CHOOSING LIFE AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A NATION
Deuteronomy 30:19; Matthew 16:21-26 7/4/21
Rev. Paul Wrightman
ON THIS FOURTH OF JULY 2021,
GIVEN THE ON-GOING CRISIS IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES
AS A NATION,
AND THE HUGE ROLE WHICH MANY AMERICAN CHRISTIANS
HAVE PLAYED IN CREATING AND MAINTAINING THIS CRISIS,
I FEEL COMPELLED TO GIVE A POLITICAL SERMON.
I’M WELL-AWARE THAT
MERELY PUTTING THESE TWO WORDS TOGETHER,
“POLITICAL” AND “SERMON,”
HAS ALREADY RAISED A RED FLAG IN THE MINDS OF MANY.
WE ARE SO ACCLIMATIZED TO THE NOTION
THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO KEEP POLITICS AND RELIGION SEPARATE
THAT WE SOMETIMES FAIL TO SEE HOW EXTREMELY POLITICAL
JESUS’ MINISTRY REALLY WAS.
THERE IS POLITICS ON EVERY PAGE OF GOSPELS,
AS THERE SHOULD BE,
BECAUSE POLITICS DEALS WITH HOW PEOPLE
ARE CALLED TO LIVE.
TO MENTION JUST A FEW EXAMPLES:
EVERY TIME WE PRAY THE PETITION IN THE LORD’S PRAYER,
“THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE,
ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN,
WE ARE MAKING A POLITICAL STATEMENT.
WHEN JESUS TELLS US TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS
AS WE LOVE OURSELVES,
HE IS MAKING A POLITICAL STATEMENT.
WHEN JESUS GIVES US THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
WITH HIS RADICAL REDEFINITION OF NEIGHBOR
AS ANYONE IN NEED, HE IS MAKING A POLITICAL STATEMENT.
WHEN JESUS TELLS US THAT GOD’S JUDGMENT
WILL BE BASED ON FEEDING THE HUNGRY
AND WELCOMING THE STRANGER,
HE IS MAKING A POLITICAL STATEMENT.
POLITICS AND RELIGION ARE INSEPARABLE,
AND THAT FACT IS AS TRUE TODAY AS IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
WHAT DOES NOT FOLLOW FROM THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN RELIGION AND POLITICS
IS THE IMPLICATION THAT RELIGION,
WHEN IT DOES GET POLITICAL,
HAS TO GET PARTISAN.
WHILE LOVING ONE’S NEIGHBOR,
AT LEAST ACCORDING TO BOTH TESTAMENTS
OF THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE, IS NONNEGOTIABLE IN ITSELF,
THE SPECIFIC POLICIES ABOUT
HOW TO ACTUALLY GO ABOUT DOING THIS
ARE UP FOR DISCUSSION AND DEBATE.
THUS, CONCERNING THE NEED FOR WELFARE ASSISTANCE,
WE HAVE THE LONG-STANDING DIFFERENCE IN APPROACH
BETWEEN REPUBLICANS, WHO TEND TO THINK
THAT GENEROUS INDIVIDUALS AND NONPROFITS
SHOULD BE THE ONES PROVIDING THIS ASSISTANCE,
AND DEMOCRATS, WHO TEND TO THINK
THAT GENEROUS GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE THE ENTITY
PROVIDING THE ASSISTANCE.
IN REALITY, BOTH APPROACHES ARE NEEDED
IF WE ARE EVER GOING TO BEGIN
TO MITIGATE THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH POVERTY.
WHAT IS NOT UP FOR DISCUSSION OR DEBATE,
AT LEAST FOR REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE FOLLOWERS
OF JESUS OF NAZARETH,
IS THE FACT THAT ASSISTING ONE’S NEIGHBOR IN NEED
IS NONNEGOTIABLE.
THUS, WHEN WE HEAR THE PHRASES “CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT”
“CHRISTIAN REPUBLICAN,” “CHRISTIAN INDEPENDENT,”
“CHRISTIAN GREEN,” “CHRISTIAN LIBERTARIAN,”
OR “CHRISTIAN WHATEVER, THE DETERMINING WORD IS,
OR SHOULD BE, “CHRISTIAN.”
