Humbled by History
I’m learning a cure for being an arrogant Christian – study Church history. The stories of our predecessors in the faith – both Catholic and Protestant – are patchworks of successes and failures, progress and setbacks in realizing God’s Kingdom in our midst.
Specifically today Dr. Thompson was lecturing about the Reformation in England. It is common knowledge that the Church in England broke with Roman Catholicism because Henry VIII wanted his first marriage annulled, as it was unsuccessful in producing a male heir. Good reason for schism? Probably not.
The deeper issue I see is the danger of such a close church-state relationship. Was Henry VIII qualified to make such a break? Or even deeper, should such a relationship even be established (b/w church and state) where such a break could even occur?
Ever since the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as its state religion I discern the problems that come from the Church having the responsibility, or the authority, to control others with force. Church and state likewise hope to promote the good of humanity, but true change cannot occur through laws and punishment. I think the type of change God hopes to see, and Christians hope to see, we can not force. Did Jesus force his message? He died, forever exemplifying the profound limitations of force to exert change, but the profound ability of love and sacrifice to change things.
I see great implications for us today, as many of our Fundamentalist brothers and sisters seek to restore America as a Christian nation, legislate God’s morality and ethics. But I wonder if those goals are legitimate. Does God desire a nation to rally behind him, or people from all the nations? Might we lose our greatest tools when we seek to accomplish God’s purposes by worldly means?
I’m sure politics, industry, and business are making valuable contributions to humanity. And I’m confident that the Spirit of God can take hold of people within those realms and initiate movements that will move God’s purposes forward. But as for me, I see the world in no better way than through vocational ministry, and hope to lead people in “real world” to move the Kingdom forward with the same tools that Jesus used – humility, sacrifice, charity, and justice for the oppressed.
I’m increasingly convinced that followers of Jesus Christ, following his Spirit, can bring about God’s purposes on Earth. But our means are not the world’s means. And our end goal is not only the good of humanity, but the worship and love of God in the hearts of the people. God help us to guard against over-institutionalizing your Church and make us aware of the movement of your Spirit in the world!
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April 15, 2007 at 1:49 am
It all goes back to the heart. God desires for our hearts to be changed and molded to the point where the two greatest commandments become the guidelines from which we live our lives. You can’t force heart change…you can’t create it through politics, through laws, through persuasion, etc. Heart change is a personal thing and it takes time…its an intimate, continuous process.
I can often times be turned off by the “religious right”. Some of my thoughts and stereotypes are probably a little biased, maybe even sinful, but I do feel that when we start categorizing and compartmentalizing Christians and Politics together we have the opportunity to alienate people and create dividing lines.
I think I am rambling a little and maybe not making a ton of sense…this is a big topic and I don’t feel like my response can come close to fully doing any justice. But here are a few of my own personal beliefs/ideas…
Politics can easily divide people vs. unify people. I feel that each party has their strengths and weaknesses (remember Dallas Willard’s view on this). I am turned off by people who do not think for themself and think their party is always right on every issue.
Politics do not have the power to really meet the deepest needs of people…only Jesus can. I remember when I first began leading at Bryan Station I would think about how unfair it was that the students we were reaching out to had such crappy lives and how they were at such a disadvantage from the beginning of their lives. If only they were on an equal playing field from an economic standpoint than they would have such better opportunities…but from a spiritual standpoint this was a total lie! What these people need is Jesus, not political reform or fairness. While this is not an excuse to not fight for justice, I think we can’t put our hope in pure economics and politics to save people from sin!
I think I am definitely rambling now. So I will end it here.
January 5, 2008 at 5:00 am
i remember pastor Erwin sharing a while ago about an experience he had at an airport. He noticed a young man with a guitar waiting for his flight and together they began a conversation. At the end of their meeting Erwin offered him a copy of his latest book, i think it was Barbarian Way. The young musician rejected the gift. Erwin reflected to us, “i wonder what someone did to this man to make him so hurt…..” Maybe he was a student of history and knew all the stories and tales of the inquisition or maybe he encountered some offensive believer who judged him harshly….or maybe his attitude is a simply in line with what God promises us…that we will be hated, and ridiculed. To believe abortion is wrong is enough to lose out on many a dinner invites. I could go on. Us Christians, (ok, Followers of Christ) are not cool and we never will be, not by the world’s standard of who or what’s cool. Of course lets love first, ALWAYS, but don’t forget to speak the truth. When the truth is ignored, it’s forgotten.