Following Jesus in rejecting empire
I have tinnitus – ringing of the ears. I usually am not aware of the high-pitched hum at the upper end of the audible range until all is quiet. Like when I am lie down for the night, or am by myself in the snow-covered woods, far from the noise of our frenetic life. Snow…
Belief and action. In Revelation, we see these two concepts held up side by side. Christ says to several of the churches in the opening chapters of the book, “I know your deeds,” while chiding or commending others because of their beliefs.
Shepherds, tax collectors, and prostitutes manage to find and follow Jesus. But quite often, those who are obsessed with orthodoxy end up missing signs of the Messiah. It should, therefore, be no surprise to us when Jesus highlights the theologically-incorrect as a contrast to those who possess right theology but wrong attitudes and behaviors.
American Evangelicalism today often bears the marks of Empire. We are seduced by presidential candidates and emulate the commercial corporation. Many of our large churches and ministries have adopted the methodologies of commercial enterprises, accumulating massive properties and wealth. But another reformation is on the way, and I welcome this prophetic indictment of the colonized Church.
Traditional sexual ethics, evangelical organizations, and the path of love.