Living into Hope: A Call to Spiritual Action for Such a Time as This

by Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, Karen Armstrong (Foreword by)

Overview

Step beyond the walls of the church and into the thick of humanity.

"Joan Brown Campbell's career can be regarded as prophetic. For Joan, faith has meant engagement with the world and its pain. Her words remind us that at its best, religion should not narrow our horizons, but enable us to live more fully; should not cause us to withdraw from the world, but to do our utmost to make it a better place."
—from the Foreword by Karen Armstrong

Drawing on her amazing life experiences, Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell speaks out on the pressing issues that face us today: love, justice, reconciliation, forgiveness and community. With a bold, distinctive voice, this visionary minister asserts that we have the capacity to transcend the barriers that separate us from one another. She poses that "Who is my neighbor?" may be the most crucial question in our world where so many are hungry and hurting and weary of war. She calls us to live life fully—not carefully or cautiously, but wholly engaged with the world and with the messiness of humanity. She dares us to act as the people we are called and created to be—to claim our freedom to care, to risk and to step out into the unknown.

Capturing the essence of her wisdom gained from years of world travel and experience, Campbell offers inspiration and challenge for all who would claim their lives as people of hope.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594734366
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	10/01/2012
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, former executive director of the United States office of the World Council of Churches and former general secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, is director of religion at the historic Chautauqua Institution. She currently serves as chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women and is one of the founding members of the Council of Sages for Karen Armstrong's Charter for Compassion initiative. Rev. Dr. Campbell is a highly sought-after lecturer.

Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell is available to speak on the following topics:

• The Gift of Age
• Our Interfaith Future
• The Vision of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Twenty-First Century
• A Woman of the Movement: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
• The Story of the Global Women's Peace Initiative

Karen Armstrong is the bestselling author of The Case for God, among other books. A powerful voice for ecumenical understanding, she was instrumental in creating, launching and propagating the Charter for Compassion, a global, multifaith cooperative effort to restore compassionate thinking and action to the center of religious, moral and political life.

Table of Contents

Foreword Karen Armstrong xi

Acknowledgments xv

Introduction xvii

Part 1 Love and Unity 1

Love Matters 3

Bearing Down in Love 11

Who Is My Neighbor? 19

One Shepherd, One Flock 27

Part 2 Reconciliation and Renewal 35

Sacred Conversation 37

Prodigals and the Path to Peace 49

For Such a Time as This 59

The Beloved Community 67

Part 3 Faith, in Action 77

The Road to Jerusalem 79

Dangerous Dreams 89

Science and Religion 97

On Prayer 109

Discussion Guide

Introduction to the Discussion Guide 119

Love Matters 120

Bearing Down in Love 125

Who Is My Neighbor? 129

One Shepherd, One Flock 134

Sacred Conversation 138

Prodigals and the Path to Peace 142

For Such a Time as This 147

The Beloved Community 152

The Road to Jerusalem 157

Dangerous Dreams 162

Science and Religion 167

On Prayer 172

About the Discussion Guide Authors 176

Notes 177

Editorial Reviews

"Sermon collections are common but great sermons are rare. This is a collection of great ones. Joan Brown Campbell, in her inimitable warm, clear and penetrating way, makes scripture come alive and life more meaningful than the average day's events would ordinarily signal it to be. Read this collection of pointed and powerful sermons and begin to see both scripture and life in a new and intimate dynamic."
—Joan Chittister, OSB, St. Scholastica Priory; coauthor, Uncommon Gratitude: Alleluia for All That Is

"A cornucopia of relevant truths eloquently presented with sensitivity, integrity and passion…. Offers readers a rare opportunity to experience inspiration while learning history from the vivid stories of a compassionate agent. After you read this book, if you know someone who may not or cannot read this book, please read it to them."
—Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president, Interfaith Alliance

"Joan Brown Campbell's prophetic words are driven by a pastor's caring heart. She lives with holy hope for all the world—and invites us also to live that way!"
—Rev. Albert M. Pennybacker, former pastor, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

“[Unites] a remarkable life of engagement with the important and often difficult issues of our time…. A fascinating, inspiring and helpful book.”
—Rev. John M. Buchanan, pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago; editor/publisher, the Christian Century

“Joan Campbell’s voice is an essential voice in the interfaith community today. [Here] she beautifully describes her own life experiences and how they point to the need for greater unity among the religions and understanding of our deep interdependence…. This book is a must read for all Christians and people of faith everywhere.”
—Dena Merriam, founder and convener, Global Peace Initiative of Women

