Sometimes I get the sense this is the subtext in more liberal ‘conversations’ too. It often feels like both camps are on opposite sides of a valley throwing rocks at each other. Both appearing more interesting in winning, than talking.
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As much as I want to think such a peace is possible, the world has never been content with God’s people refusing to bow to their idols.
He’s the kind of person to go to a different country, and get upset when they don’t do things the way his country does (honestly wouldn’t be too surprised if he actually reacted that way).
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Ditto.
An uncle of mine went through the same journey. Part of his experience was watching his church break apart over this issue, but not in the way you may think. Part of his church wanted to accept homosexual couples into the congregation under the belief that homosexuality was compatible with Christian theology. My uncle could not stand for that, so he left that church along with many others.
At first, he was the typical “conservative” on the issue. He was against gay marriage and against . . . I want to say he was against equal rights for gay people, but that’s a bit too harsh, but on that spectrum. However, he came to realize they are just folks like you and I, and they deserved to live their lives as they saw fit. He now supports the legalization of gay marriage and equal rights for gay people while still holding to the belief that it is sinful. I was quite proud of my uncle when he spoke about it.
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People will be hard pressed to find a solid New Testament argument to support Christian’s enforcing their beliefs on the lost through theocracy.
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I have often wondered what the theonomist can point to in the NT
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He’s from Australia. I think his ideas have more traction here.
Exactly. Jesus didn’t seem interested in making everyone conform:
“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
-Luke 9:49-50
(Note that a religious community would not make up something like this.)
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There’s also the sense in which God is discontent for his people to fall asleep in the light.
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Yeah. In Ken’s world the Shama takes a back seat to the Culture War, eh?
“ Hear (shema), O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deut. 6:4)
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Thanks for your Hoopla recommendation. I was indeed able to access his book there, and have now read through the prescribed chapter. I found much to admire and agree with, and some areas that I think he hasn’t sufficiently addressed. But I have no need to delve any further into this unless you want or need to. In which case you can PM me to discuss it in private, since we’ve already spent more time on it here than we usually allow in our forum.
In any case, thanks for reminding me of him!
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So does The Resurrection.
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Keith Green was a firebrand (in a good way) with a fun sense of humor (bamanna bread ; - ) and a great musician. (It’s notable that at least one of his tracks has Bob Dylan on harmonica with him.)
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Thank you for letting me know you found the chapter worthwhile. I’m curious about the areas where you think he fell short. Could it be a meat sacrificed to idols sort of thing, which would be ironic given the apostle whose pen it came from. I may come back around and PM you. Thanks again for the response.
Perhaps, but if I am understanding you correctly, defending religious freedom doesn’t require syncretism. I may not agree with a persons beliefs, but I’ll defend a persons right to practice them since I too benefit from such freedoms.
In my view, it is hypocritical to say “Isn’t it terrible that Christians around the world are being persecuted by the state.” And then on the other hand, try to use the states power to enforce Christianity in the place one lives.
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I didn’t take it that way. It’s just that we privileged Western Christians (particularly in the U.S.) get comfortable and are offended if our place in the sun is threatened. Keith Green predated the extreme tribalism and polarization that we have now by several decades and was certainly not pushing syncretism.
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My point followed my previous comment about the desirability of peace. After making the comment, I caught myself wondering how much we should desire peace with an unbelieving world.
If we could imagine a perfect political system that allowed everyone to get along. So and so could do this, and so and so can do that. Then me and mine wouldn’t be bothered by them that are over there.
Would the desire for that mean we are content with our neighbors unbelief?
Not in my books. The desire for the lost to be saved has everything to do with one’s grasp of the gospel and nothing to do with the laws of one’s land. Neither can the latter replicate the effects of the former.
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I also never said I was arguing for such a thing. Simply, that everyone wins when the law upholds freedom of religion and expression… including the church.
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Call it the myth of neutrality, and I think you alluded to it in your comment, and I was thinking it, even wanting it.
The Bible is clear that we are to be at peace with our neighbors as much as it is possible. I also firmly believe the church does not have the civil authority to exercise judgement over unbelievers. Jesus also pretty clearly dispelled any illusion of a sustainable, amicable draw.