Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday Reflection: Faith, optimism, redemption, and accountability
Here in Waco, the talk of the town is still the arrival of Ken Starr as the new president of Baylor. I have said my piece on that already, but opinions continue to be very mixed in this community.
When we are at our best, Christians are optimistic. We believe in redemption, and the ability of people to change and improve. We look to the example of Christ, who so often went to those who had done wrong, and urged them to do better. When he healed people, when he preached, when he showed us how to love, Christ spoke to what is best in us.
As Baylor enters this new era, I hope that those of us who are critical of Ken Starr can be optimistic-- that they can look to the man who led Pepperdine Law to new heights rather than other roles he has held in the more distant past.
However, there is a Christian challenge to the rest of us here at Baylor, too. When I look at the whole of Ken Starr's career (some of which I have been critical of in the past), what I see is a consistent theme of expecting accountability. This is the strand that links together his actions as Special Prosecutor and as dean at Pepperdine. In the former role,it would seem that he saw his role as holding the president accountable. In the latter, he expected the professors at Pepperdine to actually produce scholarship and quality teaching, even as this was expressed most often in a positive rather than a negative way.
Those who doubt Ken Starr should offer him the chance of redemption in this new role, even as we prepare for an era in which expectations are raised-- for both Judge Starr and ourselves.
Accountability and a belief in redemption-- is that such a bad recipe for a Christian University?
I continue to hope for the best.
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Well put.
I should like to add that optimism (and pesimissim for that matter) have their origin in human will and perspective. As is so often with the human will, our related perceptions can be quite distorted. Thus, we have the very real phenomenon of overly optimistic or pessimistic perceptions of reality with the corresponding personalities who adopt the same.
No leader is perfect, including Mr. Starr or those leaders or otherwise who are extraordinarily critical of his past work. This is not to say that there is no room for criticism, for most certainly there is room for constructive dialogue and criticism which seeks to raise all the boats as it were. I know that I am far (caps please) from perfect in every avenue of my life as well.
May I suggest, however, that instead of optimism that we look to hope, which along with faith, is forward looking and is made possible by Grace which is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
Also within the covenantal relationship, redemption and accountability, take on new meaning when we view them in light of God's grace and when we seek to honestly cultivate humility in our own lives and through the challenging practice of examination, confession, and repentance.
Grace is a wonderful gift but it calls us to charitable living in relation to ourselves, and especially others, and this is where loving our neighbor begins.
Bless President Starr as he begins his ministry as President among you.
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I should like to add that optimism (and pesimissim for that matter) have their origin in human will and perspective. As is so often with the human will, our related perceptions can be quite distorted. Thus, we have the very real phenomenon of overly optimistic or pessimistic perceptions of reality with the corresponding personalities who adopt the same.
No leader is perfect, including Mr. Starr or those leaders or otherwise who are extraordinarily critical of his past work. This is not to say that there is no room for criticism, for most certainly there is room for constructive dialogue and criticism which seeks to raise all the boats as it were. I know that I am far (caps please) from perfect in every avenue of my life as well.
May I suggest, however, that instead of optimism that we look to hope, which along with faith, is forward looking and is made possible by Grace which is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
Also within the covenantal relationship, redemption and accountability, take on new meaning when we view them in light of God's grace and when we seek to honestly cultivate humility in our own lives and through the challenging practice of examination, confession, and repentance.
Grace is a wonderful gift but it calls us to charitable living in relation to ourselves, and especially others, and this is where loving our neighbor begins.
Bless President Starr as he begins his ministry as President among you.
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