A Spiritual Awakening : Part 7

Failing America's Faithful: How Today's Churches Are Mixing God with Politics and Losing Their Way
by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend

(Page 7 of 7)

I believe many Americans yearn for a public ethic, one that reconciles the wisdom contained in the First Amendment of the Constitution with the values of religious faith. The First Amendment prohibits the state establishment of religion and protects one's ability to practice one's religion, and both these rights must be respected and preserved. Whereas we often talk about the wall separating religion and government, my sense is that a wall is the wrong metaphor; a window would be more appropriate. Religion stands on one side of the window, but it can provide the understanding and motivation to act on the other side. The question is how to achieve this. To find the answer, we must examine what we have lost and try to recover the community spirit that has been at the heart of religious observance in this country.

We must learn to treat all people as our neighbors, and love them as ourselves. We share so much. We share in God's creation and in His blessings. We all have hopes and dreams. All yearn for a life of purpose. And each of us at different times is confronted with the death of loved ones, with disappointment, with sadness. Still, we can each know the courage of our fellow human beings who deal bravely with sickness, find satisfaction in some success, in finding love, in serving others, in leaving the world better.

It is up to us to be a good neighbor in the literal and biblical sense, in acts of compassion both large and small, and to try to improve those public places and services so that the public welfare can be served and neighbors we don't see can enjoy the liberty that comes from knowing that the schools are good, health care is available, the environment safe and healthy.

We can certainly all agree that we are called to protect the earth for future generations; that we should not elect a government that favors the rich over the poor with tax breaks and other benefits; that we cannot allow ourselves to fear our neighbor and therefore that we must fight violence, gangs, and drug use; that discrimination against and oppression of any group - be they minorities, gays, women, or anyone else - is an un-American conduct we cannot abide. There are so many routes in the pursuit to justice, and my hope is that you will choose one of them. I promise that if you do, you will begin to transform the world. I found that to be true for my father, for Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, César Chávez, Philip and Daniel Berrigan. And I've seen its transformative power with so many around the world - Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lech Walesa, Andrei Sakharov, and the comadres in El Salvador. These are heroes on a superhuman scale. We may not match their efforts, and we may become discouraged along the way, just as they did, but these are not reasons for us not to try.

I write this book as a way of sharing what my faith has meant to me, but more important, as a way of reminding us how the United States has been shaped by progressive religious traditions. At its best, this tradition has made America a more inclusive, just, and fair nation. Christians and non-Christians alike can learn from this tradition to understand how faith can serve to unify our country, rather than divide it. Our history is rich with inspiring stories. In thinking about the barriers to living out those traditions today, I offer suggestions on how the churches in this era can link the most profound of their teachings to the unsolved problems of our time.

I write about how women's lives intersect with the church and with its teachings, and I focus on individuals - many of whom are personal heroes of mine due to the extraordinary moral example of their lives - who can also help point the way. My hope is that each of us is able to see our best selves reflected in those who have gone before us and will decide to take action in ways that are most needed, whether in our families, churches, communities, or in politics.

When I was young I thought of becoming a nun, but by the time I was twelve years old, I knew that wasn't going to be my path. Yet I also was sure that I would always ask myself if I was doing God's work here on earth. This is the message the Bible offers us. The Scriptures remind us not only that we must love God and that God loves us, but that we must love our neighbor. The Scriptures insist not only that we have a responsibility to create a better spiritual self, but that the spiritual self is inextricably combined with the mission of creating a more just community, society, and world.

The teachings of all religious traditions have always emphasized sacrifice, duty, caring for the least among us, and loving our neighbor. Once we feel connected to those who share our world, we cannot be truly free so long as there are those who are hungry, sick, and living under oppression. Improving our own lives with goods, power, publicity - even with a spiritual connection to God - is not enough. Each of us wants to know whether what we've done has made life better for others. This aspiration is part of the human condition, as is underscored in my Catholic tradition. We all suffer, and our suffering can take us into ourselves, our family, our group, or our suffering can open us to the suffering of others outside our immediate circle. Greater love hath no man than he who gives up his life for his friends, but the fact is that Jesus gave up His life for generations unknown to Him. If we aspire to give as Jesus did, we will find that our hearts are opened to others, so that we are moved to render goodness unto our fellow human beings.

This is hard work, but it is also work that brings untold joy in the effort. I have often thought how fortunate I am to be in a position to make a difference, to feel part of a cause greater than myself, and to be doing worthy work. There may be a sports like competitive aspect to all of this. Certainly in the heat of the fight, I feel my own blood rising in the effort to win. But if part of human nature is to improve, better ourselves, and develop our skills - so much the better. Battling the forces of evil and working for social justice can be the ultimate self-help. Action in service to others can be the path to satisfaction and salvation. Let us begin the journey.

Copyright © 2007 by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend

About the Author

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the eldest child of Robert F. Kennedy, worked in the U.S. Department of Justice before serving two terms as Maryland's lieutenant governor. She has taught at Georgetown University and the University of Pennsylvania, speaks regularly on political and religious issues, and is engaged in philanthropic work. She and her husband have raised four daughters and live in Baltimore.