:: in.a.mirror.dimly ::

When I saw the enormous flowers toppling over our Christmas cactus on the dining room table for the first time this morning, I knew I had a problem. How long had those blooms been sitting right under my nose while I sat at the table reading, browsing the internet, or staring dumbly at my cup of coffee?

It was like God gave me a pleasant little metaphor of how I approach the Christmas season. It usually looks something like this.

The first Sunday of Advent hits like an unexpected tidal wave. It throws me into a panic because I need to start shopping and getting ready for a spiritually significant Christmas. I now have a deadline. If I can’t get my gifts purchased and wrapped, as well as arrive at a spiritual epiphany by December 25th, I fear that the universe will start to unravel and I’ll be sent into exile—or something like that.

Dread often gives way to guilt until December 25th passes and I’m filled with nostalgia for the glories of Christmas. Ah, I can’t wait until next year…

It struck me yesterday that dreading the arrival of Christmas is sound evidence that my priorities are in the wrong place.

I still love buying gifts for family members, but I don’t want to dread Christmas. I want to enjoy this season of prayer and meditation on God’s love for us. Reading through a daily Advent Devotional has helped immensely. However, I’m still pretty confident that I can screw things up with overblown expectations and busy schedules.

Just as I schedule time to get my work done, to do the dishes, and to even shop, I’ve been working on scheduling time to wait on the Lord. I’m not even hoping that anything in particular will happen.

My goal is to wait in peace and hope, letting God do as he pleases. If I only end up waiting better for the season of Advent, then perhaps I’ll have learned something valuable in the process.

This post is part of Bonnie Gray’s Thursday Faith Jam. Check out her post today: Be Fully Present

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Notes for Readers

For the full scoop on where this joke is coming from, see JesusNeedsNewPR and the original post.

The other day I dug into the ways that Christians misuse the Gospel for political and national goals. It was a tough post to write because I don’t want to be the angry truth police guy. I also don’t want anyone to think that Christianity is hopeless.

It’s easy to pick on the things that are negative rather than highlighting what’s in good working order. The latter stories are not as exciting to write or read. However, I felt that an issue like that needs to be exposed because it can subtly undermine the Gospel.

It’s ironic because while at a Christian writer’s conference last week I kept a running list of silly things Christians say/believe and reasons for hope. I had a hunch that the good news would outweigh the bad. They did. While I hit upon one really discouraging note the other day, I still have many reasons to believe that God can use his people to do a lot of good based on what I saw and heard at the conference.

So here are some significant reasons why Christians have hope…

There was an emphasis on suffering…

No one shared a prosperity Gospel. One speaker said, “Some of you have not suffered enough to write and minister as effectively as you one day will.” That is a powerful statement that hits upon the results of joining Christ in the fellowship of his suffering.

There was a diverse crowd…

This was a fairly diverse conference both ethnically and theologically. While some of the political junk got in the way at times, I was encouraged to see a diverse group of Christians working, worshipping, and hanging out together.

There was an emphasis on mission…

The Christians at this conference were actively seeking to share the Gospel with others. Time and time again I was challenged to go deeper in my walk with the Lord and to use my gifts for his work. That was probably more significant for me than the excellent writing workshops I attended.

There was an emphasis on solid research and writing…

The workshops I attended shared valuable advice on how to write good articles and books without resorting to unfair arguments, bad facts, and other emotional tricks. The workshop leader, who struck me as rather conservative politically, shared the ways he writes charitably about the political left and the nuances he found in the midst of his research.

There is an openness to the Holy Spirit…

If the people of God remain open to the leading of his Spirit, then we have the greatest reason for hope provided his people continue to let him lead.

While we find plenty of things to avoid or disavow, there are some great reasons to have hope in what God can do among and through his people.

What signs of life and hope have you seen in the past few weeks?

The coming out of Jennifer Knapp has sparked a tipping point for Christians and homosexuality—at least from my perspective. So many of us loved her previous work, and now most Christians feel like they sort of know someone who is a homosexual AND a Christian.

