Clhatav que - AW wy Ife t hes
OCOupic 4 Wy NM aanratm Fs a
Qlace Qed eee ar Ate eoiakad

ostste + sptretval mule Live.
War peed ahous sb; \ Fook een
Cr r0Ads WWeeeee tie WA dlowbt ik iz

SMC Or =— RES

ave glorivvcly_ silt waqut Qr Maha Jick
Was | om Nu wise, aud Lewes of our
\UNM |

“ ah alae i ene a

a Satudo wim” cauld Wak le Guat |

-Wwsyr WA ru. ular -

——— = =
EES ————= a

"ye 4, \e ack.
a a 6
Ye B MUA 4,

Oa de. "
cpl mauler bier
5 Vamewe A -
| Qrivalerg. =

Howe” E Wwst

4 his
CAPES TAL LW
th
Li (|

Was &

\Wv-

\ m5

TL awot oe — —

. us + 7
wit — (Decloar — {e Q| Gn =
vol 1S iv :

So “Hsu —
¢ ni k you Sor he
on , “ rgoustun \e
flor — wa te
msl
|

CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION
June 28, 1992, 10:45 a.m.
WORSHIP SERVICE

THE HUMAN EQUATION

JOHN M. BUCHANAN, SENIOR MINISTER
_ FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Curcaco, ILLINOIS
SCRIPTURE |
PsaLm 8
MaTTHEW 16:13-20
"...YOU ARE PETER, AND ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD..."
--MATTHEW 16:18 (NRSV)

? IN THE TOP RIGHT-HAND DRAWER

OF MY DESK THERE Is A BOX OF SMALL CARDS

- PERHAPS A THOUSAND OF ruen.| InN_ELE-
——

GANTLY RAISED PRINT, THE LITTLE CARDS

ANNOUNCE WHO I AM, IN TERMS OF THE
INSTITUTION FOR WHICH I WORK, ALONG WITH
See

ITS ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE yunoer |, IF
aaa. aa
THE TRUTH WERE KNOWN, THERE ARE OTHER
BOXES OF THESE SMALL CARDS, REPOSING IN
Bey

REMOTE CORNERS OF PERSONAL FILES, | some Vellow wg

i

OF THEM NOW YELLOWING WITH AGE. | twese

CARDS ANNOUNCE WHO I USED TO BE. | Busz-

nD

NESS CARDS. | YOU MIGHT CONCLUDE THAT WE
eee SS

———————

CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY OF THEM, }OR AT

LEAST THAT WE REGARD THE ACT OF DISCARD-
_ | oaded w|

SaaS

ING ONE'S OLD BUSINESS CARDS TO BE 88 gers’ -

perie ps : ug 4

° NATO ,
woe a. THEY ARE OCCASIONALLY USEFUL. ) ard Va -
C Mie "/ @ LEAVE THEM ON THE TABLE IN A_HOSPITAL 4
ma caaiaemmanl = ‘i
ROOM WHEN THE PATIENT IS AWAY, HAVING cy
Vogue °

FURTHER TESTS. Y MAKE GREAT BOOK-
ie

nee?
CAN USE THE BACK OF YOUR BUSINESS CARD

— — es
FOR A SHORT GROCERY List, of TO=CQMMNN I - Lage
— eee —

MARKS \r YOUR HANDWRITING IS TINY YOU
3 pond

Cum THE PER
AT THE SYMPHONY...CONCER

SITTING BESIDE YOU Ww nite vee tee

+ -

vrs
2 pert

BUSINESS CARDS
ee ay
Gq: «RECEIVED IN RITUAL CARD EXCHANGES
eae =
WITH PEOPLE I HAVE LONG SINCE FORGOTTEN Sserw
BUT WHO, AT THE MOMENT, SEEMED IMPORTANT

