Did you know that most of India's Christians are Dalit? The blog post addresses recent violence against Dalits and Christians in India, as well as issues in Indonesia and the Middle East.
Peace.
1.17.2008
Politics & Persecution
Click here to read an excellent and succinct blog post about a unique responsibility that Christians have in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections: consider your brothers & sisters around the world suffering from persecution when choosing who to vote for.
12.02.2007
Socially Scandalous: Part II
This post is the much-anticipated sequel to the previous post about the perceived scandalousness of the work some young Christians are devoting themselves to. In the previous post I provided specific examples; in this post I will address the core issue that leads to Christians labeling Christians as socially scandalous.
At the end of the previous post, I challenged the Evangelical expectation for each of the three case studies. Those who want all scientists to be like Ken Ham. Those who want human rights/development workers to abandon their service in favor of evangelism. Those who want to hear a Christian journalist to report the news from God's perspective. Uwe Siemon-Netto represented the voice of those Christians who find themselves labeled as socially scandalous. In particular, he responded to the desire of many Christians who want to hear the news from God's perspective. "The proper response about a Christian Journalist's vocation must be: 'I am called to report as fairly and as accurately as humanly possible. If I do this as a service of love to my readers and viewers, rather than with selfish interests in mind, I will render the highest possible service to God.'"
Siemon-Netto's articulate response helps us identify the dichotomy of the sacred and the secular in the traditional Evangelical responses. In the West, we can all thank the Enlightenment for the idea that the physical and spiritual realms are distinct and independent. The place where God acts, where the supernatural is experienced, where prayer is answered is the religious or spiritual world. But the real world is where we can use our senses to know what is material and scientific. Consequently, this is where many Christians get the idea that other Christians cannot work in biology or ecology or environmental science without sacrificing the authenticity of their faith (as described in Case Study #1). These Christians cannot comprehend the convergence of the spiritual and physical spheres; it is outside of their worldview. In our culture this dichotomy is so prevalent that it has become central to modernity. It affects the Church, too. "On Sunday morning or during our devotional prayer life, we operate in the spiritual realm. The rest of the week, in our professional lives, we operate in the physical realm," writes Bryant Meyers. Clearly, we have accepted this separation as truth; but this is not God's idea at all.
In fact, Scripture describes the complete integration of the physical & spiritual:
John 1:1a, 14a. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
Influences: The thoughts and conclusions in this mini-series were heavily influenced by my most recent reads, Sophie's World and Walking With the Poor.
At the end of the previous post, I challenged the Evangelical expectation for each of the three case studies. Those who want all scientists to be like Ken Ham. Those who want human rights/development workers to abandon their service in favor of evangelism. Those who want to hear a Christian journalist to report the news from God's perspective. Uwe Siemon-Netto represented the voice of those Christians who find themselves labeled as socially scandalous. In particular, he responded to the desire of many Christians who want to hear the news from God's perspective. "The proper response about a Christian Journalist's vocation must be: 'I am called to report as fairly and as accurately as humanly possible. If I do this as a service of love to my readers and viewers, rather than with selfish interests in mind, I will render the highest possible service to God.'"
Siemon-Netto's articulate response helps us identify the dichotomy of the sacred and the secular in the traditional Evangelical responses. In the West, we can all thank the Enlightenment for the idea that the physical and spiritual realms are distinct and independent. The place where God acts, where the supernatural is experienced, where prayer is answered is the religious or spiritual world. But the real world is where we can use our senses to know what is material and scientific. Consequently, this is where many Christians get the idea that other Christians cannot work in biology or ecology or environmental science without sacrificing the authenticity of their faith (as described in Case Study #1). These Christians cannot comprehend the convergence of the spiritual and physical spheres; it is outside of their worldview. In our culture this dichotomy is so prevalent that it has become central to modernity. It affects the Church, too. "On Sunday morning or during our devotional prayer life, we operate in the spiritual realm. The rest of the week, in our professional lives, we operate in the physical realm," writes Bryant Meyers. Clearly, we have accepted this separation as truth; but this is not God's idea at all.
