Culture Blog of the Day - should Christians "evangelize"?

Should Christians "evangelize"? Should we try to get people to convert to "Christianity"? Should we call ourselves "Christian"? Friend Carl Medearis talks about these issues in this interesting CNN blog piece. Check it out, as well as all the comments.

Culture Quote of the Day - Questions God Can't Answer

"Can a mortal ask question which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable. How many hours are there in a mile? Is yellow square or round? Probably half the questions we ask – half our great theological and metaphysical problems – are like that."

C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

I guess what strikes me about this is that in our human, cultural, world-building endeavors, in which we construct views of reality, and ways of dealing with reality, we do quite a bit (within what we consider our "religion") that amounts to constructing "answers" to questions which may be (from God's perspective) mostly nonsense. We spend so much time and energy, it seems, on what is tertiary, building groups and institutions around minor points of difference, "straining gnats but swallowing camels" (as Jesus said).

Culture Quote of the Day - ambiguity in religion

“Ambiguity in religion is no vice. Those who possess absolute truth are too often those who seek to impose their version of the truth on others. Those who struggle, who see the complexity of faith, are typically far more tolerant of diversity and dissent. For religious minorities such as the Jews, there is an undeniable appeal to finding themselves in the midst of a mature and conflicted majority religion.”

David Brog, Standing With Israel: Why Christians Support the Jewish State

Culture Quote of the Day - Stuck in ruts or seeking truth? (Maimonides)

"Men like the opinions to which they have become accustomed from their youth; they defend them and shun contrary views: and this is one of the things that prevent men from finding the truth, for they cling to the opinions of habit."

Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed

This is so true. How do we overcome this tendency? How do we escape the inertia of living with our customs, habits, traditions, patterns, in short, with our ethnocentrism? How do we escape the tendency to recoil from anything that is new and different and strange to us? How do we develop an orientation toward getting out of our territory, our "bubble," and setting out on a search for truth that leads us into the "territory" (literal and figurative) of others? Can we develop the ability to see the tendency that Maimonides puts his finger on, and to work against it?

Culture Quote of the Day - God the great iconoclast

Images of the Holy easily become holy images – sacrosanct. My idea of God is not a divine idea. It has to be shattered time after time. He shatters it Himself. He is the great iconoclast. Could we not almost say that this shattering is one of the marks of His presence?

Not my idea of God, but God.

C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

How true this is. This is human nature, to create images of God, and then to focus on, I would say to exalt, and in the worst of times, to idolize (i.e., to worship, to commit idolatry) those images.

I love the image of God as the “great iconoclast.” And often, he uses other people – sometimes, the very Other, e.g., people from a different religious tradition altogether – to shatter our images.

May God “show up” (as some people put it) and shatter our images of Him, whenever and however necessary.

Christ-Centered Patriotism? (Celebrating the 4th)

On the occasion of the 4^th of July, I find myself reflecting on Christ-centered patriotism.

I'm reminded of my friend Pastor Jin Kim's concept of being “penitently Presbyterian,” and the idea of applying this to being American, i.e., being “penitently American.” The idea is, to embrace my identity as an American, but in a humble, penitent way. Rather than being “proud to be an American,” might I be “humble to be an American”? Humble both in light of the fact that I did nothing to “earn” my American citizenship (thanks, mom, that you gave birth to me in the U.S.), and in light of the fact that we have our faults, our share of bad history, etc.?

I am glad to be American, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't trade my citizenship. I think the U.S. is an amazing country, still a land of freedom and opportunity. Everywhere I have lived, I have met people who would give all that they have for American citizenship and the opportunity to try to make something of themselves in the U.S. I may be wrong, but my guess is that if you threw the world wide open and allowed people to move and live anywhere they wanted, more people would choose to live in the U.S. than any other country (is that just my American bias showing?).

Through our 28+ years living mainly outside of the U.S., my attitude toward the U.S. has changed. I have become more self-aware of how others view the U.S. (in particular, how they view American foreign policy). I have come to see the world, and American actions and policies, through the eyes of others, and this has tempered my views and my patriotism (has helped me become, I hope, more humble / penitent in my American identity).

We were in Tunisia during the Gulf War; we were in Egypt on 9/11 and during the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We heard the critique and the criticisms, often were a sounding board for the frustrations of our local friends. During the (first) Gulf War, in particular, I often found myself in arguments, as my perspectives on what was happening clashed with those of my Tunisian friends. I found myself justifying and defending American actions, but then walking away feeling that the discussion had been fruitless and aggravating.

I found myself reflecting on the fact that I was not in Tunisia (or elsewhere) to represent and defend the U.S. and its interests (note: I have never worked for the U.S. Government). On the other hand, the New Testament teaches clearly that all Christians are “Ambassadors of Christ,” called to represent him and his “ministry of reconciliation” to all people we meet, anywhere and everywhere. We are called to be “good news,” to be lifting up Jesus. I had more than one conversation about American policy and practice, at the end of which I walked away wondering whether the person I had been talking with was closer to or farther from Jesus, than before we talked. And I realized that, for me at least, arguing a political (or other) point, from the American perspective, was not near as important as sharing the blessings of life in Jesus.