SSS See
TO REMEMBER.
Eee

SOMETIMES SIMPLY HAVING A
ineeieeaae pi Radel

BUSINESS CARD SEEMS TO DOCUMENT ONE’S 4,
: se became S

PERSONAL IDENTITY.|} A YOUNG BRIDE I KNOW i. Wy
NAL IDENT) pid =

WAS PROUDLY SHOWING HER NEW BUSINESS Aaah - -

CARDS WEEKS BEFORE THE WEDDING BECAUSE
Sepsis ry,

—

4 ws mecemeeepueccstilh
(FREGERG USED THE NOTION IN A CLEVER

‘COMMERCIAL HE MADE FOR THE PRESBYTERIAN
rd

oom

THEY BORE HER NEW wane. \|Coneozay STAN

CHURCH YEARS AGO, ABOUT THE MAN WHOSE
SR Sa

= TN
NAME WAS ONLY PENCILED ON HIS BUSINESS

as.

CARD. Pogues ace Quy (uw

OBERT FULGHUM HAS FUN WITH

THE NOTION OF oF BUSINESS CARDS AND PERSON-
EE Se eae

AL rogntzTy.\ ICONOCLAST THAT HE IS, HE
meee Ogee

RESISTS BEING DEFINED QNLY IN TERMS OF

HOW HE GETS MONEY, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH
en

WHAT A BUSINESS CARD DOES.|} HIS WIFE
[eee

CALLED HIM A/PRINCE “PNE MORNING AND SO
an
HE CONSIDERED A BUSINESS CARD - ROBERT
Fev rereeer

4)
FULGHUM - PRINCE. fp HE POKES FUN AT

THE WHOLE CULTURE FOR ITS ABSOLUTE
a, Sa

ot

COMMITMENT TO THE NOTION THAT WHO YOU
ARE IS WHAT YOU DO.
i
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A PLANE OR
[enamide nha
TRAIN AND JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT WANTED

TO TELL YOUR INQUISITIVE SEAT MATE THAT

YOU WERE A TEST PILOT OR A BALLET DANC-
2

en? | Fuucnum HAS DONE rt. | TRYING TO

DISCOURAGE CONVERSATION HE REPLIED TO
ee ee a emg

THE WOMAN BESIDE HIM THAT HE WAS A
eee

ANITQR, ONLY DISCOVER THAT SHE

JANLTQR, 0 TO SCOVER THAT S WAS

THE PUBLISHER OF A JANITORIAL SUPPLY

CATALOG AND WANTED HIS OPINION ON VAR~
(Sa

SS

IOUS CLEANSERS AND FLOOR WAXES. ANOTHER
—_—_—_ ooo

TIME HE TOLD THE D

GENTLEMEN WITH WHOM HE WAS SITTING ON A
Ss
BANGKOK FLIGHT THAT HE WAS A NEURO-

sunceon. [| "spLenoz0" SAID THE MAN. { "So
“len,

ey | laa
um
am I. |\THar NECESSITATED A FULL CONFES

SION AND PROMPTED A LOT OF LAUGHTER. «6Et=

Was Frre WHEN I Lay Down On It, P. 63]

WE ARE THE ONKX CREATURES WHO

WORRY ABOUT IT, THINK ABOUT, FUSS_OVER

IT. WHO ARE we? \ War ARE WE? [ WHo AM
— 7 — ——

I? | WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PART OF THIS
——— | een @eeecee
RACE CALLED HUMAN?

=

ee. dec
JOHN CALVIN SAID THAT THE QUES-
een ee Tn Ea,
TION OF ;"TS ALWAYS ALSO THE HUMAN
QUESTION. \ 1 OUR CENTURY( KARL BART
Se [aa

ECHOED: (“re Is Gop? WHO ARE WE?" ARE
= :

TWO SIDES OF THE SAME avestron | THE
————eeeeeee
AR ES LIKE THIS; \ 1 on, 18 Gop

- TOTALLY OTHER, HIGH AND INACCESSIBLE,
ne =a Ce ——

ABOVE AND BEYOND ALL THAT WE ARE ~- THEN

Sea

WE CAN NEVER KNOW D Y

THAT WE KNOW WHAT TIME IT 1s,\ OR THE
Se ag,

COLOR OF THE SKY OR THE SUM OF 2 PLUS 3.

