Essay Example on Father Rich's Ash Wednesday Reading

Introduction

The case study highlights tension which was brought about by Father Rich's reading on an Ash Wednesday service. After the ceremony, the head of upper school passed by his office, where he informed the father that two Jewish students had requested to speak to him. They felt that one of the Bible reading was anti-Semitic. The text which they were mainly concerned with was from Mathew 6:5-6, for it used proximity words like 'hypocrites' and 'synagogues,' which according to these two students, it passed the wrong idea to other students about Jews and deeply offended their beliefs. Based on the events happening around the world, the students wanted the chaplain to explain further to students what the bible meant by hypocrite so that they do not get the wrong idea.

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Assumptions and beliefs that shape my response to this case

In this case study, I firmly believe that every person have the right to air their concerns, and it was appropriate for the chaplain to address all the issues brought to him. Based on the atrocities committed all over the world in the name of religion, it is necessary to ensure that such matters are never taken lightly. On the other hand and based on the Anti-Defamation League statistics, Jews have been mistreated in the recent times whereby, in the united states, religious bigotry, hate speech, and acts of violence against the Jewish people has seen a 57% increase in 2017. Therefore, approaching this case, I would assume the students are scared due to the high incidences of anti-Semitism and based on chaplain's readings, they felt religious intolerance would get worse. However, based on the teachings of the Bible, I do not think the passages were anti-Semitic. Instead, Christ used the example of hypocrisy not to mean that are Jews fall in that category, but to serve as a practical example using people and activities that surrounded him.

Evaluating the presenter's theological analysis and ministerial practice

The chaplain preaches about the virtual of being humble, and avoid doing things that contribute to narcism. He does this by using the biblical examples of how Christ instructed his disciples to pray. In this verse that brings dispute, Jesus told his disciples that whenever you pray, do not be like hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners so that others may see them. By this, the priest is urging the students that doing something for the sake of being recognized by other people only wins the attention of man but not of God. Instead, he quotes the scripture that says that prayers should be made in secret and to the God who is in secret and he will reward those who seek him in truth and honesty. In this line, Father Rich is consistent with the church's traditions and biblical teachings. On the other hand, how the chaplain decides to handle the issue by calling the two students who felt offended and engaging them in a constructive conversation portrayed his belief in settling disputes privately. He shares with them his point of view towards the subject, which promotes a deeper understanding and an acknowledgment that in the future, more background information would be needed to avoid texts that would offend.

Are the presenter's actions congruent with his/her identified theological assumptions?

According to father Rich Tower's analysis of the issue, he feels that the students lack sophisticated theological thinking. He is, however, experienced in matters of religion, history, and philosophy, areas that make him cultural and spiritual consciousness of the events going on in this world. When Rich gets the information that some students were uncomfortable as a result of the sermon, he does not get defensive. Instead, Rich soul searches for incidences that would trigger such feelings and eventually agrees to meet the students. This shows an attribute of being humble just as the Bible teaches people to be. When he meets the two students, he realizes the misunderstanding could be based on the lack of advanced theoretical thinking, contrary to what he had anticipated in a faith-based school. To curb this challenge, and avoid texts that would seem to permit or promote human degradation, he decides to be careful in his future sermons, which should include scripture readings that are not divisive. This is consistent with the church's traditions that advocate for religious tolerance and being a brother's keeper.

Evaluation of the presenter's analysis of the dynamics of the case

The case presented to the chaplain was one that the Jews students felt offended by a sermon that referred to the Jews as hypocrites. However, according to Father Rich's explanation, the Bible was not referring to Jews as an entire tribe. But Christ was using them as an example to include a broader context. Therefore, the text was not meant to be anti-Sematic but was to serve as a reminder that the kingdom of God belongs to those who seek him and faithful pray to him. Not those who want to be seen by other people that they are worshiping and self-righteous person. For Father Rich to arrive at this conclusion, he seems to be basing his argument on the critical commandment from God of loving each other as people as we love ourselves. He is well aware that Christ could not condemn an entire tribe just because few people were breaking the law. And the argument is right because understanding the text to mean a condemnation to Jews would be improper and an indication of a shallow understanding of the bible.

Are the presenter's actions congruent with his/her identified behavioral assumption?

However, the chaplain is well aware of the persecutions that the Jews had gone through over the years and refers to some instances when horrific atrocities were committed towards the Jews in the name of religion. For that reason, he chooses to act quickly and decisively as any delay would aggravate the situation. The father believes that emotional preparedness and self-differentiation are continual areas for growth. Based on this, he vows to teach the students an essential virtual of religion, which should entail avoiding misunderstanding others, avoiding false accusations, and not blaming other people. Also, he prepares his students to absorb hostility by having the required emotional control, because he believes that it is the healthy thing to do.

Issues that I would want to raise for consideration by the group?

In conclusion, the case study raises some critical issues that demand the attention of the group. It shows that people can misinterpret the seemingly straightforward message. And as clerics and religious people strive to speak about faith, perhaps they should consider all the areas that may bring confusion and miss-understanding to other people. Therefore as a group, a discussion needs to be made of the standard criteria that should be adopted to ensure that all steps are followed to ensure the message is well understood. Also, the group should consider the various way that could encourage communication between various religious leaders and the congregation to ensure that there are fruitful interactions and resolution of disputes.

Bibliography

"Anti-Semitic Incidents Surged Nearly 60% in 2017, According to New ADL Report." Anti-Defamation League. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/anti-semitic-incidents-surged-nearly-60-in-2017-according-to-new-adl-report.

Caroli, Maria E., and Elisabetta Sagone. "Belief in a Just World, Prosocial Behavior, and Moral Disengagement in Adolescence." Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014), 596-600. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.263.

Suggs, M. J. "Book Review: The HarperCollins Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version, with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books." Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 49, no. 2 (1995), 195-195. doi:10.1177/002096439504900213.