

ERS...VICTIMS “| "Is NO ONE RESPONSI-

TO BLAME? | ARE WE FATED TO PLAY PREDES-
eae SES
TINED ROLES IN A TECHNO-ECONOMIC SOCIAL

SYSTEM THAT IS STUCK ON AUTOMATIC

prior?” \ (Fire IN THE E BELLY, Pp. 205]

E RESULT IS THAT SHOT VIDUSL WANT
TO MAINTAI “AL SAFE DISTANCE, BETWEEN

THEMSELVES AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS, AN

INTENTIONAL AVOIDANCE. OF THE KIND OF
PUBLIC RESPONSTBILITY UPON. QECe THOSE

rustaruryois ARE ABSOLUTELY DEPENDENT:

THE CLLEGE, MUSEUM, SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA,
PITAL, CHURCH. & hep?
pA 0

THE EDITOR OF A MAJOR URBAN DAILY

= iii . d
NEWSPAPER CALLS If "THE NEW CYNICISM." _ Mp rw

As AMERICA MOPES AND THE ECONOMY FALLS

ooo. a ee

WE BECAME SNIDE ‘AND CYNICAL. ONE WAY

7 seine

TO MEASURE THE ‘SOUL OF A CULTURE IS TO

LOOK AT ITS POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT | AND
nee -

—— ott neta

THIS ORSERYEn FINDS IT CPESGHELME NEL
eee

Cy 9 , |
You were aSlechea Cs T wes by Maaics oviolr< celled?

c~ WW Sand Me brow Aut BE. Waa uwaala YUal\b wer
cose Ty gli Wary sev wl de ure «.\Magre
Sond - Ww Cwrdrectdd ‘v Wehruseruelly " e mele «of
; Sead elee elau- Be _Ciadur — Sete sey —
Aber: wh gugeas = \hc es lu a * pw it pea Be
8 a « 4% Fequates We wre > \ You ved rams ar
reyunves, |3e4_ts WOala await & it { Wan h— You
SMath Hake clout ephcabta- wh ih esol) + Youre er.

PESSIMISTIC AND ND UGLY, SND WE REY BERENG
ee
Stim "HARD Copy, "\"Ungo LVED MYSTERIES, "

Sse ST Besueraran ban
GoopFELLas, "{wHICH SOME PEOPLE THINK WAS
een) ha

THE BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR, IS ABOUT A
MOBSTER_WITH NO CONSCIENCE IN A WORLD

WITHOUT RULES,4 WITHOUT PUNISHMENT OR

Pea Ne Seeger ee eo

REGRET | FOR JHE RULE~ “BREAKERS, AND WITH-

OUT MUCH HOPE FOR REDEMPTION.

