She could have been my cousin!

Elena Kagan, President Obama’s most recent nominee to the Supreme Court, looks and sounds like anyone of my cousins. Maybe that makes her less scary to me. She’s so familiar—from the mild pinch in her voice, to the soft r’s in her speech, to her facial features and even to her body morph. Even more so, it’s Miss Kagan’s worldview—her philosophy of life—that pervaded my own upbringing. So, in that way, she’s definitely one of my “peeps.” For me, the only thing that is unusual about her is that her idiosyncrasies—unlike those of my cousins—could, very soon, become the law of the land.

What I learned about Elena Kagan this week was, well, at the same time a lot—and nothing at all. What I learned was, again, oh so familiar. She’s the quintessential Northeastern liberal–make that, the epitome of the New England liberal, cast in an ethnically Jewish personality. (During my growing up years, my father’s side was almost entirely in Connecticut.) At the same time, on the legal front, none of us really learned anything at all. What people saw was a likable and unflappable personality (she stuttered in only a couple of exchanges), but she largely deflected the pointed questions and gave only bland and ambiguous answers on the really salient subjects.

One certainty I think anyone one of us could take away from the committee inquiry is that Miss Kagan engaged, at least at one time, in pro-abortion activism. This point is quite significant. We haven’t really had an unapologetic, politically oriented abortion activist on the Court since the late Harry Blackmun, the author of Roe v. Wade. (And he didn’t start out his professional career that way, as Miss Kagan apparently did.)  So, Miss Kagan, as “Justice Kagan,” could turn out to be Harry Blackmun revivified on the High Bench—and then some. That would be a bad thing. Having said that, though, let me tell you what I harbor in my heart for the likely and near-future Justice Kagan.

Although (we’re told), Miss Kagan had a falling out with the Orthodox Judaism of her childhood, she still has a Jewish conscience in her soul. (There is no indication she has utterly repudiated her Jewish roots—culturally or religiously.) This is hopeful. The Great Apostle Paul (and former Rabbi Saul) wrote of those who may not apparently know God, “the work of the law [is] written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness” (see Romans 2:15). A seed of conscience can always be nurtured. I’m convinced for most of us, the older we get, the richer is the soil of our hearts and, therefore, the better are the chances the seed of conscience can sprout—and even grow.

Should the Judiciary Committee vote this month to recommend Miss Kagan to the full Senate for a vote; and should she subsequently receive a majority of “Yea” votes in August (both outcomes are a virtual fait accompli), she will be sworn in as the next sitting associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. That’s when our work begins. Faith and Action will call the people of God to pray for Justice Kagan, and we will do everything God enables us to do to persuade her to return to the roots of her conscience, which are found in God’s Word, and epitomized in the Great Commandments.

The success of this endeavor is predicated on building an amicable relationship with Miss Kagan, starting now. So, at the expense of criticism from our friends and allies, we will continue to treat Nominee Kagan (the presumptive Justice Kagan) with all due respect, deference and generosity. For those who think we are compromising by doing so, I would hope they would consult the entirety of God’s Word on the treatment of others—including enemies—before rendering a final verdict on us.

To review or catch up with the Kagan confirmation, be sure to go to http://www.c-span.org/Special/Supreme-Court-Kagan-Senate-Confirmation-Hearing.aspx.

Rob +

As you well know by now, the US Senate confirmation hearing for President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Elena Kagan, is underway. At this hour “General Kagan” (as her title has her after her service us US Solicitor General) is seated at the chair and desk I anointed with oil during our prayer service last week. You may have also seen the members of the Judiciary Committee up on the dais making their opening remarks. Chairman Patrick Leahy is in the chair I paused to pray over a little longer, asking God to help the committee conduct a hearing marked by “Truth.”

Faith and Action chief of program, Peggy Nienaber, is in that room while I’m out on the West Coast beginning an extensive speaking tour. This is the first hearing in recent times that I haven’t been in the room praying and observing. This time I’m monitoring from afar while Peggy E-mails, texts and tweets her observations to me. Together we will file reports for you each day and pass along other information that will help you to pray, evaluate and inform your senators about what you think of our prospective next top judge–who will likely serve for 30 or more years.

I trust you’re taking all this very seriously.

Before I sign off, let me just say that the US Senate has lost an extraordinary member in 92-year old Robert Byrd. He was one-of-kind. A faithful Baptist who taught Sunday school virtually all his adult life, he had also memorized the entire US Constitution. In fact, he was one of the few members of either house of Congress who actually daily carried in his coat pocket both a Constitution AND a Declaration of Independence. Senator Byrd could also be an enigma, though. He would often rail against an issue and even flail his pocket-edition Constitution in the air, but then go ahead and vote for what he was denouncing. Of course, there are no perfect politicians, but I’d sure take another Robert Byrd over many others. May God rest his soul.

