While I Still Don’t Preach Politics

When I started this blog many months ago I wrote an article “Why You Won’t Hear Me Preach on Politics.”  I began the blog in January of this year and the last eight months have been interesting.  I’ve talked about many issues and it’s been fun.  I look forward to tackling more as we continue this journey.  I do wish folks who read would leave comments but other than that it’s a great journey.  The most viewed article I wrote is the one on how to read the book of Daniel.  The series on Mormonism drew the most conversation and the biggest day of viewing.

I want to return to this one issue though because I feel it is the most relevant in this campaign season.  We are in the midst of the Democratic Convention and next week the Republican Convention will be on.   The first debate is scheduled for the end of September.  Obama has chosen his VP and McCain is about to at any time.  After two years of everyone running back and forth opening to be the one the election is upon us.

Rick Warren had an interesting approach.  He hosted an interview live at his church and I found his questions to be insightful, engaging, and very well done.  He is remaining neutral and is hoping to provide civility in our nation which has had two very divided elections this century.

So will I still NOT preach on politics?  Of course!  When I say this I mean I will not ever tell anyone who to vote for or push or push against specific people or parties from the pulpit.  As a Baptist I believe strongly in the separation of church and state.

At this moment Christians are taking various approaches to politics.

*There are those who are very much political and side with the Republican party.  Some do this very openly and others do it without naming names but it is very clear they are Republican.  They say they are interested in issues but they step close or right over the line all the time.  Listen to “Christian” radio and you hear political shows all over the place.  These type of Christians tend to be very conservative.

*There are those who against mixing the two and keep strict separation of church and state.  The campaign is not mentioned and they are neutral while voting privately.

*There are Christians who are democrats who do the same as the Republicans.  They tend to be more liberal and support various issues of this party and are open to this.

*There are Christians who are not promoting parties or candidates but do speak about the issues.  Some speak against abortion and homosexual marriage and other issues.  “Red letter” Christians are folks who focus on the texts that are about or said by Jesus.  They focus on poverty, social justice, the environment and other issues more than just the usual morality ones and are still evangelicals.  They are not ‘liberal’ but believe more issues need to be addressed than those that the moral majority and others have pushed.  Some are more ‘liberal’ and push other issues.  This camp though is clear that issues need to be addressed and Christians need to vote values but they often differ on what values need to be addressed.

So where do I fit in?  I have no idea but what I do believe—

*I do not think that a pastor or church should push a party or candidate.  We must not cross this line.

*I do not think the church should run the country.

*I do not think the state should run the church.

*I do not think churches should take money from the state. I do not like the faith based programs that are funded by state dollars. I believe this crosses a line that can lead to trouble.  With money comes strings.  I would rather the money churches use come from members and not the government.  This doesn’t mean we do not work with government agencies on specific projects.  After Hurricane Katrina churches worked as did the government.  Yet we don’t need their money but we are only working on similar projects.  God’s people do better without government money and control!

*I do believe Christians should vote and vote their values.  Being a Christian should impact all of our lives and our decisions in life are shaped by what we believe.  I realize this means that Christians will vote for Democrats, Republicans, and other parties.  Morality, poverty, and so many others issues are important for us to pray about and figure out our role.  I believe we are to pay taxes, obey the laws, vote, and be good citizens.

*I do believe Christians should act like Christians in politics.  We do not have a right to demonize, spread lies, email rumors, or talk sinfully about people who are running for office.  We should pray for peace and pray for those who run and those who eventually lead.  As free citizens we can complain and talk about issues we disagree with but saying mean things is never right.  I can’t tell you how many false emails, rumors, and such I’ve received from folks etc.

So I have opinions.  I watch the debates, etc.  I will vote.  I talk about it with close friends.  But as a pastor I do not cross the line.  I do not support parties.  My job is to preach the gospel and not to promote politicians.  Yet who I am as a believer shapes all that I do, believe, say, and support.

Blessings,
Derik

People Who Shape the Church Today!!!!!

N.T. Wright

N.T. Wright or Tom Wright (he uses both in his books) is the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and is a scholar, author, minister, and speaker that people need to know.  I have heard him called the “C.S. Lewis of the 20th century” and agree. He is a deep thinker who writes very detailed academic works as well as popular works for the lay reader.  He gives a balanced view of faith that is neither liberal not fundamentalist.  He is a man who is a thinker for the church today and a leading theologian.

