In Memoriam: Fr. Malcolm Boyd

Fr. Malcolm Boyd
1923 - 2015

An Episcopal priest of deep faith and just as deep social commitment. In 1965 his simple yet moving book of prayers, Are You Running With Me, Jesus? was radical and certainly outside the box of traditional Christian spirituality. His publisher, when issuing a 40th anniversary edition said:

In the middle of the turbulent 1960s Malcolm Boyd's Are You Running With Me, Jesus? appeared on the scene and broke the mold from which devotional texts had previously been made. Boyd's prayers engaged traditional Christian themes with a decidedly contemporary voice honest, direct, insightful while at the same time taking on issues of everyday concern: personal freedom, racial justice, sexuality. Billed by its original publisher as a collection of prayers for all of us today who are finding it harder and harder to pray, this landmark book has influenced generations of Christians and seekers.

On his web site he is noted as:

• Bestseller author
• Gay Elder
• Episcopal Priest for 57 Years
• Civil Rights and Antiwar Activist; a “Freedom Rider” in 196l

In 1998 as he was entering the "golden years" at age 75, he did not rail against the night or urge people to fight against it. He wrote a book called Go Gentle Into That Good Night." In short, from one era to another he was calling people to pay attention to their world, their lives, and Jesus. An amazing man who has left quite a legacy.

Here are some quotes from Malcolm Boyd.

• By my definition, prayer is consciously hanging out with God. Being with God in a deliberate way.
• Entrenched scriptural literalism is, in my opinion, completely out of touch with reality.
• I find Jesus my confidant and companion, brother and savior; our relationship is intimate, vulnerable, demanding yet comfortable and reassuring.

Here's the title prayer of the book that changed many people's prayers:

It’s morning, Jesus.
 It's
 morning, 
and
 here's 
that
 light 
and 
sound
 all 
over 
again.


Where
 am
 I
 running?

You 
know 
these
 things
 I
 can't
 understand.
 It's 
not
 that 
I
 need 
to
 have
 you
 tell 
me.


What
 counts 
most 
is
 just
 that
 somebody
 knows,
 and
 it's
 you.
 That
 helps
 a
lot.


So
 I'll
 follow
 along,
 okay?
 But
 lead,
 Lord.
 Now
 I've
 got 
to
 run.


Are 
you
 running
 with 
me,
 Jesus?

And finally, from the same book:

PRAYER
 OF
 REPENTANCE

God:

Take
 fire
 and 
burn 
away
 our guilt
 and
 our
 lying
 hypocrisies.


Take 
water 
and
 wash
 away
 our
 brothers' 
blood
 which
 we
 have
 caused
 to
 be
 shed.


Take 
hot 
sunlight
 and
 dry
 the
 tears 
of
 those
 we
 have 
hurt,
 and
 heal
 their
 wounded
 souls, 
minds,
 and
 bodies.


Take
 love
 and
 root 
it
 in 
our
 hearts,
 so
 that 
brotherhood 
may
 grow, 
transforming
 the
 dry 
desert of
 our 
prejudices
 and
 hatreds.

Amen

Rest in peace, Brother Malcolm. Rest in peace.