Theology Thursday: enemies of the state with an eschatological vocation

Published on July 3, 2008
by Jimmy Shaw

A few miscellaneous theological reflections from my recent surfing through the web-world. Thoughts about Shane Claiborne and the politics of being followers of Jesus in the world’s only contemporary empire. Musings on homosexuality from Walter Wink. And apparently megachurch isn’t just for christians anymore….

Shane Claiborne and the rich young ruler — “Claiborne’s is another powerful and increasngly fashionable voice calling the church to be a radical Jesus movement again (see also ’Being a disciple of Jesus is not enough’). But it still seems to me that this desire to revert to the pattern of Jesus-discipleship arises essentially as a reaction against the excesses, hypocrisy, idolatry or ineffectiveness of the modern American church; it is of only limited value…. The instruction to sell personal possessions and give to the needy, therefore, forms part of an eschatological vocation. The prophetic community that will proclaim the impending reign of God over his people, the coming transformation of Israel, will have to let go of the normal material securities of life and trust in the Father to provide.”

Jesus: Enemy of the State — “Jesus was a revolutionary. He brought a message that spoke to the political issues of the day, and offered an alternative. To some it seemed foolish, to many it seemed dangerous. But to a few it seemed like the only chance at a life of complete peace from all the tumult of high gas prices, outsourced slavery, broken families, a war with no end, abortion, and the crisis of immigration.”
– RELATED: see Steve Holt Jr.’s series of posts on Christian Politics (Part 1, 2, 3, and 4)

Walter Wink on Homosexuality — “[T]he Bible quite clearly takes a negative view of homosexuality, in those few instances where it is mentioned at all. And the repugnance felt toward homosexuality was not just that it was deemed unnatural but also that it was considered unJewish, representing yet one more incursion of pagan civilization into Jewish life. But this conclusion does not solve the hermeneutical problem of our attitude toward homosexuality today. For there are other sexual attitudes, practices and restrictions which are normative in Scripture but which we no longer accept as normative.”

Megachurch has the frills but doesn’t fit the mold — The motto under Mile Hi’s big, domed sanctuary, a $10 million, 1,500-seat hall that opened in April, is It’s different here. “We use some of the same approaches and tools as megachurches, but Mile Hi is profoundly unique,” said senior minister Roger Teel.Mile Hi Church teaches the science of mind and spirit. It seeks to blend science and religion — drawing from elements of all the world’s great faith traditions.

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