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 +

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.

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 +

Yesterday, our Faith & Action chief of program, Peggy Nienaber, spent the day at a White House conference on Faith Based and Community Partnerships. She took some heat for that. Some people thought we may be compromising our core convictions by even fraternizing with this administration. Well, that’s not the case.

Our mission theory is simple: Take whatever platform is offered to us and use it for the ultimate purpose of advancing biblical truth and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At yesterday’s conference, all voices were invited to the table. That included everybody from homosexual activists to ardent, pro-life Catholics and firm traditional marriage advocates. Peggy was there to explore what contribution we can make to the conversation. St. Paul did that among the pagan philosophers on Mars Hill. We need to do it in places like the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, as we did yesterday.

So far, we’ve found one important place where we can support Mr. Obama and the Administration: The President’s Responsible Fatherhood Initiative. Admittedly, it’s a narrow space, but it’s there and we intend to prayerfully make the most of it. Fatherhood is first a biblical concept; Second, we are commanded by God to be good fathers; Third, the President himself has given even more than fatherhood for his rationale for this worthy effort. He says one of the primary reasons he launched it is because the responsibility of fatherhood, “does not end at conception.”

We agree. Fatherhood continues throughout the life of that child–FROM THE MOMENT OF CONCEPTION. It is a father’s role to protect and provide for his child from the very moment the child makes his or her debut into existence, and throughout pregnancy, birth, and every stage of development. Even, to a certain degree, into adulthood.

Many of the President’s policies, resources and allegiances conflict with his own statement on when the responsibilities of fatherhood begin–especially when it comes to abortion. We will do everything to point this out to him and to those who work with and for him. I believe that whenever truth is spoken, it is a good thing. Unlike some, I also believe that truth is powerful wherever it is presented. If that’s the Obama White House, it makes it even more so.

Rob +

If you’re not already reading WORLD Magazine, I recommend highly that you do. I’ve known WORLD for over ten years. I’ve found it to be consistently the best, most professional source of news and commentary I get from an Evangelical Christian perspective. This week’s issue (online and in print) has a good cover story on alternatives to the health care reform proposals offered by President Obama and Democrat congressional leaders. Check it out: WORLD Magazine (www.worldmag.com)

Rob +

Or is it intractable flexibility?

I started out leading prayer this morning outside Blair House, the site of today’s bi-partisian summit on health care reform convened by President Obama. Call me a blithe optimist or simply naive, but I monitored nearly every minute of it thinking, “Well, let’s give the two parties a chance. Let’s give the president a chance.” 6 hours and 22 minutes later, it seemed it ended like it began.

I will give the President high points for taking the time to let the two parties speak. He did hear them out–and he gave his opponents ample time to speak–and they spoke effectively. Of course, there’s a difference between “hearing” and “listening.” “Listen” means you accept, appreciate and heed what is said. The President and the leaders of Congress heard a lot today, but they don’t appear to have listened.

Both sides predictably had everything well well scripted and rehearsed–including the ending.That’s not cynical, it’s necessary. I’m glad the public conversation about health care has been re-ignited, but it seems the current proposals are still securely in place. That means should any of the present bills pass, there will be more abortion, this time made possible by tax dollars. There will also be government management of health insurance. I’m definitely not optimistic about that.

God told the prophet Ezekiel, “the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate.” (Ezekiel 3:7) Even though the people would not listen to Ezekiel, he was no less responsible to deliver the message!

There’s still time for you to weigh in. Pray–then make calls to your representative and your two senators. Pastors: Tell your congressional delegation how many are in your congregation and what you hear them saying.

More to follow . . .

Rob +

For the 16th year in a row, I was humbled to open the annual prayer service we hold in the US Capitol focused on ending the terrible blight of abortion. Each year hundreds of the most dedicated pro-life activists in our country attend this two-hour  gathering. While most of the program is given to prayer and scripture reading, we do hear from from distinguished leaders on the sacredness of  human life. This year they included our great friend of so many years, Fr. Frank Pavone, president of the National Pro-Life Religious Council, the primary sponsor of the event. Joining him was Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and the firey Bishop Harry Jackson, an outstanding voice in the African-American pro-life community.