Rick Warren

Rick is the pastor of Saddleback Church in California and author of the very popular “Purpose Drive Life” book.  Rick has becoming a leading voice for Christians today and is someone who is going to make a difference in the church of the 21st century.  Warren is able to work with folks with different views and has the potential to bring civility in many places.  I appreciate him because you don’t have to agree with him to work with him.  He is leading conservatives and evangelicals to broaden their concerns from various moral issues to social and environmental issues as well.  Will Rick be the Billy Graham of the 21st century?  It is very possible.

There are other voices that I believe have potential to shaping the church today and the list could go on as well. But these two are very prominent ones that I would submit to you today as leading voices in the church of the 21st century.  As other new voices come to my mind I may bring them up in future blogs but as for now I’m moving on from this conversation to something new next time.  If you have voices you see and want to email or comment on please let me know!

Blessings,

Derik

People Who Shaped the Church- A few more to Consider

Oscar Romero

Oscar Romero (1917-1980) was a bishop of the RC. He saw human rights violations and spoke out against them. His ministry was in El Salvador and his complaints led to his assassination by a right wing group while having mass. This led to an outcry which brought reform in this country.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) was the famous preacher who led the civil rights movement and changed the world.  King believed all of us are equal and he took stands that cost him and eventually led to his death.  His famous “I have a dream” sermon will be repeated for future generations.  He is thought to be one of the greatest speakers in US history.  He was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and his use of non violent resistance is a model today.

There were others who have lived and gone that I could have mentioned in this series but it would take forever to write about Roger Williams, Augustine, Thomas Helwys, Paul Tillich, and on and on the list would go!  I’m going to write one more in this series about people today who are shaping the church and then move onto something else.

People Who Shaped the Church- A Baptist Preacher named Billy Graham

Billy Graham is a household name.  This Baptist preacher who has been an life time evangelist rather than a pastor has had the ears of presidents and world leaders and the every day person.  Graham has literally served as a spiritual advisor to every president since Dwight Esienhower.  His crusades have led many to Christ and he has worked with many denominations and not just Baptist ones!

He began preaching in Chicago in the 1940s and quickly rose to popularity.  While many world known preachers fell into scandals Graham has remained above that and protected himself from financial and sexual traps.  I’ve heard many stories how he designed his ministry so that he would not fall into the troubles others have.  Graham is a conservative pastor and while not everyone will agree with all of his positions all of the time they respect him and see him as a person of passion for the Christian faith.  His wife Ruth Graham was an important support for him in his ministry and his children have continued to do ministry in their own lives.  Graham’s health is failing and his voice is almost silent but he will be a 20th century key figure in the North American church.

Blessings,
Derik

People Who Shaped the Church- A Monk from Kentucky: Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a powerful monk and Catholic writer. He lived in the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky. He wrote many books that have helped Christians regarding Spirituality. He was a peace maker and spoke on this issue many times. He wrote 60 books. He died at age 53 when he was electrocuted when stepping out of his bath.

What makes Merton such a shaper of the church would be his books and his life.  His books speak are powerful and life changing and deal with spiritual formation.  Merton was a talented and insightful writer and thinker on spiritual matters.

In his life he was taught and spoke about peace and spirituality.  He believed in social justice and was not afraid to speak out against war and injustice.  He also felt people of different walks should work together.  He met with Buddhist leaders and tried to connect different voices together on common areas of conversation.  Merton was a person of strong faith and conviction.

Just listen to these quotes by Merton:

“It is true, political problems are not solved by love and mercy. But the world of politics is not the only world, and unless political decisions rest on a foundation of something better and higher than politics, they can never do any real good for men. When a country has to be rebuilt after war, the passions and energies of war are no longer enough. There must be a new force, the power of love, the power of understanding and human compassion, the strength of selflessness and cooperation, and the creative dynamism of the will to live and to build, and the will to forgive. The will for reconciliation.” – from Introductions East & West. The Foreign Prefaces of Thomas Merton

“If we want to be spiritual, then, let us first of all live our lives. Let us not fear the responsibilities and the inevitable distractions of the work appointed for us by the will of God. Let us embrace reality and thus find ourselves immersed in the life-giving will and wisdom of God which surrounds us everywhere. “ – from Thoughts in Solitude

Blessings,

Derik

People Who Shaped the Church- The Nun Who Loved the Poor: Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa

This famous nun (1910-1997) changed the world with her ministry to the sick, poor, and orphaned in India and other countries. She served over 45 years in this way. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980 for her humanitarian work. Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity continued to expand, and at the time of her death it was operating 610 missions in 123 countries, including hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children’s and family counseling programs, orphanages, and schools.