“Joan Brown Campbell is a titan among ministers. She brings a deep love of the gospel and commitment to justice that is reminiscent of the prophetic words of Amos and the just actions of Sojourner Truth. Every person of faith will do well to read this prophetic work.”
—Rev. Otis Moss III, senior pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ

“Joan Campbell’s vision of a world where people of every faith are honored is clearly and profoundly set forth. You will read every word again and again. As Muslim leaders, we are grateful to Joan for sharing her gifts.”
—Daisy Khan and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, American Society for Muslim Advancement

“These stories of faith and love are treasures that touch moments in history and share lessons for all time. Enjoy the thought-provoking discussions that emerge as you read and share my mother’s life.”
—Jane Louise Campbell, former mayor of Cleveland; Joan Brown Campbell’s daughter

“Emblematic of her inclusive theology. 'We are the Children of God,’ she regularly intones, and with reverence and intent develops our understanding of the blessings and obligations of that fact.”
—Thomas M. Becker, president, Chautauqua Institution

“Powerful testimonies from a lifetime of a pioneering Christian woman. The reflections and prayers open up the lessons we can all learn from Joan’s stories. I commend the stories and the storyteller to you.”
—Jim Wallis, president, Sojourners; author, Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street

From the Publisher

Joan Brown Campbell, former executive director of the U.S. office of the World Council of Churches and former general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, is director of religion at the historic Chautauqua Institution. She currently serves as chair of the Global Initiative of Women and is one of the founding members of the Council of Sages for Karen Armstrong's Charter for Compassion Initiative. In this book, Campbell tells the story of her life and ponders the challenges that face Christian communities and the world's religions. Her life and ministry have been a vivid testimony to the importance of faith in action. Another mainstay of her life is hope:

"Life has taught me that hope is born in the eye of the storm. Hope is not happiness. Rather it is the fulfillment that comes from a life that takes risks and loves deeply and falls and soars and falls and rises again."

In a series of vignettes and stories, some from her own life and others from brothers and sisters in the human family, Campbell pays tribute to love "which shows us what matters" the noble dream of unity and the long way we still have to go to achieve it, and the trust that emanates from true religion. Noting the continuing divisiveness of racism and the need for truth and reconciliation, she emphasizes the importance of being able to empathize with all those whose countries are torn by war and who yearn for freedom.

Over the years, the author has thought about what the journey of faith entails. She shares a seven point summary of it:

1. Do not underrate the cost of the journey.
2. Begin at the beginning.
3. Claim the healing touch.
4. Break down the barriers that divide.
5. Forgive abundantly.
6. Take up your cross.
7. Be open to God's surprises.

Campbell also writes about Karen Armstrong's Charter for Compassion and the valid uses of both science and religion. There is a section of prayers as well as an extensive study guide with scripture references, discussion guides and prayer prompts for each chapter of the book.

Spirituality & Practice - Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Before Joan Brown Campbell was ordained as a minister at age 50, she stayed home to raise three children. Today she is 80 and, after holding top positions with national religious groups and working with the likes of Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Martin Luther King Jr., she is still preaching, writing and scheduling lectures for her job at the Chautauqua Institution, a center for religion, the arts, education and recreation in Upstate New York. In 2010, she was awarded the Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award, which promotes tolerance and public dialogue on controversial issues, and she published a book, "Living into Hope: A Call to Spiritual Action for Such a Time as This." Is facing death any easier after a lifetime of religious activism? “You are never ready to die,” said Campbell, a wavy-haired grandmother of eight. “You always think there is one more child to be born or one more wedding to go to. There's one more funeral you think you ought to be there.” Campbell spoke with The Post recently about how a woman of the cloth deals with aging.

Has your faith changed as you have aged?

I have become much less concerned about the literal nature of the Bible — from whence it came, from how it came. I do believe the Bible, having lasted for 2,000 years or more, is a source of truth and guidance in our lives. It is a God-blessed document. I don’t doubt that. I am very much a God believer.

My daughter nearly died last year. She had knee surgery and got a terrible staph infection. She happens to be fine now, but we prayed. I am pretty convinced she came through this because people prayed for her and cared about her. In that sense I am very much a believer.

One of my great experiences in life is becoming friends with Carl Sagan. He would say, “You are so smart; why do you believe in God?” And I would say to him, “Carl, you are so smart; why don’t you believe in God?” We had great discussions about if I could prove there was God. Of course, you can’t.