WHAT WE KNOW I e.| AnD

SO, THEOLOGY IS ALWAYS, THEREFORE,
San =
an yRopoLogy | It Is ABOUT GOD, BUT IT
ee eg

IS ALSO ABOUT | THAT ALL IT CAN
Bal

DISCUSS IS HUMAN EXPERIENCE OF Gop.

ESS eee ie

5

iv20

WHEN THE LATE REZNHOLD NIEBUHR SET OUT

TO WRITE HIS SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY - HE

TITLED THE BOOK THE NATURE AND DESTINY
enter

OF MAN.
THE HUMAN cauarron.. | wo WHO ARE
——
we? | WHo am I?

WE ARE AT LEAST AN ENIGMA AN ENIGMA TO

orn cunseves. |W We ARE ADOLPH c ADOLPH HXTLER AN AND

Katiiee Rew’
\oclkct 28 wr Corse?

yrdee

Nuabite
ab

vor Teanga JOS EPH= SPREE AND =EEONA
He ———
YORE SPERREMA AND
IN ADDITION TO PRODUCING THESE sadly
DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS OF OUR HUMANITY,
EACH OF US - INDIVIDUALLY - CAN BE

IMPROBABLY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

IN A BOOK HE WROTE SEVERAL YEARS
ae,
AGO, BEST SELLING PHILOSOPHER/AUTHOR,
ReneS
SAM KEEN, PUT THE ENIGMA OF OUR HUMANITY
See

INTO A DELIGHTFUL AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
(ee gee

STORY: on Loy Bak. ChALA lund

MW. VA te.
6

"We cROSSED CourRT STREET AND
CLIMBED THROUGH A HOLE IN THE FENCE,

LEAVING GoD, GOOD MANNERS, CLEANLINESS,

AND ALL THE POLITE VIRTUES OF PRESBYTE-

RIAN CHILDREN pent. \ Tue MOMENT WE

WERE IN THE TREES, OUT OF SIGHT OF HOME,

WE BECAME paGaNs.\ A SHORT WAY DOWN THE

ee

PATH WE STOPPED, PULLED OUT OUR STOLEN

PACK OF CAMELS AND LIT UP. \ Ano COUGHED.
ete ad

ALL MORNING WE WORKED ON OUR FORT...

a

MID-AFTERNOON OUR DOMAIN WAS INVADED BY
See nema DL eathiesniains a aimee
A PARTY OF PrCNIcKERS. \ WE BECAME INDI-

ANS AND STALKED THE UNWARY, STEALING TWO

EGG SALAD SANDWICHES AND A CAKE WHEN

a | ll

THEY WERE NOT LOOKING.| AFTER THAT WE

DAMMED UP THE CREEK, WENT SWIMMING.

=

WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN, WE CLIMBED BACK

—— | ae
THROUGH THE FENCE, CHECKED TO SEE IF OUR
BREATH STILL SMELLED OF TOBACCO, PUT ON

THE MASK OF CIVILITY, AND WENT HOME FOR

DINNER." //CTHE PASSIONATE LiFe, P. 46]

Poreson—

WE ARE AN ENIGMA - A PARADOX

THE DEFINITION OF WHICH IS - TWO CONTRA-

ee ea,
DICTORY STATEMENTS, BQTH QF WHICH ARE
TRUE.|), WE KNOW THIS ABOUT OURSELVES...
SOMETIMES IT FRIGHTENS US. WE ARE

ee ee

CAPABLE-OF LOVING EACH OTHER WITH EXQUI-
SITE TENDERNESS AND PATIENCE. | AND WE
ARE CAPABLE OF HU H OTHER WITH

APPALLING EASE.| WE ARE CAPABLE OF
Rin —,

HEROIC SELF-SACRIFICE AND PELLY SELFISH”

ness.|[ In THAT WONDERFUL_PASSAGE FROM
Romans 7,| PAUL PUT IT MEMORABLY | ( "I po
= ie =

— !

