Huldah: The Lost Prophetess

How many of you have honestly heard of Huldah?

Even though her story is intertwined with Josiah, a notorious and good king of Israel, she is rarely mentioned.

Paganism swept over Israel and reigned supreme for over fifty years. When Josiah became King, he began a long journey of undoing the wickedness done by previous kings. His "clergy" stumbled upon the Book of the Law, hidden in the temple (2 Chronicles tells us this book was from the law of Moses, many believe it to be a lost segment of Dueteronomy). The people had forgotten God's Law and turned their hearts to other gods. The two kings prior to Josiah were perhaps the most wicked in all of Israel's history, leading their nation into idolatry, witchcraft, human sacrifice, temple prostitution, and other heinous practices. When the words in the book were read out loud, Josiah tores his clothes and repented. Josiah then sent the High Priest Hilkiah to bring the book of the law to one of God's faithful:

“Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found” (2 Kings 22:13, emphasis added).

So Hilkiah brings the book to Huldah, a prophetess and wife of Shallum (another married women who holds a position of spiritual authority), who remained faithful in one of Israel's darkest moments in history. She interpreted the words in the book and delivered a prophetic message to Hilkiah, the high priest, for King Josiah. So, they took scripture to a woman to find out what it meant....interesting. I'll refrain from pointing out the obvious implications of this...Oh, who am I kidding? She's teaching them scripture! Men, in leadership no less, are asking a woman to tell them what the words of the book mean and what they need to do next! Sorry, I just couldn't resist. :)

Huldah then speaks for God:

"Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you,' declares the LORD."--2 Kings 22:18-19

Read the entire story here: 2 Kings 22 or 2 Chronicles 34

So we have a king, a high priest, and other men holding a position of spiritual authority seeking spiritual direction from a woman. They even receive a blessing from the Lord because they humbled themselves and listened to what God has spoken through her.

She faithfully delivered the words God gave to her. Luckily, these men were not deluded by pride and could humbly receive the commands of God via woman.

J. Lee Grady makes this correlation:

"It is odd that a group of spiritual leaders operating under the Old Covenant in Israel looked to an anointed woman of God for advice when some Christian leaders today--in the New Covenant age--would consider Huldah 'out of order' for assuming a place of influence in the church."

Yet again, we have a woman, Huldah, who throws a wrench in rigid complementarians' "clean-cut" theology.

Deborah: A Fundamentalist's Worst Nightmare!

Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided."--Judges 4:4-5

Before I start posting on specific bible verses that seem to bar women from serving in all levels of ministry, I want to look at some unique women in the Bible, who break apart our nice, neat, gender-separated boxes.

The story of Deborah, a biblical heroine, has devolved into a passing mention in many evangelical circles, and in more fundamental circles, she’s been deemed “a reproach,” only used by God to shame men because all the men of Israel apparently refused God’s call to fulfill His work. That’s right, Deborah must be the bottom of the barrel, God’s last choice, simply because she lacked a penis. But this viewpoint does not hold up under honest evaluation of biblical texts. Hence, the reason why Deborah’s story is rarely taught in depth within these circles.

Some Facts about Deborah

• She most likely lived between 1209 and 1169 B.C.
  
• She was a judge, prophetess, and leader called by God, who gave Israel both civil and spiritual direction. Judges 4 and 5 says Deborah “sends,” “summons”, and “COMMANDS” the people (men and women), telling them God’s will and direction.


• She lead Israel, possibly for forty years.


• She settled disputes among her people.


• She was respected by all the people.


• The land had peace for forty years due to her ministry (Judges 4 and 5).
  
• She governed Israel by prophetic oracles.


• Deborah led 10,000 troops into battle against the oppressive Canaanites.


• She was the instrument God used to deliver Israel from her enemies and return the nation back to God.


• Deborah called upon kings and princes to give thanks to God for what He had done.
  

Another little overlooked fact about Deborah is that she was married. This is a significant detail, because married women, above all other women, have the most restrictions placed upon them. Whether we believe a married woman's purpose is to only aid her husband's ambitions or that they must solely be a housewife, Deborah defies all our expectations of what a married woman (possibly with children) should be.

So, why does Deborah hold this position of authority and not her husband? God called her and not him, that’s why. Fancy that! The fact that Deborah has a vagina instead of a penis does not preclude her from being God’s chosen spokesperson: a brave, faithful, civil AND spiritual leader of Israel and servant of the Most High. We do not know how old Deborah is at this time or whether or not she had any children. My guess would be that she did in fact have children, because barren women were looked upon as "cursed." These men humbled their male pride long enough to listen to the wisdom of God via woman, but I’m pretty sure doing that for a barren woman might be too much to ask. :)

The fact that Deborah was married, with no "ruling" husband in sight, affirms the fact that Genesis 3:16, where God says a man will rule over his wife, is descriptive and NOT prescriptive (See previous post: Adam and Eve: The First Egalitarians?) If man ruling over his wife had been God's will (as oppose to the inevitable consequence of sin), even after the fall, then Deborah's position would not be in line with God's "command."

And yet here we have a married woman stepping out into public service, exercising national and spiritual authority, leading battles, commanding, summoning, sending, and instructing men and women on a myriad of earthly and spiritual matters. She does not even consult her husband before leading an entire nation into battle: a battle that was viewed as a suicide mission, since Israel’s army was vastly outnumbered.

Now Barak, the military general who refused to go to battle without Deborah by his side, gets a lot of flack for needing a woman to accompany him in battle. But his downfall was not that he depended on a woman to be at his side, but that he lacked faith in God’s message of victory to go it alone. Had Samuel or Joshua been in Deborah’s place and Barak demanded they go with him, his fate would have been the same: Sisera (their enemy) would have still been delivered over to Jael, a gentile woman. Barak’s dilemma was a faith issue, not a gender issue. However, we should give Barak some credit for recognizing Deborah’s anointing and wanting her near by.

Deborah, this remarkable prophetess and Judge of Israel, defies nearly every restriction placed upon the “ideal” woman of faith. She does not fit neatly into the quiet-submissive-barefoot-and-pregnant-housewife-that-would-never-dare-exercise-authority box. She’s assertive, strong, and forthright. She holds the position of judge, prophet, and military commander (talk about a career gal, eh?). Her path is determined by God, not by the status quo or social constructs. She was the God-appointed leader of Israel, to whom MEN, powerful men, came to receive spiritual direction, authoritative earthly decisions, and orders from God. All Deborah prophesied came to pass. Deborah’s faith and leadership not only delivered Israel from the oppression of the Canaanites, but restored Israel SPIRITUALLY to God.

Isn’t it ironic how Deborah spoke FOR God to men and women with authority and her story is considered to be a part of God’s Word, the Bible, yet a woman today (in most evangelical church settings) could not stand behind a pulpit and teach the body about it?

