:: inamirrordimly :: A theology and culture blog with the Bible in one tab and a news feed in the other.

In the midst of his negotiations in the Middle East for an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, Tony Blair made the following comment regarding his dealings with religious extremists: “These people say that they’re doing it in the name of God, so we can’t say that it doesn’t matter.”

Blair’s aid followed with a similar line of thinking:

“You can’t hope to understand what’s happening in the world if you don’t know that religion is a very important force in people’s lives,” says Ruth Turner, 37, formerly a top aide to Blair in 10 Downing Street… “You can’t make the world work properly unless you understand that, while not everyone will believe in God or have a spiritual life, a lot of people will.”

Similar points have been made about the centrality of religion in the future of our world by Douglas Johnson on a recent episode of Speaking on Faith. Johnston is president and founder of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy. He’s also the co-editor of Religion, the Missing Dimension of Statecraft. If we want to keep weapons of mass destruction away from religious extremists, Johnson advocates engaging religious leaders, especially in countries where religious leaders wield political power.

Each of these examples show that religion and people of faith have a key place in our future. Many of our problems come when religious extremism is mixed with nationalism: a radical love of one’s nation and subsequent xenophobia mixed with the belief that God grants his wholehearted support can make for huge problems. There is a need for moderating religious leaders to deflate some of this tension, to build dialogue and understanding, and to ensure that no one’s religion or rights are trampled in the process.

You may have heard that Dunkin’ Donuts recently pulled a commercial with Rachel Ray, Rachel Ray of all people, because she was wearing a “scarf” that some conservative bloggers linked with support of religious extremism. It is this kind of disrespect and misunderstanding that cripples our politics, policy, and potentially our future.

As a person of religious faith I would never want all Christians to be equated with the crusaders, just as Muslims would never want to be equated with terrorists and other extremists. It is my hope that moderating religious voices can help diffuse the misinformation and misunderstandings that drive unnecessary wedges of fear between people who aren’t all that different since we all want the same thing: freedom to worship God as we see fit in our respective nations in peace.

It’s easy for a guy to dismiss gender as a real issue we need to discuss today. In America we generally believe that women can do anything and should be treated as equals to men so far as discrimination and rights go. Of course men and women have differences, but no one should be marginalized based on gender. Some could probably pick that apart and add nuances and finer points, but we need to move on and talk about whether or not gender presents a problem to our society and to Christians.

I’ve heard a number of reports about Hillary Clinton’s campaign for president and gender factor. Some say it is and some say it isn’t. It’s a hard thing to consider. On the face of it, I know that my vote for Clinton is not necessarily decided on her gender. I don’t trust her or her husband and weary of their style of politics. The spin coming out of her campaign alone boggles the mind. However, I have also listed her sharp, caustic tone as another reason why I’m not a Hillary fan…

So I’ve been wondering out loud lately if perhaps there’s a reason why Clinton has adopted that tone. Perhaps she’s grappling with the prospect of winning a game that has been dominated by men until recent times. And so we have a woman, a woman with decent credentials if not glowing ones in the eyes of her supporters, trying to prove she has the toughness for the job. In fact, some would note she says little else besides sign boxing gloves. It makes me wonder if she played up the gentler, softer side, weeping in diners like she did in New Hampshire, that we would simply respond with, “She doesn’t have the tough skin to be president.”

I can see the commercial now coming from her opponents.

It’s 4:00 PM.

Oprah’s on.

The phone is ringing.

Where’s your female president???

Read the rest of this entry »

I was out to set a world record for mowing our lawn this morning. With a new mowing pattern I was zipping through our quivering blades of grass, set to have it all done in about 90 minutes… a ridiculous number for a lawn that sometimes takes well over two hours.

And then I forgot to raise the blades over the tree roots.

CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK, BBBBRRRRRRR, THUNK.

It happened so fast I didn’t catch it in time. I think something on the mower deck where the blade spins got knocked loose. It’s kind of crooked. So far I haven’t figured it out.

Not to be deterred, I rolled out the push mower. After all, I only had the front lawn to mow, which isn’t large or thick. So I yanked on the cord. I yanked and yanked. On the fifth pull the tiny engine roared to life.

Unfortunately the starter chord flapped out of mower. The whole thing hung lifelessly in my hand.

This meant that I couldn’t stop the mower. Stopping meant I was really screwed. So I pushed it all over the yard and made good progress. Unfortunately the blade level can sometimes shift on this mower, and today the front left section dropped way down to the point that it was digging into the dirt. Within a minute the mower cut off.

