Thoughts on War in the Bible and Terrorism in the 21st Century, Essay 4
Posted by Joel in Book Review, Religion and Politics on November 29, 2010
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For an introduction to the series, see here.
It was is looking to be a timely discussion tensions rising again around the Korean Peninsula, Rodas examines Isaianic impulses toward peace in a country at war. He first tells his story of how he came to his conclusions on biblical theology of war and the impetus of this search, followed by a thorough review of Isaiah’s prophecies dealing with Hezekiah, a king who in the midst of a war turned to human innovations instead of relying upon YHWH. It is not about what we can do, but about who we are that confirms what we should do.
Rodas begins his essay by detailing his personal pilgrimage during the years which he spent in war-torn Guatemala. It was in the midst of this struggle that he searched for ‘an appropriate evangelical response’ to what was happening around him, and as we know now, war and terrorism in general. In this struggle, he began to dialogue with voices such as Niebuhr who seemingly urged responses within the “ethics of responsibility” (p62). But, this was not to Rodas’ liking and was countered by the theology of Stanley Hauerwas. It was here that he formed his notion of response to violence as a test of identity. He expands this personal theology as he examines the attack faced by Hezekiah as recorded from the prophet’s viewpoint in the Book of Isaiah.
Throughout the remainder of the essay, Rodas is able to build up the notion that because those who hold to the legacy of Jewish monotheism as preached by Isaiah hold to a unique God, then we have a unique identity which requires a unique response to war and terror. And what is preached of a righteous king was never fulfilled an earthly king, which as we now live in the Kingdom of Christ, it behooves us to know our identity. If we identify with Christ, then we accept that while the Kingdom is come and is coming we must actively participate in it (p78).
In the end, maybe the best way to say what is happening so far in this book is “If God is our Warrior, then why not let Him fight?”
Related articles
- In the Mail: War in the Bible and Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century (thechurchofjesuschrist.us)
- Thoughts on War in the Bible and Terrorism in the 21st Century, Essay 1 – Christianity and Violence (thechurchofjesuschrist.us)
- Thoughts on War in the Bible and Terrorism in the 21st Century, Essay 2 – War in the Hebrew Bible: An Overview (thechurchofjesuschrist.us)
- Thoughts on War in the Bible and Terrorism in the 21st Century, Essay 3 – Toward Shalom: Absorbing the Violence (thechurchofjesuschrist.us)
Sunday Thoughts – 11/28 – First Sunday of Advent
Posted by Joel in Devotional on November 28, 2010
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It has been a very, very long week for me. I got back from Atlanta on Tuesday, only to spend a few hours working on our first contract proposal which I had to rush, with 15 minutes to spare, to FedEx. Wednesday, of course, was recovering from SBL and well, you get the picture for the rest of the week and weekend.
This morning’s service was an especially welcoming one. I don’t know why – maybe because I missed last Sunday. Maybe it was the sermon (which I suspect had a lot to do with it). The sanctuary was packed, and there was, to use a completely non-academic term, or Baptist term, but a wonderful, wonderful spirit there this morning. It was rather cozy. I hope to post on the sermon and the challenge of the sermon later this week.
Of course, this is the first Sunday of Advent, and the topic of today was Hope. One of the readings today is from Isaiah,
This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will be the highest of all- the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.”
For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. The LORD will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD! (Isa 2:1-5 NLT)
The Church is a Community – not an individual relationship with God. As we join the throngs of Saints here and not here in the celebration of the Advent of the Christ-child, I would encourage you to lay aside some of those differences which keep us away from the Other, the Stranger. Remember the Incarnation and what we have come to understand it as, and live incarnationally. If you must, dare I say, condescend to those who are lower than you in some way. That’s polite – if I was to be frank, I would say to get off your high horse and become what others need to see from God, but I want to be polite.
I have a busy two days, with papers to write and two meetings, but over all, this month isn’t too terribly busy. As a matter of fact, I plan on taking some time off to recoup and to read a lot before the start of the next year. I cannot believe that it has already been a year since last Christmas… whew…
But, this year has seen a lot of changes for me. A lot. I mean, leaving a faith tradition which I had for 32 years, into another one. And other stuff. Of course, like all bloggers, I am sure that I will get around to reflecting on some of the changes which I have seen this year.
I have a few posts planned for this week. But. Not. Much.
I hope that each of you have a great and wonderful week.
Related articles
- The First Sunday of Advent: Hope (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
- anticipation and hope (hopeseguin2010.wordpress.com)
- And So It Begins… (biblicalpaths.wordpress.com)
- A Candle of Hope — Advent Lectionary Meditation (pastorbobcornwall.blogspot.com)
- The First Sunday of Advent (godspace.wordpress.com)
- Collect For the First Sunday Of Advent (cehwiedel.com)
- Advent: Preparing Our Hearts for the Future (godspace.wordpress.com)
- A prayer for the first Sunday of Advent….Bernard of Clairvaux (westernthm.wordpress.com)
WikiLeaks Release Imminent – U.S. World Standing in Jeopardy?
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on November 28, 2010
I don’t usually post on Sunday beyond the usual, but… this story really has me concerned. If there are lives at risk, should these leaks be stopped (can anyone)? But on the counter, what about the lives which may be saved because Governments have to act more responsible? Further, are we about to become intimately aware of the way our Government has been operating for a few years (more than the last two)? I think we are.
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“The material that we are about to release covers essentially every major issue in every country in the world,” he told reporters in Jordan by video link when asked if the new leaks again focused on U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan….
….
The cables are thought to include candid assessments of foreign leaders and governments and could erode trust in the U.S. as a diplomatic partner.
Crowley said the release will place “lives and interests at risk. We are all bracing for what may be coming and condemn WikiLeaks for the release of classified material. It will place lives and interests at risk. It is irresponsible.”