When will we tear down the barriers that keep all of God's children from going deeper with God and each other? When will we submit ourselves to God and one another, not on the basis of gender, but on the basis of human and spiritual equality, all being made uniquely in the image of God with gifts to use? When will we put our faith in the Holy Spirit’s taboo and surprising guidance (Deborah's story is nothing if not taboo), instead of trying to enforce blanket admonishments on people of faith?

Eve: The Help Meet

"Until Eve arrived, this was a man's world." -- Richard Armour

Eve has been a controversial figure throughout history. Theologians have argued for centuries over why God created her, what purpose she was to serve, if she was innately inferior, and as of late, if she possesses a what I like to call, "conditional equality," meaning Eve (and therefore all womankind) is equal in worth, but limited in ministry, leadership, and authority.

The basis for "conditional equality" (when referring to Adam and Eve) is the belief that the purpose of Eve's creation was solely for Adam's benefit--solely to be of service to him because God declares Eve will be a help to Adam or his "help meet."

Since the bible calls Eve a "help meet," it has been assumed that she was created as a subservient being to man and for the sole purpose of aiding his will, ambitions, and desires. In Genesis, Eve is called ezer, a Hebrew word, and while some versions translate this word as "help meet" or "helper," other versions translate ezer as "partner" or "companion" because in English, "helper" usually connotates subservience or a subordinate role. However, the Hebrew word ezer carries no such connotation. Ezer implies deep intimacy and partnership. Ezer is formed from two root words, one meaning "strength" and the other "power." Ironically, the same word ezer is used to describe God 17 times in the Old Testament including: Duet. 33:7, 26, 29; Psalm 33:20, 70:5, 115:9-11 and 146:5. In the New Testament, the same word is used to describe the Holy Spirit (John 14-16). We would never assume that because God is called our "helper" that He is "under us," subjugated to us, exists solely for us or that "helper" is His only role. The same is to be true of Eve.

J. Lee Grady, an ordained minister, author, and leader of The Mordecai Project, articulated this concept well:

"The fact that Eve was presented to Adam to help him does make her inferior. One the contrary, God had already said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone," acknowledging that Adam was in an inferior condition without a mate. In the ideal marriage, a wife is a help to her husband and he is a help to her in return. Their need for each other and their deep sense of mutual dependence are what make marriage so satisfying...Marriage is not about who is in control or who serves whom. It is about becoming one."

In my last post: Adam and Eve: The First Egalitarians? I demonstrated how Adam and Eve were called by God to rule and subdue the earth together without a gender hierarchy. Adam's first words upon seeing Eve further confirm, not only her equal worth, but her equal capability to live out their shared-calling, to commune with God and to fill, subdue, and rule the earth.

"The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him..." But for Adam, no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."--. Genesis 2:18-24

Adam immediately recognizes his perfect match, whose likeness (different than sameness) allows him to experience intimacy on all levels. She, too, is made in the image of God, fully capable of carrying out the calling God gives to both of them in Genesis 1:26-28. Why would Adam rejoice about being untied as one flesh (which has massive implications) with someone who existed solely to aid him and was less qualified spiritually, mentally, and physically? Doesn't it make more sense to be united with someone with whom you share mutual dependence, intimacy, and capability; as partners who mutually enhance each other's individuality, calling, and full potential? Both "lead" and both "help." These concepts are not mutually exclusive.

For many, Eve's identity is solely wrapped up in her relationship to Adam. And while she was indeed created to complement Adam, Adam also complements her. More importantly, both Adam and Eve were ultimately created to commune with God. This is a crucial biblical truth because it ties Adam's and Eve's identities to their Creator, independent of each other. This does not negate Eve's calling to Adam, but broadens her calling to embrace and live out the highest of all commandments, the commandments upon which Jesus declared, "hang all of the Law and Prophets." Adam and Eve were created and called to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and love each other as they loved themselves. Think of Adam's words: "Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, ..." He would love Eve as his own body or self, which has a myriad of implications that will be discussed in another post.

The First Couple mirrored Jesus' greatest commandments, which all believers find their complete identity and purpose in. This is not to say that Adam and Eve didn't need each other. On the contrary, this truth enhances their need for each other. Their unique connections and communions with God are what makes them beneficial to each other and allows them to impart godly wisdom and insight to each other. This enables them to become one mentally, physically, and spiritually. It is precisely this equally shared-capacity that makes men and women perfectly complementary to each other.

For further analysis on this topic, Allison Young from Christians For Biblical Equality put together this informative article, briefly walking through the creation story and it's implications.

Next Post: Deborah: A Fundamentalist's Worst Nightmare

Adam and Eve: The First Egalitarians?

“Eve was not taken out of Adam's head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him."--Matthew Henry

Since a Christian woman's identity and function are irreversibly intertwined with the idea of gender roles, we must examine what gender roles are: what do they entail? Do they enforce limitations? Are they all-time binding? What was God's original intent for the sexes?

To adequately examine biblical gender roles, we must take a holistic look at scripture and start at the very beginning. So, what do Adam and Eve tell us about gender roles? Well, I'm glad you asked. :)

Genesis is a fascinating book for many reasons, but the tale of the first man and woman is especially telling. The Creation account portrays the ideal purpose and function of man and woman. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve's failure overshadows their brief time living in God's ideal--in perfect unity and harmony with Him, each other, and all of creation. As a result, we glorify the altered relationship between man and woman that came as a result of the fall and hold it up as God's ordained model. One of the greatest misconceptions about the creation account is that a divine gender hierarchy which places women "under" men was seamlessly instituted from the moment Eve was created. This is simply not so.

The Fall instituted a plethora of consequences---a deteriorating creation, death, separation from God, rampant sin, and the dominance of men over women (“a man will rule over his wife...”). Since this ugly change is part of the curse, we must conclude that male domination or gender hierarchy was NOT part of God's original plan and did not exist between Adam and Eve prior to the fall, since it is an explicitly new development existing because of sin. The Good News of the Gospel is that Christ, the second Adam, came and died to restore all of us, men and women alike, to God's original design.

Biblical Scholar Phyllis Trible notes that:

"The Fall created an inequality in the family relationship that had not existed before. And if Christ has become a curse for us (Gal. 3:13), then that curse of inequality is undone in Him."

God reveals the terms of His ideal plan in Genesis 1: 26-28. Keep in mind that the word "man" here is not synonymous with male, but mankind and humanity.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Notice that God commands BOTH Adam and Eve to rule the earth and over all creation. God didn't say, "Adam, you are to rule and Eve, well, you can go do some dishes, maybe fold a little laundry..." They were both called to rule, complementing each other, supporting each other, serving each other, sacrificing for the other, and deferring to each other.

