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Rabbi Marc Gellman began his studies in 1969 at the University of Wisconsin, and went on to attend the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of ...
Read more about By Rabbi Marc Gellman, Tribune Media Services.
ALTAR CALL QUESTIONABLE AT A FUNERAL
By Rabbi Marc Gellman, Tribune Media Services
Q: I've attended two memorial services in two weeks, both at
non-denominational Christian churches (I'm Catholic). Toward the end
of each service, both of which were respectful and quite lovely, the
minister announced an "altar call," stating that Jesus was the only
way to salvation, and that those who had not come to Jesus should do
so at that very instant! This exercise lasted a good 10 minutes.
I'm a pluralist, so I don't believe accepting Jesus is the only path to salvation, and I was very uncomfortable for my Jewish and Muslim friends in attendance. Is this a new trend? Is it appropriate? It seems as though the minister was taking advantage of a captive audience. However, no matter how offended anyone might have been personally, no one was going to be disrespectful by walking out. - M., via godsquadquestion@aol.com
A: The "altar call" is one of the most distinctive and controversial elements of evangelical Christianity. It was "invented" about 150 years ago by American evangelist Charles Finney and popularized by Dwight Moody and especially Billy Graham. The people who come to the altar say a sinner's prayer and accept Jesus as their Lord and savior.
Interestingly, the objections of non-evangelical Christians like Pastor David Wooten (reformedevangelist.com) to the altar call apply even if a service is not a funeral. He finds the "invitation system" flawed because: it's not in the Bible; it's so new that it has no authenticity; it replaces careful, mentored contemplation of conversion, repentance and faith with an impulsive act; it's unnecessary for the Holy Spirit to do its regenerating work; it implies that those who don't come forward are somehow sinners; and it adds an additional condition for salvation that Jesus never gave.
I agree with Wooten's concerns and I agree with you that a funeral is no time for an altar call. People attending a revival meeting should expect an altar call and not be offended when it comes, but those attending a funeral are there to comfort the family of the deceased, not commit their lives to Christ.
Q: At a funeral I attended, the response to a Psalm read during the service was: "Remember me as loving you." I've been trying to identify which Psalm these words came from but have been unsuccessful. Can you help? - E., Hamden, CT, via a lovely card with seashells on the front
A: This statement is not from a psalm. The spiritual legacy of the Psalms is so rich that people often think any resonant, inspiring spiritual poem must be a Psalm. In this case, the funeral poem you heard is from a song from the Sufi tradition of Islam, the mystical part of the great Muslim faith.
The chorus of the song, in Arabic, is Ishq' Allah, Ma abud L'íllah , which means, "All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you."
From its original provenance as a Sufi song, the poem has become a contemporary song often played at Christian funerals. It is called "All I ask." The Benedictine monks of Weston Priory in Vermont produce lovely cards with this tender wish.
This wonderful song/poem/prayer reminds us that the spiritual insights of every faith can nourish and comfort those who are climbing the mountain up a different path. If anyone knows more about the history and authorship of this poem, please let me know and I'll pass it on. Please send our blessings of consolation to the family whose loss you helped to comfort.
Here are the words you seek:
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
As we make our way through all the joys and pain,
Can we sense our younger, truer selves?
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
Someone will be calling you to be there for a while.
Can you hear the cry from deep within?
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
Laughter, joy and presence: the only gifts you are.
Have you time? I'd like to be with you.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
Persons come into the fiber of our lives,
and then their shadow fades and disappears.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
Ishq'Allah, ma abud L'illah, Ishq'Allah, ma abud L'illah.
All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.
(Send QUESTIONS ONLY to The God Squad, c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207, or email them to godsquadquestion@aol.com.
(c) 2008 THE GOD SQUAD DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
This news arrived on: 07/31/2008
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Posted Comments:
08-04-2008 23:10
Ms. S. Ragland wrote:
re: alter call [and proselytizing]
It is just ridiculous how so many people on here think it is okay to demean other beliefs. Especially, if they are ignorant about how their own belief system got started.
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