NOT UNDERSTAND MY OWN ACTIONS... FOR I

Piece ee

Cee —— rd

DO NOT DO WHAT I WANT, BUT I DO THE VERY
Sean ea

THING I HATE."
THE FIRST STORY_IN THE BIBLE
USES IMAGES WHICH ARE RICH IN PARADOX...
Ss SSS a
WE ARE, ACCORDING TO GENESIS, THE CROWN,

OF Gop’s GREATION... CREAJED_IN Gop's

VERY IMAGE, | rvEN THE POQWER,.TO NAME THE

OTHER CREATURES... THE RESPONSIBILITY
en! (AB tet earned

8

FOR CREATION.| WE ARE THE MANAGING

| ay
PARTNERS, - - BUT WE ARE ALSO THE ONES
r
WHO CAN T, CBEY THE RULES|AND WHEN CAUGHT

TRY TO BLAME THE OTHERS. || WE ARE GOD'S
! : eno

IMAGE, BUT WE ARE ALSO FASHIONED OUT OF
THE DER Ton THEREOF ER Hitei Hames . Gop

FASHION F THE STUEF OF THE
EARTH, ene BLOW SPIRIT INTO US./| WE

ARE, ACCORDING TO GENESIS, MUD CREATURES
WITH, OF ALL THINGS, GOD'S BREALH rN us.
WE ARE THE CREATURES _WHO, WHEN WE FIND
OURSELVES STARING UP INTO THE DEEP

Benet all

a
RECESSES OF A_NIGHT SKY - ALWAYS SAY \TWO

THINGS: "O LoRD HOW MAJESTIC IS THY
Name" (AND) "WHO I _wo! ARE WE?"

ONE OF THE THEOLOGICAL AND LITERARY

TREASURERS OF OUR CENTURY IS A COLLEC-:

TION OF LETTERS AND PAPERS DIETRICH

BONHOEEFER WROTE FROM HIS NAZI PRISON

CELL PRIOR TO HIS EXECUTION IN 1945.

VERY NEAR THE END HE WROTE A POEM: yar
(

aa

WHO AW x ?
ae 7

Ea.
"WHO am I? | THEY OFTEN TELL ME
I STEPPED FROM MY CELL'S CONFINEMENT
CALMLY, CHEERFULLY, FIRMLY,
LIKE A SQUIRE FROM HIS COUNTRY-HOUSE.
WrHo am I? THEY OFTEN TELL ME
Pe fee
I USED TO SPEAK TO MY WARDERS
on
FREELY AND FRIENDLY AND CLEARLY,
WHo am I?
ee
Am I THEN REALLY ALL THAT WHICH
OTHER MEN TELL OF?
OR AM I ONLY WHAT I MYSELF KNOW OF MYSELF?
RESTLESS AND LONGING AND SICK, LIKE A BIRD IN A CAGE,

ee ieee

STRUGGLING FOR BREATH, AS THOUGH HANDS

ree

WERE COMPRESSING MY THROAT,
YEARNING FOR COLOURS,
THIRSTING FOR WORDS OF KINDNESS...

———

WEARY AND EMPTY AT PRAYING...

— _——- “
WHo am I? THIS OR THE OTHER?”
Br

EVERY GENERATION ANSWERS THE
Se oor

Ut. QUESTION IN A WAY WHICH REFLECTS

—_—

10

THE SPIRIT = OR SOUL - OF THAT PARTICU-

LAR rave. || T=s-Euxor, wrore A POEM THAT
SEEMED TO CAPTURE THE1920s: JHE HOLLOW

MEN

"WE ARE THE HOLLOW MEN

— eS

WE_ARE THE STUFFED MEN

LEANING TOGETHER yy

HEADPIECE FILLED WITH STRAW.\ ALAS!

