Lables

To be labeled by someone who does not claim the same designation is often to have been defined as something pejorative in the mind of the one attaching the label: liberal, conservative, gay, fundamentalist, atheist, Christian, homosexual, white, feminist, progressive, Muslim, emergent, agnostic, politician, minority, socialist. . . . The list is as long as varying opinions. Our image and feelings about these labels, and those labeled, is usually, spontaneously driven by where we stand on the continuum of their definitions, their goodness, and the condition of our hearts.

Lavishly Inclusive

To be inclusive is to reflect God’s heart. He didn’t only die for your house and clan or mine. He died for the house and clan you and I might marginalize for their differences, their “bad” theology and company, their different cultural expressions, and their different orientation. Lay your head on Christ’s bosom and be mindful for whom he was and is available: the prostitute, the thief, the adulterer, the murderer, the disenfranchised, . . . and you and me. If we would stay there, then we must also be availably and lavishly inclusive.

Means

Even if the purpose is attainable, the question must be, “Is it the right purpose?” Moreover, we must pursue the right no matter the outcome, which belongs to God. The means are not justified by the ends. Having said that, I never support killing, for all people are created in God’s image and likeness. However, I expect a non-Christian, non-theocratic state to pursue and protect its interests. That is its purpose, despite that we are part of God’s kingdom and submit to its demands and, therefore, follow a different call than the state where it contradicts God’s kingdom. No flag can cover a violation of loving God and neighbor.

Chicken Little

One day the first grade teacher was reading the story of Chicken Little to her class. She came to the part where Chicken Little warns the farmer. She read, “. . . and Chicken Little went up to the farmer and said, ‘The sky is falling!’” The teacher then asked the class, “And what do you think that farmer said?” One little girl raised her hand and said, “I think he said, ‘Holy sh*t! A talking chicken!’” The teacher was unable to teach for the next ten minutes.—Anonymous.  How often we only see the expected. What is behind the surface?

The Offer

I was interacting on another blog about a homosexual couple in which several people had some disparaging things to say. I briefly addressed these issues there, and I have invited the dialogue to this blog to give the couple on the other blog space to celebrate without ugly and myopic comments. The follow was my most recent response:

Revelation

What is important about revelation is not that we seek to interpret it in the same way but that we all love it and are transformed by it. To fail to recognize this would be similar to an art critic saying that what is important when considering a piece of art is that we interpret it correctly rather than loving it and being challenged by it. Indeed, this is what happens when we see various groups and denominations being set up that are founded upon the supposedly 'correct' interpretation of revelation. While joining together in groups that share the same Christian tradition has an important role, the problem arises when we claim that we have the right interpretation while all those who disagree with us are ignorant, deluded or sinfully turning their eye away from the clear light of revelation.—Peter Rollins, How (Not) to Speak of God (Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press,  2006),  p. 17.

Adam and Eve and Science

What, if anything, does evolution do to the Christian faith? Click on the title above for a video to get the discussion going. Then listen to what N. T. Wright has to say on the same subject: http://biologos.org/resources/nt-wright-on-adam-and-eve/