After her death some of her letters/writings talk about her struggles with faith. I find this to again humanize and strengthen her witness. It reminds us that we all struggle. Some have almost made this little nun a ‘super’ saint and those writings remind us she was very human. She wrestled like those in the Bible! I would recommend the spiritual classic (Not by her but one that speaks of struggle)- Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross to remind us of this struggle we all face.

People Who Shaped the Church- The Man Who Taught us about Costly Grace: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a German theologian who wrote brilliant works and opposed Adolf Hitler. He was involved in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler and was executed by hanging. Theologically he was unhappy with liberal theology and was friends with Karl Barth. He felt liberal theology was too constraining. He and Barth are known as neo-orthodox figures (see Barth’s story). His book “Cost of Discipleship” is a classic work that should be read by all Christians.

One concept that Bonhoeffer brought us was the difference between ‘cheap’ grace and ‘costly’ grace.  He felt many believers were happy with a Christian faith that didn’t require much and therefore accepted cheap grace.  He argued that the true Christian path was one that cost us something- costly grace.  His work “The Cost of Discipleship” is one every believer should read.

People Who Shaped the Church: The Man Who Spoke Theology: Karl Barth

Karl Barth

Barth (1886-1968) was a 20^th century theologian who said that when we preach the pastor needs the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other hand. Barth was brilliant and is considered to be one of the most important Christian thinkers of the 20^th century. He rejected liberal theology in Germany and gave birth to neo-orthodoxy. He himself did not care for that term. He emphasized God’s sovereignty and his theology shaped many. Barth has left many important works behind for us. His commentary “The Epistle to the Romans” is one of those. He also wrote a massive 6 million word 13 volume set of “Church Dogmatics” that laid out his theological thoughts. Barth also opposed Nazism in Germany. He faced difficult over his stand but did not back down. Barth argued that the idea of God comes from God alone and revealed in the Bible and that we can not discover God on our own. Barth may have rejected German Liberalism but fundamentalists also did not like him. He declared Christ to be the Word of God but does not then argue for the Bible being historically or scientifically accurate as they would do. Barth loved the Bible but he did not believe that teaching the Bible as inerrant was right. He felt that this took the focus off of Jesus. Barth saw the Bible as written by humans and bears witness to God’s revelation found in Jesus Christ. Barth is important because he shows that the alternative to liberalism does not have to be fundamentalism. He is important because he loved the Bible but centered his faith on Jesus and that the Bible revealed Jesus but Jesus is the center/object of our faith.

What makes Barth a positive for in the church is that he provided a path that is not liberal nor fundamentalist.  He was a passionate scholar and theologian who loved the Bible and saw God at work through the Word of God.

People Who Shaped the Church- The Man Who Brought a Reformation: Martin Luther

Martin Luther

This great Reformer (1483-1546) began the Protestant Reformation. Luther lived in a time when the official church has become corrupt and he was offended by the selling of indulgences for forgiveness of sins. His theology focused on salvation as a free gift and not of works. This led to his split form the church, great struggle, and eventually led to the Protestant Reformation.

Luther was not perfect and many are quick to point this out.  He said harsh things about Jews.  Yet he was a man who brought about a movement to bring the focus of salvation back to where it belonged- Christ alone.  He never wished to leave the church and although he brought about new Christian movements the official Catholic church would go through its own corrections of abuses.

Luther is a legend and served as a voice that needed to be heard.  His impact is still felt today and his call was a gift from God.

As Baptist I don’t think he went far enough with his reformation.  Radical reformers would speak out against infant baptism and speak more about separation of church and state.  Yet Luther opened the door that needed opening.

People Who Shaped the Church- The Woman who Taught us About Equality: Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth (1797–1883), born into slavery, was first known as Isabella Baumfree but she changed her name. She was a Methodist who preaches for freedom of the slaves (abolitionist) and women’s rights. Her most famous speech is “Ain’t I a Woman?” Her challenge influenced many and had a broad impact. She is an excellent voice that represents the pain of slavery in our country’s history. She is a voice for justice and equality that still needs to be heard within the church today.