With the short "Ash Week" behind us, we're plowing ahead into the first full week of Lent Madness 2013. We've already seen some nail biters, some controversy, and some bracket-busting upsets. Today we have the first African-American Episcopal priest facing off against the writer of one of the synoptic gospels.
Some have commented over the past few days, especially in light (no pun intended) of Lucy besting John the Baptist, on the insanity of this little online devotional. This is nothing new around here. We often hear "How in the world could saint XX beat saint YY?" Of course the whole notion of saints competing against one another is absurd. But just when you get ready to yank your hair out by the roots, remind yourself that it's called Lent Madness, after all, not Lent Sanity. We learn about saints, we advocate passionately for those we particularly connect with, we win some, we lose some, and we're inspired in some way by them all.
As things continue to heat up, don't forget to tell your friends about Lent Madness via social media, email, or even a phone call -- it's never too late to jump into the fray! Oh, and if you're looking to find out when your favorite saint is set to square off, check out the Match-Up Calendar courtesy of Bracket Czar Adam Thomas.
Absalom Jones
Absalom Jones, who would become the first American-born man of African descent to become a priest in the Episcopal Church, was born into slavery in Delaware in 1746. At 16 he was separated from his family and sold to a storekeeper in Philadelphia. Having already taught himself to read as a boy, he learned to write with the help of a clerk in the store and at a night school for blacks run by Quakers.
His owner allowed him to work after hours and keep what he earned. It’s said he often worked until midnight or 1:00 am to raise funds to buy the freedom of his wife, Mary, whom he had married in 1770. Her freedom, attained in 1778, ensured that their children would be free as well. Seven years later, when he was 38 years old, he had saved enough to buy his own freedom.
During that period, while a member of St. George’s Methodist Church, Jones met his lifelong friend, Richard Allen. Their enthusiasm brought in many black members to the interracial congregation. However, in 1786, white members met and voted that black members must be segregated to the upper gallery. The following Sunday Jones and Allen sat down in church, and, according to James Kiefer, “ushers tapped them on the shoulder during the opening prayers, and demanded that they move to the balcony without waiting for the end of the prayer. They walked out, followed by the other black members.”
The following year Jones and Allen founded the Free African Society to help widows, orphans, and assist those who were newly free to adjust to urban life. Jones saw religious life and social action as going hand-in-hand. Members paid dues that helped support the efforts. Other activities included protesting slavery and lobbying for the repeal of the Fugitive Slave Act before Congress. They also founded schools and an insurance company.
In 1792 Jones and Allen established the first black church in Philadelphia, St. Thomas’ African Episcopal Church, and petitioned Bishop William White to allow them to become a parish in the Episcopal Church, having had it with the Methodists. The congregation was admitted to the diocese but banned from participation in Diocesan Convention until 1864, long after its founders’ deaths.
Jones was ordained a deacon in 1795 and a priest in 1802 (though other sources maintain it was in 1804). He was known to be a wonderful orator and an attentive and much-beloved pastor. He died in 1818 at his home in Philadelphia, a free man and treasured child of God.
Collect for Absalom Jones
Set us free, heavenly Father, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, honoring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which you have given us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
-- Heidi Shott
Luke
If Luke the physician had a specialty, it was probably family medicine. Or perhaps ob/gyn. After all, Luke’s gospel is the only one to report on the pregnancy of Elizabeth, as John leapt in her womb, as well as the details of Mary’s pregnancy and Jesus’ birth. Matthew, squeamishly, merely reports that Mary “had borne a son.” Luke includes shepherds, angels, mangers, and swaddling cloths, which he probably understood needed regular changing.
There is some conjecture that Luke was a ship’s doctor since he seems familiar with different cultures and comfortable with travel. He journeyed with Paul and Timothy to Macedonia, remaining at Philippi while Paul carried on to Thessalonica, joining up again as Paul headed back on his way to Jerusalem. Paul sends greetings from “Luke, the beloved physician” to the church at Colossae (Col 4:14). Paul was probably writing this from Rome where he was imprisoned, meaning Luke faithfully provided support and friendship through all of Paul’s travails. When Paul wrote “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,” he adds, “Only Luke is with me” (2 Tim. 4:11).
If you thought Paul was the authorial powerhouse in the New Testament, think again. Luke the writer stealthily dominates the New Testament, with his two volume work of Luke-Acts taking up more than 25 percent of the content. It is due to Luke that we know anything at all about the early church beyond Paul’s memos. Among other things (including the stories of Jesus’ birth), Luke gave us the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the story of Zaccheus, the healing of the bent-over woman, Jesus’ appearance on the road to Emmaus, the arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Peter’s ministry to the Gentiles, Saul’s conversion, and Paul’s missionary journeys in narrative form.
In addition, it is due in large part to Luke that we believe God’s love through Jesus Christ transcends race, class, and gender, being a gift to all people. At the beginning of Luke’s gospel when Jesus is presented at the temple, Simeon proclaims him “a Light to enlighten the nations,” and at the beginning of Acts, just before Jesus ascends into heaven, he tells the disciples, “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
No one knows how Luke died. What are thought to be his remains are buried in Padua, Italy.