AFTER THE CRASH AND IN THE MIDDLE

OF THE DEPRESSION ARCHI TS OF THE NEw

DEAL WANTED TO ENCOURAGE AND INSPIRE A

MORE HOPEFUL DEFINITION OF HUMANKIND.

THEIR ANSWER MAY BE VIEWED IN THE PUBLIC
—— ae

Se
ART SPONSORED BY T wuent.\ Do you
—_a en

RECALL THOSE WONDERFUL Post OFFICE
SS ec

wuracs?} I USED TO LOVE TO GO THERE WITH

MY PARENTS WHEN THEY PURCHASED STAMPS OR

MAILED_A_ PACKAGE, TO SEE THOSE_GREAT

PAINTINGS OF MUSCULAR-PIONEERS. AND THEIR

HANDSOME ULVES AND ROBUST C REN AND

THEIR CONESTOGA WAGONS PUSHING THEIR WAY

11

OVER THE PENNSYLVANIA MOUNTAINS, AND

STRONG COAL.MINERS AND STEEL WORKERS...
mn —
THAT OPTIMISTIC DEFINITION CARRIED US

THROUGH A WORLD WAR AND WAS THE SPIRITU-

ee

AL FOUNDATION FOR PUTTING A MAN ON THE

noon. || Ano IT IS PRECISELY THAT HIGH

VIEW OF HUMANITY - CAPABLE OF ANYTHING -
See

WHICH TOM WOLFE CARICATURED IN THE

FABULOUSLY WEALTHY, HIGH ROLLING TRADER
Gem

- MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, THEY CALLED

THEMSELVES,) WHOSE LIFE AND SOUL AND SELF

Wee |

SLOWLY COMES UNRAVELED IN BONFIRE OF THE

VANITIES.

THE LOWWWIEWW- THE MUD BALL
| menial

WITHOUT GOD'S BREATH - IS PROPOSED BY
eee

THE FREUDLANS.WHO BELIEVED THAT WE ARE

THE PRODUCT_OF SUBCONSCTOUS DRIVES,
MOSTLY REPRESSED. .| OR THE MARXISTS

WHOSE PHILOSOPHY OF ECONOMIC DETERMINISM
ee

REDUCED HUMAN BEINGS TO FACELESS COGS IN

THE LARGER GEARS OF THE SOCIETY AND
= ae:

12

WHOSE INTELLECTUAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC

AND SPIRITUAL BANKRUPT IS NOW
| 7

evzpenr. | AND THE

SuemapeemR WHO TEACH THAT IT'S ALL PRO-
aie

GRAMMED IN YOUR DNA AND FREEDOM OF WILL
Sieber

IS A MASSIVE rutuszoN. \ THe Lou VIEW Is

[oe ee
PERHAPS MOST POPULARLY SEEN IN THE

EMERGENCE OF T "Vy " IN POPULAR
ES
THoueT. \ We AR VICTIMS OF SOME

ABUSE, SOME "ISM," SOME oppresszon..{{ so
| ee a for OUISC (es
NONE OF US IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHA en

NS

HAPPENS. || WE ARE CAUGHT IN SYSTEMS SO
a

c a
COMPLEX - THATATHE BEST _WE CAN COME UP
a ~ ad =e

WITH - TO COPE WITH 120 MURDERS PER \, j \ br Ey
“AN URBAN SOCLETY< M fr ow

IS TO BL

THER PADLOCK AND AVOID CERTAT

NEIGHBORHOODS AFTER DARK.