"ROSEANNE," HE says ( "CYNICALLY SHOWS

THAT WE CAN'T CHANGE FHE WORLD, WE CAN

ONLY SCOFF." \ [SEE JEFF JARVIS, IN
Context, APRIL 15, 1991]
WILLIAM RASBERRY WROTE A COLUMN,

"WHEN Socrat CoNSCIENCE GIves WaY TO
Been see

ee an

Desparr, "\wnrcn DESCRIBED A DYNAMIC
EVERYONE OF _US HAS EXPERIENCED. | Discuss-

ING HOMELESSNESS AND THE COMPLEX REASONS
‘Steet bo rere aed

FOR IT ~\THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF

« =. Wengen re eee,

THE MENTALLY ILL, (tHe FACT HAT MENTALLY

ILL PERSONS DON’T ALWAYS TAKE THEIR

MEDICATIONS ON TIME SOQ BECOME MORE

10

MENTALLY ILL, THE FACT THAT GOVERNMENT

IS LESS AND LESS WILLING TO PROVIDE

See Mees SET
SOCIAL SERVICES AND SHELTER, | THE FACT

THAT THERE IS LITTLE PROFIT IN LOW COST
URBAN Houszne. \ SAID RASBERRY, é NO

LONGER SEE IT AS A PROBLEM THAT'S LIKELY

TO BE SOLVED ANYTIME SOON AND AS A
RESULT I FIND IT HARD TO SUSTAIN MUCH
INTEREST IN rr. | You DON'T HAVE TO BE
MEAN TO WALK away.\ ALL 27 TAKES IS THE
CERTAINTY THAT NOTHING CAN BE pone." )
[CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/9/91]
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE porNG.\ WE'RE
WE RE DO
SIMPLY WALKING AWAY.\ DID YOU SEE THE
PICTURE IN THE PAPER LAST Wei OF THE
BULLDOZER FLATTENING THE PATHE[IC SHACKS
OF THE HOMELESS IN NEw York?\ ON TH
Herrero a P vane
DAY IT HAPPENED I WAS TALKING Te=Preer
iat
SHR&MERye WHO LIVES AND WORKS IN New YorRK
CITY, WHO SAID ONE OF HER MOST VIVID

MEMORIES AND WORST MOMENTS CAME WHEN SHE

fpr ener ret

11

WAS VISITING A THIRD WORLD NATION IN

awe

AFRICA AND WITNESSED GOVERNMENT BULLDOZ-

fem

ERS FLATTENING THE SHACKS OF POOR PEO-

PLE. | SHE SAID SHE SHUDDERED AND WEPT AND

THANKED GOD FOR BEING AN AMERICAN, A

SOCIETY WHERE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD

=.

NEVER HAPPEN. “Look AT WHAT WE HAVE
BECOME," SHE SAID.

OF couRSE, IT'S COMPLICATED AND
ae

TOUGH AND MULTIFACETED\ BuT WHAT WE "RE

=,

DOING ABOUT IT, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE -
fitted

AND ABOUT URBAN CRIME, \POVERTY) HEALTH

iceeeiiemtieae al

CARE, EDUCATION, Is | WALKING AWAY.\ WE

CAN'T EVEN DO SOMETHING SO ABSOLUTELY
| ie alia ieemmemmemetiiiiial

CLEAR AND SIMPLE AS ELIMINATE FROM OUR
\R_ At F ; r
CITIES, FROM 1_ GANGS, \FROM THE. POSSESSION

OF PATHOLOGICAL KILLERS: SEMI- ~AUTOMATIC

re a —r

ASSAULT WEAPONS WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE Is To

EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. Le. \\ Ano WE’ _LL_WALK

— te gett aed

AWAY FROM IT AGAIN, WON ae we? | IN | FACT,

\hove= of Ro, did — a Ac eA |
Tones Wisse+—-

uum - Sluagk fie - erqur 3S seck-
\owute ee SIA — Ke STs, Eras.

C wes deck Oe whys ae: ve mk
—\ U i \x5 »
_—7

S ; Sea} en us Mt eth SR \ skh Veluteom fe See

io"
Ps
Avws cee le BS i enn, age ant of
_ ys Cr uses
THE — OF» REPRESENTATIVES DID THE DAY yy, pr)
\w vtwun Mork cca ye Ck, dec ch
— AFTER THE MASSACRE IN-TEXAS. ~ A) }
Qanrre eX pry
; CHANGE THE WORLD? WHo MI Me? i I UN eure
SUPPOSE THERE AREN'T MANY OF US WHO, vel
DEEP IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS, WOULD NOT Prada Waly al
LIKE TO, IF NOT CHANGE THE COURSE OF Cette, BY Cole
ee atest |
HISTORY, AT LEAST TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, Rateta “

IN SOME WAY TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING TO Presto ‘

a

THE WELL BEING OF THE PLANET AND THE \ ae
HUMAN ENTERPRISE. AnD I DON'T SUPPOSE
Seer ad ao ¥ .
Wy - THERE ARE MANY OF“US WHO HAVE NOT, OVER \s°
ene

} THE YEARS, COME TO TERMS WITH THE REALI-
o-\ ogee
TY THAT WE CAN 7 "T DO VERY MUCH. \We_ar ARE

ee

NoT MOTHER TERESA pr(MartzN, Lut LUTHER KING
OR JONAS SALK OR ALBERT SCHWEITZER. \ We

ARE SIMPLY WHO WE ARE AND IT TAKES MOST

ere

Se ee

KEEPING BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER. ver | Anp I

=. ee

DON'T SUPPOSE THERE ARE MANY OF US WHO

es:

HAVE NOT DESPAIRED JUST A BIT ABOUT OUR

IMPOTENCE AND IN THAT IMPOTENCE RETREAT~

ED FROM A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY,

CULTIVATED A BIT OF THAT DISTANCE FROM

OUR instrrurzons,(""waar, AFTER ALL,” WE
wre - Rene

REASON, "CAN I POSSIBLY DO?” D)

AND IN THAT TINY DYNAMIC, WHICH

DOES NOT HAPPEN ONE DAY ONCE-AND- “FOR

a.

_ALL, BUT IS A PROCESS, A SLOW RETREAT

yea)... MEBs

OVER THE YEARS, IN THAT SMALL DYNAMIC
[ FHERE IS A FATAL MORAL FLAW.

yay We i ns. ee

THERE IS A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT THE
rere

Tee

REAL HUMAN CRISTS AT THE END OF THE
MemErE roe

TWENTIETH CENTURY IS A A SUDDEN AND

epee ae

REMARKABLY UNIVERSAL ABDICATION OF

wer RESPONSIBILITY.

* war conn ne P "THE SIN OF RESPECTABLE PEOPLE,"
We DeeERICH BONHOEPFER SAID, "IS RUNNING
woe Q.: FROM RESPONSIBILITY." \ You"even-Bon-
we? «ok! HOEFEER!S.:STORY? I’m SURE YOU--HAVE
Wwe a HEARDTisMANY TIMES: THE. GERMAN. PASTOR

2)
O® we ee WHO TOOK A PUBLIC STAND AGAINST NAZIISM,
, “<9

a ee va
(oe! a \a90? 14

few

Fr

EVENTUALLY CAST HIS LOT WITH THEcRESIS3-

ANCE AND JOINED WITH AN ASSASSINATION
ea

ATTEMPT AGAINST ADOLPH HITLER, WAS
fetrlheilted
ARRESTED IN 1 1943 AND EXECUTED IN 1945

JUST BEFORE THE END OF THE WAR. \ Berone
HE WAS A MARTYR; BONHOEFFER WAS AN

Saree
ACADEMICIAN, \a DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR.

ser ae

BEFORE GETTING IN TROUBLE WITH THE NAzts

HE WAS ON THE mAL, FACULTY AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF BERLIN. \ HE caAME to New

geet Snae

YorK ANDelINGON FOR A YEAR IN 1933. Hrs
ACADEMIC SPECIALTY WAS ETHICS.
AND, FOR BONHOEFFER, THE BASIS OF

ChaakS'FEAN ETHICS WAS RESPONSIBILITY.

ace
TRADITIONALLY, CHRISTIAN RELIGION HAS
ee
FLIRTED WITH THE SEDER, LEGALT. istic

_—s

NOTION THAT THE BASIS OF ETHICS IS THE

AVOIDANCE OF THE EVIL. TRADITIONAL

RELIGION EMPHASIZES thet "THOU SHALT
NOTS," MUCH MORE THAN "THOU SHALT."
BONHOEFFER, THE ETHICS SCHOLAR,

Pn sentence

15

: XN

cow a TAUGHT THAT "P&RSONAL--EXREREENCE OF

Yuk GOD=S—J-UDGMENT=AND™GRAGE-ALSO—ENG LUDED
Ow s?
Wr X\Oer! \Wke ——= CONSCIOUSNESS OF A LARGER HUMANITY TO
\ ed
ow aieal

WHICH WE BELONG. I
=F

THE SPIRITUAL LIF

SCAPABLY, THERE,
ff INCLUDES ATTUNEMENT
TO AND RESPONSE ‘0 THE SOCIAL REALM."
[SEE Weavincsf/ JoHN Mocascas,

MarcH/APRIL/1990, P. 2-3] TRANSLATE

THAT, "RESPONSIBILITY."