In fact, Scripture describes the complete integration of the physical & spiritual:
John 1:1a, 14a. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
Here, we see God (spiritual realm) invading the world (physical realm). The presence of the label "socially scandalous" reveals that our understanding of vocation and calling is influenced by the separation of the sacred and the secular. Under the influence of the Enlightenment and modernity, we have come to understand that Christian witness is our primary calling in life and also that this call is unrelated to the professional world, unless you happen to be a pastor. In the bigger picture, a consequence of this dichotomy is the confinement of God's redemptive work to the spiritual sphere, leaving the rest of the world (the biologist, journalist, and human rights advocate) to the devil.
Through John 1, we know that God is not concerned only with the spiritual; we know that he intervenes in the history of the world. And perhaps his most effective work is through the socially scandalous among us, who have the unique opportunity to demonstrate the integration of the spiritual and physical realms by extending God's work to the messy, sinful corners of the world.
The Word became flesh... We have seen his glory.
It is through the Christians who understand that wherever you are and whatever you are doing you're testifying to what you believe to be True--whether or not that is the Gospel message--that those who do not know God "see his glory."
This core issue affects many more areas of the Christian life than the examples and case studies addressed in these posts. Together, as an American Christian community, we need to move towards correcting this issue by integrating the spiritual and physical realms in our daily lives.
Influences: The thoughts and conclusions in this mini-series were heavily influenced by my most recent reads, Sophie's World and Walking With the Poor.
11.20.2007
Socially Scandalous: Part I
Dear friends, we need to talk about something that is very close to my heart. I've been thinking about this subject for several months, since a dear friend & I talked about the opposition we feel from our various Christian communities (colleges, churches, friends, etc.) for the work that we are pursuing out of college. I think we're perceived as "socially scandalous." Christianity Today (CT) writer Mark Galli first introduced me to the term socially scandalous in his recent article about righteousness, language, and priorities. And I think it's fitting for the way we're treated: as if it's an impossibility to be a Christian and work in our respective fields.
I will introduce the situation by using three case studies. Two from real life, one from another CT article. Then I will summarize how each case contributes to the Evangelical community's perception of scandalous behavior. In Part II of this article, which you can expect to see posted near the end of next, I'll deal with this scandalousness from a Biblical perspective with the help of Martin Luther.
Case Study #1: majoring in biology
When Jane switched her major at the small christian college she was attending from graphic design to biology, she raised a few eyebrows from folks at home. When she moved out west after college to take care of animals in a research facility, she raised more than a few eyebrows. In fact, her job choice was down right scandalous.
Case Study #2: working at a human rights NGO
When Jack took a position in a hippie state working for little pay at an organization that focused on a group of oppressed people on the other side of the globe, many Christians at home wondered why the NGO wasn't more like a mission agency. How scandalous to take up the human rights cause and not the cry for conversion. Many wondered why wasn't there a mention of evangelism in the organization's mission statement.
Case Study #3: a journalism class Source.
When teaching journalism classes, CT writer Uwe Siemon-Netto, often inaugurates a new class by asking "What do you think is the calling of a Christian in secular media?" The most common response: "To report the news from God's perspective."
Siemon-Netto's response: WRONG. Why is this a scandalous response?
Summary
I'm afraid that the Evangelicals in Case Study #1 think the only ligitimate Christian working in the sciences Ken Ham. And that a writer for Christianity Today is the archetype Christian journalist. The response of the Christian community in Cast Study #2 suggests that a Christian who wishes to serve the poor of the world is expected to go through a missions agency that prioritizes the spiritual condition over the physical condition.
With the help of Siemon-Netto, let'w begin to explore why what appears to be the correct Evangelical answer (the answer the students gave in case #3) is really proposterous: "It would be great if we knew God's cell number to ask him, 'Lord, what are your views on immigration and social security?' Alas, we don't have this option... Thus the proper response about a Christiam Journalist's vocation must be: 'I am called to report as fairly and as accurately as humanly possible. If I do this as a service of love to my readers and viewers, rather than with selfish interests in mind, I will render the highest possible service to God.'"
I think we're dealing with several issues here: The first is a lingering effect from change within the church in the mid-to-late twentieth century. That is, the division of the sacred & the secular. I also notice expression of fear of the unknown (read: secularism) in the voice of the Evangelical community. Finally, the pointing of fingers at scandelous behavior is, I think, I result of unpracticalized theology. In other words, the very Evangelicals pointing fingers have solid theology in their minds, but it hasn't been worked out into life yet. In part II of this post, I'll call for reconciliation in the break-up of the secular and the sacred, encourage my fellow Christians to take secularism by the horns and show it who is boss, and challenge you to consider making your own scandalous choices because they are the natural result of practical theology (the only kind worth hanging on to, really)...
