Pigs, Kidneys, & Christian Ethics

You may have heard that earlier this year a genetically modified pig kidney was transplanted into a human being. This was not the first such transplantation but there haven't been many attempts an this is the one getting media attention. According to an AI summary: 

• The Procedure:On March 16, 2024, MGH surgeons transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a 62-year-old man with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) named Richard "Rick" Slayman. 
• Genetically Modified Pig Kidney:The pig kidney was genetically modified using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to remove harmful pig genes and add certain human genes, making it more compatible for human transplantation. 
• Xenotransplantation:This procedure is a form of xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs from one species to another, which researchers hope will help alleviate the organ shortage crisis.
• Importance:
  Harvard Medical School researchers are optimistic that this transplant is an important step towards making genetically edited pig organs a viable, long-term solution for patients. 

There are lots of ethical issues around xenotransplantation, although this isn't new. The first transplantation of a pig's aortic heart valve into a human was in 1965, sixty years ago, and there are many people given a new lease of life because of these implants.

 I've written before about auditing a Science and Religion course at Dalhousie University around the turn of the millennium when I was a minister in Halifax. The professor, knowing I was a minister, asked if I would research and present to the class about xenotransplantation. I knew absolutely nothing about it but I agreed to do so and discovered that the Roman Catholics had done the most work in developing a thoughtful Christian response to this ethically challenging subject.

There are plenty of pig heart valves available but the unfolding issue 25 years ago was the prospect of raising genetically modified pigs for the purpose of transplantation. Should we be using pigs as, well, guineau pigs, and humans as well, for that matter. And when is a pig no longer a pig if scientists have modified their genes to be more human. 

One of Canada's leading ethicists, Francoise Baylis, was in my Halifax congregation and chatted with my once about her sense that science was running far ahead of the ethics related to certain developments. So, where were faith communities in the midst of this? It's still an important question. 

When I was a kid I was an avid reader of a series of Freddie the Pig books which were available from our tiny local library. Freddy was a pig with decidedly human qualities and a determined sleuth to boot. I think I still have a copy of Freddy and the Baseball Team from Mars -- no, I did not steal it from the library. Apparently author Walter Brooks was on to something. 

We won't even get started on Animal Farm and how "all animals are equal" became "some animals are more equal than others."

As Christians we need to be aware and responsive, although I'm not sure how. Oink if you love Jesus, and pigs!

A Christ-Hub in the Heart of Belleville

May the Christ who walks on wounded feet

            walk with you on the road.

May the Christ who serves with wounded hands

            stretch out your hands to serve.

May the Christ who loves with a wounded heart

            open your hearts to love.

May you see the face of Christ in everyone you meet,

            and may everyone you meet

            see the face of Christ in you.  Voices United 349

 Our household is watching and listening with considerable interest as announcements are released regarding The Bridge Hub in Belleville. The creation of a location to offer a range of services to those who are unhoused or otherwise living on the margins of society is good news for this community but the road has involved some twists and turns. The building purchased for this purpose was in greater need of renovations than first thought so the Fall of 2025 is now the target for opening. 

During the past few years the meal ministry created by the Bridge St. United Church in the downtown has grown, as it did during my time as lead minister with the congregation. Since my departure the programs expanded and a partnership was formed with the John Howard Society. The number of people needing assistance and services in Belleville has grown exponentially, as it has in so many communities across the country. This has become an issue downtown with a rise in vandalism and crime, along with pop-up encampments. Some people avoid the stretch of Bridge St. where the church is located because it is an intimidating gauntlet.  

On Sunday morning I picked up surplus baking products from Metro to deliver to Bridge St. UC. The day before Ruth and I packed our Subaru Outback to the roof with generous donations from both Cobbs Bread and Metro. As I carried in the first boxes on Sunday a guest waiting in the cold rain asked what I had and I told him bread. He wondered if I had any fish to go with it. When I acknowledged his "loaves and fishes" quip we both laughed. I spoke with others as I brought in the boxes and they were remarkably cheerful given their circumstances and the weather. 