Alas, sin stripped humans of this inheritance. The implications of the fall, that mankind would be stuck with a sinful nature, indicates the stronger would inevitably exploit and dominate the weaker and more vulnerable. This is not exclusive to gender, but hierarchies also developed between races, the wealthy and poor, the powerful and the weak, and so forth. When God declares that "a man will rule over his wife," in Genesis 3:16, it’s important to make the distinction between description and prescription, between what will happen and what should happen. All sorts of horrible consequences came about because of the fall: death, separation from God, murder, rape, incest, oppression, abuse, perversion, etc. None of these are God-ordained, but the unfortunate consequence of free will (sorry Calvinists!). And all of which, Christ came to redeem. He bore the curse of the fall, took it upon himself to free us from lives of sin and restore humanity to God's original design, a relationship with our Creator and spiritual equality among His people. We won’t come fully into that until Christ returns, but it begins now.

John Temple Bristow, a new testament scholar, elaborates on the realities of the Fall:

If this kind of marital relationship, far from being divinely ordered, is the product of sin and the curse, then it is to be avoided rather than commended. It is characteristic of marriage outside of God's grace. To prescribe this kind of relationship is to advocate living under the penalty of sin imposed upon Adam and Eve, as if Christ brought nothing new to marriage relationships."

Part of the redemption we find in Jesus is "the great reconciliation." Our spiritual place has been restored with God and each other. Just as we are no longer alienated from God through Jesus' death on the cross, we are no longer under the curse that creates the dysfunctional hierarchies between races, socio-economic classes, and the sexes. Yet, we are hesitant to claim and live out humanity's original calling that Christ paved the way back to.

Redemption is a multidimensional, beautiful truth of the gospel that invades every area of our lives.

Next post: "Eve, The Help Meet", which will explore who Eve is and why she was created.

Where Do Women Belong?

“Never make a principle out of your experience. Allow God to be as original with other people as He is with you.” -Oswald Chambers

March is Women's History Month. It's a perfect time to unleash my series on Women Biblical Issues. So buckle up and enjoy the ride.

The last few months I have been researching biblical equality as it pertains to the roles within marriage and roles within public church life. I absorbed so much information from both complementarian and egalitarian camps that my brain is starting to seep out of my ears. However, I have gained some imperative insight into the Bible's most bizarre and difficult verses to interpret from a consistent, holistic-scriptural-perspective, taking cultural and historical contexts, as well as original language into account. Since there is SO much information on the subject of women in church leadership and gender roles within a marriage (and society), I will be putting together a series of posts on various topics. So stay tuned!

As always input and opposing views are welcome, but let's keep in friendly, remembering that wherever one falls on these issues, both sides love the Lord and are trying to remain faithful to their understanding of scripture.

For now, I will leave you with a summary of the beliefs of both complementarianism and egalitarianism for clarity purposes.

Christian Egalitarianism:

Derived from the French word égal, meaning equal or level, also known as biblical equality, is a recent adaptation of the historic moral doctrine of Egalitarianism which holds that people should be treated as equals. Ultimately, Egalitarianism holds that all human persons are equal in fundamental worth and moral status.

Christian Egalitarianism holds that all people are equal before God and in Christ. All have equal responsibility to use their gifts and obey their calling to the glory of God. God freely calls believers to roles and ministries without regard to class, gender, or race.

According to Christian Egalitarianism, gender equality in Christian church leadership (including pastors) and in Christian marriage is biblically sound. Its theological foundations are interpretations of the teachings and example of Jesus Christ and other New Testament principles. It refers to the biblically-based belief that gender, in and of itself, neither privileges nor curtails a believer’s gifting or calling to any ministry in the church or home. It does not imply that women and men are identical or undifferentiated. Christian Egalitarianism affirms that God designed men and women to complement and benefit one another.

Complementarianism

Complementarianism is a term to describe a theological view held by some Christians that differing, non-overlapping roles between men and women, manifested in marriage, church leadership, and elsewhere, is biblically required. The term Complementarian was coined in recent years and largely replaces today what previously was known as the Traditionalist or Hierarchical view of gender relationships. It comes from the tenet that men and women are designed to complement one another. The opposing viewpoint is Christian egalitarianism which maintains that there are no biblically-required distinctions between men and women in marriage, church leadership, or elsewhere.Complementarianism holds that "God has created men and women equal in their essential dignity and human personhood, but different and complementary in function with male headship in the home and in the Church." Unlike the historic Christian Traditionalist or Hierarchical patriarchal perspective of gender relationships, complementarianism maintains that men and women are equal in the sense that they bear God’s image equally. But with respect to roles in the church and in marriage, gender-based differences determine or restrict the roles appropriate for each. Specifically, there are requirements of men, and restrictions on women.

The complementarian position has clear implications for the ordination of women as well as for Christian views of marriage. Men are expected to take spiritual responsibility, often called headship, for leadership in the home and in the church. Women are restricted from holding the teaching office of the church and from spiritual leadership in the home and in marriage.

What on Earth is The Emergent Church?!

"In a variety of voices, this group of friends is attempting to sing a song a together."--Tony Jones on The Emerging Church.

What is the Emerging Church?

I've heard this question asked rather frequently as of late. No matter how I try to explain it, I feel like I haven't quite satisfied the inquiry. Part of the reason is because The Emergent Church is so diverse that I never feel like a flat two to three sentence definition suffices. Another reason is because I usually feel a bit on the defensive since I find that people who do not even know what the emerging church "is" are wary of it, have already formed some negative preconceived notions, and are sometimes flat out against it. Since the Emerging Church is diverse and more of an ongoing conversation or movement than a denomination of "the church," people have a hard time pinning it down. However, I came across this post from Mike Clawson over at Emerging Pensees that sums up the history, evolution, various contributors, and main streams of thought of what is known as "The Emerging Church." He also does a superb job of defining some of the "key terms" and principles of Emergent thought.

Here is a more indepth article by Scot McKnight, a professor of religious studies at North Park Theological Seminary, that dismantles some of the prevailing stereotypes levied against Emergents and examines five streams within emerging faith: prophetic, postmodern, praxis-oriented (how faith is lived out), post-evangelical, and political.

Any thoughts? Emergent folks, do you feel this is an accurate summary of The Emerging Church? Traditional folks, does this give you a better understanding of what the Emerging Church is?

And just for laughs, here's a little cartoon dealing with stereotypes....

History of Christianity in One Sentence

"Christianity was born in the middle east as a religion, moved to Greece and became a philosophy, journeyed to Rome and became a legal system, spread through Europe as a culture--and when it migrated to America, Christianity became big business."--Richard Halverson, a late Senate Chaplain.

Very pithy, very true, and very sad.

Charles Finney: A Liberal Feminist?

"No written law has ever been more binding than unwritten custom supported by popular opinion."--Carrie Chapman Catt, suffragist.

Since the labels "liberal" and "feminist" come with a lot of baggage and Finney himself hated stereotypes, I won't pigeonhole him to these descriptions, but I will say he dabbled in activities and efforts associated with "liberal" and "feminist" goals more than most people realize. This is a great synopsis from The Rebel God blog on the christian leader Charles Finney, a figure immortalized in many conservative-evangelical camps, who ironically advocated women's rights by admitting women into his college, allowing them to speak publicly at revival meetings, etc. This aided in spurring on the early feminist movement, which had a very spiritual foundation. Finney was also dedicated to more "liberal" causes and intertwined personal faith WITH social action. Very interesting read!

