Tag Archives: radical

Radical Christians

17 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by in Church, Theology

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I saw several articles people posted on Facebook over the last couple of weeks that caught my attention – and not in a good way.  I made a note for myself to revisit the articles after I had a chance to let them settle in a bit.

One article I saw was from someone who was saying that radical Muslims get off the hook, but radical Christians are persecuted.  That we are more afraid to sit with a radical Christian than we are with a radical Muslim.  That’s a bit simplistic, but that was the essence of the argument from the person who posted it.  I’m guessing the author of these words thought he was a victim because of his beliefs.

He claimed that “a so-called radical Christian is likely to refuse to bake a dessert for a gay wedding. A radical Muslim is likely to shoot up a gay club or throw gays off of roofs.”

(This was commentary on social media so I can’t point you to a specific web address for this).

There is a problem in definitions though, among other things.  A Christian who refuses to bake a dessert for a gay wedding isn’t a radical.  They may fit into several other categories and labels, but radical isn’t one of them.  As far as I know, there hasn’t been a cake maker who has gone and killed people because they were so upset about backing a cake for someone they didn’t like.  There isn’t a comparison of this with someone who shoots people and destroys lives – regardless of their religion.

Secondly, this is dismissive of real radical Christians – the people who have no problem driving a car into a crown and killing a woman in Charlottesville, VA recently for example.  These groups exist and yes, they are just as bad as any radical Muslim, or radical Hindu, or radical anything.  (Check out a simple list of radical Christian groups here)  These groups are real and are dangerous and have nothing to do with what Christianity is about but still steal the label for themselves.  While that statement might not sound controversial – substitute Muslim for Christian and I wonder how it changes for some people.

Then again, I’m not sure what baking a cake has to do with Christianity either, but that’s besides the point.

I don’t understand this quest to become victims that has captured so many people’s attention and conduct.  Everyone wants to be a victim.  Especially from people who really aren’t victims at all.  “They’re tearing down my statue of Robert E Lee – we’re a victim of historical theft.”  BS.

A cake baker who doesn’t bake a cake isn’t a victim.  It’s just someone who makes a bad business decision based on a bad interpretation of Scripture.  In one sense, they are a victim I guess – A victim of bad scriptural interpretation.

But here’s the point.  What is a radical Christian?  Here’s a radical answer to the question – someone who actually lives out what Jesus taught.  No, not the Old Testament laws that can be taken out of context and used as a bludgeon.  How about this instead – A radical Christian is someone who lives out the Sermon on the Mount.  (Read it – it’s in Matthew 5-7).  A radical Christian is someone whose loyalty is to the kingdom of God first and foremost and in advancing God’s kingdom through radical inclusiveness and love.  A radical Christian is someone who seeks to be a peacemaker in the midst of violence.  A radical Christian is someone who practices forgiveness.  A radical Christian is someone who doesn’t wait for someone else to change and do the right thing, they start.  A radical Christian gives voice to the voiceless.  A radical Christian feeds the hungry, clothes those who need clothing, houses the homeless, visits prisoners and the sick, and cares for orphans and widows.

A radical Christian in this sense isn’t really radical at all.  They are just living out what they claim to believe.  Yet, this way of living and believing is radical – it is far different from the radicalness we see around us.  It is a radicalness that is polar opposite to the radicalness that believes in fighting and might makes right and control and separation and violence and fear and hatred.

That kind of radicalness is becoming more prevalent and easier.

It’s much more radical to pray for someone – even someone who is our enemy – than it is to shout that person down or cause harm to them.  Causing harm to someone else isn’t radical – it’s just plain evil.

Maybe we need a new name for these type of Christians – ones who aren’t really radical at all.

 

Radical and Transformative

09 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by in Theology

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Do we really understand how radical the Gospel message is?  I mean really?  Do we really understand how transformative it really is?  Really?

We claim it is, but then we go and ignore it while we interact with those who believe differently from us politically and/or theologically.  I guess those are areas just too important for us to trust to God and follow what God calls us to do and how to act – with grace, love and forgiveness.  Besides, we’re defending orthodoxy and right thinking – we can’t just leave right belief to chance, or to God for that matter.