Rob +

During a visit this week to my precious mother at the St. Francis nursing home in Buffalo, New York, I had an unexpected reunion with Beryl Kinney, the first person to clearly share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with my twin brother, Paul, and me, when we were teenagers. She had come to visit Mom, too. Beryl was also the one to lead my mother to the stage at a conference center where the famed Dale Evans Rogers had just shared her testimony of faith in Christ. That night, in 1977, Mom gave her heart to the Lord.

Beryl is as vivacious in early 80’s as she was when Paul and I first met her 37 years ago. A devout Catholic, she is also one of the most multi-denominational Christians I’ve ever known. She’s as comfortable with Baptists as she is with Pentecostals, Presbyterians or Methodists. To Beryl, if you confess Jesus as Lord, you’re a member of the same family.

This generosity of spirit–that is, accepting and affirming all of God’s people–is what the word “ecumenical” means. I know it’s a bad word in some circles, but it never has been to me. As Beryl introduced my brother and me to Jesus, she also introduced us to His household–Christians of every label, tradition and style.

After making our public professions of faith in Christ at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, we learned quickly how to enjoy everything “the church” had to offer. We went to Sunday morning service with these original “Holy Rollers” and learned about John Wesley and his circuit riding preachers. We went to midnight mass at the local Jesuit university where we came to appreciate the majesty of God through liturgy, incense and Gregorian chants. On Sunday nights we learned the importance of Bible study at a little independent Baptist church–and we felt the power of the Holy Spirit at midweek service with an Assembly of God congregation.

All of this came together, though, at “Monday Night Prayer Group.” This gathering was an eclectic blend of Christians from nearly enough denominations to represent the whole alphabet. Along with the Catholics that hosted us, there were . . .

Adventists, Baptists, Congregationalists, Disciples, Episcopalians, Free Methodists, Holiness, Independents, Jews (Paul and I were two of them!), Lutherans, Mennonites, Orthodox, Presbyterians, Quakers, Reformed, Salvationists (of the Army brand, that is) and Wesleyans.

This is what the word “ecumenical” means. It comes from the Greek, oikoumenikós, the same word from which we get “economy.” It referred to the “household,” meaning everything that revolved around the functioning of a family within their domicile. Through Beryl’s role modeling, this is how we came to know the Body of Christ, as our brothers and sisters regardless of what label they wore.

Paul and I would later come to appreciate the importance of every member of God’s family through the most intense years of the pro-life movement. We were often in jail with Christians of every variety. When you’re in prison clothes, all you have is your love for the Lord and each other–no denominational membership cards allowed!

It’s this history that led my brother “back to Bethel” this weekend. After 33 years of being a Protestant Evangelical minister, Paul was ordained on Saturday as one of the few married priests in the Catholic church. It was a beautiful service, and the message preached by the visiting bishop, Victor Galeone of St. Augustine, Florida, would have been just as well received in any of the churches I routinely preach in as it was at St. Joseph’s in York, Pennsylvania, where the service took place.

“Fr. Paul” will continue the work he has always done through our sister organization, the National Pro-Life Center, as well as take up part-time pastoral duties at a largely Vietnamese parish in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Oh, and of course, he remains happily married to his wife of 33 years, Becky, and continues to be “the other kind of father” to his eight children.

God often takes us back to where we started our spiritual journeys. I’m very happy that my brother has found his Bethel in this new–well, make that old–place.

Rob +

Paul Schenck kneels to be ordained a priest.

With Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota

Unless you live in Minnesota, you may not know the name Tim Pawlenty, but if you watch the news, you’ve probably seen his face.

Pawlenty is the governor of Minnesota and a former state legislator there. The reason you’ve likely seen him is because he’s making the rounds inside the Republican Party and on the talk shows as an “unannounced” presidential “pre-candidate.” That’s my way of saying he’s clearly testing the political waters for a potential presidential run in 2012.

I caught up with Governor Pawlenty when he came to town this week to address the Susan B. Anthony List, an organization that supports principally pro-life women candidates.  (I know what you’re thinking: So why aren’t they supporting Sarah Palin instead of Tim Pawlenty? Answer: They aren’t supporting anyone at this stage—and she’s speaking at their annual breakfast next month.)