How Could I Resist? It's Bono!

A montage of U2's live music, pictures, and Bono quotes on Jesus and Christianity.



And while I'm on a Bono kick...here's a link to the Bono speech that changed my life: National Prayer Breakfast 2006.

My Experience With Moderate Muslims

"You shall do good to your parents, and to the near of kin and to the orphans and the needy, and you shall speak to men good words and keep up prayer and give unto the poor."--The Qu'ran

"Repel evil with good; as for those, they shall have the happy issue of the abode." --The Qu'ran.

For those of you who do not know, I am from New Jersey. I could see the smoke rising from the twin towers on Sept 11 from the high school in my town . My aunt was trapped in NYC during the terrorists attacks and several people from my church worked in the towers. The planes that crashed into the towers were hijacked from Newark airport, the only airport I had ever flown out of at the time. It seemed like everyone we knew was somehow affected by Sept. 11. It was a very real and personal tragedy. Within hours of the attacks, terms like "Muslim fundamentalists," "radical extremists," and "religious terrorists" dominated the news. Inevitably, fear, stereotypes, and skepticism about the Muslim community spread across the country like wild fire.

Just a few months after 9/11, my friends and I were driving around looking for something fun to do. My one friend mentioned that her friend from college owned a coffee bar a few towns over. So we went. We walked into a crowded coffee shop, replete with card playing and funky music. However, we quickly noticed that the entire place was packed wall to wall with college-aged Muslim guys and girls. My friends and I are as WHITE and "non-Muslim" looking as they come. It was one of those moments when the music skidded to a halt, cards fell to the floor, and everyone turned to stare at us...at least that's what it felt like. The girl we were meeting rushed over and invited us to sit down. Apparently, this was a coffee/hookah bar for the Muslim youth groups and recreation centers in the area.

We sat down, ordered coffee, smoked the hookah pipe (relax, it's flavored tobacco) and played cards. Once we felt a little more comfortable, we mingled with other people. They taught us new card games and we had long conversations about the Qu'ran, Christianity, current events, and the differences, as well as similarities, between our religions. The coffee shop only played middle-eastern music and some of the Muslim girls got up and danced. The boys came over and offered to teach us! By the end of the night, we were dancing, laughing, singing, and connecting with these beautiful people, learning about their culture, their beliefs, and the diversity within their religion. A few of the guys told stories about how they had been pulled over, yanked out of their cars, and searched, but that they understood this was a fearful time full of uncertainty. Others told stories of the words "towel head," "rag heads," and "sand monkeys" spray painted on their cars, lockers, and homes. Others had their homes egged. And others shared their beliefs about Jesus, and I was SHOCKED how much respect they have for Him.

And while there are obviously distinct and fundamental differences between Christians and Muslims, plenty of common ground exists as a foundation for a meaningful and respectful conversation. These people value community, family, friends, purity, respecting elders, modesty, and truly love each other. We were on their "turf" and they showed us nothing but kindness, good will, and friendship during a time and place where both "sides" had reasons to be wary of each other.

This night will remain carved into my heart for the rest of my life. Those of you who have been to my house know that I bought a hookah pipe to serve as a reminder of the night I hung out with Muslim youth at a hookah bar. This experience kept me from branding all Muslims as extremists, radicals, or sinister enemies, as many have sadly done. It is so vital for Christians to extend a hand of friendship, hope, and healing to the Muslim community that feels alienated, misunderstood, and afraid. It's important to clarify the parts of our religion that confuse them; many Muslims are under the impression that Christians believe in three gods. We should keep in mind that there are MANY sects within Islam and HUNDREDS of interpretations of the Qu'ran, just like there are with Christianity and the Bible. We should realize that it is JUST as easy to take a bible verse out of context to justify HORRIRBLE atrocities in the name our religion as it is with the Qu'ran. We should understand that ALL religions, including Christianity, have been perverted and distorted by corrupt people, extremists, regimes, and governments to gain power and control over people and lands throughout history. We should recognize that although we disagree with the foundation of Islam, there are sincere peace-loving muslims who are trying to serve God, their families, and their communities the best way they know how. We should try to understand the viewpoint of the other to better communicate, to better love, to better reach out and to better live in peace with all people (Romans 12:18).

I came across this video and found it compelling. Watch and discuss.

The Rapture Already Happened!!!

Only instead of being snatched up into the clouds of glory, American Christians have disappeared into secluded church subcultures and comfortable bubbles. Scared ya for minute, didn't I? :)

According to a number of surveys conducted by the Barna Group, a christian research institute, there has been a 92 percent increase in the number of unchurched Americans in the last thirteen years. In 1991 there were 39 million unchurched Americans compared with the 75 million currently. The age group between 21-35 are disappearing from American churches at an alarming rate and they are the least likely age group to be personally acquainted with a christian. Although every survey concludes that the most effective method of evangelism is to build LONG TERM personal relationships with people, it is the least used method employed by evangelicals. Street preaching, tract distributing, media evangelism, and other "one-hit" type methods are the most common evangelistic tools.

So, the emerging American "unchurched" culture has no "inside" experience with everyday Christians and large numbers of everyday American Christians are spending the majority of their time with other Christians in mostly christian settings.

What are the unintended consequences of such a reality? Well, for one, our culture's impression of the church is largely dependent on evangelicals in the media (most of whom, I wish would get raptured already) or the horror stories from people who have been burned by the church and left. Now, most christian people and leaders are wonderful people, trying to live their lives in accordance to the teachings of Jesus and to love God and each other the best way they know how. But it is SO easy and SO common for believers to get sucked into the christian subculture, that most of the world does not get to encounter these people on a regular basis. We church folks have created such an extensive, safe, and comfortable bubble that it becomes completely possible to enter through the church's door and never come back out again. Somehow, I don't think that is what Jesus had in mind...

We have our own everything: churches, schools from pre-k to college, book clubs, music, stores, christianese jargon, odd bumper stickers, businesses, movies, retreats, concerts, conventions, coffee houses, theaters, magazines, news outlets, youth groups, youth centers, and even alternatives to myspace and youtube (hi, Godtube!). None of these things are sinful or harmful in and of themselves, but add them all together and we've created a comfy, isolated empire that too many Christians retreat to LONG TERM. And MANY get sucked so far in, that they make little contact with the culture at large, if ever. We might as well be raptured.