Instead of homosexuals being “out there,” we’ve found they’re also among us.

When same sex marriage passed in Vermont a group of advocates chanted outside the tiny capital building in Montpelier: “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re married, get used to it!”

OK, so it was probably more of a taunt to their opponents, but I got a kick out of it. Blunt though it may be, it laid the cards on the table. With a law legitimizing same sex unions, those in opposition were faced with a choice of how to respond. Will they continue to fight it, or will they figure out a way to disagree and still move on with their lives?

The homosexuality debate among Christians is in a deadlock. I don’t think there’s anything new we can say. If you read enough comments and blog posts, you’ll find roughly three views. Christians who find homosexuality morally permissible, those who aren’t sure, and those who don’t.

The comment threads go on and on, but I don’t see an end to the debate in sight. I’ve written extensively on this topic both in the Coffeehouse Theology Contemporary Issues Guide and on this blog. As an exercise, I wrote up one post explaining the reasoning behind all three views on this topic. I feel like I understand where they’re all coming from, even if I have my own opinion on the matter.

I think we need to reframe this discussion. All three sides are just getting frustrated. It’s time to accept the fact that there will always be Christians who permit homosexuality, there will always be Chrisitians who aren’t sure, and there will always be Christians who do not permit it.

We’re here, we’re queer/unsure/straight, we’re Christians, get used to it.

That isn’t to say that we need to agree. No, that isn’t going to happen. We just need to ask the “Now what"?” question. If we can’t resolve this debate, are there some levels where we can at least have civil dialogue while holding to our different convictions?

And if some folks can’t imagine fraternizing with the other side in a dialogue that seeks to understand where that perspective is coming from, then perhaps the best move is disengagement. I’m all for dialoguing with perspectives different from my own—I benefit greatly from it. However, any debate on this topic has been played out, so why even bother to keep lobbing broad sides at one another?

There are consequences to pressing on with the debate. If we continue in this debate, I fear opponents of homosexuality will feel smug and self-righteous for their biblical purity, while those who support it will feel smug and self-righteous for their biblical progressiveness.

This is new, uncertain ground for many of us. So I advise caution as we move forward. However, it’s time to start asking the “now what?” question because the old debates aren’t moving us forward. Too much harm has been done in the name of “what’s right,” and people called to love God and to love others above all else cannot afford to let things continue in their present state.

Continuing my meditations on the book of Romans…

Though the majority of the Jews rejected Jesus as Messiah and the promise of God has been extended to Gentiles, the Lord has not rejected his people. He has saved a remnant. They are saved by God’s free and undeserved kindness. Many Jews have been seeking God’s favor, but his kindness is not based on merit, but rather God’s purposes in election. Only those enabled by God could respond to him.

In God’s plan to make salvation available to all people, he appointed Paul to carry the Gospel to them. However, even that calling aimed to spark jealousy among the Jews. God had not forgotten them.

God isn’t done with the Jewish people, as their lineage from Abraham is still important. Paul is hopeful for the day of salvation still coming for the Jewish people.

Since salvation comes by God’s mercy and the cutting off of some Jewish branches, Paul warns the Gentiles from thinking too highly of themselves. They should fear the possibility of falling away. God is kind to those who continue to trust in his kindness, but he is also severe to those who disobey.

God is both severe and kind, patient and decisive, cutting off and preserving. It would seem every time the Jews and Gentiles thought they had God’s plan figured out, Paul revealed new aspects of it that would seem to smash all systematizing. God has a plan and purpose in election, humans make choices they are responsible for, and those in Christ are both safe from sin and in danger of choosing to fall away.

The appropriate response to God comes at the end of this chapter: worship. Hold the truth we know about God out there, but celebrate God and the mercy that comes through the salvation offered by Christ. The last thing God needs is to be twisted and misrepresented by finite humans.

Worship is the place for humanity, whether always part of God’s plan or an addition grafted in.

Continuing my series of meditations on the book of Romans with chapter eight…

There is no condemnation under sin or the law for those who belong to Jesus and live by the power of the Spirit. With this bold statement, Paul has essentially wrapped up his arguments concerning the law and sin.

