A Plea for Christian Grace

It is with reluctance that I ask my conservative Christian friends to assess if some cruelty might be found in their concern for the spiritual state of others. Surely it is kinder to assume that others too during their lives have sought guidance from a divinely inspired conscience and have relied in critical moments upon Christ's grace and power than to assume an unrelieved pattern of irresponsibility. As liberalism can be patronizing, so can conservatism. The parable of Jesus about the ever-present proclivity to find fault in others while being oblivious to one's own is one of the profoundest observations ever made about human perception. Facilitative compassion and a prayerful attitude are impossible without self-directed humility only possible under the tutorship of God.

            The Lord's Prayer

            Our Father who art in heaven,

            hallowed be thy name.

           Thy kingdom come.

           Thy will be done

           on earth as it is in heaven.

           Give us this day our daily bread,

           and forgive us our trespasses,

           as we forgive those who trespass against us,

           and lead us not into temptation,

           but deliver us from evil.

           For thine is the kingdom,

           and the power, and the glory,

           for ever and ever.

          Amen.

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