Two mowers down in 15 minutes. Unbelievable. 20% of the lawn remains.

At the least the neighbors will have something to talk about.

“You didn’t?” is the first thing she said after peeling back the wrapping paper and seeing the sleek, white MacBook box.

Yes, I did.

With the help of family and friends, we all pitched in to purchase Julie her very own Mac. I’ve been working on this since April 7th via covert e-mails to friends and family, keeping every detail under the radar. She said she’d never been so surprised in all her life.

Keeping this so secretive has made life a bit tense, and I literally just crashed on the couch after she opened it. Now the fun begins.

Technorati Tags: mac - birthday - macbook - apple

It’s Julie’s birthday today. I have installed myself as the master of ceremonies and have kept every single detail as secretive as possible. It’s been a tough year, as is every year if you’re a special education teacher, and so I wanted her to have nothing at all to worry about. For whatever reason I also decided it was really important to surprise her completely, so all planning has been done on the underground.

This can add a bit of pressure to daily life. I have to scan everything I say to make sure I’m not giving up any clues. I also have to carefully watch my e-mails and what I say on the phone. I’ll be relieved tonight when I can end the duplicity.

I’ve been planning the “birthday meal” all week and have been cleaning the house in bits and pieces so it’s ready for tonight when her family comes over. I hope to grill some food (I won’t say what in case she reads this), but there’s rain in the forecast, so I’m hoping that it isn’t too hazardous to grill with an umbrella. I even cleaned out the rabbits’ cages, but those losers already made a mess of things. The futility of rabbits.

I’ll post tomorrow on the success of the party and whether or not my umbrella went up in flames.

If I had to list some of the shortcomings of American Evangelicals, I’d name the following broad characterizations: we’re affluent and not sure how to serve the poor, we tend to separate practical Christian living from faith, we pay special attention to the wrong people, we don’t always watch what we say carefully, we’re divided and continue to divide, and we’re impatient.

You could apply many of these to Christians in general I suppose, but I’m just thinking of my own vices here and those I have observed over time and read about in the news. Of course Evangelicals do lots of really great things well, but if we have to face our darker side, then I think my list hits on some of the general contours. That doesn’t mean every Evangelical has these problems, but I think they’re kind of broad issues that touch many of us. I know I struggle with them.

So if these are our problems, how do we deal with them?

I think one solution may be the epistle Martin Luther once called “an epistle of straw.” That’s right, the book of James.

James is writing to Jewish Christians, but he’s confronting them on their spiritual maturity, the stinginess toward the poor, and the disputes they have allowed to fester. James provides a great counter-narrative to American culture when he says,

“The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.” (James 1:9-11)

Is it just me, or is that verse a tough one to swallow?

The rest of the epistle continues to challenge the problems plaguing Evangelical Christians in America: our struggles with faith and works, our divisions, and the way we treat the poor and wealthy. It’s as if God wanted to put all of the really practical stuff for us in one place.

So I had this thought that we should have James month. A month where Evangelicals read James every day for 30 days. We could call it 30 Days of James, or something like that. Perhaps have it in January, June, of July just to keep the “J” thing going. How about “J-Days”?

I’m not really serious about all that, but I do think James deals with many of our problems. I’m not saying that simply reading this epistle is the magic wand to make our problems go away, only that it’s a good step forward. As we read James we can embrace God’s counter-narrative for our American culture and let him work on us to bring his changes.

The following is a press release from Not for Sale, an anti-trafficking agency:

Today in Myanmar, 2.5 million people cling to survival after the disaster that hit two weeks ago. The latest state television update in former Burma has declared the death toll after the May 2nd cyclone to be 77,738 people. Another 55,917 are still reported missing.* Thousands swarm the roadsides of a country void of the foreign aid it so desperately needs. Children, destitute and orphaned, are picked up by vicious traffickers prowling the disaster area.

This week, David Batstone travels to Myanmar to approach the crisis situation.

Last Fall, Not For Sale partnered with Thai Abolitonist Kru Nam to build a shelter for 125 kids rescued out of the sex trade industry. Today, she implores us to intervene again as Burmese children trafficked into Thailand are being rampantly sold.It’s time to build a shelter, and it’s time to act fast.