As I left the two door-keepers began letting people in with registry clipboard in hand. One of them greeted each person by name and I felt a rise of emotion. These folk are human beings with emotions, with names, and they deserve to be respected and loved.

I've written before about "front door congregations" and "side door congregations" and the reality that the two often don't meet. Ruth is a weekly volunteer with the meal program and wonders what will be lost when it shifts away from Bridge St. UC, even as she sees the toll it is taking on the building. The majority of services will move to a temporary location as of the end of March, less than two weeks away. 

We'll see in the days and months ahead. 

Justice for Morgan and Marcedes

 

"The United Church of Canada believes that the inherent dignity of every human being must be respected. In life, and now in death, Morgan, Marcedes, and thousands of other missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people have been denied the dignity and respect that they deserve."

In the heat of debate in 2023/24 over whether to search a Winnipeg area landfill for the remains of two Indigenous women, Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, murdered by a convicted serial killer I wondered if committing significant resources to doing so made sense. The landfill is vast, their were risks for the searchers, and their are tremendous needs in Indigenous communities where those millions of dollars could make a difference to the living. Clearly the horrendous toll of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls continues to be a scourge in Canada and I was uncertain about my perspective but expressed it just the same. .  

The United Church of Canada supported the search and in 2023 our Moderator, The Right Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne, who is Indigenous,  travelled to Manitoba along with leaders from other denominations to be in solidarity with families in demanding that the search take place. 

The Right Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne joined church leaders and members from across the country at Camp Morgan at the Brady Road Landfill in Winnipeg on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, where they stood in solidarity with advocates who have been calling for months for a search of the Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two Indigenous women. PHOTO BY DAVE BAXTER /Winnipeg Sun/Local Journalism Initiative

The Manitoba Conservative government of that period made not searching the landfills an election issue and it was so clearly a desperate and racist ploy that there was backlash from the electorate, including usual supporters. When the government was defeated and Wab Kinew, Indigenous himself, became premier the decision was made to first study the feasibility of a search then commence the painstaking work. The Tories have since apologized. 

After the discovery of the second set of remains Kinew stated "Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris are coming home.This is what we set out to do. I don't know if many of us knew the odds of success ... but it turns out bringing them home was within our grasp and something we were able to do for these families."

I'll concede that my line of thought was wrong and that the commitment to fulfilling the search was justified. Was I racist in my outlook? Perhaps, because as a white male in the dominant culture it's a pervasive reality so repentance is important.  I'm hoping that my intentions were reasonable and that I do want justice for Indigenous peoples, but I live and learn. 

The Charm & the Charms of St. Patrick

 

                                                                      St. Patrick --Jen Norton 

In name of the Holy Spirit of grace,
In name of the Father of the City of peace,
In name of Jesus who took death off us,
Oh! in name of the Three who shield us in every need,
If well thou hast found us to-night,
Seven times better mayest thou leave us without harm,
      Thou bright white Moon of the seasons,
      Bright white Moon of the seasons.
               

                  Celtic Prayer from the Carmina Gadelica 

Our younger daughter and her husband  who live in deepest, darkest Toronto,  were with us for what was an enjoyable weekend visit. They were looking forward to visiting a favourite Irish pub after work this afternoon for a pint of Guiness and some St. Paddy's Day revelry. The proprietor and all the staff are Irish ex-pats (pun intended) and it sounds as though there is a bit of a Cheers vibe about the place, with a lilting accent thrown in.

Being a dad and religious I innocently asked whether the team knows much about St. Patrick and they had no idea, given that this isn't exactly the goal of today's events. I didn't press them on what knowledge they have of one of the three patron saints of the Emerald Isle, along with Brigid and Columcille.  