IN OTHER WORDS, A “CHRISTIAN REPUBLICAN,”
IS, OR SHOULD BE, A CHRISTIAN FIRST AND A REPUBLICAN SECOND,
AND SO ON DOWN THE LINE.
THIS APPROACH MERELY REFLECTS THE EARLIEST CHRISTIAN CREED
THAT “JESUS [AND ONLY JESUS!] IS LORD.”
THIS CREED SPRUNG UP IN THE EARLIEST DAYS OF CHRISTIANITY
AS A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO THE CREED OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
THAT “CAESAR IS LORD.”
TO SUM UP,
MY POINT IS THAT CHRISTIANITY IS, BY DEFINITION, POLITICAL.
BUT BEING POLITICAL DOES NOT MEAN THAT CHRISTIANITY
HAS TO TAKE SIDES IN A PARTISAN WAY.
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NOW, FINALLY, LET’S TURN TO OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT FOR TODAY.
THE PART OF THIS TEXT THAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON THIS MORNING
IS JESUS’ FAMOUS QUESTION AT THE VERY END.
MORE TRADITIONAL TRANSLATIONS USE THE WORD "SOUL:"
WHAT GOOD WILL IT BE FOR YOU TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD,
YET FORFEIT YOUR SOUL? (Matthew 16:26, NIV)
MORE CONTEMPORARY TRANSLATIONS USE THE WORD "LIFE:"
WHAT GOOD WILL IT PROFIT THEM IF THEY GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD
BUT FORFEIT THEIR LIFE?" (Matthew 16:26, NRSV)
GROWING UP IN THE CHURCH,
MANY OF US WERE TAUGHT THAT THE WORD "SOUL"
REFERRED TO THE "SPIRITUAL,"
NON-MATERIAL DIMENSION OF ONE'S BEING,
THE PART OF OURSELVES THAT WAS RELEASED
AND RETURNED TO GOD WITH ONE'S BODILY DEATH.
BIBLICAL SCHOLARS HAVE UNCOVERED THE FACT
THAT THIS DEFINITION OF "SOUL" AS IMMATERIAL
REFLECTS THE GREEK UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN PERSON,
AND NOT THE HEBREW.
FOR THOSE FOLLOWING THE HEBREW TRADITION,
THE WORD "SOUL" DESIGNATES THE HUMAN PERSON
IN HIS OR HER UNIQUENESS AND TOTALITY --
BODY, MIND, SPIRIT INDISSOLUBLY TOGETHER.
THE GREEKS BELIEVED IN IMMORTALITY;
THE IMMATERIAL "SOUL" WAS FREED
FROM THE CONSTRAINTS OF BODILY EXISTENCE
INTO AN IMMATERIAL IMMORTALITY.
THE HEBREWS -- WHEN THEIR TRADITION HAD EVOLVED
TO THE POINT OF AFFIRMING LIFE AFTER DEATH --
BELIEVED IN RESURRECTION:
THE HUMAN PERSON WOULD LIVE ON,
NOT JUST AS MIND OR SPIRIT,
BUT IN A RENEWED BODILY STATE AS WELL.
SO WHEN JESUS, SPEAKING VERY MUCH AS A HEBREW,
ASKS THE QUESTION:
WHAT GOOD IS IT FOR YOU TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD,
YET FORFEIT YOUR SOUL?",
HE IS REALLY ASKING:
WHAT GOOD IS IT FOR YOU TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD,
YET LOSE YOUR VERY SELF -- BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT?
THIS IS THE MOST SERIOUS QUESTION THAT JESUS EVER ASKED.
IT ARISES FROM THE CONTEXT OF JESUS' OWN SUFFERING
IN HIS COMMITMENT TO BRINGING ABOUT
THE KINGDOM, RULE, OR REIGN OF GOD:
GOD'S KINGDOM OF COMPASSION, TRUTH, JUSTICE, NONVIOLENCE,
AND LOVE.
IN THIS QUESTION JESUS SIMPLY TAKES IT FOR GRANTED
THAT HIS FOLLOWERS WILL ACTUALLY FOLLOW HIS LEAD
AND LIVE LIVES COMMITED TO BRINGING ABOUT
THE KINGDOM OF GOD:
IF ANY WANT TO BECOME MY FOLLOWERS,
LET THEM DENY THEMSELVES
AND TAKE UP THEIR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.
