Practicing Religion

Rod Dreher (Eastern Orthodox) and Andrew Sullivan (Catholic) were both deeply moved by the Evangelical funeral of David Kuo. It was Sullivan's first time inside an Evangelical megachurch, which he called a "cultural novelty." But the service moved him greatly:

What I guess I’m trying to say is that so many of us have come to view evangelical Christianity as threatening, and in its political incarnation, it is at times. But freed from politics, evangelical Christianity has a passion and joy and Scriptural mastery we could all learn from. . . .

In some way, this was David’s last gift to me. His own unvarnished, embarrassingly frank belief helped me get over my prejudices against evangelicalism as a lived faith.

Dreher was moved to write this:

Don’t be the person who makes those you leave behind carry that weight. You can offer mercy. You really can. You, reading this, you know someone in your life who needs to hear you say, “It’s okay, I forgive you.” You know someone who needs to hear you say, “I’m sorry, please forgive me.” Do it. Please. Life is hard and long. Surprise yourself by the joy of mercy. You never know how it will change the way you look at things.