I much appreciate Pastor Smith's thoughts on these matters that have made the term "evangelical" a dirty word in so many respects. When journalists make use of the term, would that they prefaced every use with a phrase like "persons claiming to be" "evangelicals." Perhaps generalizing such a characterization of the label would give pause to so many that might otherwise find shelter in, or take comfort from ideologies that might pit believers against one another for temporal reasons.
Pastor's Smith's conclusion that "rage doesn't have to have the last word if its received and absorbed into repentant action" is particularly instructive.
In the temporal setting, imagine - just imagine - what would be different today, or how things might be different today, how the events of the last weeks might have been different - had we as a nation, driven by the salt and light provided by the nation-wide bride of Christ, had responded to the events of September 11, 2001 differently - if rage had not resulted in war. And instead caused us U.S. to take stock, grapple with the "why," and intentionally apply use of the God-given tools of reflection, collaboration, diplomacy, etc to engage in more enduringly constructive ways to bring about justice. Perhaps all that could be done to slow the stampede to war was done.
Regrettably, the message of the gospel seems too remain too radical for today's world - to the point where the "evangelical(s)" is a mere label, useful as a rod(s) to stir conflict rather than a reference to a conflict-tempering collective, whose wise counsel is worth seeking in an effort to devise effective, repentant actions designed to absorb rage, death and destruction in the name of temporal national pride? What if Christians embraced, rather than eschewed tools God has given mankind to douse rage, especially collective rage? What if the "evangelical(s)" were revered and sought out for collective counsel as effective conveyers of how to find paths to justice through effective repentant activity rather than destructive warfare?
Posted in: What to Do With American Rage
I much appreciate Pastor Smith's thoughts on these matters that have made the term "evangelical" a dirty word in so many respects. When journalists make use of the term, would that they prefaced every use with a phrase like "persons claiming to be" "evangelicals." Perhaps generalizing such a characterization of the label would give pause to so many that might otherwise find shelter in, or take comfort from ideologies that might pit believers against one another for temporal reasons.
Pastor's Smith's conclusion that "rage doesn't have to have the last word if its received and absorbed into repentant action" is particularly instructive.
In the temporal setting, imagine - just imagine - what would be different today, or how things might be different today, how the events of the last weeks might have been different - had we as a nation, driven by the salt and light provided by the nation-wide bride of Christ, had responded to the events of September 11, 2001 differently - if rage had not resulted in war. And instead caused us U.S. to take stock, grapple with the "why," and intentionally apply use of the God-given tools of reflection, collaboration, diplomacy, etc to engage in more enduringly constructive ways to bring about justice. Perhaps all that could be done to slow the stampede to war was done.
Regrettably, the message of the gospel seems too remain too radical for today's world - to the point where the "evangelical(s)" is a mere label, useful as a rod(s) to stir conflict rather than a reference to a conflict-tempering collective, whose wise counsel is worth seeking in an effort to devise effective, repentant actions designed to absorb rage, death and destruction in the name of temporal national pride? What if Christians embraced, rather than eschewed tools God has given mankind to douse rage, especially collective rage? What if the "evangelical(s)" were revered and sought out for collective counsel as effective conveyers of how to find paths to justice through effective repentant activity rather than destructive warfare?