(Matthew 16:24)
OUR QUESTION,
WHAT GOOD IS IT FOR YOU TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD,
LET LOSE YOUR VERY SELF -- BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT? --
CONTAINS SEVERAL OFTEN OVERLOOKED ASSUMPTIONS,
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE NATURE OF REALITY
THAT ARE ROUNDLY REJECTED BY MANY IN OUR COUNTRY TODAY.
THESE ASSUMPTIONS ARE:
1. THERE ARE ETERNAL VALUES, SUCH AS TRUTH, JUSTICE,
NONVIOLENCE, AND LOVE.
2. HUMAN BEINGS BEING CREATURES CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE,
GOD EXPECTS US TO LIVE OUT THESE VALUES
IN OUR OWN LIVES.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE WAY WE LIVE MATTERS.
MORALITY MATTERS.
3. THE WAY WE LIVE MATTERS SO MUCH
THAT IT DETERMINES OUR ETERNAL DESTINY.
WHOA, WAIT A MINUTE HERE – PASTOR PAUL, YOU’RE ACTUALLY
GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE NOTION OF OUR ETERNAL DESTINY,
IN MORE TRADITIONAL LANGUAGE,
THE CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF HEAVEN AND HELL? --I AM.
BUT I WANT TO SAY RIGHT OFF THE BAT
THAT ACCORDING TO THE DEEPEST INSIGHTS
OF JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY,
GOD NEVER, EVER CONDEMNS ANYBODY.
GOD'S JOB-DESCRIPTION, SO TO SPEAK,
IS TO BE LIKE THE SHEPHERD JESUS TELLS US ABOUT
WHO GOES CHASING AFTER THAT ONE LOST SHEEP
AND WHO WILL NOT TURN BACK UNTIL IT IS FOUND
AND BROUGHT HOME.
SO ON GOD'S SIDE IT IS NEVER ABOUT CONDEMNATION,
AND ALWAYS ABOUT COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS, AND LOVE.
FROM GOD'S SIDE, COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS, AND LOVE
ARE CHARACTER TRAITS SO ESSENTIAL TO GOD'S VERY NATURE
THAT GOD WOULD NOT BE GOD WITHOUT THEM.
THE KICKER, HOWEVER, IS THIS:
FROM GOD'S SIDE, FREEDOM IS ALSO AN ABSOLUTE.
JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN FAITH MAINTAINS
THAT GOD HAS CREATED OUR WORLD IN SUCH A WAY
THAT FOR REALITIES SUCH AS FORGIVENESS AND LOVE TO TAKE,
TO BECOME REAL, THEY MUST BE ACCEPTED IN FREEDOM.
ETERNAL VALUES SUCH AS FORGIVENESS AND LOVE
ARE SO PERSONAL AND RELATIONAL
THAT THEY CAN'T EXIST WITHOUT BEING MUTUAL.
GOD CAN'T FORCE US TO EMBRACE FORGIVENESS AND LOVE
BECAUSE FORCED FORGIVENESS AND FORCED LOVE
ARE NOT FORGIVENESS AND LOVE AT ALL,
BUT HIDEOUS CARICATURES OF THEMSELVES.
IF BOTH GOD'S FORGIVENESS
AND THE HUMAN FREEDOM TO ACCEPT OR REJECT
GOD'S FORGIVENESS HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT --
AND THE JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS
MAINTAIN STAUNCHLY THAT THEY ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT --
IT FOLLOWS THAT EACH OF THESE ABSOLUTES
MUST INFORM THE OTHER.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN'T STRETCH GOD'S FORGIVENESS
TO COVER INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH IT,
WHO FEEL THAT THEY ARE FINE AND SELF-SUFFICIENT AS IT IS,
AND HAVE NOTHING TO BE FORGIVEN FOR.
WHILE STILL ABSOLUTES ON GOD'S SIDE,
FORGIVENESS AND LOVE CANNOT BECOME EFFECTIVE,
CANNOT BECOME REAL FOR US,
UNTIL EMBRACED ON OUR SIDE.