He has already established that the law itself is not bad. Rather, it is incapable of saving. That is why God initiated the incarnation of Jesus who died and rose in order to destroy sin’s control over humanity and its misuse of the law to bring condemnation. Paul wants the Romans to know they are in right standing before God and the law because the Spirit applies God’s new life to them.

The Holy Spirit now takes center stage in God’s redemptive work.

As the Romans struggle with obedience and sin, Paul explains their conflict between the sinful nature and the Holy Spirit. In vv. 5-17, the Roman church is presented with a choice to allow sin or the Spirit to control their lives. Those who live under the control of the Spirit are able to live in peace, pleasing God through obedience.

The ramifications for living under God’s Spirit include belonging to Christ, freedom from the control of sin, and the same Resurrection power that brought Christ to life bringing God’s full life to fruition. Living in the freedom and obedience of God’s Spirit means the Roman believers have nothing to fear from God since they are no longer under the condemnation of sin and can consider themselves sons of God.

However, being a son of God is not free from suffering. In fact, being in God’s family requires sharing in the suffering of Christ (v.17).

In fact, life will be difficult for those patiently waiting for God’s glory to be revealed. Even with the Holy Spirit living among them, the Romans will have to wait with the rest of creation, confidently expecting God to give them full rights as his adopted children.

God’s goal for his children is that they bear a family resemblance to Jesus, the first-born son of the family. Therefore, God’s Spirit prays in accordance with God’s will, helping sons and daughters with their struggles against sin. As the Spirit prays, God works everything for the good of those who respond to God’s calling and purpose with love for God. Those who love God can trust they are being supported and carried as they submit to God’s purpose for their lives. For those called by God and known by him, there is struggle and sacrifice, but God is gracious, offering them right standing before God and his glory.

For those in God’s family through the Holy Spirit, there is nothing that can separate them from God’s love. External or internal circumstances have no sway, even in the most dire of situations involving hunger, danger, or death. God’s deep love is for his people, and so no other power or situation can change that.

These are the spiritual realities of the Christian life, and they are worthy of our deepest consideration.

Glenn Beck and Jon Stewart have something in common. They thrive on their audiences believing in their goodness and sincerity, coat their beliefs in the palatable pill of humor, and command a loyal following.

They also are heavily merchandised, make a boat load of money from their shows, and rake in a bunch more through publishing deals. We can argue whether one is right, more sincere, or whatever. But we cannot deny that they have these things in common. And the moment anyone doubts they aren’t sincerely looking out for their best interests or their jokes fall flat, they lose.

The money stops.

In a perfect world these funny analysts would have our best interests in mind. Perhaps they do. I can’t judge for sure.

However, where there is a lot of money and power at stake for those on the right or left, the public should be suspicious. Before we lap up the comedy-laced analysis, the pouncing on sound bites, and the vilifying of political opponents, it’s worth asking what these entertainers (and we can’t forget they are entertainers first and foremost) have at stake. Will anyone listen to Glen Beck if he looks for the best with Obama? Will Jon Stewart manage to keep the jokes coming if he softens up on Republicans? And of course Beck is finding out right now that fear sells.

I wrestle to find a place in today’s political debate as a Christian. I’m so sick of either party “reaching out” to evangelicals hoping to swing an election by pandering to this issue or that. While I’m not convinced that government shouldn’t always be the first place we turn to help people, I also don’t believe it should be the last.

I’ll admit I love the idea of a society that allocates funds to ensure all people have basic health care. Medicare works well enough for senior citizens, and I’m proud that our nation provides it. I’d like to see that kind of care extended to the rest of those who need it. We sure need it more than we need two wars or bonuses for bank executives.

However, I don’t want to become a political proxy for a political party and alienate myself from others unnecessarily. Perhaps there’s no other way to do it, but I simply don’t know how exactly to engage this issue without becoming someone’s pawn. I have no interest in waving Beck’s or Stewart’s banners. I’m not sure if waving the banner of the Gospel, of loving my neighbor, or of becoming poor for the sake of others as Christ did means I need to toss my hat in the ring one way or the other.

