Sep 29 2008
Archive for September, 2008
Sep 27 2008
Twitter Updates for 2008-09-27
Sep 26 2008
Twitter Updates for 2008-09-26
- Reading: “MY Struggle with new monasticism” (http://tinyurl.com/53k3wa) #
- Thinking about politics and faith #
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Sep 26 2008
God, politics and the church
is God-red or blue
In the recent history on the north American church there has been s significant and different foray in to the political arena. Churches and pastors of churches have begun to not only to openly share their views about political candidates but to endorse those candidates from the pulpit and tell the members of the church who they should vote for. Today I got a call about the latest step in this trend a group called the Alliance Defense Fund - Defending Our First Liberty. Is hankering for a fight over the IRS rule that church cannot actively endorse any candidate or engage in politicking if they want to keep tax exempt status. The rule they say violates their first amendment right to freedom of speech.
I think this is a dangerous path that these folks are walking. While I believe that Christians should be involved in the public and political sphere, I also believe Jesus teaches in the scriptures that God does not work through politically system the way they are proposing. God purposes and kingdom are not equivalent to a political agenda. It is bigger than any political agenda or ideology.
This summer preached a series of message looking at some of the hot button issues of the day through the metaphor of colors. One message asked the question Is God red or blue? Maybe you have seen the bumper stickers that read God is a republican or Jesus is a democrat. There are Christians that sincerely believe that God can be labeled in this way. As I shared with the faith community I serve, I think God is neither red or blue, God is purple. The combination of both colors.
When God is attached to a particular political affiliation or agenda, we trivialize and limit God’s purposes to that which is appealing to, and in agreement with our political sensibilities. Furthermore we miss the truth that God’s mission, God’s purpose and God’s kingdom is bigger than any single political point of view. God is seeking a greater good than any political agenda can ever achieve.
This view or endorsing candidates from the pulpit leads to the kind of inappropriate linkage of candidate with God that allow the current president to be referred to by one of his former department staff as the pastor in chief. I am amazed that those who want to inject God into the small minded nature of American politics forget or ignore the scripture that give us clear cautionary warning about doing just that. 3
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. Psalm 146:3Psalm 146:3
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
3 You can't depend on anyone,
not even a great leader. (NIV)
Jesus teaches his first followers that his focus in not on our human agenda but something bigger and grander and greater that includes all kinds of people regardless of their politics
36 “My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But I’m not that kind of king, not the world’s kind of king.”
John 18:36John 18:36
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
36 Jesus answered, (MSG)
Now don’t get wrong we followers of Jesus should absolutely have a voice in the political sphere. It is essential that we are a part of the conversation. But our participation should be to seek the promotion kingdom regardless of party affiliation. it should not be to attribute party values to God. We don’t get to cherry pick the values we want to promote in the name of God and God’s reign. It we promote some we must promote all. In Myth of a Christian Nation, Greg Boyd pointed to the danger to the church if we don’t adopt a more holistic biblical understanding of Christian values and their place in the public square. I believe Jim Wallis is right. When it comes to God’s politics the right gets it wrong and the left doesn’t get it.
what say you?
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Sep 26 2008
My Struggle with New Monasticism God’s Politics Blog
God’s Politics: A Blog by Jim Wallis & Friends.
Here is a great blog addressing some of the issues I have about the way some proponents of new church movements approach what they do in relation to people of color. The perspective and experience of people of color is most often ignored, dismissed or trivialized. Race and racism as a shaping force in America is not acknowledged. May it is because they have no experienced the ills of personal racism up close. I don’t know ,but Chanequa Walker-Barnes hit the nail the head with here analysis. glad to know that tere is another voice adding a loving critique.
Thanks to my friend Joe for sending me in to the link
Popularity: 27% [?]
Sep 24 2008
Twitter Updates for 2008-09-24
Sep 24 2008
Sankofa racial reconciliation bus tour
In one Thursday afternoon in August after a drive from Grand Rapids to Chicago I boarded a bus with about 40 other people and started out on my first Sankofa journey. Sankofa (looking back to move forward) is a bus tour of several civil rights sites and a process of conversation and reflection about racial reconciliation. It is conducted by the compassion, mercy and justice ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
We visited sites in Birmingham and Selma Alabama, Jackson Mississippi, and Memphis Tennessee. On the way we watched videos dealing with racial tension and reconciliation. Movies like Crash and Remember the Titans, Race the Power of Illusion and the Color of Fear. After each viewing or site visit we were asked to reflection on what we saw or experienced with a partner who was from another racial ethnic group.
I have to say I was skeptical and ambivalent at first. I have done Cross roads anti-racism training and Cognitive Toolbox diversity training so I wasn’t sure what would learn. However these were sites in the south that I had never been to and would probably not go to alone since my first and only visit to the deep south was kinds of scary. So I decided to make the trip after being asked. I’m glad I did.
Our host/facilitators Chrissy, Debbie and Mona put together a powerful experience. The 72 bus ride made me feel as if I was one of freedom riders as we went from site to site seeing the critical places and experiences that shaped the civil rights movement. They asked the right questions and created the right moments to get the participants really thinking.
So some observations from my experience.
- Some white Christians still don’t grasp the impact of racism and white privilege in American society and the church
- Some people including me aren’t fully aware of this nations civil rights history. This is important for me to understand as I’m not African American having been born in Jamaica if I expect to work with African Americans in ministry.
- Some white Christians don’t appreciate the the ongoing complicity of the church in perpetuating intolerance and racism.
- There is still a fair amount of paternalism among white Christians in response to race and racial reconciliation.
- If someone is open and willing to suspend their preconceptions and entertain the ideas of others much progress in the dialog can be made.
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Sep 24 2008
Is yoga a religion?
Sep 23 2008
Twitter Updates for 2008-09-23
Sep 23 2008
Blogging from Microsoft word
This is my first blog from Microsoft word, on my new laptop trying this out to make posting simpler and more frequent.
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