We claim that the Gospel is a radical transforming message, but then we set it aside when it comes to people who are different from us as it pertains to sexuality, nationality and language.  It’s us vs. them, don’t you know.  Never mind that we are told that in Christ there is no more male and female, Gentile or Jew, Servant or free, etc.  We can’t leave our personal and national safety to chance or to God for that matter.  Lord know, God might ask us to turn the other cheek, not pick up a gun to defend ourselves.  And then what would happen?

We claim that the Gospel is a radical transforming message, but in so many places I look, I see Christians trying to be Pharisees who tell others how to live, while we’re told we should ignore what these same Pharisees are doing or how they are living out their faith.

We claim the Gospel is a radical transforming message, but then we put it aside because we are just too afraid to let it do what we claim it does – transform us and our world.  We can’t have that.  We wouldn’t be in control and have things turn out the way we would want them to turn out.  We still want a favored place, don’t we?  Obviously, God’s will should align with our own since we’re so damn smart.

Is the Gospel message a radical transforming message or not?

Maybe it’s just a bit too scary for some who claim to follow it.  Maybe the cost is too high for some.

Are we really ready to die to self?  Do we even really understand what that means?  Are we ready to die to the idea of controlling our lives?  Or is that for other people?  Are we too good for that?

Do we really understand how radical and transformative the Gospel message is?  Do we really buy it?  I mean really buy it to the point that we’re all in?  Do we fear that all of it is just a sham?  Or are we just so afraid to let go – like stepping off a cliff without something to visible to catch us before we hit the bottom?

Are we afraid to die to self?  I think we are.  Yet, Jesus calls us to do just that.  Not someone else, over there – but each one of us, right here, right now.

Pushing the Limits

17 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in Seminary, Theology

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On Sunday I was given what I thought was a compliment after my sermon – “You sure know how to push the limits don’t you?”  It was said from someone who meant it as a compliment, not a criticism.

Yet, today I’m wonder if it really is a compliment or is it something else.

What caused the statement to be said to me.  I’m guessing it was a part of the sermon where I defended LGTB individuals as people.  Sounds radical doesn’t it?  I used something I blogged on this past week and added it to the sermon.  Or maybe the statement came from the story I also used in the sermon about four women who went into a strip club to minister to the women who work there – women who no one else cares about.  Regardless, the statement came.  And since yesterday, I’m left wondering.

That’s because my supervisor and I are at the Festival of Homiletics.  There are some amazing pastors and preachers here.  Last night we heard two – one a pastor and seminary professor and the other a journalist.  The sermon and lecture were simply amazing and they preached the Gospel – well beyond pushing the limits.

Partly that is because this is a group of pastors and soon-to-be pastors – you can go beyond pushing the limits with this group.  What I realized is this: If the Gospel message is so life changing as pastors and soon-to-be pastors claim, then that means it is a message that doesn’t just push the limits, but breaks through the barriers completely.  It’s a message that can’t be contained.

As we heard from Anna Carter Florence, we all want to find where Jesus has been carried off to (John 20 – Mary at the tomb trying to find Jesus on Easter morning) to we can find him and put him back in the tomb.  That way we’ll be in control.  But that’s not how Jesus works.

Likewise, we heard from Leonard Pitts, Jr.  We heard an amazing message that touched on every issue we face today from anger to division and everything in-between.  He talked about the radical nature of Christianity versus the less-than-radical thing going around in politics that wraps itself in a Christian label.  What’s the radical nature of Christianity – doing what Jesus told us to do – feed the poor, wash the feet of the other, welcome the stranger, visit the sick and those in prison, etc.  When you do these things instead of blame people and judge others, you will receive criticism.  What a mixed up world we live in.

So I’m wondering, is pushing the limits enough?  Tough to say.  There’s no gauge standing next to you as you preach to let you know when you’ve gone too far.  The context of the audience that is listening is unique.  What would be too far at one location is only pushing the limits at another.  And what is pushing the limits at one place is not even touching the issue at another.  You just have to preach where the Spirit leads you to.  Because in the end, it’s not me that is the one who changes people, but rather God.  There’s a place and a community to everyone, but not everyone will fit into every place and every community.