The Swinging Pendulum

I think too much. Over the past couple of years, especially since my change of life, I have given a lot of thought to what is important to me, what I really believe. I have found that many things that were once of utmost importance have become lesser players, if not out of work actors, in my life's play. Many of them are still wonderful foundational tools in my life, but some are by far greater stumbling blocks.

I realize that it was long before I left the Assemblies of God that my personal pendulum began to swing a little more to the center (and then a little more). I remember a time when I would not read anything about the Bible that was not from my own small point of view. At the college we would always point out the Baptist or, God forbid, Catholic leanings of a certain author or presentation. We knew better than to fall for those tricks of the Enemy. But I began reading some things by folks who were Jewish and other who had been Christians but had since left the fold, and their writing got me to thinking about a lot of my beliefs. And, it turned out to be a good thing for me. I learned that some things we hold dear are not all that important and that all of our faith is just that--faith. I learned that I do not have to prove the existence of God, or the resurrection of Jesus. This is beyond the point. If something is to be believed, then intrinsically, it must be something that one can doubt. There is no faith without the possibility of doubt. If there is no possibility for doubt, than there is no need for faith. So there are many things now that I will not debate because I do not worry about those things anymore.

One thing that is still a hindrance to me from my growing up is what Gregory Boyd refers to as "the myth of a Christian nation." Just like with my uneasiness to read anything that might effect my faith in the negative, I enjoyed living in the delusion that the founding fathers of our country were all evangelical Christians and that it is only a recent phenomenon that evildoers have come into such prominent places of power. Just from the description of Boyd's book, The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church, we learn a lot:

Arguing from Scripture and history, Dr. Boyd makes a compelling case that whenever the church gets too close to any political or national ideology, it is disastrous for the church and harmful to society. Dr. Boyd contends that the American Evangelical Church has allowed itself to be co-opted by the political right (and some by the political left) and exposes how this is harming the church’s unique calling to build the kingdom of God. In the course of his argument, Dr. Boyd challenges some of the most deeply held convictions of evangelical Christians in America – for example, that America is, or ever was, “a Christian nation” or that Christians ought to be trying to “take America back for God."

The back cover states:

The Path through Politics Is Not the Road to God. When the kingdom of God is manifested, it will wear the face of Jesus Christ. And that, says author Gregory Boyd, has never been true of any earthly government or power. Through close examination of Scripture and lessons drawn from history, Dr. Boyd argues that evangelical Christians who align themselves too closely with political causes or declare that they want to bring America “back to God” are actually doing harm—both to the body of Christ and society in general.Boyd shows how Jesus taught us to seek a “power-under” kingdom, where greatness is measured by sacrifice and service. There are no sides or enemies because we are meant to embrace and accept everyone. In The Myth of a Christian Nation, Dr. Boyd challenges readers to return to the true love of Calvary and the message of the cross—setting the “power-over” politics of worldly government aside.

My concern is that when the Church becomes too political we lose our saltiness. I think this is borne out in history starting with Constantine and the Roman Empire and in the deplorable state of the state churches of Europe. Again, I think we have become too concerned with our rights and not concerned enough about the world. I just can't seem to find where the Scriptures teach us we gotta fight for our rights. Maybe you can help me out on this one.

I am looking for a day when "the kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. And He shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah!" I just have enough faith in Christ to allow Him to do this rather than attempting to make it happen myself.

Peace.