HE CURRENT CRISIS IN THE

SRR

HUMAN EQUATION IS THE TEMPTATION NOT TO
eer

SSS as

THINK TOO HIGHLY ABOUT OURSELVES BUT THE

tal i

13 LL ——

TEMPTATION TO TAKE THE LOW VIEW. | taux: \4 emis
—E—7_ kK
fryp ceohizeXtm

ING ABOUT THE CRISIS IN PUBLIC INTEGR (> Mow OBS al —_

west, BRITISH THEOLOGIAN, Joun V + — oy
— awit. eh
TAYLOR, PUT IT THIS WAY:

([ "pas INFIDELITIES ARE COMMITTED =
ell

NOT BECAUSE TOO LITT WER IS AVAIL-

ABLE TO US, BUT BECAUSE THE POWER SO FAR

eg

EXCEEDS THE PETTY SCALE WE WANT TO LIVE

ey. | /e(Goo) HAS MADE US A LITTLE LESS
THAN THE ANGELS (GoODS) |} WHILE OUR_HIGH-
=a

EST AMBITION IS TO BE A LITTLE ABOVE THE

Joneses." | [THE Go BETWEEN Gop, P. 48]
AND ON THIS SIDE OF THE ATLAN-

Gm ee

Trc, CANADIAN DouGLAsS JOHN HALL:

"WE HAVE BECOME SMALL AND THERE IS NO

UNDERGIRDING GREATNESS TO GIVE OUR

SMALLNESS ANY GLORY." | trae STEWARD, P.

89]

A@ fit STORY IS TOLD ABOUT

eS

THomaAS HUXLEY - HURRYING OUT OF HIS
Te ee

14

HOUSE ONE DAY TO DELIVER A LECTURE ON
eee

area
evoturzon: | "WHERE ARE YOU GOING IN SUCH
A HURRY?" A NEIGHBOR ASKED. | HUXLEY
CALLED BACK { "TO TELL PEOPLE THEY ARE
ALL APES!"| LOREN EISELY COMMENTED:
=a ein

"It's EASY TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THEY ARE
wonkeys.\ THE DIFFICULT THING IS TO

Ss

CONVINCE THEM THAT THEY ARE HUMAN BE-

INGS |
THE SCRIPTURAL ANSWER, THE

JUDEO/CHRISTIAN CONTRIBUTION TO THIS

MOST ELEMENTAL OF QUESTIONS, \"WHO ARE
ve.| We_aneGop's. | WE
THE EVOLUTIONARY ANSWER

THAT WE ARE THE LATEST IN THE PROCESS OF
Bre

we?") IS PROVO

BELONG TO Gop,

NATURAL SELECTIVITY WHICH HAS BEEN

UNFOLDING FOR. BILLIONS OF YEARS, IS A

ane sere ey IT IS NOT THE
Sa
WHOLE TRUTH.\| THE DNA.ANSWER IS AN

INCREDIBLE DISCOVERY, BUT IT DOES NOT
ed

EXHAUST THE TRUTH ABOUT us.| THERE ARE

15

BITS AND PIECES OF TRUTH ABOUT US IN
|

FREUD, MARX, AND SKINNER.| WE ARE MONEY
—_= —————

ea

EARNERS, | CONSUMERS, ACCUMULATORS,
BREATHERS, AND SLEEPERS. AND LOVE MAKERS

AND MUSIC...MAKERS AND WEAPONS ERS...
a ae

NONE OF WHICH CONTAINS THE ENIGMATIC,

PARADOXICAL REALITY OF OUR HUMANITY.

AND PERHAPS THE BEST OF ALL IS THE

OLDEST OF ALL - EARTH CREATURES, MADE OF
=e ay [Saas

HUMUS - MUD - | wrt Gop'S BREATH IN US.

BuT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
= oe

THE SCRIPTURE TRADITION SAYS ABOUT THE

HUMAN EQUATION IS THAT IT IS NOT THEO-

RETICAL - BUT EXISTENTIAL.\\ WHO WE ARE?
w

WHO YOU ARE? IS NOT FINALLY DETERMINED
eee

AT THE END OF A VIGOROUS DISCUSSION, OR

EVEN A BRILLIANT SERMON - RATHER WHO YOU
Ce]