Not For Sale, this week, has partnered with a foundation that will match EVERY DOLLAR we donate, up to $25,000. Our goal is to raise $50k in the next two weeks. The shelter will be on the border between former Burma and Thailand, and will provide the critical care necessary to rescue Burmese orphans out of slavery. Kru Nam’s village, as is, cannot support one of the growing needs in this crisis. But together, we believe we can raise enough money that can.

DONATE now. Every dollar you give is worth two. Join the call to action in this crisis.

* Statistics obtained from www.nationalpost.com

Like Frodo, Gollum, and a cast of sundry ring wraiths, I went looking for a ring today. Only this ring didn’t make me invisible. No, this was my wedding ring. I have now joined the ranks of gardeners far and wide who have lost jewelry in the garden.

You never know how upset you’ll be about losing a material object until it’s actually missing. I was really upset. Not fuming with anger, just sad–dreading the possibility of going through the rest of my day without the ring on my finger.

Being a cold Spring day with rain in the forecast for later, I spent my morning bundled up, gloves and all, mowing the lawn on our tractor. Our yard easily takes over two hours to mow, and by the time I was done, the sun had warmed things up a bit. Shedding my jacket and heavy gloves, I spent about 20 minutes transplanting some prim roses from their tight spot by the driveway. I wore a thin pair of gardening gloves since the skin on my fingers is irritated by the moisture. I usually have to protect my hands while working outside.

After the transplanting I just needed to water the new rhubarb out back and the three maple trees out front. I took off my gloves and walked around back. Hauling our cheap hose over to the garden, I began watering the rhubarb and noticed that one of the new bulbs was sticking way above the soil line.

Peeling away at some soil in our freshly tilled garden with my bare hands, I deposited a chunk of dirt on the rhubarb and hosed my fingers down. And then I noticed it was missing.

My ring ringer felt eerily exposed, and I noticed that the ring was no where to be found. I crawled around on the ground, pawed at the garden, and peeled away clumps of grass and dirt all to no avail. My stomach rumbled as I crawled around on the wet ground, meticulously working my fingers through the mercifully short grass. I pulled, dug, and strained my eyes. I likened myself to the woman who lost a valuable coin and turned the house upside down in search of it (Luke 15:7-9)

Nothing.

For a boost of morale I went inside for a bite to eat. I soon returned to the yard and retraced my steps. Finding nothing I returned to my hands and knees around the rhubarb.

Still nothing.

And so I began to wonder if it was possible that the ring fell off undetected at another point in the day. Perhaps I had lost it when removing my gloves? With renewed hope I checked my heavy gloves in the garage.

Empty. I even put both of them on just to be sure.

And then I remembered the light gloves I briefly wore out front. I ran over to the flower bed where I left them and slipped the glove on.

GOLD!!! SOLID GOLD!!!

It must have slipped off when I removed my glove and remained put inside it. I had my ring back, that reminder of my marriage, the token given by my wife on our wedding day. I’m so glad I found my ring, but more than that, I’m so happy to be married to my wife.

No, Matthew Paul Turner didn’t invent the Hokey Pokey dance that has ruined many a roller skating date. But he has written a book called Hokey Pokey: Curious People Finding What Life’s All About, and I have a copy of it on my coffee table to review…

When the book arrived I gave it the quick look over, trying to imagine I was in a book store, picking the book off the shelf and making a decision on whether or not I would purchase it. While the book itself is a really neat read, I feel like I owe it to potential readers to talk about the book’s presentation, such as the “shock and awe” value of the cover.

The cover is provocative and will surely make you want to find out what this book is, well, all about. But the subtitle threw me for a loop. “Curious people” I thought? How does he define a curious person? Why should I care about curious people and what they have to say about life? The back cover just kept up the line about how important it is to meet these curious people, but didn’t really clarify what it’s all about.

I wasn’t feeling very curious. Imagining myself as a customer in a bookstore, I have to admit I’d have my doubts.

However, what the cover doesn’t quite say, Turner quickly clarifies once you dive into the book:

“Hokey Pokey is about getting on a path toward discovering what life is about. Notice that the subtitle to this book does not say ‘people who have found what life is about.’ That’s because it’s not about people who think they they’ve arrived! It’s about people who are in the process of discovery. This curious path toward figuring out life is not one that ends…But don’t think of calling as something you arrive at–because it’s not. it’s a journey that takes a lifetime. It’s a process” (30).

I give him points here because he only used the word journey once and is creatively employing the notion of curiosity to emphasize the importance of one’s calling as an ongoing quest.

