We embarked upon this Lent Madness journey over five weeks ago on “Ash Thursday.” With your help we have narrowed the field of 32 saints down to just two: Julian of Norwich and Dietrich Bonhoeffer (who edged Sojourner Truth yesterday 52% to 48%). Who will win the coveted Golden Halo of Lent Madness 2016? Only 24 hours and your voting participation will reveal this holy mystery.
Regardless of the ultimate outcome, we’ve met some truly remarkable saintly folks along the way. Perhaps you learned about some saints you’d never heard of or maybe you renewed acquaintances with saints who have long offered inspiration. Of course the entire notion of placing saints in a bracket is absurd — each “contestant” has already earned a crown of righteousness in addition to a “golden halo.” But at the heart of Lent Madness is the abiding conviction that encountering those who have come before us in the faith enriches and enlivens our own walk with the risen Christ.
In the process of this whimsical Lenten devotion we’ve all made some new online friends, encountered a community of believers who take their faith but not themselves too seriously, learned a few things, were inspired by saintly witnesses, and had a lot fun along the way.
Of course we literally couldn’t have done this without our stellar Celebrity Bloggers to whom we offer sincere gratitude: Amber Belldene, Laurie Brock, Megan Castellan, Anna Fitch Courie, David Creech, Neva Rae Fox, David Hansen, Beth Lewis, Hugo Olaiz, Derek Olsen, and David Sibley. Thanks to Bracket Czar Adam Thomas for his unsung behind-the-scenes work in keeping the bracket updated daily — in his inimitable style. And to our Resident Foodie, Maria Nolletti Ross, whose recipes in the Saintly Scorecard and online helped keep the inevitable weekend Lent Madness Withdrawal at bay. You all rock! And we’re all grateful for your good writing, good humor, and adhering to most, if not all, of the SEC-imposed deadlines.
We're also grateful to the Forward Movement staff who have supported this endeavor: Richelle Thompson, Rachel Jones, Heidi Weaver-Smith, Alyssa Finke, and Michael Phillips, as well as everyone who answered the phone in the Lentorium and all the other things to make Lent Madness successful: Tania Z. Jones, Carole Miller, Nancy Hopkins-Greene, Melody Shobe, Hugo Olaiz, Theo Lambert, Miriam McKenney, Jay Sidebotham, Loren Dixon, Samantha Franklin, Jane Paraskevopoulos, Barbara Hine, Vicki Everett, Amy Golden, Kathy Jose, Aleia Robinson, Peggy Sanchez, Debbie Springer, and the office mascot, George T. Dog.
2015 Golden Halo winner, Francis of Assisi, prepares to welcome the 2016 winner
Finally, thanks to all of you who participated by voting, commenting, drinking coffee out of Lent Madness mugs, filling out brackets, talking about saints at coffee hour, submitting "mug shots," liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter, and allowing us to play a small role in your Lenten journey. We’ve loved having each one of you along for the “madness” and on behalf of the Supreme Executive Committee we wish you a blessed Holy Week and a joyous Easter.
But enough gratitude. We have a Golden Halo to award! As with all the matchups, the polls will be open for 24 hours and the winner will be announced right here at 8:00 am Eastern Time on Maundy Thursday. At this point, everything about these two worthy saints has been said (though if you need some refreshers, click on the Bracket tab and scroll down). We have simply asked our two remaining celebrity bloggers, Amber Belldene (Julian of Norwich) and Beth Lewis (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) to provide us with one image and one quote.
The rest is up to you, the Lent Madness voting public. So go do your thing! And thanks for playing along this year — we’re delighted you joined us for the journey.
Julian of Norwich
"It appears to me that there is a deed that the Holy Trinity shall do on the last day…and how it shall be done is unknown to all creatures under Christ…This is the great deed ordained by our Lord God from eternity, treasured up and hidden in his blessed breast…and by this deed he shall make all things well.”