BONHOEFFER 4h@” THE TRAGIC 20TH

EES —-——»
CENTURY DIVORCE BETWEEN PRIVATE AND

aia.
PUBLIC MORALITY,| PERHAPS BEST, BUT NOT
EXCLUSIVELY, ILLUSTRATED BY THE PEOPLE

WHO FOUND IT POSSIBLE TO GO TO CHYRCH_ON

otk
SUNDAY MORNING AND ON MONDAY GO TO WORK
IN THEIR JOBS IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP
WHERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE BEING
GASSED.\ ONE OF HIS BIOGRAPHERS PUT IT

ee
THIS wav: | "BONEHOEFFER’S FUNDAMENTAL

Wie [ WW.
VIEW OF ETHICS WAS THAT A N MUST
=?
ACCEPT HIS/HER RESPONSIBILITY AS A
pit alien cl

16

CITIZEN OF THIS worto WHERE Gop HAS

eee

PLACED HIM/HER., [SEE LIFE TOGETHER,
Le P. 7-13]
BONHOEFFER’S PROPOSAL - THAT

EVE

MORALITY BEGINS WITH RESPONSIBLE CITI-

JOHN W. DoBERS

ZENSHIP - IS, I WOULD PROPOSE, TERRIBLY
OPOSE,..TER
IMPORTANT TODAY, MORE SO THAN IT WAS
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
RIFKIN, THINKS THAT THE FUTURE OF THE
HUMAN RACE DEPENDS ON a(" FUNDAMENTAL
SHIFT IN HUMANITY’S FRAME OF
REFERENCE. .| A NEW SET OF GOVERNING
PRINCIPLES FOR HOW HUMAN BEINGS BEHAVE
AND ACT IN THE wonto.") WE MUST, IN
ORDER TO SURVIVE, RIFKIN PROPOSES,
REPLACE THE NOTION OF USING, CONSUMING,
feet Gare oe Es
OWNING, [AND DISCARDING \WITH NOTIONS OF

CONSERVING, PROTECTING, NURTURING, AND

SHARING.| AND THE-WORD-RIFEN“ CHOOSES FOR

THIS RADICAL_SHIFT IN THE“WAY WE THINK

17

URIOUSLY, STEWARDSHIP,
E MANAGEMENT. [EMERGING
, P. 270 - IN HALL, P. 240]

PRINCETON SOCIOLOGIST ROBERT WUTH-

NOW, IN E STRUGGLE FOR AMERICA'S SOUL,

OBSERVES THE ‘STEADY DE NE IN THE
PERCENTAGE OF T POPULATION THAT VOTES
AND THAT IN SOMP LOGAL ELECTIONS ONLY
FIVE PER CE OF THE ECTGIBLE VOTERS ARE
GOING TO/THE POLLS.

ROBERT BELLAH'S NEW BOOK, THE GooD

SOCIETY, TRACES OUR DETERIORATION AND
REFUSAL TO BE RESPONSIBLE. | AMERICA IS
EXPERIENCING A MASSIVE FAILURE OF CIVIC
re Sete
COURAGE, HE says | VOTERS REBEL AGAINST
queers Se
TAXES NECESSARY FOR SUSTAINING PUBLIC
SERVICES. j BoksereaAis | ENCOURAGE THE

wee

REBELLION. | THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
=aelne

SHIFTS RESPONSIBILITY DOWN TO THE

STATES. STATES DEPEND ON LOTTERIES AND

CASINO GAMBLING SCHEMES TO BALANCE THE re Led

+ Nanak ae och s S

+e so~ 8 a wie \peeb 1B

BUDGET AND HAND IT ON DOWN TO THE CITIES

WHICH ARE CHRONICALLY BROKE, ONE OF

THE MOST FAMILIAR POLITICAL PHENOMENA IS

THE FICTION THAT PUBLIC SPENDING MUST BE
SLASHED BE LS NO MONEY.

SE, PLENTY OF MONEY.

