Reflections on the Life of the Late Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes - Part Four

Reflections on the Life of 

The Late Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes – Part Four

Additionally, when we consider the predominate role of religion in the life of an average American citizen or global citizen particularly in the Middle East, it seems rather short-sighted of any institution of higher learning to ignore or devaluate its intellectual and existential centrality.  Replacing religion with psychology myopically substitutes middle strata, bourgeois and academic lifestyle as the normative standard for enjoying a meaningful life.  This untenable approach disregards hundreds of millions of people for whom college life remains so far removed from daily living.  It simply seems unreasonable to proffer a position that excludes such a large proportion of humankind.  Further, when we consider the impact and influence of religion and spirituality within international affairs (the events of 11 September 2001, the Sunni-Shia Islamic divide in Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia, the extraordinary ability of Muslim clerics to influence the political and social events within Middle Eastern countries, and the role of Buddhism in the conflict between mainland China and Tibet among many other military, economic and geopolitical challenges).  It seems most appropriate that colleges and universities through institutional chaplaincies would equip students with the intellectual methods to achieve an existential faith that assists graduates to contribute significantly to helping fellow adherents in their faith communities to practice an intellectually respectable lifestyle that embraces the respect and dignity of all humankind.   After viewing a few interviews with Professor Gomes with Charlie Rose and "In the Green Room," I obtained a greater respect for the integrity of his Christian faith.   I appreciate his stalwart faith despite the pressure by the academic and dominant culture to relegate Christianity to irrelevance.

Reverend Professor Gomes was unabashedly Baptist as a clergyman.  His commitment to this confessional perspective was most evident in his funeral pre-planning in which he arranged a formal, traditional funeral at Plymouth Baptist Church notwithstanding the very "high church" liturgy of the Anglican faith that would be held at Memorial Church at Harvard.  In response to a question, he cursorily described the plans for his service which he had left in a safe deposit box.  Reverend Gomes said he would prefer mostly hymns of the Christian faith.  In particular, he desired the hymn, “Give Your Best to the Master.”  Furthermore, he shared the verse, 1 Timothy 2:15, would be engraved on his tombstone.  He posits he obeyed this biblical mandate through his teaching, writing and preaching.

Reverend Gomes' funeral plans evidenced a depth of humility not immediately evident when first encountering him. After forty years at Harvard University with the concomitant achievements of earning the distinction as one of the best preachers in the English language, offering sermons at U. S. President George H. W. Bush's inauguration and Westminster Abbey where Great Britain's royal family periodically worships and publishing a few bestselling books, he accepted the equality of everyone in death.  He could have requested the funeral mass of all masses to duly note his superlative achievements. Yet, he did not; rather he followed the example of his beloved parents by planning a funeral at Plymouth Baptist Church where the congregation and neighbors who nurtured him in his formative years and knew him long before his ascent to celebrity could most genuinely celebrate his life as Peter J. Gomes instead of the public persona.  I appreciate Professor Gomes' ability to juxtapose celebrity and commonality.  His fundamental self-acceptance enabled him to find a balance in embracing both worlds without sacrificing the other.  He also did not succumb to disregarding other peoples’ dignity in order to attain his own.

In fulfilling the pastoral directive of studying to demonstrate one's worthiness, Reverend Gomes expansive career as a minister, scholar, and teacher reflects a commitment to a lifelong pursuit of asking and answering questions of faith and spirituality in an intellectually respectable way.  His faithfulness challenges all disciples to serve our Lord similarly.  The extensive religious and cultural pluralism of the global village which a predominant and preferential secular, humanistic worldview in the United States furthers demands all Christians in whatever walk of life emulate Reverend Gomes' example of making this compelling argument.  I argue each disciple has an obligation to meet this challenge irrespective of his or her formal education, socio-economic status, political ideology, or cultural milieu.  This requirement is not the sole prerogative of Christians who live within academe. 

I conclude this personal reflection on Reverend Professor Gomes life where I began.  I continually marvel at his inimitable example of self-acceptance.  I had not encountered anyone heretofore who possessed such a clear and unequivocal sense of self.  I imagine how differently life will unfold for anyone who acquires this divine and spiritual attribute.  On a typical Saturday morning in October approximately five years ago, I was blessed to met a brother, fellow disciple and colleague whose personal authenticity forever changed my outlook on ministry and myself.  Humbly, I hope my recollections of a single meeting with this extraordinary person encourage and empower you to discover your own divine and personal worth.