Marginal Christianity

Notes -Last in a series of five laments after the two introductory sins (Pss.1 & 2) -theme of refuge ties this psalm back to 2:12. “ Taking refuge in the Lord or making the Lord one’s refuge is a favorite and frequent metaphor in the psalms for the religious act of trusting one’s life to the care of God in uncertain or threatening situations. . . . The prayer itself is a way of taking shelter in the providence and salvation of God.” (Mays, James Luther.  The Lord Reigns: A Theological Handbook to the Psalms.  Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1994, 63) -God the judge (vv.6, 11) is highlighted here. -Again, we do not know the specificities of attack here. Gerstenberger writes: “ Psalm 7 . . . as well as the other laments, does not report a single incident, for instance, of somebody being accused of theft. Rather, the complaint represents an accumulation of the agonies of generations of supplicants facing unfounded charges of various types.” (Gerstenberger, Erhard S.  Psalm

I want to share with you a remarkable address given by the Reverend Jonathan Krogh of First Presbyterian Church of La Grange, IL at the 2019 Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast in his city. From his place of white privilege Jonathan undertakes a repentant reflection on what Jesus, “ an indigenous, brown, colonized man,” means for his empire, privilege-loving white followers in America. It is well worth, more than well worth, the time to read. Jonathan’s words will stay with you as they have stayed with me. Prayerfully, humbly read and reflect on them. It will cost you much to take his words seriously. But the end is well worth it! I will continue to reflect on his words here over the next few days. ----------------------------------------------- In preparation for this morning’s remarks I read the following words in a December 26  New Yorker article by Eliza Griswold entitled “Evangelicals of Color Fight Back Against the Religious Right.” Quoting social activist Sharon Harper