People outside the church get a distorted view of Christianity because they form their perception of Christianity based on the few glimpses we allow, and it ain't pretty. There's the TV evangelists that prey on the the poorest and most vulnerable members of society to swindle their money in exchange for false hope. The world watches as these charlatans reduce the name of Jesus to a magic trick or a lottery ticket, taking money FROM the poor to build crystal cathedrals and fund their decadent lifestyles of BMWs and mansions on hills. Or people hear mega-preachers like Pat Robertson, who blames every natural disaster on gays and liberals, calls for the assassination of leaders who he disagrees with, who famously said, "gays want to come into our churches, throw blood on us and give us all AIDS," and then later said gay people's presence at Disney World would cause a meteor to hit earth. Oh, how about when Jerry Falwell claimed the purple teletubby was gay and blamed 9/11 on liberals, gays, and the ACLU? Or what about Gary Demar, who wants to establish the Old Testament law as American Law, so gays can be executed. Or the Westboro Baptists that go around the country protesting military funerals with signs that say "God Hates Your Tears," "God Hates Fags," and "God Killed Your Sons." Or savvy politicians, who may or may not be Christians, but do not hesitate to use Jesus to "sanctify" the republican party and all that comes along with it. Or when Bob Jones University, a christian college that attracted such notorious speakers as G.W. Bush and John McCain, just lifted their longstanding official ban on inter-racial dating in 2000! Or people like Ann Coulter, who talk about Jesus constantly and then advocate the use of nuclear weapons, just to send a warning to the rest of the world. Or how about the long string of scandals involving high profile Christians, going all the way back to Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker up to Benny Hinn and Ted Haggard? Or sometimes people's only experience with church people are when they watch Christians organize over shallow issues, such as boycotting stores that say "happy holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." Or if people are really lucky, they might just be told they're on their way to hell through a comic strip track left on the windshield of their car. These are just a handful of examples...

Do you see where I am going with this? Do you see why people scratch their heads and think there is a disconnect between Jesus and The church? And in some cases, they are right, there is a disconnect between the example Jesus set and how the church behaves. Christians know that there is so much diversity within the church, so many denominations and viewpoints, and one sector does not speak for the whole. But to an outsider, it could easily seem like "the church" is full of money-hungry, power-hungry, war-mongering, male-dominated, pro-rich, judgmental, calloused, legalistic, politically partisan (bordering on theocrats), hypocritical Pharisees, who want to force their religion on others, reject and condemn those with whom they disagree, and eagerly await heathens' future smiting...

People who have never known down-to-earth, loving Christians to off-set these wacky portrayals (perhaps "betrayals" is a more apt description), will inevitably form this type of caricature of the church. It's human nature. We Christians are guilty of the same. How many Christians who never take the time to know gay people personally paint them as promiscuous, leather-wearing, rainbow-clad, cross-dressing, parade-marching transvestites that are after our children? (I heard this description verbatim...)

All the incidents I pointed out do not represent Christianity as a whole, but the world will never know that if we Christians continue to barricade ourselves within our safe subcultures, listening to CCM (barf) while reading the Left Behind Series. If we do not make the vulnerable move to go out AMONG the people--not just inviting people to church--and build real, trustworthy relationships, where we listen just as much as talk, where we become transparent, humble, and sacrificing--Christians and nonchristians alike will suffer. Nonchristians might never get past their horrible impression of the church to even consider or fully understand the gospel. Our PLACE is to be in the world--smack dab in the middle of the muck and mire of human dysfunction (John 17:5). Christians will never experience essential growth without heeding to this call, to be IN the world. We can attend church services every Sunday, mid-week prayer groups and bible studies, attend our christian colleges, wear our scripture-clad t-shirts and WWJD bracelets, and do the "hit and run" evangelizing from time to time, but unless we get out and live among the people as Jesus did, reach out to the outcasts and marginalized, start publicly defending the cause of the poor and needy, and use what influence we have to demonstrate service-based christianity, we will become stagnant, disconnected Christians, twiddling our thumbs until Jesus comes back....and I wonder what He'd say?

I've been reading this book, "They Like Jesus, But Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations" by Dan Kimball, about how the present "secular" culture views Jesus and the Church, and the vast difference of opinion between the two. It's a book that provides great hope for the church to break out of its bubble and reach out to a generation hungering for Jesus (more to come on this book).

I don't know about you, but I haven't been raptured. I am here on earth, called to pray for and bring about God' will ON EARTH as it is in heaven. I am flawed and inadequate for such a task. I struggle with selfishness, fear, doubt, and a million other areas on a daily basis. Nevertheless, I am not ready to disappear from the world. I want to be here to sow peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. I want to extend a hand of friendship to the other--the Muslim, the Jew, the Hindu, the atheist, or a gay person. I want to encounter Jesus in the least, the lost, and the last of this world. After all, that is where He said we would truly find him.

"Christians are now the foreigners in a post-christian culture, and we have got to wake up to this reality."
--Dan Kimball

Another Reason To Coexist...Part 3

See previous posts for the entire story: Another Reason To Coexist...Part 1 and Another Reason to Coexist Part 2.

Brian Mclaren finishes his rebuttle to Focus On The Family's criticism of the NAE agreement to meet with muslim scholars....

Another Reason To Coexist...Part 2

"Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it. "--Thomas Jefferson

Read the previous post to read the first part of this article.

Brian Mclaren continues his response to criticisms made by Focus on Family about christians agreeing to meet with muslims to better understand each other.

Two men, whose families have suffered greatly at the hands of religion-motivated violence, healing wounds by coming together....forgiveness is a beautiful thing.

Another Reason To Coexist....

"The only alternative to coexistence is codestruction."
--Jawaharlal Nehru

I am always amazed when Christians get their panties in knot when other Christians seek to be peacemakers and bridge builders to people from whom we differ. Isolating ourselves from all those with whom we differ breeds arrogance, misconceptions, insensitivity, the tendency to villify, animosity, and frankly, ignorance. Coexistence is the foreground to effective communication between conflicting views and communication is necessary for true conversion. For a refresher on my views on coexistence, see "Blessed Are The Peacemakers For They Shall be Called...Liberal Hippies?"

Even though I should see these things coming, it still shocks me.

Read Brian McLaren's response to Focus on The Family's criticism of Christians finding common ground with Muslims to better reach out to them.

Shouldn't we find points of common ground with those of different faiths and work from there?

One Preacher, Eleven Presidents

"Those who believe that religion and politics are not connected do not understand either"--Mahatma Ghandi

Billy Graham became a larger-than-life icon for millions of evangelicals during the last seven decades. He is believed to have physically addressed more people in more places than anyone else in history, preaching the gospel to more than 210 million people, in 185 countries in 417 crusades! But becoming the first global ambassador for Christ is not the only unique role in Graham's life; he has also personally known, befriended, and counseled 11 U.S. Presidents in a row, from Harry S. Truman all the way down to George W. Bush. Think of all the history that has unfolded in the last fifty years: the Korean war, the cold war, the cuban missle crisis, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, the women's movement, the student movement, the Iranian hostage crisis, roe v. wade, the assassinations of JFK, MLK, and Robert Kennedy, the emerging drug culture, counterculture, 9/11, etc. etc. Through it all, Billy Graham has been in the unique position to appeal to each sitting President from a spiritual foundation, offer counsel, prayer, and strict confidentiality. The story is a fascinating and sobering tale.