Much of what is claimed for Patrick may be legend anyway, but as some readers will know, I have deep respect for what is considered the Earth-honouring aspect of Celtic Christianity. Patrick and the array of Irish saints took a "if you can't beat 'em, respect 'em" approach to evangelism of the Druids who were a nature loving crowd. Rather that imposing and conquering, Patrick and the others found common ground, figuratively and literally. 

While the church based in Rome eventually subsumed the more egalitarian and earthy Christianity of the Celts, aspects of the Celtic way have survived. I have a couple of volumes of the Carmina Gadelica, a compendium of prayers, hymns, charms, incantations, blessings collected by a Scot (have mercy) Alexander Carmichael, who wrote them down while travelling as a government official in the 19th century. 

I hope that the legend of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland is false but I appreciate so much of the rest of the tradition. There are several Celtic blessings and hymns in Voices United, if you snoop around, including #318

 1 Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me.

2 Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,  Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I wonder if there is a Celtic charm to ward off hangovers? 

Care for our Common Home, 10 Years On

 I've been asked to promote our upcoming study group on Laudato Si, the encyclical issued by Pope Francis ten years ago on care for our planetary home. Laudato Si is Latin for "praise be to you", the opening phrase of the Canticle of the Creatures attributed to St. Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis' document is then Praise Be To You: On Care for Our Common Home.

Here is the invitation I'll make during our morning worship service at Trenton United: 

Laudato Si Announcement – Sunday March 16 2025

 A couple of weeks ago we shared the good news of what we had observed from the natural world during the month of February. It was a lovely reminder that Creation is a world of often simple wonders that lift our hearts. 

During the next three Wednesday mornings we’ll keep our conversation going as we look at a statement called Praise Be To You: On Care for Our Common Home.

Pope Francis issued this encyclical ten years ago based on a wonderful song of praise attributed to Francis of Assisi, his namesake, call the Canticle of the Creatures

This is the tenth anniversary of the document and it is still the best reflection on how we as Christians celebrate and care for Creation.  This is also the 800^th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures so the timing is ideal.

It doesn’t matter if you are a newby to study groups – you are welcome. I’ll do the heavy lifting in terms of preparation. This is a time of great anxiety about climate change and we can feel helpless to make a difference.

Yet we love our children and grandchildren and we love this planet and we want them to have a future– so let’s talk about this together!

Our February observations were inspired by a study done by Dr. Holli-Anne Passmore, a university psychology professor. I shared what we did in February and our service with her and she was so grateful she was moved to tears. 

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…

Whom Shall I Fear?

 

The daily psalm for the latter part of this week is number 27 in the Psalter, with the title Triumphant Song of Confidence. The opening verse is one that I often used at the beginning of funeral and memorial services, along with the declaration from John 11, "I am the resurrection and the life." 

The rhetorical questions are both related to fear, and if we're honest a lot of us have been running scared lately. I was awake at 3:45 the other morning considering the open declaration of economic war on Canada by a president I consider dangerous and evil. It's been said that the United States is our best friend, whether we like it or not. Well, under this regime America isn't our friend and I sure don't like it.

I notice that fear comes up again in the phrase "Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear."  That image of an army staged to attack is a powerful one because we can feel that our enemies are legion, especially in the wee hours of the morning. The bad guys always seem more numerous in the dark. So, I need a nightlight and maybe even a searchlight to find my way. 

I noticed that the conclusion of this psalm is the basis for two choruses from the Taize Christian community and we sang/chanted them when I was there years ago. One is included in Voices United (22) and is a patient call for courage. 

Let's hang in there with the Good Shepherd, shall we? Who's afraid of the Big Bad Donald!

                     When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—

my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall.

 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

 One thing I asked of the Lord; this I seek:
to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.

Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!

“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, Lord, do I seek.
     Do not hide your face from me.

Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off; do not forsake me,O God of my salvation!
 If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.

 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.

Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
    for false witnesses have risen against me,and they are breathing out violence.