ARE IS ESTABLISHED IN THE DECISIONS YOU

MAKE EVERY DAY... THE COMMITMENTS, THE

CAUSES WHICH TOUCH YOUR HEART AND WHICH

16

CALL OUT YOUR PASSION, YOUR COURAGE,
YOUR LOVE.
=
IF YOU WATCH LITTLE CHILDREN

—
YOU WILL OCCASIONALLY SEE THEM REACH

DEEP_ INSIDE, THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO DO
Sa
SOMETHING THEY NEVER DID BEFORE AND

AREN’T SURE THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING -
roa SE

up» DEKE "TAKING A TIRSISTEP + 3 THEY ARE
HUM AW MUMEN Tr

WONDERFUL MOMENTS - HOLY MOMENTS.
——- - ee
Petter REYERSy—FHE—¥OUNG—HERO—OFaleX

KOF0WETZS-SUPERB—BOCKj—THERE-Ape No

Cpdereemenebcrre—SeSE A BOVE THE HELL IN

(es ee

WHICH HE AND HIS FAMILY LIVE IN THE HENRY

HORNER HOMES TOREEACS, RISI@& ABOVE
THE FILTH AND PQYERTY AND MURDER OF HIS
oo |

FRIENDS, | AND THE DRUG ADDICTION OF HIS

FATHER AND ARREST OF HIS COUSIN AND

eee

BROTHER - RISIP@ ABOVE HIS CONSTANT

ers
+ TO DELIVER A BRIEF ORATION AT

‘ TERROR AND HIS STUTTER TO WIN A SPELLING
) Mier ee Sioa

HIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADUATION PER-
fer

17

FECTLY.A\ THE LITTLE BOY.OR GIRL, AT _BAT
WITH THE BASES LOADED, BOTTOM OF THE
LAST INNING (one au RUN BEHIND WITH PARENTS
SCREAMING, AND TEAMMATES PLEADING, WHO
SUDDENLY SHUTS IT ALL our,|\ AND SQUARES
em er Le
SHOULDERS AND gaw, \REACHES DOWN INSIDE

TO FIND THE SELF IN THERE AND DOES
ey

SOMETHING HE OR SHE HAS NEVER DONE

BEFORE - HITS THE BALL...

me OU AS GRIPPED AS I WAS last_yecr
WITH THE ret OF THOSE
——w

BRAVE RUSSIANS. WHO BPET°PHE

pre 47..YEAR-OLD GEQLOGY

— STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
WITH MUCH YOUNGER MEN AND WOMEN BEHIND

a

THE PATHETIC BARRICADE EN FROM OnmrHIE

RUQRRAREREANT - A PILE OF TWO BY
FOURS [ano RUSTY PIPE AND COUCHES AND
bere ed

GARBAGE CANS { starz DOWN ws BARREL

=
= a

OF A TANK CANON...\ WHEN IT WAS OVER A

WESTERN REPORTER ASKED HIM WHY HE DID

SS

18

THAT AND HE SAID 4 "A MAN SOONER OR LATER
————————
HAS TO DECIDE WHO HE rs..\ DECIDED
WHO I WAS.A._LONG TIME AGO, BUT JUST NOW
eT lly, Bere
HAD THE CHANCE TO SHOW rr."_]

WE DECIDE TO BE - WE ANSWER

THE QUESTION -| "WHo Am I?" NOT IN MEDI-
a —"

——w

TATION OR PRAYER OR THE SILENT RECESSES
Se jee

OF OUR SPIRITS - BUT IN COMMITMENT A WE

BECOME FULLY HUMAN IN THE CHOICES WE
HR

<a
MAKE.
AND - THIS - WE BECOME FULLY
Gee
HUMAN IN ENCOUNTER WITH OUR GOD. "WE DO

NOT KNOW OURSELVES TRULY EXCEPT AS

_\
KNOW OURSELVES CONFRONTED BY Gop."
ee

REINHOLD NIEBUHR SAID IN THE MIDDLE OF
HIS MAGNIFICENT TOME..4 AND IT REALLY
eS SS

SOUNDS LIKE A CONFESSION OF FarTH.\ IN

THE MYSTERY OF CONFRONTATION WITH THE
ene
ONE WHO CREATED US - WE BECOME FULLY
ee ae ST

HUMAN.