Diplomatic cables are internal documents that would include a range of secret communications between U.S. diplomatic outposts and State Department headquarters in Washington.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/28/wikileaks-release-endangers-countless-lives/#ixzz16bPbjV4K
This is one of those times that a citizen should sit back and wonder what type of government do we really have? And, to what level are we, the American public, really knowledgeable about international relations… We sit here and watch as the tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula. Will we one day learn that governments were behind this?
The world is about to get scarier and brighter.
Related articles
- U.S. braces for WikiLeaks (politico.com)
… touched the hem of his garment
Posted by Newtaste in Devotional on November 27, 2010
A close encounter with N T Wright.
I walked into the hotel expecting a large crowd of scholars and academics and was surprised to find a small crowd of lay people and ministers. As I was standing in line for registration N. T. Wright himself walked up and stood right next to me (talking to someone else). Margaret even touched the hem of his garment. It was awesome. I would have been content with just that, but the night just got better.
Wright didn’t turn around to see who had drained the power from him?
After he was done speaking we ended the night with a responsive prayer reading called compline. When the session was over, I hung around to see if I could maybe talk to ole Tom Wright (we’re on a first name basis now that I’ve been in a room of 100 people with him). I walked over to him, he’s actually a rather big guy (easily 6 foot 3) and stuck out my hand. He kindly shook while I told him how wonderful he is, and that if he only asked I would be his personal slave until Jesus comes back. He humbly turned down my offer for voluntary slavery and simply said, “Thank you.”
No, this wasn’t one of the well know attendees at the recent SBL conference in Atlanta …
Full story: meeting a hero | a humble attempt at being human
Jason, James, Jesus and Wisdom
Posted by Joel in Deuterocanon on November 27, 2010
Jason has a post up about some of the Wisdom literature and the book of James.
These are brief samplings of the parallels between James and one non-canonical book of wisdom. I believe that they show us that James has some definite traits of wisdom literature.
The Book of James As Christian Wisdom Literature | Pastoral Musings.
Although I may disagree with him about the ‘non-canonical’ status… I do think his post is an excellent on. Go over and give it a read if you can.
Gordon Fee, Pentecostalism and Scholarship
Posted by Joel in Religious News on November 27, 2010
[[[Gordon Fee]] has become one of the widely read scholars, and the more so with his new book on Revelation (which I really, really, want). Anyway, here is a portion, read the rest at link below.
Among evangelicals, few have looked to Pentecostals for in-depth biblical teaching. A commonly held view has been: “Pentecostal theology? What’s that?”
Says Fee: “In defense of my Pentecostal tradition, we grew up with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that swept the world like a storm. For many Christians, it was ‘Father, Son and Holy Book.’ They would say, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit,’ but that was it. The Pentecostal movement brought people into a direct encounter with the living God.”
So, do Pentecostals need Bible scholars?
“The question is not do we need Bible scholars, but are we willing to embrace them?” Fee responds. “If we are willing to embrace someone with a Ph.D. in history, why not embrace someone with a Ph.D. in New Testament studies, which, after all, is a branch of history?”
Fee adds: “Having a Ph.D. has not stopped me from being Spirit-filled.”
Fee is a sought-after author, and many Christian publishing houses want the rights to his books that help readers delve deeper into the Word. His most popular, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (co-authored with Douglas Stuart), is in its third edition and has sold more than 1 million copies. Perhaps the reason for its runaway success is Fee’s simplistic approach. “The worst enemy of Scripture is the numbers and verses,” Fee says. “Get rid of the numbers, and you can read the Scriptures.”
Fee admits to being amazed that no Pentecostal had theological books published before him. Students would listen to his lectures and ask, “Where can I find this published?” Realizing such a book did not exist, Fee decided he would fill the gap. Since the 1970s, he has written numerous books examining the New Testament and, in particular, the apostle Paul’s teachings.
Read more: http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/29379-a-professor-with-spirit#ixzz16X4oHJFN
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- Three things for me to read… (livingjourney.wordpress.com)
- Pastor Sam Lee – Reforming Pentecostalism (thesignofthecross.blogspot.com)
- Perspectives on Pentecost (gkupsidedown.blogspot.com)
Study Finds White Evangelicals Believe in American Exceptionalism
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on November 27, 2010
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I thought that this might interest some of you, actually. Who do you feel about it?
As a Christian, I tend to believe that God has a “special role” for every person and every nation. Too often, however, we confuse “special” with “exceptional.” If we agree that God has granted the United States a special role in history, then shouldn’t we also agree that God has granted Thailand and Kenya a special role?
Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s what most of the respondents in the study had in mind, and the research of Robert P. Jones, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, seems to agree. In Jones’ analysis he found:
“Americans who affirm the idea of ‘American exceptionalism,’ a belief that God has given the U.S. a special role in human history, have a distinctly more militaristic approach to foreign policy than those who do not affirm this idea. Those who believe in American exceptionalism are more likely to favor military strength over diplomacy as the best way to ensure peace, and they are also more likely to say torture can be justified than those who do not believe God has given the U.S. a special role.”
Jones is referring to the disturbing finding in the same study that a majority of white Americans who say God has a special role for the U.S. also believe that peace is best found through the use of military strength rather than diplomacy and that torture can be justified in at least some cases.
Study Finds White Evangelicals Believe in American Exceptionalism – Evan Trowbridge – God’s Politics Blog.
In someway, I can see the idea of a ‘special role’, especially if one believes in a Sovereign God who is pushing all of humanity towards a consummation of history. I wouldn’t, however, go so far as to believe in American Exceptionalism. Nor would I assume that I would need to have a militaristic viewpoint if I did believe in the special role.
So, what do you think?
ht – Charles Harrison, via Facebook
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