So what is this book all about? The ongoing pursuit of one’s calling in life. OK, now I’ll stop my griping.

When you dive into Hokey Pokey you are whisked into Turner’s world of story telling, meditation on scripture, and penetrating insights. He moves scenes with compelling dialogue–something you rarely find in a nonfiction book. Each section is carried by stories that land the reader on his main points, always providing another story to keep you reading through.

The narrative focus makes the book work, as no one could bear reading a discourse on finding one’s calling. It’s too large, vague, varied, and dare I even say subjective a topic. Telling stories is a great way to bypass preaching or simplifying. Turner is allowed to embrace the complexities and solutions of each story, while sharing his own thoughts. Even if readers don’t agree with where Turner lands, the process is a sound one that is delightful in itself for the reader.

Read the rest of this entry »

Today I was introduced to tilling soil for a garden. We have a patch of rich old farm land in our yard that hasn’t been turned for over 20 years if not longer, and today a friend of ours drove her tiller over and showed me how to work the land. Imagine something about two to three times the size of a push mower, heavy as all get out, and steered by two large handles that stick up like antlers and you’ll be on the right track. Fortunately it’s self-propelled, but that also means it can run away from you.

This happened to both of us. Tilling seems to be a delicate balance of not digging in too far, while not pulling it out too much, while also keeping everything steady and on course. When turning around on the grass it’s important to keep the spinning blades off the grass or they’ll send the tiller bucking forward and most likely out of your hands.

It has a mind of its own. Fortunately that mind didn’t figure out a way to kill either of us. In that sense I feel like I really accomplished something today. Not only is our garden ready for planting, we don’t have any dead bodies in the yard.

What can I say? I’m on a roll.

So now I have some phosphate and lime in the car and we have plans to pick up some manure to be mixed in. I think we need to fish out some of the grass clumps at some point as well. That’ll be a rip-roaring good time. However we have our eyes on the prize: planting lettuce, tomatoes, swiss chard, basil, cucumbers, red peppers, and possibly some cantaloupe.

I’m sure I’m going to kill half of the plants, electrocute myself a couple times on the electric fence we need to install, and screw plenty of other things up in the process. But we’re getting there. Maybe I’ll call this the training garden just to temper my expectations.

Jon Birch has two great cartoons about what may happen when God shows up. There are times when we experience the love of God and peace comes rushing in. Other times we are really, really convicted of sin and have to face up to the parts of ourselves we’d rather ignore.

Becky Garrison commented,

“Except for Isaiah every prophet ran for the hills when they heard God calling them. And the first thing out of an angel’s mouth when they appear to say Mary and Elizabeth is “be not afraid” - a phrase you wouldn’t utter unless someone is shaking in their boots. What’s missing from all these angelic paintings of people receiving word from God and his messengers is the puddle on the floor.”

I’ve heard many wise Christian teachers say that while we’re praying for revival, we often don’t know what we’re asking for or what it will look like. I’m reminded of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time who prayed for the Messiah and kind of killed him when he showed up.

I’m not sure what we can do differently to avoid making similar mistakes, other than being slow to judge and keeping some open lines of communication with God.

Who would you rather follow: someone who can quote lots of Bible verses or someone who lives out the words of scripture?

It’s not too hard of a choice.

One has mentally organized the words of scripture, while the other is living in the power of the Holy Spirit because he believed in the words of scripture, and God has decided to use him. One is able to tell you about the new life God gives, and one is able to impart it to you. One may change your mind, but the other may change your life.

A revival has broken out in Lakeland, FL through the ministry of Todd Bentley, and the usual skeptics are speaking out against this manifestation of God. Most who condemn these events have not participated in them in person, and this will especially be true for Lakeland because it’s broadcast on God TV. Curiously, miracles are happening over the internet, over the phone, and over the TV, but the problem is one need only watch a few minutes, find it unfamiliar and uncomfortable, and then write it off completely. The skepticism of “Bible-Answer Man” Hank Hanegraaff that this is all false hope doesn’t help.

To be frank, he knows not of what he speaks. Hank doesn’t know his Bible as well as he boasts.

I haven’t been to the Toronto or Lakeland Revivals, but I have experienced and witnessed some of what’s happening. A minister in healing and words of knowledge prayed over my legs and healed one that was out of line. I have received powerful prayer for emotional pain and been completely overwhelmed with what I can only described as a cleansing sobbing. I’ve been involved in prayer ministry where those receiving prayer become incredibly hot as the Holy Spirit cleanses them. I’ve seen these same people gently fall backwards onto the floor.