 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27: 2-14 NRSVue 

This Is PI Day...& PIE Day!

National National Affirming/PIE Day! March 14, 2025

Public, Intentional, Explicit Inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ People

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

 Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.      John 3: 16-17 NRSVue

You may be aware that this is PI Day, the playful recognition of the mathematical constant , roughly 3.14, that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. So on March 14 every year -- 3.14 -- PI is celebrated.

You might not bake a cake, but how about a PIE? This is also the annual recognition of another important initiative, one that will be recognized on Sunday morning in our congregation: 

Trenton United Church

@TrentonUnited

Today is Pi Day. 3.14. Today is also PIE Day - PIE = Public. Intentional. Explicit. At Trenton United we are an intentional community of faith who welcomes ALL. Join us Sunday as we celebrate Pie day with …. You guessed it…. Pie!!

A couple of weeks ago Ruth made pies with our Sunday School kids at Trenton UC with the promise that they would get to eat them just a little late on 3:16. Come to think of it, John 3:16 is about God's love in Christ for all humanity and all the world. Join us on Sunday for pie and PIE. We trust that it will be a meaningful and playful opportunity to celebrate and share that love.

COVID, Five Years On

 

There have been lots of reminders recently that five years ago the world was shutting down regular activity in response to the COVID pandemic that had been looming on the horizon for several months. Each jurisdiction was making its own decisions although the World Health Organization made its pandemic announcement on March 11, 2020. By the following week Canada had taken the significant steps in restricting air travel along with other measures. 

We attended worship at Trenton United on Sunday, March 15 after I had earlier cycled to the nearly empty Y for a workout. There weren't many people at church either and the announcement was made that we were essentially giving up Lent for Lent. 

We were told that our gatherings for worship were suspended until at least Palm Sunday on April 16. Little did we know that it would be many months before we came together in our sanctuary and even then we would return sporadically, depending on Ontario restrictions. 

That evening I began my journal entry: "Beware the Ides of March. Each day becomes a little more dire, a little more bleak." Little did I know how dire and bleak. 

The United Church respected those restrictions as did most denominations, although some congregations decided to defy science and the law because God was going to magically protect them. Locally there were church-goers who shunned COVID restrictions and later refused vaccines, only to die. I won't dwell on these choices other than to say that I still feel they were misguided, selfish, and unfaithful. I thought that it was both sad and terrible that when some of these unfortunate folk died of COVID their families wouldn't acknowledge the cause, not unlike what happened when AIDS killed people decades before. 

There were many casualties because of the pandemic with businesses closing permanently and lots of congregations as well. Many of those churches were already on life support in terms of dwindling numbers and aging members. COVID hastened their death. 

I'm not sure what we learned out of this pandemic. In some respects it seems to have made a group of people anti-science and more defiant about government direction. The term "freedom" has been coopted to mean selfishness and belligerence. That said, I am impressed by the resilience of so many others and the determination of faith communities, including our own, to stay connected and compassionate with members and others who relied on our support.  

We're told that the next pandemic is a matter of when rather than if and, let's be honest, when we hear about eruptions of illness in different places in the world we wonder if the Grim Reaper is getting impatient. 

Five years on we can offer prayers of gratitude for all who brought comfort and care for those who were suffering. often at huge personal cost. We can pray for governmental leaders who must remain vigilant regarding transmissible illnesses and that there will be cooperation between nations. We can pray that everyone will understand that we are stronger when we work for a common good and that good science is also good citizenship and good religion. 

The King David Saga on Screen...Again

 

I have rolled my eyes in print more than once about the TV and screen biblical epics that are epically bad, veering from maudlin to overblown. At Christmas I commented on the Netflix film, Mary, with Anthony Hopkins ranting and raving as the evil Herod -- or so I've heard because the withering reviews steered me away.