19

AND SO IT WAS ONE DAY JESUS, WITH
a —_——
HIS DISCIPLES, | ASKED THEM WHG OTHER
= ld

aces WERE SAYING HE WAS. AND_WH! WHEN

THEY :Y ANSWERED, HE ASKED WHO,
Sooeateecene

WAS.... | AND THE SUBJECT OF THIS | OF THIS INQUIRY
SEEMS TO BE HIM - HIS IDENTITY..{ “WHO
SS
DO YOU SAY THAT I am?" ) May T_PROP PR
—ee

THIS MORNING THAT ONE WAY TO UNDERSTAND
— =< a a

THAT FAMILIAR ENCOUNTER BETWEEN JESUS

AND PETER - IS AS THAT CONFRONTATION
ee

WHICH CALLS FORTH THE person, | THE EN-
tua

COUNTER WITH GOD - IN THE PERSON OF
—e

JESUS OF NAZARETH - WHICH FORCES A MAN
is:

TO BECOME A HUMAN BEING, FULLY AND
= Cc ee See

PASSIONATELY, AS NEVER BEFORE.
ee ——
["BLessep ARE You SIMON - YOU

eee
ARE PETER - ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD.”

BONHOEFFER’S POEM WHo Am I
qe

CONCLUDES POWERFULLY -

peed

20

"WHo Am I? | tazs OR THE OTHER
== =a i
Am I ONE PERSON.TQ-DAY AND TO-MORROW

ANOTHER?

Am I BOTH AT ONCE? ...

9
WHo Am I? HEY MOCK ME, THESE LONELY
QUESTIONS OF MINE.

WHOEVER I aM, THOU KNOWEST, O Gop, I AM

THINE!" \ —

AND SO THE QUESTION COMES TO
ee

EACH OF us.. | THe ENCOUNTER WITH OUR

Ea

S==n,

LORD WHO IN THE MIDST OF HUMAN LIFE
SSS

MEETS US -\ ano SOMETIMES qT_1s A MOMENT
SSS

Storr =e

OF AWE, STARING UP AT THE HEAVENS AND
ee Ses ee

SOMETIMES IT IS A TOUGH ETHICAL CHOICE,
—a -

AND SOMETIMES IT IS THE OVERWHELMINGLY

PASSIONATE DEPTH OF OUR LOVE, AND SOME-
a
TIMES, I THINK IT IS A MOM E THIS

- SITTING IN A PEW ON A SUNDAY MORNING
ane eee

AND HE ASKS -+\ "WHO DO YOU SAY_THAT I AM?"
EES

WHICH IS ALWAYS A WAY OF ASKING -| "WHO

ee — eee

21

ARE you? \ WHo WILL YOU se? | Who WILL YOU
ecg

= ae
BECOME?" m-
a
AND ALWAYS HE SAYS YOU ARE
fe,
[eee
PETER - YOU ARE - You ARE DON, JANE,

MARGARET, JOHN, You ARE PAUL..AND MARY

AND GEORGE...
—==
You ARE THE IMAGE OF Goo.| You

HA op’ REAT N You. \} YOU ARE MINE

AND L .\, I wILt LI U
I ove-voy. \\ W L 0
- AND ON YOU I WILL BUILD MY KINGDOM ON
EARTH.
Pr, &
Secret een ah

O Lord, OW Lord, \wu Wo cstix 3 Your Wan —
\ wr we look ab Ay World. Wom +t Stes _
wer laure as lode $. lad. wan \o oX at (M4

fantmrn hy Mute of our OU Wawra by
WL ore Anaredr ~aqu Croke,

“ale YUov Line Ciraty Use out cf 4
emrX . . * _ Lye read min ws Ugur CUA
22

of upur Moge — M Us..,
So SUR prey te gills of Aten
ao YOu + an Your eypertetr< i orpvel—+

UWS.
Crs tvs 4 dey Vs Wh Un ar - leas
Cryrrsh OW Lava