Phil Strickland - The Baptist Studies Bulletin
Prophecy requires the capacity to grieve about injustice, to quit pretending that things are all right, to imagine that things could be different, and courageously to say so to the people, risking the consequences. It requires confronting the principalities and powers.
For compassion to move to action requires an alliance of love, power, and justice. As Paul Tillich said: “In both interpersonal and political relationships, love, power and justice are inseparable. Without love, power becomes tyrannical and justice is only a name for the rule of strong. Without power, love is reduced to sentimentality and justice to an impotent ideal. Without justice, love is a perverse dance of domination and submission.”
Always, the prophet must be imaginative. One does not prophesy about what is but about what ought to be. Which usually makes prophecy sound absurd to the common ear.
Let me give you an example. A pastor mentioned to me that he did not like the beginning of our Christian Life Commission flyer, that it could cause controversy in his church. Here are the words, aptly authored by Joe Haag, so I’ll brag about his work:
“To follow Christ means that we allow his life to gain leverage against our lives. Against our lust for power, he endures the cross. Against our pride and arrogance, he washes the disciples’ feet. Against our upward mobility, he preaches good news to the poor. Against our self absorption, he has compassion on the multitudes. Against our tight circles of family and friends, he reaches out to strangers. Against our safe noninvolvement, he confronts the powers. Against our violence and hatred, he demands that we love our enemies. Against our self righteousness, he welcomes sinners. Against our bigotry, he tells us about a Good Samaritan. Against our frenzy, he invites us to trust God. Against all the lies which enslave us, he tells the truth which sets us free. How can we be transformed into the image of Christ? One answer is that as we surrender our lives to God’s purposes, God changes us.”
That pastor did not like the words “our pride and arrogance” or “against our self absorption.” He said, “I’m not going to say either one of those about America.” Which means, what, that he accepts the Lordship of America? Who will be left to speak a word for the Lordship of Christ?
Published 2 years, 7 months ago
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I agree with Phil to a point it is a matter to what extent. I don’t think it would be Godly to say America is more wrong than right based on what I have seen America. It also determines on the definitions of the terms of the next to last paragraph. Based on the definitions I believe America is doing those things coming to the defense of Israel, comming to the defense of the people tortured by Saddam, America in terms of total dollars aid to third world nations (not in terms of GDP but in terms of total dollars). Can we do more? absolutely. The other terms are focuses on the problems by those in the extreme. I believe that you must define bigotry and self-righteuosness. If God says in His word certain things and this can be anything and people say those things are okay I don’t think it is bigotry or self-righteuos to point it out in that it is God not man who stated these things. Can those things set forth in God’s Word be said with a wrong attitude? absolutely and that must be addressed but that doesn’t change what God has said in His Word and the fact about this is foundationally not self-righteuos but the attitude therein is where the problem arises. I would much address the attitude than the praxis for I believe the praxis is correct.
[comming to the defense of the people tortured by Saddam]
Do you believe that this was the reason the United States waged war on Iraq? If so, why?
No sure why my post showed up as DH?
Military aid is not included in the aid to the third world that the US does on a grand scale. 34%, taking out military aid, of all foreign aid given by the world is given by the US. Remember, military aid is excluded. For me while the US can do more, I would say that the US is doing their fair share in terms of total dollars. That was the point of my post and I don’t know what my post has to do with the War in Iraq.
What specifically did you mean by “comming to the defense of the people tortured by Saddam”
The fact that the only way Saddam could be out of power was by taking out of power by force. That force is what is called coming to the defense of the people tortured by Saddam. If Saddam was not taken out by force by the US and its allies Saddam would be in power and would continue to torture the people of Iraq.
[The fact that the only way Saddam could be out of power was by taking out of power by force. That force is what is called coming to the defense of the people tortured by Saddam.]
Previously you said,
[I don’t know what my post has to do with the War in Iraq. ]
Please explain the discrepancy.
I was thinking about this the other day actually. I think this a very well written piece by Phil, and I would agree with most of its points.
America in my opinion is a great nation, filled with a bunch of “good” people. However, “good” just doesn’t cut it. We aren’t called to be “good” people, we are called to be peculiar, holy, separate, different, and generally apart from the “world.”
What society deems as “good” doesn’t always qualify one to be a Disciple or follower of Christ.