It’s different from what I grew up with, but I never found anything wrong with healing, the manifestation of the Spirit, and falling backwards. Instead of hitting this outpouring with unbelief, we should at least be glad that God is working to heal some people, even if we’re not going to partake in it… However I’m reminded of something used to chant when I was a Catholic, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your heart.”

When we reject revival, we often think of frauds who rely more on the show, on the donations that pour in, and on flashy preachers. There are plenty of these out there, just as you’ll find people who abuse the Bible to teach false doctrines and to preach the prosperity Gospel. Just because the gifts of the Spirit are abused, I don’t think we need to write them off completely, just as we wouldn’t write off the Bible after it’s been misused. If you do some digging, you’ll find that Todd Bentley is a pretty average guy whom God powerfully delivered from drugs, alcohol, Satanic worship, and just about every other vice. He’s loud and charismatic, but I think there’s a marked difference here because he’s really just trying to go where he senses the leading of the Spirit. Here is what his own ministry has to say about him:

The passion of Todd’s life and ministry: is to see others set free through the anointing of the Holy Spirit and to see others come into the reality of intimate relationship with Jesus. He also desires to see Christ’s body healed, equipped and rising up in the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the great commission.

We don’t have to like it, but we don’t have to be against it. Right after Jesus’ disciples argued about who was going to be the greatest, they tried to stop someone who wasn’t part of their group from driving out demons. Jesus surprised them by saying,

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” Mark 9:39-41

So Bentley is doing miracles in the name of Jesus, and he certainly is not blaspheming God in the next moment. So what’s the big deal? Bentley is just obediently carrying on the ministry of Jesus:

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” Luke 7:21-23

And if that’s what Jesus did, he promised the his followers would do the same:

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:10-14

The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed. Acts 5:12-16

And so we are left with our reasons for wanting to condemn Lakeland, and all I can find is the problem of unfamiliarity and the problem that started on a cool evening in a garden when Adam and Eve hid from God. Sure these manifestations are different and outside the norm. Sure it’s uncomfortable. Sure we have to face our sin and deception. Isn’t it easier to claim to follow Jesus just by reading the Bible, learning the Bible, and keeping God himself at arms-length? In fact, I think that is exactly what happens when we fight to keep God back.

Along those lines, I have a verse for those skeptical of the Holy Spirit’s work:

“And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:37-40

I’m not trying to call anyone’s commitment to Christ into question here. Only you and the Lord can figure that out. But I am criticizing a commitment to study the scriptures and to then reject the real life work of the Holy Spirit. It is a very good thing to study the Bible, but without the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives the words of scripture are just text on a page and not the new life that God wants to unleash in our lives. Lakewland is just one example of how God’s Spirit wants to work in our lives, and Jesus warned us against rejecting the move of God.

I am deeply saddened by all of this skepticism at a time of healing and restoration. It is terrible to see some followers of Christ so close to the truth, so close to the full, abundant life of God (which I believe this passage of John is about), and yet keeping the true power and healing of God at arms-length. I don’t want to get too sappy, but I earnestly plead with those who doubt this to first of all commit to not make unnecessary enemies of fellow believers. Please hold back your condemnation and look into it, remembering that if it’s from God it will produce fruit, but if it is not from God it will fall apart (see Acts 5:33-39). Secondly, I ask that you open yourself to God and whatever he may have for you. You just never know what will happen.

On a final note, I have tried to avoid condemnation of skeptics such as Hanegraaff, but I feel it is important to remind ourselves of the warning scripture gives us when we condemn the work of the Holy Spirit.

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Matthew 12:30-32

You can argue that I have misapplied this passage, but it occurs in the context of healing a demon-possession, so we’d best pay attention to the warning of Jesus. When the Holy Spirit is at work and we speak against the Holy Spirit, we are treading in dangerous territory. Doubting is one thing, but speaking against the work of the Holy Spirit appears to be far more serious.

I pray that those who call on the name of the Lord may be strengthened by this time of healing and restoration. All glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I now have 3 little blips on the Amazon.com radar.

First off we have the main book, Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life, my lay-level introduction to contextual theology.

Then we have the Coffeehouse Theology Bible Study Guide that digs into the scripture passages mentioned in the main book, fleshing out biblical guidelines for contextual theology.