A POWERFUL LITERARY EXAMPLE OF THIS DYNAMIC
IS C. S. LEWIS' BOOK THE GREAT DIVORCE.
IN THIS BOOK, HELL AS A PLACE OF SEPARATION
FROM GOD AND OTHERS IS REAL.
IT IS NOT, HOWEVER, A PLACE THAT GOD SENDS PEOPLE TO
AS PUNISHMENT,
BUT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CHOOSE TO GO THEMSELVES.
WHY?
--BECAUSE IN THEIR FREEDOM THESE PEOPLE WANT NOTHING TO DO,
OR AT LEAST NOTHING POSITIVE TO DO,
WITH GOD OR OTHERS.
GOD KEEPS SENDING BUSES FROM HEAVEN TO HELL,
INVITING THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASSIGNED THEMSELVES TO HELL
TO GET OUT OF HELL FOR GOOD.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PEOPLE IN HELL WANT TO BE THERE!
THEY ARE SO NARCISSISTIC, SO SELF-ABSORBED,
SO IN LOVE WITH THEIR OWN POWER,
SO FEARFUL OF ANYONE ELSE TAKING ANY OF THAT POWER
AWAY FROM THEM,
SO INTO DEFINING REALITY IN TERMS OF THEMSELVES,
THAT THEY SEE GOD'S ACT OF COMPASSION AND LOVE
IN SENDING BUSES TO BRING THEM HOME
AS AN ACT OF AGGRESSION ON GOD'S PART --
GOD IS TRYING TO DESTROY THEM AND FORCE THEM INTO HEAVEN.
IN C. S. LEWIS' BOOK, ONLY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE
ARE ABLE TO CHOOSE TO GET ON GOD'S BUS
AND BE DONE WITH THE HELL OF THEIR OWN CREATING.
HOW DID THEY DO IT -- HOW DID THEY ESCAPE?
ALL IT TOOK WAS FOR THEM TO CHOOSE
TO BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE AND SOMETHING
BIGGER AND BETTER THAN THEMSELVES.
THE MOMENT THEY MADE THIS CHOICE
THEY WERE ABLE TO CONNECT TO OTHERS AND TO GOD
AND TO MAKE GOOD THEIR ESCAPE.
THE BOOK THE GREAT DIVORCE POWERFULLY MAKES THE POINT
THAT HELL IS NOT A PLACE THAT GOD HAS MADE
TO SEND PEOPLE TO FOR PUNISHMENT.
HELL IS SELF-CHOSEN AND SELF-CREATED.
THE ONLY PEOPLE THERE ARE THOSE WHO REFUSE TO LEAVE!
BY THE WAY, THIS UNUSUAL DEPICTION OF HELL BY LEWIS
IS BASED ON AN INTRIGUING VERSE IN THE FIRST LETTER OF PETER
WHICH TELLS US THAT ON HOLY SATURDAY,
THE DAY AFTER JESUS' DEATH,
JESUS DESCENDED TO HELL TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS
TO THOSE IMPRISONED THERE.
(See 1 Peter 3:19-20.)
FROM GOD 'S DIRECTION, THEN,
LOVE AND COMPASSION ARE RELENTLESS AND UNCONDITIONAL.
GOD WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON ANYONE.
FROM OUR DIRECTION, HOWEVER, THE HUMAN DIRECTION,
WE CAN ONLY CONNECT WITH GOD'S COMPASSION AND LOVE
IF WE CHOOSE TO MAKE THEM OUR OWN.
ALTHOUGH MANY FORMS
OF CLASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITY
HAVE WATERED-DOWN JESUS' ORIGINAL MESSAGE
AND MADE OUR ETERNAL DESTINY A MATTER OF DOCTRINE,
BELIEVING THE RIGHT STUFF ABOUT JESUS,
JESUS HIMSELF NEVER WENT DOWN THIS ROAD,
CONSIDERING IT TO BE A DEAD-END.
INSTEAD, JESUS EMPHASIZES RIGHT ACTING,
RIGHT DOING, RIGHT LIVING.
