COMMENTARY
Assembly for justice celebrated inclusion and diversity
The Columbus Dispatch
Friday, June 09, 2006
TIM AHRENS
I marveled as I stood on the bimah of Congregation Tifereth Israel looking over the crowd of almost 2,000 at the
BREAD Nehemiah Assembly. Here was a vast array of God’s people — Jews, Christians and Unitarians; black,
brown and white; urban, suburban and rural; rich and poor.
All had gathered to work for justice for all God’s children. The issues before us included truancy in the public
schools and the growing need for early intervention for children entering grade school. The gathering was a
beautiful sight, a seemingly heavenly vision of God’s kingdom coming. But this was no dream. Our Nehemiah
Assembly pulled us together in the belief that justice delayed is justice denied.
I find it ironic that the first Nehemiah Assembly, in 444 B.C., was not one to unite God’s children. The governor
of Judah called only upon his community of faith for unity. Faced with a destroyed Jerusalem and a dismantled
Mosaic law code, Nehemiah returned from exile to lead the restoration of the city and the Jewish community.
In Nehemiah 5:7, his call for a great assembly against injustice gathers only Jews as he attempts to save
Jerusalem. His vision for uniting his nation is one that divides it from its neighbors along two lines: Jews from
Samaritans and Jews from Gentiles.
He calls for the separation of his people from all foreigners. He wants mixed marriages annulled, and under
the chief priest, Ezra, no more will be performed. Set apart by birth and adherence to the Torah, the Jews of
Jerusalem under Ezra and Nehemiah are restored through purity, not plurality. The city walls are rebuilt to keep
their people in and foreigners out.
As Ezra and Nehemiah call for exclusivism, two "short stories" of Jewish Scriptures, Jonah and Ruth, are also
being set down. Their messages extend God’s love to those outside the community of Israel and shine like
little gems in the setting of this era. Ruth the Moabite joins Boaz in an intermarriage that produces the line of
David and eventually the messianic line of Jesus.
These are ancient struggles: purity vs. plurality; exclusion vs. inclusion; tolerance vs. intolerance; holding tight to
one’s faith vs. extending love to those who believe differently. From the successes of exclusivism in Nehemiah’
s era, to the joy of pluralistic unity experienced in one of Columbus’ leading synagogues on May 8, we still see
these struggles played out across all faiths today.
The issues nowadays might be abortion, religious orthodoxy or the nature of marriage. The truth is this: Under
God’s guidance, people of faith will always define themselves in different ways and follow different
understandings of how to serve God.
Each side has reasons for its beliefs. Danger arises when one side sits in judgment of the other. Both believe
God is guiding them to love and serve. However, we need to beware of establishing "forts of faith" that shut out
some and welcome others. Guarded gates and armored minds will not help us overcome our differences. All of
us, at some time, are guilty of closing our hearts to one another.
BREAD’s Nehemiah Assembly was a diverse sea of faithful people seeking common ground in order to serve
justice and help the poor. I believe this was God’s way of showing us how to work together for good.
Perhaps our compassionate concern will bring us together to overcome our differences. After all, poverty is a
moral issue. When faced with injustice, let us cooperate to educate our children, house our homeless, employ
our jobless and pay our workers a decent wage. Let us find ways to create public policy in the public square
that transforms injustice. It is possible.
The Rev. Tim Ahrens is senior minister of First Congregational United Church of Christ Downtown, a founder of
We Believe Ohio and a former co-president of the Building Responsibility, Equality and Dignity organization.
tim@first-church.org
Copyright © 2006, The Columbus Dispatch
Assembly for justice celebrated inclusion and diversity
The Columbus Dispatch
Friday, June 09, 2006
TIM AHRENS
I marveled as I stood on the bimah of Congregation Tifereth Israel looking over the crowd of almost 2,000 at the
BREAD Nehemiah Assembly. Here was a vast array of God’s people — Jews, Christians and Unitarians; black,
brown and white; urban, suburban and rural; rich and poor.
All had gathered to work for justice for all God’s children. The issues before us included truancy in the public
schools and the growing need for early intervention for children entering grade school. The gathering was a
beautiful sight, a seemingly heavenly vision of God’s kingdom coming. But this was no dream. Our Nehemiah
Assembly pulled us together in the belief that justice delayed is justice denied.
I find it ironic that the first Nehemiah Assembly, in 444 B.C., was not one to unite God’s children. The governor
of Judah called only upon his community of faith for unity. Faced with a destroyed Jerusalem and a dismantled
Mosaic law code, Nehemiah returned from exile to lead the restoration of the city and the Jewish community.
In Nehemiah 5:7, his call for a great assembly against injustice gathers only Jews as he attempts to save
Jerusalem. His vision for uniting his nation is one that divides it from its neighbors along two lines: Jews from
Samaritans and Jews from Gentiles.
He calls for the separation of his people from all foreigners. He wants mixed marriages annulled, and under
the chief priest, Ezra, no more will be performed. Set apart by birth and adherence to the Torah, the Jews of
Jerusalem under Ezra and Nehemiah are restored through purity, not plurality. The city walls are rebuilt to keep
their people in and foreigners out.
As Ezra and Nehemiah call for exclusivism, two "short stories" of Jewish Scriptures, Jonah and Ruth, are also
being set down. Their messages extend God’s love to those outside the community of Israel and shine like
little gems in the setting of this era. Ruth the Moabite joins Boaz in an intermarriage that produces the line of
David and eventually the messianic line of Jesus.
These are ancient struggles: purity vs. plurality; exclusion vs. inclusion; tolerance vs. intolerance; holding tight to
one’s faith vs. extending love to those who believe differently. From the successes of exclusivism in Nehemiah’
s era, to the joy of pluralistic unity experienced in one of Columbus’ leading synagogues on May 8, we still see
these struggles played out across all faiths today.
The issues nowadays might be abortion, religious orthodoxy or the nature of marriage. The truth is this: Under
God’s guidance, people of faith will always define themselves in different ways and follow different
understandings of how to serve God.
Each side has reasons for its beliefs. Danger arises when one side sits in judgment of the other. Both believe
God is guiding them to love and serve. However, we need to beware of establishing "forts of faith" that shut out
some and welcome others. Guarded gates and armored minds will not help us overcome our differences. All of
us, at some time, are guilty of closing our hearts to one another.
BREAD’s Nehemiah Assembly was a diverse sea of faithful people seeking common ground in order to serve
justice and help the poor. I believe this was God’s way of showing us how to work together for good.
Perhaps our compassionate concern will bring us together to overcome our differences. After all, poverty is a
moral issue. When faced with injustice, let us cooperate to educate our children, house our homeless, employ
our jobless and pay our workers a decent wage. Let us find ways to create public policy in the public square
that transforms injustice. It is possible.
The Rev. Tim Ahrens is senior minister of First Congregational United Church of Christ Downtown, a founder of
We Believe Ohio and a former co-president of the Building Responsibility, Equality and Dignity organization.
tim@first-church.org
Copyright © 2006, The Columbus Dispatch
FBCO in the News
June 09, 2006
June 09, 2006