After seeing the Republicans toy with Christians for so long, and after I have personally failed to think through what exactly I was getting myself into, I’m wary of political fights and the war of words streaming from both sides.

What does it look like to follow Jesus today in a politically divided America? Should the disciples of Jesus fight their way through the system or step away from it? If we do jump in, how far do we go? How do we define failure or victory?

As you can tell, I’m short on answers at this point.

While the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America was debating the ordination of homosexual clergy last week in Minneapolis, a tornado touched down right where the meetings were taking place. Pastor John Piper said, “The tornado in Minneapolis was a gentle but firm warning to the ELCA and all of us: Turn from the approval of sin.”

The response from many Evangelicals and many other Christian groups has been a swift rebuttal of Piper’s remarks, though I’m sure plenty of folks agree with this beloved pastor. Jennell Williams Paris took a humorous approach, while writer Greg Boyd adopted a point-by-point approach in dismantling Piper’s logic and theology.

I think that Boyd hit the nail on the head in picking apart Piper’s points. There are lots of other sins lurking about in America that receive way more attention in scripture and that God could be very concerned about based on biblical precedent. Why would he pick on this one particular issue? In addition, we should be very careful when we claim to know the will of God, particularly when it comes to judgment.

I think enough rebuttals have been written that I won’t need to weigh in here on the particulars. Suffice to say, there are many, many Christians who take the Bible very seriously and disagree with John Piper on this one.

As someone who has benefited from some, but not all, that Piper has written, I’ve been wondering how I would like to be treated if I made the same mistake. I like John, even if I disagree with some points of his theology, and so I don’t want to throw him under the bus here.

What we have here is a good pastor slipping into some bad theology. And if I slipped into some bad theology, how would I like others to reply?

Well, I suppose I would most appreciate personal notes and e-mails that avoided personal attacks, but directly addressed where I was in error. The nature of Piper’s remark in the public forum of the internet means that most replies will be in the form of public statements opposing his initial public remark. While I think it’s important to set the record straight for the media that may have a field day on this one, I think Christian leaders who disagree with Piper and have access to him should write to him personally.

If I slipped into bad theology I would hope that my friends and acquaintances first step would be to write me personally, asking me to change my statement. Depending on the forum of my statement, a more public reply may be necessary. However, I would hope that Christian brothers and sisters would opt for the more personal and direct route of correction if I made a similar mistake as Piper.

Perhaps such an approach will have no effect on Piper on this issue, but if I was in his shoes, I would deeply appreciate personal notes so that I would have a chance to retract my statement/blog post. Public replies are necessary, but I hope that even in this case of bad theology that we’ll focus on restoration beyond the rebuttals.

I’m still thinking through the presentation by Chris Hedges last night and I did a little digging into some interviews with him. For instance, he was interviewed a little over a year ago about his book American Fascists on Talk of the Nation. I was thinking that he was perhaps a bit rough on Christians, but in the interview on Talk of the Nation I think he does say the people on the far right he’s worried about are only about 10% of Christians. However he does fear the influence of the fringes on the rest of Christians on the right who may not be so extreme.

I have to say that I think he’s overreacting to Christians on the extreme end of our faith. He has clearly encountered some disturbing streams in fundamentalist Christianity, but I don’t think he’s aware that even some Evangelicals on the right are put off by the more extreme fundamentalists he describes in his interview. This is not to mention Christians more to the center and to the right.

Hedges seems to fear that the far right will gain more and more power and influence, eventually creating an intolerant America where homosexuals are persecuted, if not executed, everyone is forced to accept the Christian ideology, and all laws are run through the far right’s interpretive grid.

Sensationalist? I think so. As a Christian who’s more to the middle, I can’t see the far right taking over the middle. If anything, I see the right imploding upon itself as it corners itself into increasing obscurity and irrelevance. I’m not a reporter, but I am a Christian, so that’s my $.02.

I’m sure that Hedges hopes I’m right…