Gubernatorial Race

In a comment on my previous post, John Ballenger was nominated for governor, convincing me to, indeed, vote. John Ballenger will be my "write-in" candidate and will take Blackwell and Stickland by storm. I may assume the role of Ballenger for Governor Campaign Chairperson. Our platform motto will be: "Ballenger: Fair and Balanced" Oh... wait... that's Fox News. "Ballenger: Because Libertarian Socialist Independency is Our Only Answer"
Actually, I really am still having a dilemna as to whether or not to cast my vote on a ballot this November.

Legislated Christianity

Can Christianity be legislated? If so, how? If not, then why should I even vote?

Covenant Thinking

There are many well intended followers of Christ using Old Testament references to defend their favorable stance on the war in iraq. The references elude to the fact the God himself destroyed cities/people and/or instructed men to do so. What if we think of the Bible not as Old Testament and New Testament writings but as the story of God and his people? In this story there was a covenant between God and his people. Humanity broke that covenant continually and God had a certain way of dealing with those people and situations. This covenant is now an Old Covenant. God established a New Covenant with his people through Jesus Christ: a covenant of unwavering love, forgiveness, peace, non-violence, and radical kindness. God himself revealed through Jesus has never changed, but his covenant has.

Passion for Peace Essays

John Ballenger lent me a book compiled of the social essays of Thomas Merton. I'm enjoying the beginnings. Passion for Peace is edited by William H. Shannon.

"Commenting on the prison writings of Father Delp, (Merton) says, 'Christ our Lord did not come to bring peace as a kind of spiritual tranquilizer. He brought to his disciples a vocation and a task: to struggle in the world of violence to establish His peace not only in their own hearts but in society itself.'"

May we cease to individualize our faith and think primarily about our neighbors and the global community in which we live.

Religion not Relationship

I've noticed on many Facebook profiles that followers of Christ clarify the item where "Religion" is defined. Many state that "it's not religion, it's relationship." A popular saying is along the lines of "we all need a personal relationship with God." Where is "personal relationship" used in the Bible? This cliche, Christian catchphrase that began at somepoint in the 1970s was used to describe Christianity as more than meaningless, empty, religious ritual. I will concede that such a phrase may have been necessary at a certain time in a certain place. I pose, however, that our time and place necessitates the very opposite type of language. Following Christ is religious. It does, indeed, involve intimate conversation, listening, solitude, and other such things that may be deemed "relational with God." It does involve social action, compassion, and ministry that also may be deemed "relational with others." Are these things not also religious? Are we scared to admit that following the way of Christ is spiritual and religious?

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." The Letter of James, Chapter 1, Verse 27.

"Church Re-Imagined": Re-Thinked

Doug Pagitt writes about "the spiritual formation of people in communities of faith" in the book, "Church Re-Imagined." A statement about the vision of the Solomon's Porch, an emergent faith community begins, "We Dream of a Church Where..." 23 items are listed in this "dream." If I could restate these visions with what I believe to be a more correct terminology that defines the Church as a community of believers rather than eluding to a "place WHERE," it would go something like this:
We Are the Church: A people WHO...
1. Listen to and are obedient to God.
2. Follow the way of Jesus Christ.
3. Value, use, and understand beauty, art, and creativity as coming from the Creator, God.
4. Connect with God in heart, soul, mind, and strength, not separating any part of life from that which is spiritual.
5. Love the LORD God with heart, soul, mind, and strength.
6. Illuminate the presence of the kingdom of God on this earth.
7. Share the biblical story of God and his people, journeying together as a part of that story.
8. Promote justice.
9. Suffer with and share life and love with the orphan, fatherless, widow, marginalized, and oppressed.
10. Worship every moment of every day.
11. Use the gifts granted by God.
12. Live by the guidance and direction of the indwelling Spirit of God which precedes reason, structures, and systems.
13. Serve one another in humility without self-gain and with self-cost.
14. Learn, study, and teach the Word of God creatively.
15. Depend on one another.

Romanization of the Early Church

In reference to the Early Church, Hugh T. Kerr notes that "the Roman political establishment forced the amorphous church to adopt administrative structures for its own institutional organization." What was forced upon the church for the free continuation of its practice and existence? Is it the aforementioned governmental influence that has led to the establishments, processes, and institutionalization of the current church? Do we need to recover, then, the function of the church as described in Acts 2 rather than that which is spelled out by such Early Church fathers as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Perpetua, Tertullian, and Origen? Or were these men fighting for something legitimate?