Lastly, I push the envelope a little bit with a exploration of select topics in the Contemporary Issues Study Guide. War, race, terrorism, social justice, gender equality, and more show up in this guide that applies theology to a number of pressing issues for today.

By the way, if you swing by Amazon to have a look, check out the graphic in the top right corner of the Contemporary Issues Study Guide. There’s a coffee cup with a halo and wings! Someone on the design team at NavPress should be getting a bonus!

Christians are known for inflicting damage on themselves from time to time, sticking many feet in many mouths, and coming up with some outlandish claims, especially when they try to play “prophet” while reading the newspaper headlines. However, Christianity has come under attack by a group often known as the new atheists through a series of books such as the God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and A Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris. Who will stand up for God and the Christian faith?

Reporter, writer, and satirist Becky Garrison who ably wields her MDiv from Yale steps into the ring to take on these atheist crusaders, who have set out to undermine religion, in her book The New Atheist Crusaders and Their Unholy Grail. Garrison is a Christian writer who contributes to the God’s Politics blog, serves as contributing editor to the Wittenburg Door, among other projects. Though not a scientist, Garrison is an able researcher who carefully steps through the various levels involved in this issue: science, religion, politics, and some pretty flimsy, overblown accusations the new atheists level against Christians.

Keep in mind that while Garrison is fighting the new atheists’ writings toe-to-toe, she’s not setting out to attack them personally. By adopting a kind of zany, light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek tone, Garrison avoids a combative tone, opting instead to kind of playfully slap around the views of the new atheists. She doesn’t deal a knock-out blow, but carefully picks them apart with a wide smile, revealing the foolish bits of their arguments, while never leaving behind a bloody opponent on the mat.

You could call it a humane mercy-killing of the new atheists.

In addition, Garrison uses her journalistic expertise to assemble a carefully chosen group of scientists and religion experts to stand in her corner. She even finds atheists who want nothing to do with the closed-minded new atheists, but rather want a friendly, civil discussion about whether or not God exists (201). With friendly atheists, theologians, God-believing scientists, and Christian activists in her corner, she unleashes round after round of exploration and analysis of the new atheists. While the new atheists may dismiss Garrison because she’s not credentialed into the academic elite, I assure you this book is a knock-out blow to the new atheists brand.

Read the rest of this entry »

A group of Evangelicals recently released a manifesto detailing some goals for Evangelicals today that include recommitting our focus on the Gospel, untangling ourselves from partisan politics, and immersing ourselves in social justice–by way of naming a few points from a rather lengthy and complex document. I appreciate what they’re trying to do and I respect those who wrote and signed it. Evangelicals are such a slippery, diverse, and evolving movement that no one document or group could hope to exhaustively catch every nuance (though some have pointed out faults).

The reason for the Manifesto is as follows:

“For those who are Evangelicals, the deepest purpose of the Manifesto is a serious call to reform—an urgent challenge to reaffirm Evangelical identity, to reform Evangelical behavior, to reposition Evangelicals in public life, and so rededicate ourselves to the high calling of being Evangelical followers of Jesus Christ.”

Not a bad goal. Not a bad document from what I’ve read and read about it. Not a bad call for the leaders who wanted to set a new course since leaders are supposed to stick their necks out, take the lead, and let others follow. On the plus side, we now have an official document we can point to if we’re accused of being too political or lacking in compassion. We can now say, “Look, we’ve got people trying to steer us on a new course.” It’s worth a shot!

While we could pick this thing apart all day and snipe at bits and pieces… I have one concern. Do we really think America is the center of Christianity today? Well, it’s the center of the magazine Christianity Today, but I’m wondering if India, South Africa, and heck the whole continent of South America may have something to teach us since there are plenty of Evangelicals there (Mark Knoll says as much in beginning of The Rise of Evangelicalism). The Evangelical movement may have started in Europe and then moved over to America, but we’re not the only ones living this stuff.

When the Nicene Creed was written, Christians from all over the known world gathered together. Travel was tough and treacherous in those days. With e-mail it wouldn’t be that hard to include some global voices in the statement. I’m guessing we would have ended up with a better notion of how to mix faith and justice together and a lot more about the role of the Holy Spirit. Just a hunch.

It’s funny, we really want to change the course of Evangelicalism in America, but we’re not seeking help from those who can help us the most. Ah, the American “can-do” spirit!