What do you think happens after death?

I don’t believe personally that someone goes to hell. They probably live on, in some ways. I don’t see God as a punishing god in that particular way.

I don’t know what is beyond us. I would not want to deny that there is something beyond us, but we don’t know. Will I be reunited again with my father? Will I see my mother again? I don’t know.

I feel my mother. She is in my life in many ways. I will tell you a funny way. When I go to preach in Chautauqua, and it can be very hot in the summer, I always wear stockings. My mother would not have it that I was in front of the whole congregation without stockings. We may be gone, but we aren’t gone from hearts and minds of those left behind.

Do you think about death?

I have to preach a lot about the afterlife. I do a number of funerals. I always say at funerals what I truly believe: What will happen to us is not known to us.

What we do know is what we leave behind. If people believe that there is a heaven — and I am not saying I don’t believe in that — but if they believe there is some sort of real-estate view of heaven, I don’t try to straighten that out at the funeral. What I do say is: Regardless of the unknown, and we must say none of us know what happens to us after our bodily death . . . what we did when we were alive is very important.

Are you afraid of death?

I am not afraid of it. I am not in a rush to get there. I want to avoid it as long as I can and be healthy enough to enjoy life. As long as I am given that opportunity, I will take that.

I don’t feel I will disappear. I am already blessed with 80 years. I feel as though the people who I love and care about — and I am less concerned if my books live on; the older I get, the more my family is precious to me — they are me after I am gone.

I am not hooked to a magical something, but I do think there is a presence. I don’t know what it is. I don’t stew about it a lot. It would give me great comfort if there were actually a place. It would give me great comfort to know my children were all right and their children and their children, whom I will never see, but I don’t think there is.

My granddaughter asked me at my 75th birthday, “What does it feel like to have more years behind you than ahead of you?” That is a very profound question, because you might not be so happy with the years ahead of you if the years behind you were laden with all kinds of things you were sorry about.

The years behind me were good years. Many people feel they have a lot to fix in their years left. I don’t feel burdened with that.

What fears do you have?

One of my great fears is that at some point I will lose my capacity to read, and I am a reader.

I have macular degeneration. I am very fortunate that I have been a patient at the Cleveland Clinic since the beginning, and they were experimenting with vitamins as a way to deal with macular degeneration. My eyes have stayed the same. They haven’t changed. I can read quite well. I do find myself getting very tired when I read. I can use the big print.

The gift of the iPad is wonderful, as you can expand the letters. It is a huge gift, which I am sure they never thought about when they invented it, but it is a huge gift to people who have something like macular degeneration that affects so many older people.

I fear not working. I fear not having a clear mind. I value very much what work does for you and pushes you to do things. I think you always have work to do.

I worry I am not good at all the new electronics. I worry about not being in touch. I see people who do lose touch. I want to be present in my life. I am not afraid of people not liking me or making a mistake. I am more fearful I won’t have the capacity to be fully in touch with new ideas and younger people.

I fear loneliness that comes with age, where people are not physically able to do the things that keep them going.

I am very much kept alive by other people. I love people. I love having them in my house. I love having dinners. I had 14 people to Christmas dinner. To think I couldn’t cook a Christmas meal would be sad.

What else do you notice about getting older?

I just came back from three weeks in Africa, where I was out in the wild.

I will not say it isn’t harder as you get older. Your body doesn’t work as well. Walking over rocky roads is hard without having someone to hang on to. You have to give up on your pride that you can do it without anyone to help you. I think the most important thing to say is “Give me a hand. I really need someone to help me walking over this rocky road in the middle of the night in Africa.”

One thing you have to learn about aging is [that] not everything in your mind or your body is going to work exactly like it did when you were 50.

I take a lot of vitamins. I eat right. [But] I don’t exercise. I know I should do more of that.

Are there good things about aging?

The older people I know who are happy have something beyond themselves: a cause, a belief that they can get interested in. It takes you out of yourself, which is one of the gifts of a career. You get up in the morning and you go. You are confronted with things you can’t even know. It pushes you to be challenged.

The gift of age is that you are more secure in who you are. You know who are. You know what you have done. You are more free of ambition and wishing and wanting. The friendships you have are precious and important.

I have the privilege of doing the wedding of my oldest grandchild. Who ever got to live to marry a grandchild?

The Washington Post