While I am glad to be American, I have become somewhat less attached (in a good way, I think) to my American identity. I am more ready to listen to criticism of America and American policy (though remember that peoples' points of view are just that, points of view, and not necessarily “true” in an objective sense).

As I have written elsewhere, I have also drifted, somewhat, toward becoming culturally “marginal,” not totally fitting in anywhere. Is this a good thing or not? It doesn't always feel good. But then, the New Testament also teaches that we who experience life through Jesus are (like Abraham and so many others of God's people) “pilgrims and strangers” on the earth, with our “citizenship in heaven” and looking forward to “a city that is to come.”

So to my fellow American Christians I say, enjoy celebrating the 4^th of July. Thank God for the privileges and blessings we enjoy in the U.S. But let's not idolize our country, our people, our nationality. Let's not look down on others or consider ourselves better (more good New Testament advice). And let's remember that we are “pilgrims and strangers” on this earth, here to represent and lift up Jesus (not our President or our nation's actions or politics) and to pass on the blessings of life in God to all others. “Blessed to be a blessing” (another Biblical theme) – may this be true of us as Americans as well as in our identity as Christians.

Christ-Centered Patriotism? (Celebrating the 4th)

On the occasion of the 4^th of July, I find myself reflecting on Christ-centered patriotism.

I'm reminded of my friend Pastor Jin Kim's concept of being “penitently Presbyterian,” and the idea of applying this to being American, i.e., being “penitently American.” The idea is, to embrace my identity as an American, but in a humble, penitent way. Rather than being “proud to be an American,” might I be “humble to be an American”? Humble both in light of the fact that I did nothing to “earn” my American citizenship (thanks, mom, that you gave birth to me in the U.S.), and in light of the fact that we have our faults, our share of bad history, etc.?

I am glad to be American, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't trade my citizenship. I think the U.S. is an amazing country, still a land of freedom and opportunity. Everywhere I have lived, I have met people who would give all that they have for American citizenship and the opportunity to try to make something of themselves in the U.S. I may be wrong, but my guess is that if you threw the world wide open and allowed people to move and live anywhere they wanted, more people would choose to live in the U.S. than any other country (is that just my American bias showing?).

Through our 28+ years living mainly outside of the U.S., my attitude toward the U.S. has changed. I have become more self-aware of how others view the U.S. (in particular, how they view American foreign policy). I have come to see the world, and American actions and policies, through the eyes of others, and this has tempered my views and my patriotism (has helped me become, I hope, more humble / penitent in my American identity).

We were in Tunisia during the Gulf War; we were in Egypt on 9/11 and during the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We heard the critique and the criticisms, often were a sounding board for the frustrations of our local friends. During the (first) Gulf War, in particular, I often found myself in arguments, as my perspectives on what was happening clashed with those of my Tunisian friends. I found myself justifying and defending American actions, but then walking away feeling that the discussion had been fruitless and aggravating.

I found myself reflecting on the fact that I was not in Tunisia (or elsewhere) to represent and defend the U.S. and its interests (note: I have never worked for the U.S. Government). On the other hand, the New Testament teaches clearly that all Christians are “Ambassadors of Christ,” called to represent him and his “ministry of reconciliation” to all people we meet, anywhere and everywhere. We are called to be “good news,” to be lifting up Jesus. I had more than one conversation about American policy and practice, at the end of which I walked away wondering whether the person I had been talking with was closer to or farther from Jesus, than before we talked. And I realized that, for me at least, arguing a political (or other) point, from the American perspective, was not near as important as sharing the blessings of life in Jesus.

While I am glad to be American, I have become somewhat less attached (in a good way, I think) to my American identity. I am more ready to listen to criticism of America and American policy (though remember that peoples' points of view are just that, points of view, and not necessarily “true” in an objective sense).

As I have written elsewhere, I have also drifted, somewhat, toward becoming culturally “marginal,” not totally fitting in anywhere. Is this a good thing or not? It doesn't always feel good. But then, the New Testament also teaches that we who experience life through Jesus are (like Abraham and so many others of God's people) “pilgrims and strangers” on the earth, with our “citizenship in heaven” and looking forward to “a city that is to come.”

So to my fellow American Christians I say, enjoy celebrating the 4^th of July. Thank God for the privileges and blessings we enjoy in the U.S. But let's not idolize our country, our people, our nationality. Let's not look down on others or consider ourselves better (more good New Testament advice). And let's remember that we are “pilgrims and strangers” on this earth, here to represent and lift up Jesus (not our President or our nation's actions or politics) and to pass on the blessings of life in God to all others. “Blessed to be a blessing” (another Biblical theme) – may this be true of us as Americans as well as in our identity as Christians.

Allah: A Christian Response

I have read many books (and answered many questions) related to the question of whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God. This is the best book I have read on the subject, and it is particularly helpful and interesting because Volf addresses the broader context, including ways in which God and religion serve as identity markers and contribute to conflict between groups. His discussion of the views of some key historical figures (including Martin Luther) on the question is very helpful. And a significant part of the book is the discussion of whether Christians and Muslims can find a way to work together for the "common good" (rather than trying to destroy each other).

I highly recommend this book, for Christians and Muslims alike. But to benefit, you have to approach it with an open mind...