I will introduce the situation by using three case studies. Two from real life, one from another CT article. Then I will summarize how each case contributes to the Evangelical community's perception of scandalous behavior. In Part II of this article, which you can expect to see posted near the end of next, I'll deal with this scandalousness from a Biblical perspective with the help of Martin Luther.
Case Study #1: majoring in biology
When Jane switched her major at the small christian college she was attending from graphic design to biology, she raised a few eyebrows from folks at home. When she moved out west after college to take care of animals in a research facility, she raised more than a few eyebrows. In fact, her job choice was down right scandalous.
Case Study #2: working at a human rights NGO
When Jack took a position in a hippie state working for little pay at an organization that focused on a group of oppressed people on the other side of the globe, many Christians at home wondered why the NGO wasn't more like a mission agency. How scandalous to take up the human rights cause and not the cry for conversion. Many wondered why wasn't there a mention of evangelism in the organization's mission statement.
Case Study #3: a journalism class Source.
When teaching journalism classes, CT writer Uwe Siemon-Netto, often inaugurates a new class by asking "What do you think is the calling of a Christian in secular media?" The most common response: "To report the news from God's perspective."
Siemon-Netto's response: WRONG. Why is this a scandalous response?
Summary
I'm afraid that the Evangelicals in Case Study #1 think the only ligitimate Christian working in the sciences Ken Ham. And that a writer for Christianity Today is the archetype Christian journalist. The response of the Christian community in Cast Study #2 suggests that a Christian who wishes to serve the poor of the world is expected to go through a missions agency that prioritizes the spiritual condition over the physical condition.
With the help of Siemon-Netto, let'w begin to explore why what appears to be the correct Evangelical answer (the answer the students gave in case #3) is really proposterous: "It would be great if we knew God's cell number to ask him, 'Lord, what are your views on immigration and social security?' Alas, we don't have this option... Thus the proper response about a Christiam Journalist's vocation must be: 'I am called to report as fairly and as accurately as humanly possible. If I do this as a service of love to my readers and viewers, rather than with selfish interests in mind, I will render the highest possible service to God.'"
I think we're dealing with several issues here: The first is a lingering effect from change within the church in the mid-to-late twentieth century. That is, the division of the sacred & the secular. I also notice expression of fear of the unknown (read: secularism) in the voice of the Evangelical community. Finally, the pointing of fingers at scandelous behavior is, I think, I result of unpracticalized theology. In other words, the very Evangelicals pointing fingers have solid theology in their minds, but it hasn't been worked out into life yet. In part II of this post, I'll call for reconciliation in the break-up of the secular and the sacred, encourage my fellow Christians to take secularism by the horns and show it who is boss, and challenge you to consider making your own scandalous choices because they are the natural result of practical theology (the only kind worth hanging on to, really)...
11.13.2007
Justice as Worship
I remember very clearly the moment that God began to teach me that worship is more than a song. In the unlikely place of Panama City on Spring Break, Jim Burgen taught through 1 Samuel and talked about the Ark of the Covenant. Nearly 300 teens were captivated for a week by Jim's teaching from the Old Testament despite the stark cultural contrast because he was calling out of us a new way of living. This is what we had been wanting to hear our whole lives: God's directions for living life on earth. I mean, that's basically what OT is; God telling Israel what to do, Israel learning-the-hard-way, Israel repenting, and Israel worshipping through it all.
When I went to college I discovered that what seemed like Jim's radical idea about worship was really a movement within my generation. And I'm excited to share my recent observation of a new development in that movement and understanding of worship. We've know for a while that worship is a lifestyle; but now we're taking a huge step forward and connecting the dots of worship and justice.
Several "mainstream" Evangelical sources are not only talking about advocating for justice as a way of glorifying God, but they are leading the revolution with high-impact campaigns. This is more than the (RED) Campaign, people.
For example, the Passion Conference that is currently touring the States launches a campaign called Do Something NOW in each city that it visits to call the audience into action after the weekend of worship. Visit the link and note the first sentence on the page: "Because worship and justice go hand in hand, Passion is committed to bring change to the world with every event we do." Don't miss it because you can't take it back: worship and justice go together like coffee and caffeine.