The reason I went to the dinner was specifically to ask the Governor one question: What church does he attend? I knew everything else about him—well, everything else that can be known—but I didn’t know exactly about his church affiliation. When I huddled with him away from the crowd, he told me: Woodale Church of Eden, Minnesota. He’s attended there since the early 1980’s.

Born, baptized and raised Catholic, he moved over to the then Baptist church (it’s since become non-denominational Evangelical) after he met his wife, who had been raised in the congregation.

The Pawlentys’ pastor is the Reverend Dr. Leith Anderson, whom I’ve met several times. He’s an author, former Christian college president and now president of the National Association of Evangelicals. He’s also a fellow signer with me (and hundreds of others) of the Manhattan Declaration, a document stating that the signers pledge not to comply with rules and laws forcing us to accept abortion, same-sex marriage and other ideals that go against our religious consciences.

Keep an eye and a prayer on Tim Pawlenty. If nothing else, he’s a refreshing voice of conscience in the political arena.

Now that I have your attention, I’ll say, well, sort of . . .

Today, from the very same podium on the very same stage in the very same room where in January I called the nation to pray for an end to abortion in America, President Obama called lawmakers to pass a health care bill that will be a huge financial stimulus for the abortion industry.

The President spoke to Democrat members of Congress in the Congressional Auditorium this afternoon. It’s the same venue we used this past January 22 and last year for our annual US Capitol pro-life event. We plan to use it again next year and every year until our nation finally recognizes the value of every human life and protects them under law. It was sad to see that same podium used to advance an agenda that will place the resources of the federal government in the hands of abortion business owners. (See yesterday’s post for an explanation.)

Today wasn’t all bad news, though. While I was at the Capitol earlier today, I learned that a church service will be held inside the Capitol tomorrow morning–the first such service in more than 150 years–so members of congress can pray before casting their votes on health care. The members that organized this extraordinary prayer and worship service were concerned that because the vote is being held on Sunday, they wouldn’t be able to pray at their own churches. They’ve asked all Americans who care about this enormously consequential vote to pray with them beginning 11:00 AM EST tomorrow, Sunday, March 21, 2010.

More to follow . . .

Rob +

If the current health care reform bill passes in the House of Representatives on Sunday, the US Government will officially enter into the business of abortion.

Let me explain how:

The bill creates a separate fund into which citizens will pay private monies if they elect an insurance plan that offers abortion coverage. That fund will be set up, managed, monitored and dispersed by federal government employees. Voila! Your tax dollars used to administer money for abortion businesses.

And there’s more: The pressure is on now–the US Government will be fully engaged in all aspects of health care. Insurers will comply with strong-arm tactics because they won’t want any more of the camel in their tent. All the US Government needs to say, with a wink and a nod, is, “You don’t have to offer abortion coverage, but, you better!” Voila! Abortion coverage.

No matter how you cut it, the new health care scheme will provide millions and millions of dollars to abortionists, compliments of the US Government. I’m sure Planned Parenthood, the world’s biggest abortion business, is licking its chops, working feverishly to exploit the new arrangement and open lots of “community health centers.” Voila! More abortions.

It’s amazing how much can get done very fast when billions of dollars are flowing.

Watching and praying . . .

Rob +

Last night I read the entirety of four proposals on health care reform: The most current one put forth by President Obama, the two being considered in the House and Senate respectively, and an outline of the one that will be presented by the Republican opposition today. The idea of extending health care to those who can’t afford it is a nobel one, but it must be done with the highest moral and ethical principles to guide it. So far, what is being seriously considered falls down on both points. It is neither moral or ethical to place literal life and death decisions into the hands of an impersonal, uncaring and unaccountable government bureaucracy. The history on that in our own country and in nations around the world is appalling. (Think of the cruel forced sterilization of the poor in Oklahoma and the gruesome Tuskeegee syphilis experiments on black airmen.)

Ask yourself if you trust “the government” to care for a newborn with birth defects, a severely brain-injured loved one or an elderly parent or grandparent. I know, many private insurers are no better, but if they aren’t, you have legal or at least public relations options for punishing them. Not so with the government. In fact, their involvement with health care caries the coercive power of the law. So, the question becomes, Who will make decisions about which health care insurers and which specific packages will be included in the menu of choices available to people? That will be delegated to a nameless group of career bureaucrats responding to political pressure from the top. That can’t be any better than the structure in place now–and my be far worse.

Your prayers and your voice need to be heard TODAY. Please take time to pray and take time to call your member of Congress and US senators. If you fail to act now, you can’t complain about what you get in the future. God help us and have mercy on our nation!

