Spencer: A Matter Of Faith

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(Host) When commentator and former journalist Suzanne Spencer Rendahl
heard that a Franklin , Vermont woman had challenged her town’s
inclusion of a Christian prayer during town meeting and won in court
decision earlier this month, she quietly celebrated.

(Spencer)
I’ve never met Marilyn Hackett – a women from a northern border town
I’ve never set foot in – but I feel a kinship with her.

Year
after year, she objected when her town meeting was opened with an
officially sanctioned prayer to "the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit." When town officials dismissed her concerns, she sued, arguing
that the practice violated the state constitution by compelling
religion. And a St. Albans superior court agreed.

Until I left
home for college in 1989, my parents insisted that I attend a suburban
Connecticut church with them every week, despite my protests. As an
adult, I’ve only entered churches to attend an occasional wedding and
endured a surprise Old Testament reading at my own. But otherwise, in
the few instances religion has entered my life, I’ve challenged it.
Until my daughter turned five.

"Who is God?" she asked. " And
why do people go to churches?" Later she demanded to know, "Who is
Jesus?" Caught off guard, I replied "Um, he’s a historical figure." Then
week after week, she asked to go to church .

When I became a
parent, I signed up to do the best I could to provide for all my
children’s needs; and I couldn’t argue with my daughter’s yearnings. So
last winter I faced religion head-on for the first time in almost a
quarter century and met with a local pastor.

I explained that
even though he welcomed my atheism, I would feel hypocritical sitting
with a congregation of believers when I’m not one of them. But I wanted
to support my daughter.

Now every week she chooses whether or not to attend with family friends. She usually goes.

Meanwhile,
I cracked open the New Testament and began reading Greek and Roman
history for context so that when my daughter has questions, I can gently
support, challenge, and remind her that different people believe
different things. And that no one has a monopoly on the truth.

When
my daughter announced "Jesus Christ is the Son of God," I replied,
"It’s fine to believe that, but I don’t, and neither do your Jewish
cousins, and most the rest of the world."

Then she asked why we didn’t send her to a local Christian school. "Because," she insisted, "I’m a Christian."

"There
are many different types of Christian churches," I explained. Some
would celebrate her Aunt Shelly and Aunt Shelia’s marriage, but not that
one.

On the other hand, last month we carpooled with other
church members to Open Hands Mission, a secular soup kitchen in a nearby
town. My daughter and I worked side-by-side wrapping silverware with
napkins, passing out salt and pepper shakers, serving watermelon for
dessert and putting away chairs.

She counted 10 children among the 49 people we served that night.

"May we go back and help again ? " she asked.

We will.

It’s an expression of faith that I’m thrilled to support.

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