FOR HIM -- AND WE SEE THIS OPERATIVE
IN OUR QUESTION FOR TODAY --
WHAT GOOD IS IT IF YOU GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD
YET FORFEIT YOUR LIFE --
IT IS THE WAY WE DO OR DON'T CONNECT WITH GOD AND OTHERS
THAT DETERMINES OUR ETERNAL DESTINY.
AGAIN, FROM GOD'S SIDE, COMPASSION IS AN ABSOLUTE.
GIVEN GOD'S NATURE, GOD CANNOT STOP
OR HOLD BACK COMPASSION FROM ANYONE,
SINCE THIS IS GOD'S NATURE.
BUT FROM OUR SIDE, FROM THE HUMAN SIDE,
WE NEED TO MEET, TO ACCEPT, TO EMBRACE
GOD'S COMPASSION AND LOVE FOR THEM
TO BECOME REAL AND EFFECTIVE REALITIES FOR US PERSONALLY.
JESUS MAKES THE NECESSITY OF PERSONAL PARTICIPATION
CRYSTAL CLEAR IN MANY OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT TEACHINGS.
IN THE CONCLUSION TO HIS SERMON ON THE MOUNT, FOR EXAMPLE,
JESUS STATES BLUNTLY:
NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME, 'LORD, LORD,'
WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN,
BUT ONLY THOSE WHO DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER
WHO IS IN HEAVEN.
(Matthew 7:21)
SEVERAL TIMES IN THE GOSPELS JESUS IS ASKED, POINT-BLANK,
"WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?"
JESUS' OWN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BELIEVING THE RIGHT STUFF ABOUT HIM,
AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE WAY ONE LOVES
GOD AND NEIGHBOR.
AND HERE WE MUST REMEMBER THAT LOVE, FOR JESUS,
IS NOT A ROMANTIC FEELING,
BUT LIVING A LIFE OF COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS,
JUSTICE, AND NONVIOLENCE.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT A LOT
OF CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANS,
IN SHIFTING THE ORIGINAL FOCUS OF JESUS
ON HOW WE RESPOND TO THOSE IN NEED
TO THE MUCH. MUCH EASIER CRITERION
OF BELIEVING THE RIGHT DOCTRINES ABOUT JESUS
HAVE CREATED AN INAUTHENTIC,
COUNTERFEIT FORM OF CHRISTIANITY.
A CHRISTIANITY THAT RESPONDS TO GUN VIOLENCE
WITH THE PLATITUDE OF
"OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU"
IS NO LONGER REAL CHRISTIANITY.
A CHRISTIANITY THAT ENCOURAGES FEAR OF THE OTHER,
ESPECIALLY FEAR OF THE OTHER IN DESPERATE NEED,
IS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO CHRIST.
A CHRISTIANITY THAT BOWS TO WHITE SUPREMACY
IS NO LONGER REAL CHRISTIANITY.
A CHRISTIANITY THAT FOSTERS DIVISIVENESS AND HATE
IS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO CHRIST.
A CHRISTIANITY MORE INTO PRESERVING ITS OWN POWER
THAN IN SERVING OTHERS
IS NO LONGER REAL CHRISTIANITY.
A QUESTION THAT INEVITABLY ARISES AT THIS POINT IS:
IS THERE A STANDARD, A GUIDE BY WHICH WE CAN DISCERN
HOW GOD WOULD HAVE US LIVE?
IN OUR CRAZY, MIXED-UP WORLD SO FILLED WITH SELFISHNESS,
VIOLENCE, FEAR, HATE, AND LIES,
HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY LEARN TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS CLOSE TO GOD'S OWN HEART,
AND BETWEEN ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS THAT BREAK GOD'S HEART?
A SCUBA DIVER ONCE TOLD ME
THAT HE HAD BEEN IN WATER SO DEEP AND DARK
THAT IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP FROM BECOMING
DISORIENTED.
WHAT A TERRIFYING FEELING --
BEING UNDERWATER,
UNABLE TO SEE YOUR HANDS IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE,
NOT KNOWING WHICH WAY IS UP,
PANIC ENGULFING YOU.
I ASKED MY FRIEND, "SO WHAT DO YOU DO?"
"FEEL THE BUBBLES," HE SAID.