In Acts, Peter says, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Through his writing and ministry, it would seem no one knew that more deeply than Luke.
Collect for Luke
Almighty God, who inspired your servant Luke the physician to declare in the Gospel the love and healing power of your Son: Graciously continue in your Church the same love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of your Name; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Vote!
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171 comments on “Absalom Jones vs. Luke”
Messaging my daughter today and the phone insisted on changing "like" to "Luke". A sign?
Not a fair fight. Lent Madness should have had two people who wrote in the Bible. Absalom Jones would have gotten my vote if another person in his time period was a contender, he fought the good fight and had to fight for his freedom to prove himself worthy to even be equal with white people. But God made all equal, men corrupted themselves to be better than other men. Absalom became a Priest against all odds he helped many people in his time. I still voted for St. Luke because he has helped many people with his writings in the Bible.
What difference does it make? Even if the first round had two people with similar occupations, that won't be true in the next round.
I picked Absalom because of his relevant heroic example, but also because of his historicity. We know who he was and what he did. We don't know anything about "Luke" except that he wrote a gospel and Acts. Those are very important contributions, of course, but that's all we really have on him. His gospel isn't even fully original, having taken Mark and expanded it with Q and some additional material. Finally, but most importantly, we can learn from and emulate Absalom in our own day by preaching and working against the forms of slavery and oppression that confront us still. Most people don't get to write their own gospels these days.
I'm a big fan of Absalom, truly. But I have to vote for the guy who wrote what is perhaps my favorite parable, the Road to Emmaus. I love it and its message. We in SJC have included it as one of the meanings of what it is to be in our community, as vowed persons being "companions on the road to Emmaus".
Perhaps Absalom should have been pitted against a less justice oriented evangelist. I am sure he would have toasted John the Evangelist, maybe even Matthew!
The story of Absalom Jones is inspiring, as is the memory of Dr. Luke to whom "it is due in large part . . . that we believe God’s love through Jesus Christ transcends race, class, and gender, being a gift to all people. Surely we all, even dear brother Absalom, stand on his shoulders.
Though I love St. Luke, I have a soft spot for the lesser known, yet incredible shared ministries of Absalom Jones and Richard Allen. Richard Allen founded the AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church. I'm a cradle Episcopalian but, I rededicated my life to Christ while attending St. Paul AME Chuch-Cambridge, MA in the 80s (which, BTW, is located on Bishop Richard Allen Dr.). I'm back home in ME happily serving the Episcopal church of my youth. So, with that history, I had to vote for Absalom.
So many times I had said to my children "life isn't fair." I think I ought to read those words to my self today. This is the first time that I think this is an unfair match up in Lent Madness.
When Absalom Jones was tapped on the shoulder as he sat in a pew and cruelly ordered up into the balcony, it was a moment when the angels wept and the devil laughed Jones was marginalized and outcast by the privileged social and religious authorities in the kind of collusion that Jesus had challenged in the first century. Jesus taught and lived that radical inclusiveness is a part of ushering in the kingdom of God. So...more tears from the angels and laughter from the devil as Jesus was cruelly ordered up onto the cross. Jesus was obedient to God's redeeming purpose. Jones clearly understood this...he likely had learned it from the Gospel according to Luke. I voted for Luke.
My kids are getting a vote this year. So far my 5 y.o. is ALL ABOUT ABSALOM because his wife is named Mary. Awwww! How will her 11 y.o. brother vote? He's been all about American saints, but his grandfather was a physician...tough one.
Note to the editor: please put a period between "laughed" and "Jones" in the 3rd line of my 4:35 pm posted comment.
Wow, so many posts! This certainly was a tough one but Absalom Jones won out for me with absolutely no disrespect to Luke. Luke is amazing and always will be. Absalom truly had grit, determination and spirit to achieve what he did in the 18th century. Bravo Absalom!
When Absalom Jones was tapped on the shoulder as he sat in a pew and cruelly ordered up into the balcony, it was a moment when the angels wept and the devil laughed. Jones was marginalized and outcast by the privileged social and religious authorities in the kind of collusion that Jesus had challenged in the first century. Jesus taught and lived that radical inclusiveness is a part of ushering in the kingdom of God. So...more tears from the angels and laughter from the devil as Jesus was cruelly ordered up onto the cross. Jesus was obedient to God's redeeming purpose. Jones clearly understood this...he likely had learned it from the Gospel according to Luke. I voted for Luke.
Absalom Jones is certainly a worthy adversary for Luke, but as a physician I must give this match up to Luke even if by a split decision.
This is clearly no contest: Luke has it over Absalom on every conceivable scale of rational measurement. I had to go with Luke -- until the person who commented, "In truth, I think Luke might like to lose" freed me to vote as my gut was telling me to.
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'" Maybe it comes from watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" too many times but I've always loved this part of Luke. Especially the last part "...and on earth peace, good will toward men." Even non-Christians would have difficulty coming up with an argument for that. And as Gwin said earlier Absalom probably wouldn't have been who he was without Luke.
