Do Christians Believe in Redemption (i.e., a new creation) or Not?

September 15, 2009 · ethics and morals, faith, love, politics, society · 2 comments

I saw this headline, Ky. Church Ordains Registered Sex Offender, a few days ago, and was finally able to read it. And, I finally decided to actually post something on my blog, rather than twitter.

I have to say this brief article causes me no small amount of anguish. I cannot imagine what both the man in question, the ordaining officiant, the congregation, the denomination (if any), and the surrounding community are feeling. Yes, the article provides some quips, but depth is required with such a report, not quips.

First and foremost, do all the “Christians” affiliated with the situation (including the surrounding community) truly believe:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

I am not saying this to be snarky. I have to admit, I say I believe it, and I experienced it. However, when it comes to my children, will I need something more? What would ever satisfy most parents that their child is safe? How does a church prevent a minister from being with children? It can’t, I think, and expect to be effective.

How does the church be redemptive in such a situation? Is it a no-win situation? Who will gamble their children?

I cannot question the guy and his faith. I can certainly question the wisdom of the elders of the church, the denomination, and the ordaining officiant. Were they oblivious?

Prosperity Gospel Hyperbole

April 21, 2009 · faith · (No comments)

I know Christianity today was just trying to get a rise with this, The Real Prosperity Gospel, but Christianity has enough problems with the prosperity gospel, that for them to do this strikes me as irresponsible. Just my $0.02 (worth even less now than is used to be)

Change Your Name…Because We Say So

April 21, 2009 · society · (No comments)

In the article, Name Not on Our List? Change It, China Says, the New York Times doesn’t recognize (or know, probably) that most governments within the United States (including the federal government) may not try to force a person to change their name, but they won’t recognize your full name if the name is longer than a certain number of characters, or if you have more than three (first, 1 middle, last) names, your full name is not accepted.

A name change is not forced here, but your full name is not recognized, either.

A Manifesto for the Christian Life?

March 2, 2009 · ethics and morals, faith, love · 2 comments

I was listening this morning to the latest Accidental Creative Podcast, AC #149: Manifesto, and I was struck by how much the manifesto strikes me as a healthy Christian way of life. Todd Henry (the owner/creator of Accidental Creative) created A Manifesto For Accidental Creative. This is my “Christian” take on it.

  1. We witness and disciple everyday—no matter what we do, we are witnessing and discipling. It is just a matter of how well.
  2. No matter how good we are at what we do, what we do does not define us.
  3. Our vocation (messengers for Jesus)is bigger than what we do.
  4. Our life in Christ must be one of grown—the dead branches of the vine are trimmed.
  5. We must have a healthy life in Christ—it must be intentional, our choice, and it must be one of discipline.
  6. We must make decisions that value our faith, not that value culture, pride, money, etc. over it.
  7. We must always being looking at the evidence of the Lord’s hand, and taking joy in it.
  8. We are responsible for our spiritual health—while we can be bolstered, supported, and loved by others, ultimately our spiritual health is our responsibility.
  9. We are generous because we are free—we are to be generous in love, as Christ has set us free.
  10. We are committed to relationships—relationships are the key to a healthy church, a healthy body, and a healthy heart.

What do you think? Listen to the podcast, too.

All Mixed: Culture and Religion

January 24, 2009 · faith, history, love, society · (No comments)
Critics have variously argued that Hebrew language charter schools impermissibly erode church-state boundaries, potentially balkanize Jews from the rest of society, and create a false dichotomy between Jewish religion and culture.  

“The idea here is to strengthen Jewish identity, but you can’t do it in an open way because you run afoul of the law,” said Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism and a critic of Hebrew charter schools. “So you end up having rabbis and Jewish educators involved, and in all probability promoting Jewish commitment is exactly what they are looking to do, but they can’t do it openly. It simply will not work.”

Yoffie said the idea would not even work on its own terms to promote Jewish identity. “There’s absolutely nothing in 4,000 years of experience to suggest you can separate out religion and culture and simply teach culture to the exclusion of religion,” he said. “Those two pillars are inextricably intertwined.”

via Forward.com: N.Y. Okays Public School With Hebrew Focus. (hattip: GetReligion.org)

In our current University Ministry study, Engaging the Culture, we are discussing the interaction of culture and faith. in lesson one, this study discusses the five models of church/culture interaction. None of models exclude one. Rabbi Yoffie obviously feels the same way, that one is not without the other.

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