Stephen Scheidell

Dr. Gene Green

BITH 213
CPO W143
JAMES O WEA!TH" PO#E$T%" AD OPP$ESSIO
J&'e( lin)( i((*e( +, -e&lth" p+.ert/" &nd +ppre((i+n t+ ,&ith in .er(e 1021. 2+r
J&'e(" tr*e reli3i+n i( (+lid&rit/ &nd c+'p&((i+n ,+r the &,,licted &nd +ppre((ed. P*re
reli3i+n i( n+t & creed +r rite( +, & cere'+n/" 4*t the &cti+n( &nd &ttit*de( t+-&rd (+ciet/5(
6le&(t.6
2+r the re'&inder +, the letter J&'e( 'erel/ *np&c) &nd e7plic&te( th&t the(i(" 4*t
4e,+re -e c&n pr+ceed" -e '*(t 4rin3 int+ &cc+*nt the p&((&3e +n (*,,erin3 th&t +pen(
the letter. 6The te(tin3 +, /+*r ,&ith pr+d*ce( (te&d,&(tne((6 81039. W+*ld +ne 4e
'i(re&din3 the te7t t+ lin) the t-+ &,+re'enti+ned .er(e( +n & p(/ch+l+3ic&l le.el: The
pre(ent e((&/ -ill &r3*e th&t J&'e( intend( the t-+ the'e( +, (*,,erin3 &nd c+'p&((i+n
t+ 4e t&)en &( c+'pli'ent&r/ ide&(. I, +ne &ppr+&che( ,r+' & p(/ch+l+3ic&l &n3le" the
lin) 4ec+'e( cle&r. One -h+ (*,,er( -ill n&t*r&ll/ (h+- (tr+n3 &,,init/ t+-&rd &n/+ne
,&cin3 &,,licti+n; th&t per(+n5( e7perience &ll+-( her t+ *nder(t&nd &nd rel&te in & -&/
+nl/ p+((i4le thr+*3h th&t e7perience. 2+r her" c+'p&((i+n ,+r the +rph&n &nd the -id+-
c+'e( in(tincti.el/ &nd &*thentic&ll/. I, thi( c+'p&((i+n i( de ,&ct+ p*re" *nde,iled
reli3i+n 4e,+re G+d" &( J&'e( (*33e(t(" (*,,erin3 n&t*r&ll/ incre&(e( (te&d,&(tne((" i.e.
l+.e ,+r the +ppre((ed &nd &,,licted.
Thi( d+e( n+t (*33e(t" h+-e.er" th&t (*,,erin3 lin)( t+ c+'p&((i+n +nl/
p(/ch+l+3ic&ll/. The'e( +, (*,,erin3" c+'p&((i+n" &nd &*thentic reli3i+n c+nnect +n
e7plicitl/ the+l+3ic&l le.el( &( J&'e( l&/( +*t cle&rl/. Ch&pter 2 +pen( -ith & (tr+n3
re,*t&ti+n +, the pr&ctice +, pl&/in3 ,&.+rite( t+ the rich in the &((e'4l/. 8%+* 'i3ht 4e in
the -r+n3 ch*rch i, /+* h&.e t+ 4ri4e the *(her( t+ 3et & 3++d (e&t *p ,r+nt.9
2*rther'+re" J&'e( dr&-( &ttenti+n t+ the ,&ct th&t G+d ,&.+r( the p++r in thi( -+rld t+
'&)e rich in ,&ith &nd heir( t+ the )in3d+' 820<9.
J&'e(" then" ret*rn( t+ hi( the(i(0 ,&ith in Je(*( det&ched ,r+' &ctin3 +n th&t ,&ith
i( de&d 820119. He &r3*e( .i& A4r&h&' th&t &cti+n pr+.e( the .it&lit/ +, +ne5( ,&ith.
Ch&pter( 3 &nd 4 (&/ little e7plicitl/ +n the letter5( 6)e/ the'e("6 4*t the 'iddle +, the
4+d/ el&4+r&te( +n the (+*rce( +, *n,&ith,*l l&c) +, c+'p&((i+n. =nch&(te p&((i+n( le&d
+ne 4&c) t+ per(+n&l de(ire( &nd &-&/ ,r+' the need( +, +ther(.
Ch&pter < '&)e( the e7plicit ret*rn t+ J&'e( +ri3in&l p+int. 6C+'e n+-" /+* rich"
-eep &nd h+-l ,+r the 'i(erie( th&t &re c+'in3 *p+n /+*6 8<019. J&'e( 3+e( +n t+ ,+c*(
+n the ,&ct th&t tri.i&l p*r(*it( ,+r the -e&lth le&d +nl/ t+ '+rnin3 +.er l+(t riche(. Wh&t
then le&d( t+ l&(tin3 6tre&(*re6 in tr*e reli3i+n: J&'e(" n+-" ret*rn( ,*ll circle t+ the
the'e +, (*,,erin3. P&tience in the 'id(t +, (*,,erin3 4rin3( +ne cl+(er t+ G+d5( he&rt ,+r
the &,,licted 4/ in(tillin3 & n&t*r&l inclin&ti+n ,+r c+'p&((i+n &nd l+.e &nd" there,+re"
(h+-( G+d5( 'erc/ &nd c+'p&((i+n 8<0119.