President Obama speech borrowed from St. Paul
Cathleen Falsani/Religion News Service
Issue date: 2/8/09 Section: Divine Intervention
President Obama's inaugural address might not have been one for the ages. But it certainly was the right one for the moment.
Somber, sober and almost stern, our new president placed a mantle before the nation and gave us a gentle, but clear, kick in the collective pants.
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America," he said. "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task."
"We remain a young nation," Obama said, "but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things."
There, he was quoting from 1 Corinthians 13:11, St. Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, Greece. I was struck by the implications of this choice of Scripture.
Most people, if they are familiar with this particular Bible passage at all, probably have heard it read at a wedding. This is the "Love is patient, love is kind ..." section that is so well known to so many. But Paul continues:
"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
When St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he began by addressing their problems. The church was beset by infighting and divisions, and threatened by immoral influences from the surrounding community.
Corinth was a young city and the church there was a young church, just as we are a young nation - teenagers, if you will.
Somber, sober and almost stern, our new president placed a mantle before the nation and gave us a gentle, but clear, kick in the collective pants.
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America," he said. "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task."
"We remain a young nation," Obama said, "but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things."
There, he was quoting from 1 Corinthians 13:11, St. Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, Greece. I was struck by the implications of this choice of Scripture.
Most people, if they are familiar with this particular Bible passage at all, probably have heard it read at a wedding. This is the "Love is patient, love is kind ..." section that is so well known to so many. But Paul continues:
"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
When St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he began by addressing their problems. The church was beset by infighting and divisions, and threatened by immoral influences from the surrounding community.
Corinth was a young city and the church there was a young church, just as we are a young nation - teenagers, if you will.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
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posted 2/24/09 @ 5:45 PM EST
Thanks for delving into the details of his allusion to scripture... it certainly adds depth to reporting that's often not found in other media.
-Jeff Paul
tiffanyhot
posted 3/02/09 @ 4:54 AM EST
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