A call to a new Reformation in the teaching and life of Jesus' followers
Everyone, please go read Shane Claiborne’s excellent piece When Soldiers Become Saints over at Red Letter Christians. Shane is telling us of a modern-day soldier who became a conscientious objector, and also of St. Martin of Tours, whose feast day happened to coincide with Veterans’ Day. This is the kind of church history we seldom hear. . .but should!
I strongly encourage you all to read Tom Wright’s American Christians and the death penalty in today’s Washington Post. Tom’s asking the same questions I’ve been asking for years, critiquing the dichotomy between pro-capital-punishment “Pro-Life” Christians on one hand, and anti-capital-punishment “Pro-Choice” folks on the other. He’s right on both counts. And I was especially moved by his closing question: …how many folk out there … Continue reading Tom Wright on what deaths we support or oppose…
This Monday, May 30th, is Memorial Day in the United States. On this holiday, Americans remember those who have perished in the military service of the nation. Readers of this blog already know that I am convinced that service in any nation’s military is incompatible with the call of Jesus Christ. But as Ronald Sider said so powerfully in 1984, just because followers of Christ … Continue reading Remember the fallen
I just learned of a fellow who goes to my folks’ church in North Carolina, who has written some interesting stuff on the flag in church, the Kingdom of God, and related topics. I encourage you to take a look at his site, www.kingdomofgodflag.info. In particular, I was intrigued by this comment in his post on “Patriotism:” When people say “Freedom isn’t Free,” what they’re … Continue reading Recommended reading on nationalism and peace
Today I finished the book A Deadly Misunderstanding by Mark Siljander, and I vigorously recommend it. A former Republican congressman with impeccable conservative credentials, colleague of Newt Gingrich and the “Young Turks” of the Reagan Revolution, Mark was also a staunch conservative Evangelical Christian, solid supporter of Israel and opponent of communists and Muslims wherever they might be found. Challenged not long after an electoral … Continue reading Must-Read: Mark Siljander’s "A Deadly Misunderstanding"
I know it’s probably odd for a mostly-theological blog to recommend an entirely-secular movie, but odd has never stopped me yet and I don’t think I’ll start now. . .I just saw the film “Avatar” with my brother and our sons yesterday, and I have a new addition to my top-ten all-time favorite movies. It’s really that good. Not because it’s a compelling sci-fi and … Continue reading Movie Recommendation – Avatar
A couple of friends have recently pointed me to The Manhattan Declaration with encouragement that I and other like-minded believers should sign on. I won’t be signing it, and I encourage my believing friends to think long and carefully about it too. The declaration purports to lay out three principals as particularly important for Christians to support, and to publicly advocate: the sanctity of human … Continue reading The Manhattan Declaration — I won’t be signing it
I just came across an interesting article by Greg Boyd at Christus Victor during my lunch break. In it, Greg outlines several points that he is finding helpful in an attempt to reconcile the peaceful, self-giving portrait of God painted in Jesus Christ, with the violent and even nationalistic God portrayed in the Old Testament. I was particularly struck with Greg’s first point, which I … Continue reading An interesting take on incarnation and God’s chacter
I know that many (most?) of the readers of this blog share at least some of my qualms with Christians serving in the military (for those who haven’t yet explored my blog, click on the “War and Peace” subject in the index at the top of this page). I have a question aimed primarily at those who do NOT fall in the no-Christians-in-military camp. I … Continue reading Where/when can Christians serve in the armed forces? Part 1
I just wanted to point those of you who read my blog to a discussion I’ve been having with John Hobbins on his “Ancient Hebrew Poetry” blog. John and I most definitely do not agree about the appropriateness of Christians serving in the military, or on the justness of (at least some) military actions we’re now involved with in the U.S. But we both agree … Continue reading War and Peace – A Civil Discussion