Riffs: 5:31:07: Dan Edelen and Evangelicalism’s Loss of “Majesty, Awe and Otherness”

logo2.gifDan Edelen has once again written a provocative post on the situation in evangelicalism, and I’ve responded to it a bit in podcast 61. But it’s too good a topic not to bat around a bit more.

Reacting to the blogosphere blizzard of posts following the return of Francis Beckwith to the Roman Catholic Church, Edelen suggests that evangelicals have become “inhibitors” of God’s mystery, awesomeness and otherness. In a highly rationalistic, dry and dull evangelicalism, the “MAO” appeal of Roman Catholicism is clear.

I think Dan is on solid ground, but there’s a lot more to say on this topic than he takes up.

There’s an issue of Old Covenant vs. New Covenant “God experience.” Michael Horton addresses this in his fine volume In the Face of God. In the Old Covenant, God was present in the bush, the pillars of fire/cloud, in theophanies, on Sinai, with the ark and in the Temple. A review of these experiences and their results might be instructive for those who want to sing seven verses of “I want to see your face.”Continue reading “Riffs: 5:31:07: Dan Edelen and Evangelicalism’s Loss of “Majesty, Awe and Otherness””

Riffs: 5:30:07: The White Horse Inn on Why We Don’t Need to be Saved + Reformed Celebrity Culture

logo1.gifActually, the program is called “Why Christ Alone Saves,” but the discussion quickly goes to the heart of evangelicalism’s selling-out of the Gospel: we’ve convinced ourselves that we don’t need to be saved by a bloody savior. It’s one of the best WHI’s I’ve ever heard and it’s must listening for readers of this web site. Eventually they get into other aspects of the salvation we have in Jesus, and it’s all good.

Be sure and save/print out the featured William Willimon piece on “It’s Hard to be Seeker Sensitive When You Work for Jesus.” It’s a two page pdf.

A highlight for me is a discussion of just how useless the crucifixion of Jesus is in much of evangelicalism today. If our great need is to be delivered from the wrath of God, then Jesus is our mediator. But what if our big problem is losing ten pounds? Finding a bigger house? Paying for college? Getting out of debt? What if the guilt that concerns us is the guilt of not having a pool like our neighbor? What if the center of our prayers is the moral life of our kids or our physical health? Do we actually need a crucified Jesus for any of these things?Continue reading “Riffs: 5:30:07: The White Horse Inn on Why We Don’t Need to be Saved + Reformed Celebrity Culture”

What About the Flag in the Sanctuary? (Or How To Get Fired Really Fast.)

jesus_in_front_of_flags.jpgSometime when I was in seminary, I first heard the term “civil religion” and started to understand that some people had a problem with the American flag in a church sanctuary. The flag- and its companion, the “Christian” flag- have been in every church sanctuary I’ve ever been in, and both flags are in the chapel where I lead worship today.

Where I live today, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if there are churches with the Confederate flag in the sanctuary.

In the culture where I live, a pastor of a typical church who removed the flag would be fired. A pastor who started a process aimed at removing the flag would be starting a process to find another job. Removing the flag would be seen as something like a declaration of atheism or endorsing Al-Queda. Or both. Multiplied. By 10.Continue reading “What About the Flag in the Sanctuary? (Or How To Get Fired Really Fast.)”

The Wrong Song For the People of God

godcountry.jpg[Check out the previous IM post, “With God On Our Side.”]

One of the results of working with international students, and especially of having them in worship services you’re leading, is a new appreciation of how some commonly accepted elements of American Christian culture sound to those who aren’t Americans.

Take, for example, those patriotic songs at the back of your average American hymnal. They sound somewhat unusual when you look out into dozens of African and Asian faces.

This morning, the worship service I attended featured a very tasteful remembrance of those who had given their lives in the service of their country. We also sang this song, a song I’ve known since I was a small child, and a song that I’ve never really considered very much until I realized students from other countries were being asked to sing it with us in the context of worship.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!Continue reading “The Wrong Song For the People of God”

iMonk 101: Pentecost- The Third Great Day.

This is a reprint of an essay I did last year on Pentecost. Since I’ll be hearing nothing about Pentecost in church tomorrow, but about Memorial Day instead, I want to be sure and mark it at home and here on the blog. For a great essay on Pentecost full of material for preaching, visit Journey With Jesus.

pentecost10.jpgAct 2:1-8 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. (2) And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. (3) And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (5) Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. (6) And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. (7) And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? (8) And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

We had our Pentecost worship gathering at soli deo this week, and I once again was amazed at what bad press the Feast of Pentecost usually gets among most evangelical Christians. How did such an important part of the Christian story become so lost and muddled?Continue reading “iMonk 101: Pentecost- The Third Great Day.”

Five Good Thoughts About Evangelicals

leland_pulpit_tbnl.JPGSince I’m newly installed in my permanent pew near the back row of my local SBC church, I’ve been trying to think good thoughts about evangelicals. Given the history of this blog and the general tone of my thinking about Christianity, this has taken some discipline. It’s been remarkable, however, how quickly I have remembered the things I love about evangelicals, and how I have been moved to thank God and pray for my evangelical family.

So what are this post-evangelical’s “Good Thoughts” about evangelicalism?

1. Evangelicalism still understands and preaches the Gospel. With notable and growing exceptions, the Gospel of justification by faith alone, by Christ alone and by grace alone is preached in most evangelical churches. Times are hard, and there are dozens of distortions, omissions and dilutions, but if I had to send a lost person to one church for one shot at hearing the Gospel, I’d send them to an evangelical church, and probably a Baptist or Presbyterian one.

Of all the things evangelicals should fight for, this is, and always must be, the top of the list.Continue reading “Five Good Thoughts About Evangelicals”