Love matters:  love of God, love for each other, love for neighbor.

            Family matters. The family is our glue, our safety net, our sanctuary.

            Faith matters.  We need faith to point us to tomorrow. We need to believe in something    outside ourselves.

            Friendship matters. Friends are necessary for a sense of well-being, a feeling that we         belong.

            Home matters. We need a place where we feel safe, secure, valued.

            Freedom matters. We need freedom to thrive as individuals and as a society.

            Fairness matters. Every human being has a built in sense of what is right.

            Integrity matters. If I lose myself, I lose everything.

            Civility matters. If I demand respect for myself, I must also grant it to you.

            Truth matters.  It is necessary that we strive for truth or else life becomes unbearable.

            Laughter matters. Laughter is present in every culture and every animal. It binds all of       nature. It is nature’s medicine.

            Music matters. Music soothes us, inspires us, excites us and unites us.

            Honor matters. I am who I say I am.

            Country matters. Country gives us identity and purpose.

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First Baptist Church of Charleston: Originally adopted by the church August 21, 1791.

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Jan 25, 2010 14:17 EST

ALESSANDRA TARANTINO

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a Vespers ceremony at St. Paul outside the walls’ Basilica in Rome, Monday, Jan. 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

He urged Christians to overcome their differences through dialogue so that they can unite their efforts to influence debates in society on ethical issues like abortion, euthanasia and the limits of science and technology.

Benedict was leading a Vespers service in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls to mark the end of a week that the Vatican each year dedicates to prayers for Christian unity.

The pontiff has made better relations among Christians an important aim of his papacy.

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Striving for the Greater Gifts

                The Apostle ends 1 Corinthians 12 with the following exhortation: “But strive for the greater gifts.”  As summation of his discussion of how the many members of the Body of Christ can work together and as prelude to the beloved next chapter on love, St. Paul knows that sustained unity amidst diversity taxes even the best among us.  At the first hint of conflict persons nervously move away from one another, fearful of what might damage the relationship. Yet they ensure that the relationship will be damaged by refusing to enter into transformative conflict.  The most mature relationships are characterized by conflict, not forced unanimity which subjugates one party to another.

                Richard P. Olson, Distinguished Professor of Pastoral Theology at Central, has recently published Love Letter to a Conflicted Church. He offers distilled wisdom  from over 40 years in pastoral ministry on how to engage conflict constructively. He writes: “…there are redemptive and transforming possibilities in conflict. Through conflict a person can become more self aware, articulate, and personally empowered. Not only that—one can learn to see the other as a human being, a child of God, one with struggles and needs much like one’s own. Indeed, redemption can happen in conflict when one obeys Jesus to love both neighbor and self” (p. 21). These are words to live by, indeed to “fight” by. I commend his insightful work.

                Another scholar I respect, Mitch Carnell, a Baptist layperson in Charleston, S.C., has issues a clarion call for a different kind of discourse than what populates the varied radio and cable news talk shows. In his book Christian Civility in an Uncivil World, he suggests that a challenge greater than the political arena may be in bringing people of faith together to practice the way of civility. The purpose of his book is “to explore ways for people of faith to talk to and about each other in a way that glorifies God and advances God’s kingdom” (p.14). Our stewardship of words matters.

                While I am not sure what all the Apostle had in mind when he referred to the “greater gifts,” surely he was urging the Corinthians (and those who listen to the epistle today) to learn how to live with others respectfully. In Pauline theology, one of the functions of the Spirit of God is to assist persons in bearing the strains of their differences in a constructive way. Learning to “speak the truth in love” and not “to think too highly of oneself” are grace gifts worth striving for in our day.

                                Molly T. Marshall

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1. How would you describe your calling and mission as a writer and as a Christian?

            My calling as a Christian is to live a life that reflects my faith in Jesus and that causes others to want to share in that faith. My calling and mission as a Christian writer is to communicate the love of God and the blessings of being a member of His family to everyone I can in the simplest and most loving way possible. I want to encourage and help others to share their faith and convictions in ways that glorify God and honors fellow Christians. 

2. Which books have had the greatest impact on your ministry?

            It would be difficult to name all of the books that have influenced my life. Other than the Bible, five that have had great influence on me are: As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, Communicating for Life by Quentin Schultze, Uncommon Decency by Richard Mouw, Words That Hurt, Words That Heal by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin and The Power of Positive Thinking. by Norman Vincent Peale.
3. How important do you feel writing is in the world of religion?

            Writing is important for many reasons. Many people are drawn to reading who would not listen to a sermon. Many are drawn to reading for inspiration, encouragement, comfort and entertainment. Others are seeking explanations, information, clarification or guidance. There must be a variety of resources available and at varying levels for all of these seekers. Books and articles can be read and digested when there are small tidbits of time available or while waiting for other things to happen. The Internet opens a great venue for both writers and readers.

4. When did you first become interested in writing?

            I became interested in writing in the sixth grade when our teacher introduced us to poetry and then had us practice writing poems of our own. After initially dismissing the idea, I experienced some success and was hooked. My first paid story was published when I was in the eighth grade.

5. What are the great joys in writing for you?

            The great joy in writing for me is when I receive a note or telephone call from someone who tells me that a particular piece has helped him or her in some way. After I wrote about the death of my first wife, a woman called to say that she had posted the article on her refrigerator so she could read it often and that it had helped her re-engage life after a difficult and traumatic situation. 

6. What events led up to you writing Christian Civility in an Uncivil World?

            Christian Civility in an Uncivil World, grew out of my deep concern about the direction rhetoric is taking in our society and especially the way many denominations, churches and individuals are treating one another. Some groups are taking out full page newspaper advertisements denouncing and demonizing other Christian organizations. My experiences at the Chautauqua Institution in New York State and with the John Hamrick Lectures at First Baptist Church of Charleston, SC let me experience that people of different backgrounds, experiences, and faith traditions could engage in civil discourse without rancor. Because of my background in the field of communication, I felt a deep calling to use whatever knowledge, skills and abilities I have to help Christians of all backgrounds find a way to communicate with and about each other and with non-Christians in a way that would glorify God.
7. How do you feel Christian Civility in an Uncivil World can impact the reader and/or small groups?

            My prayer is that individual Christians as well as small groups will receive the book in the spirit that it is written and that each person will consider its message. I hope that small groups will discuss the issues thoroughly and then resolve to help change the dialogue in their faith community. My greatest hope is that the book with its distinguished list of religious thinkers will help move us toward a dialogue that creates more understanding than heat and disrespect. We will never agree on all the issues that divide us, but we can agree to respect each other as brothers and sisters in Christ with the same Creator.
8. Briefly describe your current ministry.

            I am an active lay member of my church where I serve on the diaconate. I am deeply involved in promoting Say Something Nice Sunday on the first Sunday in June each year and hope to see it adopted by churches and denominations nationwide. I continue to write, speak, and conduct seminars on improving communication. I am currently involved in writing a book tracing my own faith journey. My lifelong mission is to help give voice to those who have no voice.

9. Outside of your ministry, how do you enjoy spending time?

            My wife, Carol, and I enjoy traveling, attending plays and concerts and getting together with friends and family.

10. What would readers be surprised to know about you?

            Readers might be surprised to know that I have had a passionate interest in politics since going with my dad, who was a precinct worker, to the polls when I was in elementary school. I miss the great orators of the past and am dismayed at our reliance on misleading and inaccurate sound bites.
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