― Julian of Norwich
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself completely to God's commandment, wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of Almighty God, not trying to direct it for selfish purposes.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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288 comments on “For the Golden Halo: Julian of Norwich vs. Dietrich Bonhoeffer”
Thanks for the cool lent thoughtfulness, prayerfulness and fun! Laughter is essential to the other two i think And on the last day, in the midst of a tough world (add the newest climate change report to the list of scary), we seem to have voices of the essential balance that we need to get through. As Tolkien said,"Good can't win simply because it is good." The struggle somehow seems to be essential and Julian and Dietrich have the balances lived out for all of us to see. I love DB, studied him in school and he widened the landscape of my soul; I love Julian and read her first decades ago and she deepened the landscape of my soul. Today at the last minute, and because of how the quote SO fits the day, I vote for Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And I'll invoke and lean on them both (and all the other holy dudes of the season) today, and al the todays leading towards that great 'all will be well."
I'm afraid deciding on this last vote is going to kill my entire day, or at least the vita activa part of it. Off to Morning Prayer in search of clarity . . . .
Would a Bonhoeffer beer stein be in the works if he wins?
I think DB's courage is the kind of witness the world needs right now.
Yes! Let's agitate for a Bonhoeffer beer stein. Oh SEC...?
Thank you for all the MADNESS ! All shall be well. See you next year!
Thank you to all of you for your comments this Lent Madness season. You have added to my knowledge by your insightful comments, your wit, your convictions and have made this particular bracket come alive. I've tried to read all the comments before I vote each day and your reasoning has influenced many a decision. How amazing and proud I am to be a part of this world-wide communion! Like some of you, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was my early-on choice for the Golden Choice. But to get to this point has opened my eyes to many other saints not in "Holy Women, Holy Men". Thank you Tim and Scott for outstanding brackets year after year! I'm not looking forward to Lenten Withdrawal...
I adore Julian of Norwich and have voted for her throughout the process. Her emphasis on reverencing Christ's suffering while admiring God's maternal, everlasting love are incredibly holy. Today, of all days, I vote for Bonhoeffer. To me, his words about setting aside security for peace continue to resonate for Christians around Europe and the World. What steps shall we defiantly take to overcome evil and secure peace for all of humanity, especially the outcast and the demonized? If it were me, I would vote for both saints with the hopes that their collaborative gifts would prompt us to contemplate more about God's love and then proactively share it with the world in risky ways.
"Like." I too was torn. I would have loved to vote for Julian. But Bonhoeffer is my boy for these dark days.
Thank you for this splendid addition to my walk through Lent! I have looked forward to the saintly bios, have refreshed relationship with some saints and enjoyed getting to know others.
I would have Bonhoeffer in any event because I so much admire him. However, after the terrorist attacks in Brussels yesterday, I hope everyone will rally to this champion of peace.
Happy Easter.
On this day shortly after terrorist have again attacked, murdered and stoked fear, anger and enmity between people's of different religions and nationalities; in these days when we have an entire American political party that has dedicated itself to blocking and demeaning a man of civility and faith, our first black president and his family, and that has lifted up as its candidates to become President of the United States two men whose every utterance promotes racism, nationalism, hate and enmity and whose every strategy follows in the tradition of despots, there can be no better choice than Dietrich Bonhoeffer who dedicated his life and his faith to giving all in the struggle for peace.
Amen.
Bonhoeffer for me ... It just seems appropriate given the events this week in Belgium.
Thanks to Tim and Scott for putting Lent Madness together. It truly does enrich one's inner life during Lent.
Bonhoeffer all the way. His writings played a critical role in my conversion almost 50 years ago.
As a first time Lent Madness follower and participant, what an awesome experience. I've learned so much more about those who have gone before us while enjoying the kibitzing of others of faith Including the Supreme Executive Committee. I'll look forward to next year's Madness while sharing the experience with others. Tough final choice.....tho Julian prevails.
Thank you for another enjoyable Lent Madness. In these uncertain times I voted for DB. He was willing to give his life for his beliefs and to quote another, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." This is never more true than today. May Peace be with you.
I agree with St. Celia, great job bloggers. Oliver, you are a gem for Lent Madness. Tim and Scott, another amazing Lent Madness, you two rock.
Many thanks SEC!