RECENTLY, LIVES.
IT IS THE NATURE OF THE TOPI
DIFFICULT AND conrnoverszat{ "Betta
THE CAT" IS VERY RISKY BUSINESS. )
eo *
Do YOU RECALL READING ABOUT THE
FORTY~SEVEN YEAR-OLD RUSSIAN GEOLOGY

PRE eee

TEACHER WHO JOINED THE YOUNGER PEOPLE @N

THE BARRICADES DURING THE COUP ATTEMPT?

HE HELPED BUILD THEM - PILES OF TRASH,

Dr ae re

SOFAS, PIPE, LUMBER AND THEN HE CLIMBED

we -

UP ON THEM DEFYING THE SOVIET TANKS
iieatio es ae.

Set

WHICH WERE CLOSING IN ON THE RussIAN

19

PARLIAMENT BUILDING. la REPORTER, AFTER

IT WAS OVER, ASKED HIM WHY HE HAD BONE

THAT, PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE, STARING

Faiaar

DOWN THE BARREL OF A TANK CANON.

HE sarp, ("A MAN SOONER .OR LATER HAS
TO DECIDE WHO HE 18. | I DECIDED wHo I
WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT JUST NOW HAD
THE CHANCE TO SHOW tr." |

pute
AND IT WAS AN EQUALLY MOVING MOMENT

t

LAST YEAR WHEN VACLAV HAVEL, PRESIDENT
OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA, ADDRESSED THE UNITED
STATES Coneress. | He_sazp:

(THe SALVATION OF THIS HUMAN WORLD
LIES NOWHERE ELSE THAN IN THE HUMAN
HEART... \IN HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY. 4. THE

ONLY BACKBONE TO OUR ACTIONS, IF THEY

ARE TO BE MORAL - IS RESPONSIBILITY.
See
RESPONSIBILITY TO SOMETHING HIGHER THAN
MY FAMILY, MY FIRM, MY COUNTRY, MY
we weer
SUCCESS - RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ORDER OF

awn

BEING WHERE ALL OUR ACTIONS ARE

20

INDELIBLY RECORDED AND WHERE AND ONLY
WHERE THEY WILL BE PROPERLY supcev." _|
[SEE "BELLING THE CAT," HENRY COPELAND,

MHS WoosTER REVIEW]
" SO THE MATTER RESTS FINALLY - ON
—_ YOUR_LAP - OR MINE - lor IN OUR HEARTS.
/ I BELIEVE WE HAVE BEEN PUT HERE FOR
A purpose. \ I BELIEVE YOUR LIFE HAS A

PURPOSE.\\ You MAY NOT_BELIEVE IT. | You

MAY NOT_BELIEVE THERE IS ANYONE OUT

_—_——

THERE TO BE THE AUTHOR OF NOTIONS LIKE

PURPOSE.

IF YOU SHARE MY BELIEF, I CHALLENGE

YOU TO FOLLOW IT TO UNDERSTAND YOUR

LIFE AS Gop's MOST RECENT EFFORT TO

IMPROVE THE PLACE TO MAKE A BETTER

———-—- - i

WORLD -
AND, IF YOU DON’T SHARE MY BELIEF

IN A DIVINE PURPOSE GIVEN, \I CHALLENGE
¥ eee

/ you ANYWAY ,\ FOR A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF
/ ee

/

REASONS, AMONG THEM THE SIMPLE SURVIVAL

“% VX —

Ss wrder dub yov- Mt uet T woud =s 3
due Gime Sr s-[ coud E Mame dam oh

oe a

va t tak a Ow

M L. vr
Ase ne Oowim + cC rel TE elutl,

\\ea___ aw _- \ ou 4 wwii hud Wa EUALTA |

eat | \? = , ow 4 _ pes WV. 4

OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT AND WAY OF
————————— my

LIFE AND INDEED, NOT TO BE MELODRAMATIC,

—, lll EE ——————
BUT THE SURVIVAL OF ALL OF us. | I CHAL-

LENGE YOU TO BE CARE GIVERS -\TO BE

RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHERS} BY BEING RESPON-

SIBLE FOR YOURSELF.

es It rs - I BELIEVE, OUR cunoen. It
IS ALSO“OUR GLORY. “>

—— a

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