Thank you for that---I do find it interesting.
Glad you enjoyed it.
I just wonder how divided that should be when we have instances like the protests in Charlottesville. Is the whole church expected to be cut off and excluded from speaking out against the attitudes of the protesters (chanting, "blood and soil" and "the Jews will never replace us")? Is that a "political" issue (like so many consider it).....or a place of intersection of faith and community?
The church typically is politically neutral, Pastoral concerns being far more important. I remember hearing for the first time Martin Luther King jr. a sermon called, 'Dogs in the yard'. The idea was a rabid dog comes into your yard where your children play, there is an obligation to put the dog down. I have been disturbed by the rise of white nationalism in the alt right but hoped they were a negligible threat. Charlottesville changed that for me, I watched it that Saturday and couldn't believe it when that lunatic plunged that car into a crowd. I listened to those white nationalists describe their experiences there, it was beyond disturbing. The church could have done more to oppose the rise of Hitler and Mussolini, Catholics and Protestants alike too often failed their core convictions by not speaking out:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me. (Martin Niemöller)
To me.....it seems that we are to be "light in the darkness".....and "salt of the earth"....promoting hope and reconciliation. If we're going to be huddled in our churches and separated from all the others "out there".....I don't see how much of a witness we are going to be.
Aristotle described virtue in this way, there was excess and deficiency. In the balance there was virtue. One example was courage, too much and it's reckless, too little it's cowardice. The balance he said was so uncommon it was almost rare. One analogy he used was finding the center of a circle saying, not everyone can find the center but someone with skill can.
I think the is the key:
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Eph. 5:21)
Paul was clear, there is no difference. Husbands submit to their wives, wives to their husbands...etc. There is no difference between Jew and Greek and it makes sense, there is no difference between black and white. We as Christians do well to preach, practice and emphasis this core conviction.
I'll refrain from the sermon this could turn into, I'm not trying to preach this, only to make a point with it. When a Preacher preaches against prejudice and hate that is a matter of conscience and conviction, who am I to judge someone else's servant. We must stand against hate, in our doctrine and in our lives:
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. (Col. 3:8-11)
First we must put out hate from our hearts, then we have the moral authority to preach against it. That's the issue, once a Preacher has he has every reason to stand against hate. If there are consequences let us remember, Jesus warned us in the sermon on the mount. There is a cost and a reward.
Grace and peace,
Mark