The latest is the House of David series on Amazon Prime with episodes addressing his early life as a shepherd, his fraught relationship with King Saul, including the defeat of Goliath, and  his troubled reign as Saul's successor. One reviewer sniffed that the developers of the series were trying too hard to be like Game of Thrones and watching about a third of the first episode I could see that coming. I doubt I'll go back.

Truth be told, the biblical story of David, shepherd, musician/psalmist, rebel, and monarch is the archetypal Game of Thrones story, with different leaders and pretenders sitting on the throne of Israel, or fighting to get there. 

                                 Jonathan greeting David after David killed Goliath -- Gottfried Bernhard Göz

The David saga unfolds in 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel and the drama is compelling. I've written about the sad fact that some of the best biblical dramas including Joseph and his brothers, as well as the story of David, roll out in the ecumenical lectionary during the summer months when people tend to avoid church like a biblical plague. The series of vignettes is remarkably honest, with all the nastiness, duplicity, and sex you could hope for. There has even been speculation about the intense bromance between David and Jonathan, Saul's son. 

The default psalm for Ash Wednesday is 51, in which David expresses his remorse for sending Uriah to his death in battle because he lusted after Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. David ends up being tricked into acknowledging his guilt by the prophet Nathan who doesn't confront his king directly for fear of being killed. In some respects it's a surprise that David is a biblical hero because his personal life was such a mess. 

Hey, if you don't like the movie or series, read the book!

 History of David (four episodes) Hans Sebald Beham, 1534 -- the Louvre

One of the few examples of painted table top, kept in exceptional condition. Painted for Cardinal Albert of Brandenburg, archbishop of Mainz and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. 1 - The women go out from Jerusalem to meet Saul and David. 2 - Bathsheba Bathing, coveted by David (with the portrait of Cardinal Albert Brandenburg right). 3 - Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, the siege of Rabbath which sent David (to lose). 4 - The prophet Nathan accuses David his fault (with the portrait of the artist left ). 

The Poison of Hatred in Israel/Gaza

 

Israel is cutting off humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Israel has cut off electrical power to Gaza which will shut down the desalination plant supplying water.

No food, no water. So many people, including thousands of children, are suffering from malnutrition and exposure. We're not allowed to say that this is genocide without repercussions. We're not allowed to say that Trump's abominable resettlement plan, supported by Netanyahu is ethnic cleansing. Why is that? The accusation is that such observations are anti-Jewish when for many of us it has nothing to do with religion. The violation of human rights has no borders, no ethnicity, no religion, even though these are so often contributing factors. Yes, this includes the acts of terrorism by Hamas. 

Recently I noticed that there is a documentary based on the autobiographical book called I Shall Not Hate by Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish. He grew up in poverty in a refugee camp in Gaza, the son of displaced Palestinians. Somehow he rose above these desperate beginnings to become a respected medical doctor who lived in Gaza with his family and worked in hospitals in Israel treating patients without regard for their origins or religion. During a conflict in 2009 an Israeli tank rolled onto their Gaza street and fired shells that killed three of Abuelaish's daughters and niece. He called a journalist friend in Israel in the immediate aftermath an his grief was broadcast across the country. In total 22 of his relatives have been killed over the years and after that incident he moved to Canada for the safety of his remaining children.

                                           Dr. Abuelaish with members of his surviving family

Years ago we read Dr. Abuelaish's book, the precursor for the documentary, in a congregational book study and I spoke with him on the phone shortly after he arrived in Canada. He now teaches in Toronto. He has been steadfast in refusing to descend into hatred despite what has happened to his family and at the same time committed to justice for Palestinians and accountablity for the deaths of his family members. 

We read the book because it is a profound personal commentary on the poison of hatred and while Abuelaish is Muslim it is a reminder for all of us, regardless of religon Jesus, the Jew, exhorted us not to choose retaliation or hatred. . As a Christian I have great admiration for his quest and I continue to pray for an end to the senseless hatred on both sides in the Israel/Gaza conflict.