The Preacher and The Presidents: Billy Graham's White House Crusade, by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, journalists for TIME magazine, who conducted multiple interviews over the course of a year with Billy Graham, chronicles the political aspect of Graham's ministry during the past fifty-odd years. Gibbs and Duffy, who remain surprisingly fair and objective, skillfully relate Graham's remarkable tale of spiritual counsel and influence on the world's most powerful leaders. Alas, influence comes at a price. Graham's sincere faith in both God and our nation's leaders led to occasions of political manipulation, over estimating certain presidents' character (hi, Nixon), and blind spots to the corruption that all too often accompanies power. However, Graham's humble demeanor, willingness to admit failure, and relentless pursuit of God's grace for all people set a higher example that far outweighs any shortcomings of his half-century ministry.

Gibbs and Duffy describe Graham as displaying a rare and unique quality:

"Sincerity, like a paint stripper, removing any pretense and pride. He volunteered regrets before we probed for them...He was perfectly transparent about his own failures, but slow to pass judgment on anyone else. 'We are all sinners,' he said, 'in search of grace.'"

In addition to depicting Graham's relationship with our nation's leaders, the book also reveals new dimensions to our Presidents' spiritual side, or lack there of, in some cases. Presidents, like all people, wrestle with matters of faith, and it is intriguing to see how that personal battle intersects with public leadership, policy, and the political machine that seeks to exploit it.

From influencing Eisenhower to push for "under God" to be added to the pledge of allegience to helping sow peace between race relations under John F. Kennedy and Linden B. Johnson, to counseling the Clintons after Bill's very public affair to witnessing to George W. Bush, Billy Graham, like no one else, has faithfully ministered (for better or for worse) to the most powerful men in the world. His story is well worth the read.

Win The War On Christmas By Losing

"Every time you say 'Happy Holidays,' an angel gets AIDS."– Jon Stewart, on the absurdity of the intense opposition to the phrase Happy Holidays over Merry Christmas.

For the last few years, accusations have been flying around (some legit and others fabricated) about how Christmas is under siege, slowly being banned from the public domain. There are claims of mega-chain store employees forbidden to wish their customers a Merry Christmas, signs displaying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, lyrics to Christmas songs changed, etc. etc. While its completely ridiculous to "ban" people from saying the phrase 'Merry Christmas,' I find the uproar, protests, and boycotts from evangelicals to"enforce" Christmas even more absurd, shallow, and frankly, extremely illogical. Focus on The Family has done several shows about the "attack on Christmas" and how good Christians can "fight" it. The American Family Association is leading boycotts on stores that say happy holidays. Other religious right groups are encouraging boycotts, protests, congressional intervention, and letter writing campaigns.

First off, I don't really believe that Christmas, as we know it, is going anywhere, based solely on the money-making aspect of the holiday. Secondly, the move to the more vague, inclusive 'Happy Holidays' greeting adopted by many stores is not so much of an attempt to ban Christmas, but an attempt acknowledge the other holidays celebrated during the same season...(Chanakuh, Kwanzaa, and New Years).

However, pretend for a moment that there is a diabolical plot among politicians, the ACLU, secularists, the liberal media, and businesses to "do away" with Christmas (there ARE people who despise any public recognition of anything even remotely religious). Pretend businesses would actually be stupid enough to take down the biggest money making holiday of the year and all "traditional" Christmas decorations, songs, and rituals were removed from the public square. If this happened, Christians should be thrilled! That's right, THRILLED.

Aren't these the same groups that we have been accusing of hijacking Christmas FOR DECADES, reducing the birth of Jesus to a materialistic, decadent, consumer-driven, self-indulgent extravaganza about who can buy the most crap, put up the biggest tree, string the brightest lights, and display the tackiest plastic reindeer, Santas, and snowmen on their lawns? Haven't evangelicals resented the fact that Christmas has been secularized, commercialized, and focused on a chimney-invading fat guy in red suit, instead of the celebration of our Lord's birth? Didn't we gaze condescendingly at all those 'heathens' that took their kids to see Santa at the mall, who were obviously deceived by those money-hungry businesses trying to make a quick buck off the birth of our Savior? Christians should be ecstatic to reclaim this beloved holiday, make it ours again, transform it into a season that truly inspires the celebration and honor of our Lord. And how did Jesus say those who love him would truly honor him? They would keep his commands. And what were those commands? Loving God and our neighbor (enemies included) with everything within us. So, does it honor Jesus when Christians force THE WORLD to adhere to God's standards? Or, even worse, OUR STANDARDS in the name of God? Or trying to conform the world to an outward appearance that is more convenient FOR US, instead of demonstrating concern for the heart? Does it honor Jesus when we selfishly demand and economically blackmail secular businesses to recognize our precious holiday and meet our needs? Is our faith so fragile, that we need THE WORLD to validate it by continuing to water-down a Holiday they don't fully understand, nor should be expected to understand?

It's not a biblical mandate to celebrate Christmas, but it is a mandate to honor Jesus by living out his teachings. We could flex our religious muscle and force worldly institutions to half-heartedly recognize Christmas to appease us, make our lives easier and more pleasant, but would our victory for "Christmas" be a loss in honoring Christ? Would our victory be just one more terrible witness to the world, where we exert domination over the world through force, condemnation, and judgment, instead of reaching the world with sacrificial love, service, kindness, and compassion?

Why are we so intent on cleaning up the world's outward image, instead of reaching hearts? Are we like the Pharisees, who care only to clean the outside of the cup, while leaving the inside filthy and empty? What difference does it make if the secular leaders and businesses recognize Christmas in name to appease us, only to remain inwardly unaffected, confused, and resentful? These outcries to "restore" Christmas will only ensure that we Christians can stroll through the mall hearing OUR favorite Christmas music, enjoying OUR favorite man-made traditions, and hear a "Merry Christmas" from a minimum-wage-working cashier after overpaying for stuff we don't really need.....wow....I can hear the "well done, my good and faithful servant" now!

Ah...but there is hope! What if we took the teaching of Jesus seriously? What if we saw this "ban of Christmas" as a unique opportunity. What if we overcame evil with good? Turned the other cheek? Loved those who hate us? Blessed those who curse us? Lose our secure, comfortable lives, so we might save it in the end?

