In recent weeks, I have found myself lamenting the loss of political courage. In the current climate of election year politics and political pandering, one is left longing for the truly courageous voice to speak against the negativity and the truly courageous act to stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.
In 1955 John F. Kennedy, then the junior Senator from Massachusetts wrote a book about political courage. In one of the more memorable quotes from the book, Kennedy wrote: entitled Profiles in Courage. It chronicled the lives of Senators, some well-known and others not so much so, who had spoken out against injustice, stood on principle and shown courage in their words and by their actions, in spite of the political costs and consequences. The book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957.
“In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience – the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men – each man must decide for himself the course he will follow. The stories of past courage can define that ingredient – they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul.”
I have found myself reflecting on this book and especially on the quote above. In the current climate, political courage seems at times, virtually non-existent. Self interest regularly wins out over the common good. The voices of hope and inspiration are regularly silenced by the cacophonies of curmudgeonly clichés that dominate the airwaves. Politicians must pander to the lowest denominator to get elected and then must often stoop even lower to stay in office.
In his book Children of Light and Children of Darkness, the great 20th Century theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr, wrote:
“Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible; but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.”
And, if I might paraphrase Niebuhr:
“The human capacity for courage can make the Biblical narrative more accessible and relevant; but the human inclination to act discouragingly can make the Biblical narrative less appealing, but even more important.”
Make no mistake about it, the Bible is a very political book, filled with examples of those who acted courageously amid very political circumstances. Think of Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Esther, Ruth, John the Baptist and Paul, just to name a few. Their stories, when coupled with our own stories, can be both instructional as well as inspirational.
Where are the calls and demands for courage coming from in your life? What risks are you being called to take? What stands are you being asked to make? How are you responding?
During the month of August, I will be preaching a series of sermons at University United Methodist Church entitled Profiles in Courage. This series will examine selected characters from the Bible and ask: “What can we learn from their actions and their words that can inspire us, offer us hope and help us determine the course we must follow?”
Join us at 8:30 and 11:00 each week beginning on August 5th at 3350 Dalrymple Drive.
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