Just a Comma

Apparently, earlier this week, President Bush explained that the Iraq war will be viewed as "just a comma" in an interview on CNN. A certain columnist for Editor & Publisher believes that this comment was actually a confused reference to the UCC's Still Speaking campaign. I'm curious what this reporter actually thinks about my beloved denomination's most recent initiative -- as it seems that he has never heard of it before. He used Google well and found some great references. But, I'm curious what he did read.

He explains that the UCC's slogan "Don't put a period where God puts a comma" refers to past events. It refers to a historical outlook of the Jesus narrative where God's redemptive story extends beyond Jesus' death into the Resurrection. But, this remains a historical event, no matter how you slice it. And this, dear friends, makes me sad. This is not what I have understood my beloved denomination's campaign to be about -- and I hope that I am not the only one.


To me, the comma that we have come to cherish as part of UCC "tradition" is about what God has yet to say. Sure, this could be something in the past. As people of the Book that are constantly looking back to move forward, it may seem inevitable that we look back. It may seem that the Resurrection is a one-time event that remains in the past. But, if this is the case, I fear that the good news is stuck. Christianity will surely become irrelevant, if it is not already. Our comma sings the power of the Resurrection into our future. There is something yet to come. There is something unexpected. There is something sacred yet to be revealed. And, this is the mystery that the UCC celebrates. Truly, God is still speaking, Alleluia. Amen.