Wouldn't it come as a baffling shock if Christians everywhere put down their picket signs, ceased the boycotts, dropped the Christmas lawsuits, and instead, showered politicians, business owners, and ACLU workers that show disdain for Christmas/Christians with thoughtful gifts, invitations to OUR Christmas celebrations, letters of prayers, (not condemning ones), asking nothing in return? What if Christians took all the money they are spending on lawsuits over Christmas and used it to serve the poor, the marginalized, and sick? What if we stopped courting the approval and recognition of the rich and powerful and focused on the least, the lost, and the last of this world? What if Christians recreated our Christmas celebrations and invited the world, instead of demanding the world get it right and include us? How much harder would it be for the world to label us as judgmental, condemning, intolerant, superficial hypocrites, if we actually lead by example, by service, by radical, ridiculous, unconditional love? See, Jesus is no naive optimist, He is a genius! By responding to cruelty with kindness, insult with blessing, neglect with service, rejection with embrace, it proves our opponent wrong. It shows their true colors. It halts their accusations. It could inspire a rethinking of their assumptions. It makes us a people separated unto God. It clears the way for reconciliation, healing, renewal, forgiveness, and transformation. When we take the bait and repay evil with evil, eye for eye, dollar for dollar, insult for insult, when we demand our DUE, we not only lose in the end, but we become our "enemy," for we are guilty of the same offenses, tactics, and attitudes. For what good is it if we only show love to those who love us? Do not even non-christians do this? Aren't we called to a higher standard?

So let's do what Jesus would have us do on the day we've chosen to celebrate his birth: lose our holiday to save it after all. Lose the war on Christmas to truly win it!

A Skeptic's Crash Course on Global Poverty

"Poor people die not only because of the world's indifference to the poor, but also because of the ineffective efforts of those who do care."--William Easterly

"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint, when I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist"--Helder Camara


The Skeptic's Guide To Global Poverty, compiled by Dale Hanson Bourke, is a must read introductory analysis of Global Poverty, articulately summing up all its many facets, taking on the toughest frequently asked questions by everyday people about this crisis--how bad it is, why so many people are poor, who's responsible to help, the misconceptions, how poverty happens, how it grows, what the contributing factors are, and how best to help. This pithy 100 page book provides a vast amount of overwhelming statistics and information on everything from third world poverty to American poverty, AIDS to Malaria/Tuberculousis, hunger to gluttony, debt relief to trade reform, governmental responsibility to private responsibility, capitalism at its best to capitalism at its worst, economic factors to environmental factors, and social factors to political factors.

Dale Hanson Bourke remarks:

Being poor, it turns out, is much more complicated than lack of money. Poverty runs deep into the family and community, robbing individuals and whole societies of life-saving information, health-care, food, and water. Poverty robs individuals not only of security and health, but also dignity. A poor person is often too busy surviving the present to spend much time thinking about the future. Yet, the poor have dreams--especially for their children--much like ours... But just as knowledge is power to the poor, it is also power to those of us who are relatively rich. We can make a difference, but we have to understand more. We need to be smarter about poverty.

This book provides an excellent beginning to the understanding of this dire complex issue, the kind of understanding that breeds focus, direction, and action.

The following are some of the statistics from the book that I found most revealing/shocking:

• Poverty and hunger claim 25,000 lives EVERY day
  
• Nearly HALF of the world's population live on LESS than $2 a day


• The combined economies of ALL 48 sub-Saharan African countries are about the same as the CITY of Chicago


• Over 80 percent of Americans believe the government gives 20% of the federal budget to foreign aid, when the US gives LESS than 1 percent and only a small part of that 1 percent goes to alleviate poverty


• The GDP of the poorest 48 NATIONS is less than the combined wealth of the world's three richest people!


• 20 percent of the population in the developed world consumes 86 percent of the world's goods. America makes up 6 percent of the world's population and consumes 43 percent of the world's resources!


• 6 million children under the age of five die every year of malnutrition

There are more than 2,000 verses in scripture that deal with caring for the poor. As imitators of Christ, it is imperative to educate ourselves on global poverty, so we can commit ourselves to the most effective methods to alleviate needless suffering and death among our fellow human beings. I recommend this book because it is a small starting line to the long marathon ahead of us as a people of faith, as the living body of Christ.

"'He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?' declares the LORD."--Jeremiah 22:16

Which Story Shapes Your Worldview?

The following article, "The Story We Tell Ourselves," written by Brian Mclaren appeared in last month's issue of Sojourners/Call To Renewal Magazine. It struck a chord with me by reminding that the lives we live, the choices we make, the realities we accept, the action we take, or the indifference we cultivate, are all framed by our perspective of the world, the story in which we find ourselves. As Christians, what are our perspectives shaped by? Do we rely on God's story of the kind of kingdom He yearns to be established here on earth? Are our perspectives tainted by the world's stories of political ideologies, nationalism, power, fear, violence, greed, practicality, despair, distrust, etc.?

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

By Brian McLaren

Any society or civilization at any given time lives by a dominant framing story, a story that gives its common life a coherent shape and direction. That story will no doubt evolve and adapt over time, for better or for worse, borrowing from or reacting to the stories of its neighbors. To understand a society, then, and certainly to change it, we must make its covert framing story more overt and realize its power—sometimes awe-inspiring, sometimes awful.

For example, if our framing story tells us that we humans are godlike beings with godlike privileges—intelligent and virtuous creatures outside a limited environment of time and space, without potentially fatal flaws—we will have no reason to acknowledge or live within limits, whether moral or ecological. Similarly, if our framing story tells us that the purpose of life is for individuals or nations to accumulate an abundance of possessions and to experience the maximum amount of pleasure during the maximum number of minutes of our short lives, then we will have little reason to manage our consumption.

But if our framing story tells us that we are free and responsible creatures in a creation made by a good, wise, and loving God, and that our Creator wants us to pursue virtue, collaboration, peace, and mutual care for one another and all living creatures, and that our lives can have profound meaning if we align ourselves with God’s wisdom, character, and dreams for us, then our society will take a radically different direction, and our world will become a very different place.

In this light, our growing list of global crises, together with our inability to address them effectively, gives us strong evidence that our world’s dominant framing stories are failing. We might say that they are too weak. They don’t provide strong enough inspiration and motivation to transcend the greed, class conflict, sexual irresponsibility, ethnic hatred, religious bigotry, or nationalistic militarism that threatens us. We could also say that our framing stories are too strong—but strong in a misguided way, in that they actually catalyze and energize those same self-destructive forces. Either way, we can safely conclude that our societal systems, driven by their framing stories, are perfectly designed to yield the results we are now getting. If we attempt to change the results without changing the system, starting with its framing story, we will fail. Consider how our current dominant story is failing us:

The Prosperity Dysfunction. Our story does not guide us to respect environmental limits, but instead inspires our pursuit of as much resource use and waste production (also known as economic growth) as possible, as fast as possible. As a result, we burn through nonrenewable resources without concern for their eventual disappearance, draw down renewable resources faster than they can be replenished, and produce more waste products than our environment can absorb, manifesting a host of negative symptoms, some realized, others largely invisible to us as yet. Rapid and extravagant resource use (with corresponding waste production) is so profitable for some people that they can avoid or remain in denial about most of these negative symptoms for a very long time. In fact, their “success” makes it highly improbable that they will ever be willing to acknowledge the unsustainability of their way of life.