Tough choice - as it was bound to be! Voted for Julian in the end. I think there is some misunderstanding about mystics. To my eye they do not withdraw from the world but rather engage in it more deeply. While Julian lived as a hermit, the world came to her for advice and direction, and she faced her own challenges in body, mind and spirit.
Thank you, Hilary ! Prayer is not for nothing. Spiritual advising is not for nothing. Both saints-of-the-day were known for these. Political intrigue is added to Bonhoeffer credit . Prayer, I think, has to be most important (if there's such a ranking). Just this week, a priest in our diocese asked for prayer for his untreatable, progressive illness . The following day he reported feeling , not only physical improvement, but also, a great spiritual uplifting. He stated he had not felt so well in years. Perhaps some people laid hands on Fr. Ed, but many other people were miles away. Sometimes we can only stand in wonder at the awesome God. His love. His power. His presence.
Voting for Julian.
"To my eye (mystics) do not withdraw from the world but rather engage in it more deeply." Excellent insight. Thank you, Hilary and Ginny, for your comments.
Current events favor Bonhoeffer, drat ISIS for stealing the halo from Julian.
...among other things, she notes drily. Agree with your assessment, though.
Bonhoeffer's life to me asks the question 'what are we being called to do here and now?' He has lost votes in previous contests for his willingness to contemplate a violent act in response to the woundedness around him. Not today - because we're feeling the wound? Julian contemplates the wounds of Jesus and the woundedness around her and presents a pastoral and reassuring long view of a loving God to people who need to hear it.
Both matter: responsible action based on courage of convictions, and prayerful, pastoral response to the people around us.
Julian is great, but Dietrich had this one regardless of the terrible things that occurred yesterday. I am especially thankful for her nutshell philosophy today though....AWBW.
Thank you all for another fantastic Lenten journey. To have this, to learn and put each one of our own journeys in the context of these great people is beyond words wonderful! Tim, Scott and all the bloggers are to be given their own sort of golden haloes. All will be well!
I am deeply saddened that Sojourner did not make it to the Halo round. But Beth Lewis's write-up for Dietrich in the Final Four was prescient and I believe that's what put him over the top. I love Julian, but I think Dietrich's example has so much to teach us in our own troubled times. May we be still and hear. Then may we act.
Jessica, I, too, was pulling for Sojourner, but Bonhoeffer is a tough act to follow. I believe he will wear the Golden Halo humbly. And Julian will reassure that ASBW.
This has been a challenging LM for me. I don't follow the crowd in my choices so saw many favorites fall. My heart belonged to the "son of encouragement" and then to Constance, whose story I did not know.
DB will be a noble winner in a troubling year.
I vote for the Bonhoeffer beer stein! Truly he was an inspiration and he got my vote. Thank you to all that worked to bring Lent Madness to us another year. I look forward to it each year as part of my Lenten practices. Kudos to another great year!
Very grateful for Lent Madness, even though my bracket was busted the first day and I really thought Sojourner Truth would win the Golden Halo. So close and yet so far. Thanks for the great job, celebrity bloggers and SEC. Blessings to all. Still not sure who to vote for today.
A vote for Bonhoeffer from Colorado. My 2 Springer Spaniels wanted me to vote for George T. Dog. They are convinced he is a saint!
This is a really hard choice. I have read and studied Julian for many years. She has led me to a deeper place of sprituality in difficult time . That said, Bonhoeffer's example of standing up for Christian faith in the times of trial makes him makes him a true hero for all people of faith.
Thank you bloggers for your wonderful write-ups. Everyone of you made the decisions difficult.
I has been a please to take this Lenten Journey with you all. Thank you for the opportunity to read about saints in the faith who sought to serve faithfully. I cast a final vote for Julian.
Will there be a Silver Halo winner this yeat? The precedent has been set!
I has been a pleasure to take this Lenten Journey with you all. Thank you for the opportunity to read about saints in the faith who sought to serve faithfully. I cast a final vote for Julian.
Bring back the Sacred Feminine! Vote Julian!
Bonhoeffer. We need his political-theological witness in these times.