I concur. Go Lennart! Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 7, 2012, at 22:43, "David R. Block" <[email protected]> wrote: > Not bad. > > David > > "The principal villain in rising health care costs is the government. Not > pharmaceutical companies, not doctors, but government."--Neal Boortz > > On 11/8/2012 12:29 AM, Lennart Johansson wrote: >> Hi Ernie, >> >> Which one? There's been a few... :) >> >> This was the latest: >> >> "Sitting in Sweden watching the election news come in. Reading Facebook over >> these last few weeks I am becoming slightly annoyed. I am so sick and tired >> of Evangelical Christians moralizing and pointing fingers at dear fellow >> American citizens ("the world") being too polarized and too dogmatic about >> their political beliefs. Oh, they say, I wish there was a softer tone, more >> dialogue, more love, more understanding, amongst those with different >> opinions. That all sounds great, doesn't it? I agree! But, my question for >> these people is how does evangelical Christians model this posture of >> dialogue and communication with those they disagree? I have found the >> evangelical subculture one of the most polarized communities in the country. >> We take every opportunity to proclaim "the truth" and there's very little >> room for discussion and the space for different views is negligible. We >> major on the minors and we create "you are in" and "you are out" groups (and >> we have the audacity to call these groups "church") based on whether people >> believe with our particular views on any given theological subject. My >> advice is this. Let's start creating real communities, real church, where >> there is real space for all these principles of mutual understanding, >> respect, dialogue, and conversation that you think the world should adhere >> to. Your countrymen will take you much more seriously if you do." >> >> // Lennart >> >> Sent from my iPhone using the pinkie on my left hand >> >> >> On Nov 8, 2012, at 6:56, "Dr. Ernie Prabhakar" <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> What's more disturbing is the cultural bias where many Christians >>> definition of public morality reflects Jerry Falwell more than Jesus. >>> >>> Lennart, I heard you had an epic rant on Facebook. Care to share? :-) >>> >>> E >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Nov 7, 2012, at 21:50, "David R. Block" <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> It may have some merit. I have yet to find, despite being in what is >>>> sometimes called the "belt buckle of the Bible Belt," an overtly political >>>> sermon except on "Right to Life Sunday" which is the Sunday before the >>>> anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Anti-divorce sermons yes, anti-gay marriage >>>> sermons no. But most feel that if you can read the Bible you already know >>>> what it says about gays, and it's pretty much against them, much less >>>> marriage of them. >>>> >>>> David >>>> >>>> "The principal villain in rising health care costs is the government. Not >>>> pharmaceutical companies, not doctors, but government."--Neal Boortz >>>> >>>> On 11/7/2012 7:57 AM, Dr. Ernie Prabhakar wrote: >>>>> Nice Radical Centrist take... >>>>> >>>>> Beyond Evangelical | The Blog of Frank Viola >>>>> Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars >>>>> I wrote the following post on Saturday, November 3, 2012 . . . 3 days >>>>> before the world knew who the next USA President would be. And at >>>>> Jonathan Merritt’s suggestion, I decided to wait and publish it today. >>>>> >>>>> Here it is . . . >>>>> >>>>> – >>>>> >>>>> Saturday: November 3, 2012 >>>>> >>>>> When I publish this post on Wednesday, the United States will know who >>>>> their next President is for the next four years. >>>>> >>>>> Upon learning this news, one part of my country is so angry right now >>>>> their eyes are crossing. Others are so depressed they feel lower than a >>>>> whale’s navel. >>>>> >>>>> Still others are euphoric . . . or relieved. >>>>> >>>>> And then there are those who aren’t paying attention and don’t care two >>>>> hoots. >>>>> >>>>> A reminder to all: Jesus of Nazareth is still on the throne. Everything >>>>> is under His control. Whether “your man” won or lost, Jesus is our >>>>> ultimate hope for this world. >>>>> >>>>> That said, a new book that may help Americans to think through where >>>>> their country stands politically is Jonathan Merritt’s A >>>>> Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars. >>>>> >>>>> (The title of this post comes straight from Merritt’s book.) >>>>> >>>>> In some ways, Jonathan Merritt’s book is a follow-up to Carl F. Henry’s >>>>> classic work, The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Evangelicalism, Hal >>>>> Miller’s seminal piece The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Evangelicalism, >>>>> and James Barr’s Beyond Fundamentalism . . . only with a stronger >>>>> political emphasis added to it. >>>>> >>>>> Kristen Powers, Fox News Political and USA Today contributor, wrote the >>>>> Foreword to Merritt’s book. >>>>> >>>>> Cal Thomas (USA Today columnist and Fox News contributor), Ed Stetzer >>>>> (president of LifeWay Research), and Ronald Sider (author of Rich >>>>> Christians in an Age of Hunger) wrote strong endorsements. >>>>> >>>>> In addition, New Testament scholar Scot McKnight highlighted Merritt’s >>>>> book numerous times on his blog. >>>>> >>>>> Last week, I interviewed Jonathan Merritt on his new book. Here it is . . >>>>> . >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Jonathan, why did you write this book and what is the main thesis? >>>>> >>>>> Jonathan Merritt: I wrote this book because I saw so many young >>>>> Christians who had grown frustrated by what the Christian movement in >>>>> America had become. Their disillusionment