And this video, created by Hillsong, echoes the same idea in the first 15 seconds. That's really all you need to watch to get the whole idea.
Another example intended for an entirely different audience appeared in my inbox about a month ago in the form of an e-newsletter from Books & Culture. The subject line says it all: "Human Rights and Justice in an Age of Terror." B&C editor John Wilson goes on to announce an article exclusive to the web about the larger questions raised about just war by a new release called An Evangelical Declaration Against Torture. I'm fairly confident that I can ethically share my access to this article (which I pay for--you can thank me later), so click here to read on.
This shift in understanding of worship is critical for the the Dalit movement. The Dalit Freedom Network may have been ahead of its time for the past few years, but as a wider slice of Evangelical America eats up this ideology, awareness of issues like the modern-day slavery of Dalits should rise in the national consciousness. At least, let's pray for that to happen.
Peace to all the people in the world.
When I went to college I discovered that what seemed like Jim's radical idea about worship was really a movement within my generation. And I'm excited to share my recent observation of a new development in that movement and understanding of worship. We've know for a while that worship is a lifestyle; but now we're taking a huge step forward and connecting the dots of worship and justice.
Several "mainstream" Evangelical sources are not only talking about advocating for justice as a way of glorifying God, but they are leading the revolution with high-impact campaigns. This is more than the (RED) Campaign, people.
For example, the Passion Conference that is currently touring the States launches a campaign called Do Something NOW in each city that it visits to call the audience into action after the weekend of worship. Visit the link and note the first sentence on the page: "Because worship and justice go hand in hand, Passion is committed to bring change to the world with every event we do." Don't miss it because you can't take it back: worship and justice go together like coffee and caffeine.
And this video, created by Hillsong, echoes the same idea in the first 15 seconds. That's really all you need to watch to get the whole idea.
Another example intended for an entirely different audience appeared in my inbox about a month ago in the form of an e-newsletter from Books & Culture. The subject line says it all: "Human Rights and Justice in an Age of Terror." B&C editor John Wilson goes on to announce an article exclusive to the web about the larger questions raised about just war by a new release called An Evangelical Declaration Against Torture. I'm fairly confident that I can ethically share my access to this article (which I pay for--you can thank me later), so click here to read on.
This shift in understanding of worship is critical for the the Dalit movement. The Dalit Freedom Network may have been ahead of its time for the past few years, but as a wider slice of Evangelical America eats up this ideology, awareness of issues like the modern-day slavery of Dalits should rise in the national consciousness. At least, let's pray for that to happen.
Peace to all the people in the world.
10.29.2007
National Association of Evangelicals Acknowledges Dalit Oppression
On Thursday, October 11th, the Board of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) unanimously passed a "Statement of Conscience Cocerning the Dalits." The Dalit Freedom Network is thrilled to have contributed to the third statement passed in the history of the NAE.
DFN's International President Dr. Joseph D'souza addressed the board before the Statement was presented. He said, “The response was overwhelming. NAE’s leadership understands the critical nature of anti-Dalit persecution and has risen to face it with this strong statement.”
And in a strong statement of the Christian/Biblical worldview, NAE Vice President for Governmental Affairs adds, “There are those who suggest that to judge the practices of another culture is unsuitable, and a violation of tolerance. But moral absolutes do exist, there is justice and injustice and evangelicals intend to stand up and demonstrate Christ’s own love for the poor and the oppressed around the world.”
Today I am proud to be an evangelical.
More than you ever wanted to know:
DFN's International President Dr. Joseph D'souza addressed the board before the Statement was presented. He said, “The response was overwhelming. NAE’s leadership understands the critical nature of anti-Dalit persecution and has risen to face it with this strong statement.”
And in a strong statement of the Christian/Biblical worldview, NAE Vice President for Governmental Affairs adds, “There are those who suggest that to judge the practices of another culture is unsuitable, and a violation of tolerance. But moral absolutes do exist, there is justice and injustice and evangelicals intend to stand up and demonstrate Christ’s own love for the poor and the oppressed around the world.”
Today I am proud to be an evangelical.
More than you ever wanted to know:
- Read the NAE President's announcement of the Statement in Christianity Today.
- Stay informed about news concerning the Dalits through the frequently-updated Dalit Freedom Blog, hosted by DFN's Social Justice Coordinator, Ben Marsh.
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