This is the only uncompromosing prayer and preaching event of its kind ever held INSIDE the US Capitol complex. It doesn’t happen without a herculean struggle, though. Every year we get right up to start time and we’re still threatened with expulsion, even though we go through all the proper channels for approval. This year we were rescued by Virginia congressman Randy Forbes, a fine Christianwho navigated treacherous political waters to ensure we could hold our event. Even so, as we sang–accapella as directed–an emissary was sent to shut us down.  Notwithstanding the opposition, we had “church” today in the US Capitol, with Christians of every tradition praying together and listening to the Word being powerfully proclaimed!

Hope you can join us next year–always on or about Januray 22. Mark your calendar now!!

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 +

Early this morning I went over to the US Capitol to pray and witness Truth to senators as they cast their Christmas Eve surprise on first-ever tax-payer funded abortion in so-called “health care.” I was as heartsick as you probably are, but leading pro-life senator and outstanding Christian brother, Sam Brownback of Kansas, had a hopeful message for you and me. I captured it on my cell phone and share it with you below as my CHRISTmas gift to you. Watch the Senator’s comments, then pray and work and work and pray! CHRISTmas is all about hope in the face of catastrophe. As children were slaughtered throughout the Holy Land by a blood-thirsty tyrant, God saved the world through an infant born in a manger.

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger . . .” (Luke 2:9 – 12)

The US Senate can no more take away this great sign of hope than Herod could so long ago. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.”

Watch my conversation with Sen. Brownback here.

Merry CHRISTmas to you and all yours!

Rob +

As I write the President has just concluded his lecture in Oslo following acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize. He is a master wordsmith and gives a bedazzling delivery. The protracted standing ovation says it all when it comes to Mr. Obama’s popularity in Europe, and in Scandanavia in particular. I’ll have some things to say about the content of the speech and an appeal to make to the new Nobel laureate, but I’m waiting to examine a full and final text. Stand by for another post on that.

Back home there are two things of note. In the title of this post I refer to them as sins of commission and omission. The committing was done by the US Senate, that, in the name of extending healthcare to millions of Americans, a nobel intention, it also withdrew any hope of helping millions of the most fragile and vulnerable members of the human family and the American population–those yet-to-be-born. No one argues anymore that the target of abortion is a “blob of tissue” or something not yet human. Ultrasound, in utero surgery, advances in genetic science, have all confirmed what most have always known innately, that the being in the womb is exactly that, a human being. Worse, the new revenue flow of federal tax dollars will be an incentive for abortionists to coerce women into having abortions to prop up their bottom line. After all, abortion is a for-profit business. No one is giving away abortions as an act of charity.

On the ommission side is Arizona Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick’s inexplicable mis-quote of the Pledge of Allegiance during this week’s Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. In her opening remarks she said, in the context of America’s diversity, that this is what makes us, “one nation”–pause–”indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Leaving out “under God” seemed deliberate and was most certainly conspicuous. In searching for an explanation, we discovered the Congresswoman’s office has purged the line from the published text. As for Rep. Kirkpatrick’s spokesperson, she had nothing to say about it. I found it very peculiar and, in some ways, ominous. We’re following up and I’ll write more when we have it.

For now, let’s pray and act, there’s no time to lose. BTW: If you need encouragement in this gloomy hour, I recommend one of my favorites, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the young and brilliant German theologian who voluntarily returned to his homeland under Hitler to oppose that evil regime, ultimately giving his life for the cause of righteousness. There’s a film you can rent, “Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace,” a documentary by Martin Doblmeier, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Pacifest, Nazi Resister,” a radio drama by Focus on the Family, “Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom,” and, of course, his many books. Among them I recommend Life Together and Psalms: Prayer Book of the Bible. The hopeful side of the Bonhoeffer story is Germany, once one of the grandest perpetrators of mass murder in all of human history, went on to become one of the rare nations to declare human life begins at conception. Hope springs eternal when its grounded in God.

More later . . .