Our Sometimes Christian Heritage

(Note: this post has been edited a few times since it's origional posting, sorry for any confusion regular readers)

Some thoughts from my American Church/Religion History class.

Did we ever have a Christian nation?

Depends on how you define Christian. The morals people lived by, kind of Christian, (if you ignore that whole slavery thing) The theology they professed, also kind of Christian; again it depends on who you ask, the average Joe in the shop or field, or the intellectual’s at the Continental Congress. One thing is for sure, you can’t say that everyone believed one thing, or were even Christian, there were a plethora of opinions and beliefs well before 1787 when the constitution was written.

However, by and large the history of our morals are Christian-Judeo, something which didn't start to significantly change untill recently. BUT, we routinely get off track, especially in the area of social justice (which should include a pro-life stance), and particularly race relations.

Here is the ironic part.

The people that tend proclaim the fact that we were a Christian nation (mostly evangelicals), also have a pretty narrow view of what constitutes a Christian. (I’m not saying this is bad…or good, that’s another post)

Clearly, far from all of the founding fathers would fit an evangelical definition of Christian.

Now considering the fact that few evangelicals want to be known as ecumenical, it’s pretty ironic that they gravitate toward our sometimes deist founding fathers, and others who were hardly evangelical.

What ever we used to be, Christian or not, we aren't now; and were not going to be by passing laws that require people to act in a manner they do not believe.

(though we do need to pass laws that protect people that may be infringed on, or other wise harmed, which is why I support affirmative action, pro-life, and some environmental laws)

My Father

I have such a cool Dad. He simultaneously challenges my thinking theologicaly and otherwise, yet supports me 100%. I know not everyone is blessed with a Father like this, so I am very thankful that I have him in my life! Check out his comment on my A Blender of And’s post. And while your at it say a prayer for him, your dad, and fathers everywhere.

Dad said...
From my early years in high school, then Christian college, then Christian schools, I have been working throughout my life with Christians from many different Christian denominations. What I have always appreciated is not what church someone attends, but where they are with Christ, and where they are going with Christ. What a blessing to find brothers and sisters all over this globe who are experiencing a daily, warm relationship with their Lord. This is a great blessing!

Thoughts from London

Click here and here, for thoughts from Si Johnston, a brother in London.

Scoooooter

I bought a motorized scooter a couple of days ago, (click here to see it) not one you sit on, but the kick type you stand on…except you don’t kick, it’s motorized. It’s definitely a toy, but I have my excuses. One, I don’t have a car, so spending a bit on this thing pails in comparison to a vehicle. Second, riding my bike was resulting in a sweaty, stinky student, and with this internship requiring me to interview various community leaders, I figured this would make everyone a lot happier. And of course it is slightly faster, allowing me to go farther. The fact that the bus does all of these things is beside the fact, besides, who wants to wait for the bus?

AND…Upon further reflection, I think it was an appropriate purchase to make on the 4th of July. It burns fossil fuels, (at a rate of roughly 55 miles to the gallon) and all I have to do is stand there and do nothing…now what is more American than that.

My America My World

bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now...

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C. /

Go HERE to have a form generate the HTML for you.

And the nations I've visited: Jamaica, Mexico, Bahamas, Canada, Belize

Political Boxes

This being the 4th of July, I suppose it’s as good a day as any to say why I don’t get into politics here at Swimming in the Deep End. Our founding fathers quickly discovered they had some deep differences on many issues, however, this did not stop them from uniting to fight for a common cause.

I have met people that clearly have a close relationship with Jesus that are: “green”, “corporate”, Catholic, Protestant, “Red” and “Blue”, to name just a few of the “boxes” we put people in. Some great people I know think Bush is an immoral liar, others a mistaken blundering idiot, and some, one of our greatest presidents.

In the past, (before I started blogging) I did pen and send some politically oriented apologies, most of them in defense of the “right”. However after a time I realized that when I was defending Republicans I was fighting against issues I cared about…not that I could become a Democrat, I would still have the same problem.

The value of “community” is one of the reasons I have recently shied away from political engagement. For many, these two things: political engagement and their relationship with fellow Christians and Christ, are not in conflict. They have no problem engaging in X controversy, and symultaniously growing closer to Christ, and community. Which is good, I wouldn’t want them to stop; I have to assume that that is where God wants them. However, for me, “community” includes people of many different shades and colors, including “the Left” and “the Right”, and it is in that community that I grow closer to Jesus.

Don’t misunderstand me, I do have convictions and act on them, but unfortunately, if I put my political ideology out front, some people will immediately tune me out, which serves neither of our purposes. I am not suggesting one should compromise their political or theological convictions. However, I am suggesting that there are a few ideas that are more important, and, that quite possibly, something besides “right thinking” could unite us. Could that thing be “right living”?

A Blender of "And's"

Dr. Mouw, the president of Fuller Seminary, recently published an article which I really liked in the campus newspaper here at Fuller. The title, The Importance of “And”, sums up one of the directions I have been moving in. Below are some excerpts.

“In a recent casual conversation one of our veteran Fuller trustees was making a point about two things that he considered to be relevant to the subject at hand. He started his sentence by emphasizing one of the items he was concerned about, and then went on to make his next point by using the word “but.” He stopped, however, in mid-sentence. “I have to keep remembering something that David Hubband taught us.” He said. “When you are intending to emphasize two important things, try to connect them with ‘and’ rather than ‘but.’”

I was glad for the reminder, because I often find myself saying “but” when I should be saying “and.” David Allan Hubbard-my distinguished predecessor in the Fuller presidency and a mentor who taught me many good lessons-wanted Fuller Seminary to posit smooth connections between things that evangelicals often see as being in tension, or even in direct conflict.

I remember his key examples. At Fuller he would say, we are both evangelical and ecumenical, we encourage learning and spirituality, and we promote evangelicalism and social action. When we use “but” instead of “and” in talking about the relationships between such items we run the risk of fragmenting what in God’s mind is clearly integrated.”

This past year I have been playing with a jigsaw puzzle of theology, spirituality, philosophy, worship, and culture, trying to put as much of it together as possible. Mouw’s words help me sum up in part what I want to see happen. However, at times, even the word “and” dose not do justice to the junctions I would like to create. I wish there was a word that summed up the five things I listed above, because that’s how I see them. If you put theology, spirituality, philosophy, worship and culture in a blender, the thing poured out is what I really get excited about.