Living in the Twin Cities as I do, I cross back and forth over the Mississippi River that divides Minneapolis and St. Paul fairly often. Crossing one bridge, I can usually look across the water and see parallel bridges.
So it is that many of us in Bridgefolk who are “sacramentally-minded Mennonites” or “peace-minded Catholics” and are finding ways to bridge our traditions will easily recognize the challenge of living on another kind of bridge. This is the bridge between “pro-life” commitments often associated with conservative politics and “social justice” commitments often associated with progressive politics. It is a challenge that Catholics in the United States are especially feeling this electoral year. (Apologies to Bridgefolk in Canada and Europe!) But if Mennonite debates around a churchwide resolution on abortion a year ago are any indication, it is a challenge at least some Mennonites may be feeling too.
We haven’t talked much yet in Bridgefolk about the challenges and possibilities in what Catholics call the “seamless garment” of moral and social issues that Christians need to hold together in order to maintain a “consistent ethic of life.” If we are going to continue an honest and fruitful dialogue between Mennonites and Catholics we should expect to take this up too. A recent cover story in Sojourners magazine seems to be a good place to start.
“No Place to Stand” is by Heidi Schlumpf, managing editor of U.S. Catholic magazine. As the editors of Sojourners say in introducing the article, “When you’re Christian, progressive, and ‘pro-life,’ voting your conscience is often easier said than done.” To find the article, click here.
Gerald Schlabach