Sunday, July 30, 2006
Far-Right wing, politicized Christianity makes a mockery of our faith.
Just came accross this article in the NY Times about a Church in Minnessota Pastored by the Rev. Gregory A. Boyd (a fellow PTSonian), and the struggles that come with disowning and criticizing "far-right, politicized christianity (you know, the John Hagees, James Dobsons, and Tony Perkins of this world).
So what was it that got him into trouble?
Before the last presidential election, he preached six sermons called “The Cross and the Sword” in which he said the church should steer clear of politics, give up moralizing on sexual issues, stop claiming the United States as a “Christian nation” and stop glorifying American military campaigns.
Sounds like my kind of preacher!
On a more serious note. A few years back a Pastor friend of mine whispered in my ears how every time we place the Stars and Stripes next to the Cross of Christ we're committing idolitry. Our alligience as Christians, is not to a nation, a system, a political ideology, a President (mr. Bush), our alligience is to a King and His Kingdom.
There is a lot of discontent brewing,” said Brian D. McLaren, the founding pastor at Cedar Ridge Community Church in Gaithersburg, Md., and a leader in the evangelical movement known as the “emerging church,” which is at the forefront of challenging the more politicized evangelical establishment.
More and more people are saying this has gone too far — the dominance of the evangelical identity by the religious right,” Mr. McLaren said. “You cannot say the word ‘Jesus’ in 2006 without having an awful lot of baggage going along with it. You can’t say the word ‘Christian,’ and you certainly can’t say the word ‘evangelical’ without it now raising connotations and a certain cringe factor in people.
I'm glad that more and more people are beginning to realize this. Something's terribly wrong when you got Navy Seals pretty much recruiting at rallys where Jesus is being glorified (as soon as I get the links I'd update).
It's very important that we as Christians do not forget our mission and our roots. Our duty is to love God above all things, and to love our neighbors and enemies as love ourselves.
So what was it that got him into trouble?
Before the last presidential election, he preached six sermons called “The Cross and the Sword” in which he said the church should steer clear of politics, give up moralizing on sexual issues, stop claiming the United States as a “Christian nation” and stop glorifying American military campaigns.
Sounds like my kind of preacher!
On a more serious note. A few years back a Pastor friend of mine whispered in my ears how every time we place the Stars and Stripes next to the Cross of Christ we're committing idolitry. Our alligience as Christians, is not to a nation, a system, a political ideology, a President (mr. Bush), our alligience is to a King and His Kingdom.
There is a lot of discontent brewing,” said Brian D. McLaren, the founding pastor at Cedar Ridge Community Church in Gaithersburg, Md., and a leader in the evangelical movement known as the “emerging church,” which is at the forefront of challenging the more politicized evangelical establishment.
More and more people are saying this has gone too far — the dominance of the evangelical identity by the religious right,” Mr. McLaren said. “You cannot say the word ‘Jesus’ in 2006 without having an awful lot of baggage going along with it. You can’t say the word ‘Christian,’ and you certainly can’t say the word ‘evangelical’ without it now raising connotations and a certain cringe factor in people.
I'm glad that more and more people are beginning to realize this. Something's terribly wrong when you got Navy Seals pretty much recruiting at rallys where Jesus is being glorified (as soon as I get the links I'd update).
It's very important that we as Christians do not forget our mission and our roots. Our duty is to love God above all things, and to love our neighbors and enemies as love ourselves.
# posted by Raf C. @ 11:21 AM 
