The Phoenix Affirmations
The Phoenix Affirmations: A New Vision for the Future of Christianity
By Eric Elnes
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006
Review by Carl McColman
Eric Elnes is a UCC minister and activist based in Arizona; he was instrumental in writing the list of twelve declarations for the future of the Christian faith known as the Phoenix Affirmations, both for the town in which they were crafted as well as the mythical symbolism of the fiery bird that is resurrected from its own pyre. This document calls the Christian community to a more self-conscious and intentional commitment to love as the foundation and cornerstone of the faith, with twelve points spelling out how love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self comprise the Christian life (you can read the current version of the Phoenix Affirmations online here). The Phoenix Affirmations are being promulgated particularly by Crosswalk America, an organization that bills itself as “where Christian compassion meets progressive action.” Meanwhile, this slender book offers an overview of the affirmations and the rationale behind them. (more…)
Killing the Innocent?
Will the state of Georgia execute an innocent man? Thanks to draconian death penalty laws passed when Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the House, it looks like the answer to this question could be yes. Read about Troy Davis who is scheduled to be executed on Monday, despite new evidence that suggests he’s innocent. Here is yet another example of why the death penalty remains inconsistent with Christian values.
Please pray for Mr. Davis, for the family members of the police officer killed in 1989, and for all those who now have to weigh the new evidence in Davis’ favor versus a system that makes it difficult if not impossible for a man like him to make one final appeal.