More to follow.

Rob +

As you may know, we continue to help with the situation in Haiti. Although we officially closed our appeal for cash contributions, we know there is still more inbound. The generosity of readers has allowed us to send money to three organizations that have provided direct aid to victims on the ground since only days after the earthquake. The next wave of money will go to Shelter Box, an ingenious disaster relief program that provides instant–well–”shelter” along with implements for basic living. Shelter Box has already placed 10,000 units in the field and continues to ship more as they are able. Please take four minutes to check out the little video interview I did with Shelter Box Founder and CEO Tom Henderson at the group’s US headquarters in Sarasota, Florida. You’ll find it on the front page of our website: www.faithandaction.org

Thanks,

Rob +

Yesterday’s annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington was more interesting than usual. Of course, anytime the President of the United States is present for a religious affair, it’s interesting. This year, though, the attendance was particularly strong, and the keynote address was both fascinating and disappointing. While the President brought what I thought were fairly unremarkable remarks, Hillary Clinton’s talk was much more memorable.

Before I go much further, I will say, in the end, Secretary Clinton went from meaningful refection to meaningless political talking points. Still, what was meaningful, albeit paltry, had, well . . . meaning.

The nugget was her story about Mother Teresa. She candidly recalled how, at the same event in 1994, when Mrs. Clinton was on the dais as First Lady, the Saint of Calcutta used the podium to openly rebuke America (and the Clintons by her glower at them) over our hideous practice of abortion. (Click here to read a transcript.) I was impressed that Hillary would even mention what was then an embarrassment to her and her husband.

Sec. Clinton went on to say that after the speech, Mother Teresa asked to see her privately backstage. “I thought, oh boy, I’m in trouble,” Hillary remembered. That’s when the otherwise electrifying regalement went flat. Instead of telling us more about her possible discomfort (which she did mention in passing), or even recalcitrance, or possible momentary penitence, she instead explained how all Mother Teresa wanted was the First Lady’s help on a charitable project.

Well, knowing Mother Teresa and her incredible internal fortitude, piety and pastoral concern for every impoverished soul on earth, including Hillary’s, it’s hard to believe that’s all there was to the story. Something tells me something was left out–and perhaps rightfully so. After all, if what really happened was a further chastening and the offer a means to prove repentance, that should remain private between confessor and penitent. Whatever transpired didn’t have an immediate effect, nor one to date. As far as anyone can tell, Hillary is still a proponent of abortion, what the Saintly Nun had publicly told her that day in 1994, is “the greatest destroyer of love and peace.”

Still, whatever effect Mother Teresa’s pastoral rebuke had or didn’t have on Hillary, it was enough to be remembered 16 years later, which probably means it will still be remembered well into the future. That gives Hillary an opportunity to still process it and repent, which is always God’s greatest gift to each of us.

Let’s pray for Hillary . . .

Rob +

Yesterday’s election of Scott Brown to the US Senate is rocking Washington, DC. It’s as if everyone here is dazed–Democrats and Republicans alike. Brown is an interesting study. Pro-abortion voices decry him as anti-choice and pro-life voices decry him as not pro-life enough, while gay groups denounce him as “homophobic” for not supporting same-sex marriage and pro-family groups thump him for advocating “civil unions.”

I’ve gotten a lot of E-mails on Senator-Elect Brown, including from a top sitting US Senator and top Christian leaders in Massachusetts and elsewhere. He is an interesting study. As far as I can tell, Sen. Brown is what 18th Century founder of the Methodist Church John Wesley called a “Bible Christian.” The best information I have is that the Brown family’s home church is New England Chapel in Franklin, MA. It’s in the network of new Christian Reformed Churches. That is, the congregation is contemporary in its culture and style, “Evangelical” in its ethos, and soft in its delivery of its message. At its core ,though, it’s old-time Calvinistic Reformed Christianity, which can be strict and severe. (See Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin.) Still, Brown seems to define himself religiously. Among other things, he has a serious relationship to a community of Catholic nuns; definitely not typical of Christian Reformed.

Senator Brown’s pastor, Chris Mitchell , a graduate of the evangelically renowned Gordon-Conwell Seminary, where Billy Graham once chaired the board, seems like the kind of minister I generally keep company with and the church is very familiar in the way in conducts its ministries. (We posted a video of one of their recent baptismal services–check it out on our Faith and Action homepage.)

I’ll post more on Scott Brown and his faith. For now, I encourage you to pray for the senator-elect from the Bay State. He’ll need it–badly.

Rob +