One of the best times of my ministry was as Interim at an historic Black (they didn't say African-American then) parish in New Haven which claimed to have been influenced by Absalom Jones at its founding. As it happens, however, the dedication was to St. Luke, and ultimately he gets my vote.
Incidentally, congratulations to both bloggers for great advocacy.
Absalom Jones is one of my favorites; I'm so glad to see him in the line-up.
Just a couple of corrections/additions (coming from a former United Methodist, who taught church history in confirmation classes): At the time, I believe the correct name for the church Jones and Allen left would have been St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church. Richard Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church after leaving with Jones. This article implies that he was an Episcopalian for a time, the veracity of which I am unaware. UM history never told me what became of Absalom Jones; let us not do the same with Richard Allen! I was happy to learn that Jones had gone to the Episcopal Church.
Tough choices, but on behalf of scribes everywhere, my vote had to go to Luke for the power of the Word with words so beautifully wrought.
Apparently Luke has used the force! "These are not the saints you are looking for..."
Let's face it, St. Luke lived in exciting times. Since I was a young girl, I've wondered what it must have been like to be an early Christian. Traveling with Paul, visiting the early churches, perhaps breaking bread with one of disciples. Asking questions like, "When Jesus looked you in the eye and said, 'Follow me' what was it like? What did you say?"
We're all products of a particular time and a particular place. I'm not saying it was easy for Luke to be a saint, but let's just say he was graced, by virtue of the time and place of his birth, with the opportunity to ride a pretty spectacular first century wave.
Absalom Jones, on the other hand, was born in a particular time and a particular place that might have caused him to become something less that a saint. The limitations the SEC puts on the first round bios prohibited the inclusion of some great details. Jones taught himself to read using the New Testament - no doubt the Gospel of St. Luke - as well as books he purchased with pennies that were given to him as presents by visitors to his owner's home. Luke's Gospel offered him confidence in his worth as one beloved and treasured by God. Surely it was that sense of worth that caused him to work to buy his and Mary's freedom and allowed him to walk out of a segregated church and ultimately establish a new church where all of God's people were welcomed. There was no wave for him to ride as a free, black Christian in 18th Century Philadelphia. He and Richard Allen generated the wave for many, many more to ride.
It seems to me that voting in Lent Madness requires us to consider the time and place in which each saint finds herself or himself. What did they do for God with the goods they were given? How did they respond when Jesus looked them in the eye - either in person or through mystery of the Holy Spirit - and said, 'Follow me.'?
Meaning no disrespect to the Evangelist, I urge consideration of Absalom Jones.
I just had a difficult time deciding who to vote for. I wanted to vote for both of them!
This is a tough one for me. Having been a Delawarean for almost all my 78 years, I can identify with fellow First stater Absalom Jones. On the other hand, I spent my childhood in St. Lukes in Seaford, Delaware. The clincher for me, however, is the fact that my first cousin, Walter L Liefeld, whose name i share, wrote the commentary on Luke in The Expositor's Bible Commentary. I'll stick with the family connection and vote for Luke
What moderation is needed? I am new at this. Have I violated some rule?
How dumb! I misspelled my last name!
For the Benedictus, for the Magnificat, for the Nunc dimittis, for the prominent role for the theotokos, for the Gospel, for Acts of the Apostles, for his lasting and vital impact on every Christian that has ever lived, I voted for St. Luke.
I think that Absalom Jones would also cast his vote for Luke.
I've been reading comments all day, feeling a bit glum and concerned about outcomes today and over the last few days. What I'm left with at the moment is a memory of a scene from a detective show in the 1960's in which the Italian detective went running through a casino, grabbing chips and cash from the tables and flinging them in the air shouting, "Everybody wins!" That's how I feel now. Luke was wonderful! Absalom was wonderful! Both Iggys were wonderful! And the madfolk reading and writing here are wonderful! Everybody wins!
Peg, I like your style.
I sat at St. Luke's Table on my Cursillo weekend, and I do love St. Luke; however, since I truly believe I will have another chance to vote for Luke, I voted for brave Absalom. The choices are hard, but, as Christians, we are called to love all these heavenly Saints as well as the earthly ones who vote for them. Cast only ballots, not aspersions.
"Cast only ballots, not aspersions." Thank you, thank you Patsy. If I were ordained, I would cast my aspergillum in your direction!
Absalom Jones was truly an inspiration, but I am voting for Luke as the author of so many favorite childhood Gospel stories and the founding premise of Christ's love for all that was surely a strong influence on Absalom.
A split vote between Skye and Hope so they decided to see if Chaucer wagged her tail harder when Absalam's name or Luke's name was mentioned in her presence. And the family vote went to ..... Luke!
We are in year C and have much to thank the good Dr. Luke for, as the gospel attributed to him will be read for the majority of the church year. However, I feel that Absalom Jones paved the way for me as aspiring clergy in TEC, who just happens to be an African American male.