"FEEL THE BUBBLES?" I ASKED.
"THAT'S RIGHT," HE SAID.
"WHEN IT'S PITCH-BLACK
AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHICH WAY TO GO,
YOU REACH UP WITH YOUR HAND AND FEEL THE BUBBLES.
THE BUBBLES ALWAYS RISE TO THE SURFACE.
WHEN YOU CAN'T TRUST YOUR FEELINGS OR JUDGMENT,
YOU CAN ALWAYS TRUST THE BUBBLES
TO GET YOU BACK TO THE TOP."
SOMETIMES IN LIFE WE GET DISORIENTED AND DESPERATE.
AT OTHER TIMES, WE FIND OURSELVES DRIFTING AIMLESSLY.
GOD KNEW WE WOULD NEED ADVICE AND INSTRUCTION
ABOUT HOW TO LIVE.
GOD KNEW THAT THE BEST TEACHER IS NOT A BOOK BUT A PERSON.
SO GOD SENT JESUS TO SHOW US HOW IT'S DONE!
WE HAVE ENOUGH TRUE STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS
THAT WE CAN TURN TO THEM FOR GUIDANCE
ON HOW GOD WOULD HAVE US LIVE.
WHEN TEMPTED TO CAVE IN TO OUR OWN NEED FOR COMFORT,
WE CAN REMIND OURSELVES OF
THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN.
WHEN TEMPTED TO PUT DOCTRINE BEFORE ACTION
WE CAN REMIND OURSELVES THAT THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT
ACCORDING TO JESUS IS LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR,
AND THAT FOR JESUS IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO LOVE GOD
WITHOUT LOVING ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS WELL.
IF WE WANT TO LIMIT OUR DEFINITION OF "NEIGHBOR"
TO "THE PERSON LIVING NEXT DOOR,"
WE CAN GO BACK TO THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN,
WHERE JESUS SHATTERS THIS NARROW DEFINITIONOF NEIGHBOR
AND EXPANDS IT TO INCLUDE ANYONE, ANYWHERE IN NEED.
WHEN FEELING SELF-SATISFIED AND SELF-IMPORTANT,
WE CAN MEASURE THAT SELF-SATISFACTION AND SELF-IMPORTANCE
AGAINST JESUS' LIFE OF SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.
I’D LIKE TO END ON A HOPEFUL NOTE.
NEIL HOWE AND WILLIAM STRAUSS, BOTH HISTORIANS,
HAVE WRITTEN AN AMAZING BOOK CALLED THE FOURTH TURNING.
IT DETAILS HOW APPROXIMATELY EVERY EIGHTY YEARS
AMERICA HAS FACED AN UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS
AND EVENTUALLY EMERGED FROM THAT CRISIS
AS A FAIRER AND MORE DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY.
YOU CAN EASILY GUESS THE FIRST THREE TURNINGS:
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE CIVIL WAR,
THE COMBINATION OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND WORLD WAR II.
ACCORDING TO HOWE AND STRAUSS,
WE ARE NOW IN THE MIDST OF THE FOURTH TURNING,
A BATTLE FOR THE VERY SOUL OF AMERICA
WHICH WILL DETERMINE IF WE BECOME A FAILED DEMOCRACY
OR AN ENHANCED DEMOCRACY.
THEY ARE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT JUST AS WE HAD
THE STRENGTH OF CHARACTER TO SUCCESSFULLY MAKE IT THROUGH
THE FIRST THREE TURNINGS,
WE WILL EMERGE FROM THIS FOURTH TURNING
AS A STRONGER, MORE JUST AND MORE INCLUSIVE NATION.
THE BEST THING WE CAN DO AS CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS OR CHRISTIAN REPUBLICANS OR CHRISTIAN INDEPENDENTS
TO HELP OUR COUNTRY SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATE
THIS FOURTH GREAT TURNING IS TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES
TO MAKE “CHRISTIAN” THE OPERATIVE WORD
IN OUR HEARTS, MINDS, AND ESPECIALLY THE WAY WE LIVE.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
AMEN.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How have you understood the relationship between religion and politics?
What do you think of C.S. Lewis’ take on hell in The Great Divorce?