Wow, the emotion over the Wren Chapel cross continues and even intensifies. If I were one of President Nichol's advisers I'd say, "Put it back! It's not worth all this!" Maybe he's working behind the scenes with members of the Board of Visitors so, at their upcoming meeting, they will overrule him in a way that will still endorse his efforts to make the College a more hospitable place to students and faculty of all backgrounds.

There is so much emotional reactivity in our community these days. There is so much suspicion over motives. Is it an ACLU plot, just the first step on a slippery slope? There is so much anger: "Put the cross back or I'm not giving another penny to the College."

And then there is the cross as a symbol. It's not at all straightfoward, as the letter writers in the Gazette would assert. What does the cross symbolize for you? For me it brings to mind Jesus' humiliation and death for us human beings and for the world. It symbolizes God's self-giving. But I also understand that, for Jews and Muslims who know their history, the cross stands for death. Jews were killed as "Christ killers" by mobs carrying the cross, during numerous European pogroms throughout the centuries. Even today, fundamentalists in this country carry the cross as they threaten Jews with hell if they don't convert to Christianity. The Crusades were carried out against Muslims by armies with the cross on their clothing. Even today, Muslim extremists whip up their followers by drawing parallels between the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Crusades.

I've been thinking about something I read in the past couple of weeks. I can't remember where it was now! But I remember the wording of a phrase. The author declared that peace would only be possible if "humble Christians, moderate Muslims and tolerant Jews" would get together as a force in the world. I wonder if that coalition would make for peace in this Williamsburg controversy? Right now, too many shrieking voices are overpowering that possibility. There is very little charity and very little listening going on -- behaviors that are urged upon us in the Christian Scriptures.

I really don't think it makes much difference whether there is a cross on display in the Wren Chapel or not. I don't think civilization will end if it's not visible 24/7. On the other hand, if President Nichol is reversed and the cross is restored to the altar, I would pray that it's seen as a symbol of the humble servanthood Jesus embodied, the humble servanthood that all Christians are called to.

As the ancient hymn text puts it:

"Where charity and love prevail,
there God is ever found;..."

and in the last stanza:

"Let us forgive each other's faults
as we our own confess,
that we may love each other well
in Christian gentleness."

(Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymn #359)