stems, in part, from the >>>>> American church’s partisan political entanglement. These Christians love >>>>> Jesus but they don’t think the church should be the handmaiden of either >>>>> political party. >>>>> >>>>> I understand the frustration of my peers because I grew up in the >>>>> inner-sanctum of the religious right. My dad was President of the largest >>>>> protestant denomination in America, the Southern Baptist Convention. >>>>> >>>>> Jerry Falwell was a family friend who paid for my college education. >>>>> Growing up in this context, I witnessed the way the church has become >>>>> intertwined with partisan politics. A Faith of Our Own provides hope that >>>>> there is a better way. >>>>> >>>>> Any work that challenges traditional or status quo thinking is going to >>>>> be attacked. And some who can’t refute an argument on its own >>>>> merits will misrepresent it by creating straw man scenarios. >>>>> Has your book been misrepresented at all? If so, what >>>>> have the misrepresentations been and what is your response to them? >>>>> >>>>> Jonathan Merritt: Yes. Such is the burden of most any creative work, I >>>>> suppose. Some say this book is anti-religious right. That isn’t true. I >>>>> believe the Christian Left is equally complicit, and I point that out. >>>>> >>>>> Others say it is pietistic, that I encourage Christians to become >>>>> apolitical and do good works instead. This is not true either, for >>>>> following Jesus cannot be purely a private matter. >>>>> >>>>> Others claim that I’m just promoting political liberalism. That’s also >>>>> false. When I call for a ceasefire in the culture wars, I’m not asking >>>>> people to keep fighting, just for the other side. I’m talking about a >>>>> different approach altogether. >>>>> >>>>> The fact that the book has endorsements from those on the Right and the >>>>> Left should clue any thinking person into the fact that the above >>>>> assertions are misrepresentations of your book. Thanks for clarifying >>>>> your position for those who may be swayed by inaccurate reviews before >>>>> reading the book themselves. Moving on, what do you see happening with >>>>> the future of evangelicalism? >>>>> >>>>> Jonathan Merritt: Contrary to what some believe, evangelicalism is not >>>>> (and has never been) monolithic. I think it will continue to be a banner >>>>> under which a range of Christians will be able to gather. As this book >>>>> shows, however, I think we are seeing a less-partisan, less-polemical, >>>>> less-power hungry expression of the faith arise. And this, I believe, is >>>>> a good turn. >>>>> >>>>> I agree. That’s what I’m observing as well in the broader body of Christ >>>>> as I travel and speak into different settings. What does “a faith of your >>>>> own” mean and how do God’s people move “beyond the culture wars,” as you >>>>> put it? >>>>> >>>>> Jonathan Merritt: The title of the book, comes from a story of a faith >>>>> struggle I had in seminary. A friend recommended Faust by Goethe and I >>>>> read the following quote: “That which you have received as heritage, now >>>>> discover for yourself, and thus you shall make it your own.” >>>>> >>>>> In that moment, I realized that I could maintain respect for the faith of >>>>> my father and grandfathers but I also needed to make it my own. As it >>>>> turns out, this is a call to all those who desire to follow Jesus in this >>>>> era. When considering Christian history, Albert Schweitzer once said, >>>>> “Each successive epoch found its own thoughts on Jesus, >>>>> which was indeed the only way it could make him live.” >>>>> >>>>> Who specifically should read your book and why? >>>>> >>>>> Jonathan Merritt: A Faith of Our Own is for Christians who are >>>>> discouraged, disillusioned, or disenchanted with how partisan the >>>>> American church has become. Unlike similar books–that curse the darkness >>>>> without lighting a candle–this book will force readers to dream and hope. >>>>> >>>>> That’s much the same audience for my book, Beyond >>>>> Evangelical, which has resonated with countless Christians who are >>>>> disaffected by the Christian Right and the Christian Left categories. In >>>>> that regard, voices like yours, Scot McKnight, Roger Olson, N.T. Wright, >>>>> Leonard Sweet, Greg Boyd, and the late Michael Spencer are resonating >>>>> with more and more evangelicals today who are looking for a way beyond >>>>> the Right and Left paradigms. >>>>> >>>>> See also 20 Reasons Why the Christian Right & the Christian Left Won’t >>>>> Adopt Me >>>>> >>>>> You just finished reading Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars. Share >>>>> the post using the links below. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wordpress/viola/~3/ltj_K7x8VyY/ >>>>> >>>>> Sent with Reeder >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>> -- >>>>> Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community >>>>> <[email protected]> >>>>> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism >>>>> Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community >>>> <[email protected]> >>>> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism >>>> Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org >>> -- >>> Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community >>> <[email protected]> >>> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism >>> Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org >> -- >> Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community >> <[email protected]> >> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism >> Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org > > -- > Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community > <[email protected]> > Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism > Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