The Equity Dysfunction. Our framing story does not lead us to work for the common good. Instead, it legitimizes the growing gap between rich and poor in a variety of ways. For example, the story may imply that God has blessed and favored the rich and powerful, or that the poor and vulnerable are lazy and irresponsible and therefore are getting what they deserve. All the while the bellies of the poor and vulnerable ache from hunger, and their children die of treatable diseases. Every social grouping—national, religious, ethnic, tribal, political, social, or educational—is drawn into a vortex of rich/poor conflict. Each group becomes a competing us/them faction that seeks advantage for “us,” not a common good for all.

The Security Dysfunction. Our framing story does not lead these competing factions to reconcile peacefully. Instead we find, nested in the larger framing story shared by both rich and poor, a huge bank of patriotic and religious stories that celebrate how “redemptive violence” has helped good people (“us”) to defeat evil people (“them”) throughout history. Thus when push comes to shove, good people and evil people alike trust violence as the way to peace, and our framing story squelches the search for creative, peaceful alternatives. When more and more nations (or religious or ethnic militias) arm themselves with more and more lethal weapons—not to mention when some groups acquire biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons—everyone feels less secure, and every regional conflict contains the seeds of terrifying escalation, resulting in an increasingly anxious global society. Gradually, the world becomes locked in a vicious cycle of tension between an anxious global empire of the rich and an angry global terrorist revolution of the poor.

ALL ATTEMPTS TO resolve these systemic crises—the prosperity crisis of the planet, the equity crisis of poverty, and the security crisis of peacemaking—fail because they fail to address the fourth crisis, the spirituality crisis of purpose. Tragically, the framing stories that program and drive our societal machinery toward suicide are too frequently aided and abetted by our world’s religions and the various stories they tell. Instead of inspiring us with a framing story of hope (true good news), our religions more often camouflage existing destructive narratives in various religious disguises. They preach a far-reaching covert curriculum of fear and violence; they teach a coherent and comprehensive global “orthodoxy” of greed, self-interest, religious/ethnic/ cultural supremacy, and struggle for domination and conquest.

It is at this profound and pivotal level where Jesus confronts our suicidal system. His essential message, which he called the good news of the kingdom of God, confronts this suicidal societal machinery and seeks to transform it from a suicidal system into a sacred global community. It does so by providing a radical alternative to the dominant framing story that currently drives human society.

To the prosperity system, Jesus says we are fellow creatures in one global ecosystem, created and sustained by God. Jesus calls us to seek the common good, not simply the selfish interests of our own ego, family, religion, race, nation, or species.

To the equity system, Jesus’ good news says we are neighbors in one global community, related to each other as fellow citizens in God’s kingdom. He calls us to seek justice for all so that God’s compassionate will is done on earth as in heaven.

To the security system, Jesus’ message says we are siblings in God’s family, called to reconciliation, not competition or domination. He calls us to be active peacemakers who respond to our enemies through love and service, not victors who eliminate them through revenge or preemptive violence.

Jesus communicates this alternative framing story of the kingdom of God in a variety of ways. First, it comes through parables, artistic works of short fiction that seek to abduct the human imagination from the dominant, destructive, and confining framing story currently at work in human society, and to free human beings to imagine and pursue new possibilities. Second, it comes through dramatic enactments called signs and wonders that convey God’s desire to bring peace and health to humanity through healing rather than war. Third, it comes through his ethical teachings, which should be seen not as laws through which one earns hell or heaven, but rather as practices through which people can seek and participate in God’s kingdom.

Perhaps most powerfully of all, Jesus’ liberating message is embodied in his own life and example, in his interactions with people, and most decisively in his crucifixion and resurrection. As he is misunderstood, arrested, falsely accused, tortured, and crucified, he manifests an unflinching attitude of forgiveness, enacting the essential drama of his story: The evil of human beings may break boundary after boundary, but the grace of God is always wider, deeper, bigger, and more powerful than human wickedness. God’s grace will surely triumph over human evil, and the story of the resurrection celebrates the power of faith to triumph over the machinery of societal suicide.

JESUS CHALLENGED people in his day to stop believing the empire’s empty promises and stop fearing its threats through a brilliant strategy. First he lured its dark machinery into the light, so to speak, so it could be seen for what it was, exposed, named, rejected, and defected from. After praying “your will be done” in the garden of Gethsemane, after choosing self-sacrifice over self-protection, he walked like a lamb into the middle of the forest, so the wolves would come out of the shadows and circle around him. Then he stretched out his neck, as it were, inviting them to pounce, and they did. Ironically, though, as he exposed his own neck, he also exposed their vicious wolfishness and in that way he sabotaged them, defeated them, rendering them ugly and incredible. After all, they could no longer claim to be agents of peace and promise after torturing and killing a good and peaceful man so violently and shamefully.

Just as the wolfish powers breathed a sigh of satisfaction at nailing yet another challenger to a cross, Jesus’ quiet but real resurrection validated to his disciples that the liberating king was not defeated, but rather was on the move, quietly, at the margins, where all revolutions begin. His resurrection told them that Caesar’s muscle couldn’t conquer God’s vulnerability, that Caesar’s spears couldn’t conquer God’s forgiving heart, and that Caesar’s whips and nails and crosses couldn’t overcome God’s way of love and reconciliation.

So in the shadow of Caesar’s ruthless kingdom, witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection could never live by Caesar’s framing story again. It had become disgusting to them, despicable, pathetic, exposed. Liberated from Caesar’s false promises and fear, they chose to live in the framing story of a new Lord, in his “in-but-not-of-this-world” kingdom, as citizens in his “kingdom from another place,” with headquarters not in Rome but in the heart of God. They withdrew their trust from the domesticating and domesticated narratives and counternarratives that energized the empire, and they chose instead to believe Jesus’ wild, untamed good-news story about the kingdom of God—as a story of hope that could frame and transform a better future.

Perhaps now, with them, we can begin to envision what it would mean for us to confront the suicide machine of our world in the way of Jesus, to expose it and deconstruct it, to intercept its trajectory and turn it to a better way, to reclaim its potential for ends more in line with their original creation. Perhaps we can see ourselves in a new light too, not armed with an ideology but infused with a new imagination, part of a peaceful insurgency seeking to expel a suicidal occupying regime, gardeners working with God to tend the holy ecosystem so it continues to unfold anew day after new day. We can be agents of a secret revolution of hope, a global movement unleashing coordinated, well-planned acts of unterror and healing, producers in a new economy of love—an economy so radical that old terms like capitalism and communism seem like two sides of a confederate coin left over from a fading and discredited regime. Doing so will require one radical, irreplaceable thing in us: faith—faith that the old narrative of domination is suicidal, and that a new story (good news, an invitation to reconciliation) is available if we will only rethink everything and believe it.

Brian McLaren, board chair of Sojourners/ Call to Renewal, is the author of The Secret Message of Jesus and A Generous Orthodoxy, among other books.