This is quite a challenging thought! Of course I do believe that the Church is a central part of God's plan for the renewal and transformation of the world. However, I realise that I am not good at being Church.
The ancient Catholic dictum extra ecclesiam, nulla salus (“outside the church there is not salvation”) contains a significant sociological truth. Certainly it is not impossible for individual Christians to maintain biblical beliefs even if a hostile majority disagrees. But if the church is to consist of communities of loving defiance in a sinful world, it must pay more attention to the quality of its fellowship and find new models of Christian community.
Ronald Sider, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger (via invisibleforeigner)
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the role of the Church in the transformation of society, and also how we could be 'better' at being what the Church is truly called to be.
Please take a few minutes to watch this wonderful TED video featuring Mitchel Besser, a doctor who is doing extraordinary work in supporting some of the most vulnerable people, who undergo immense suffering, with a very simple and effective Mother2Mother HIV AIDS support system.
The title of this post may be shocking - indeed, I it is intended to be so! I believe that if one person suffers we all suffer. So, to understand my statement 'I am positive' please read these posts.
Today is World AIDS day. Today we remember that the Church has AIDS. We do not minister to people who are HIV positive, as if they were people outside of the body of Christ. Rather, we ask God to heal us, for all of us suffer from this disease.
Whether you are HIV+ or not, this disease reminds us that we shall all face death. It reminds us that we shall all be ill at some stage. It reminds us that we need one another to be strengthened and encouraged to face the reality of struggle. It reminds us that society can be cruel and that people can be judged for something that afflicts them. Most of all, this disease reminds us that we have a God who cares and longs to bring us healing and hope.
Prayer of invocation:
Loving God, you are our parent. You look upon us with mercy and compassion. You understand our weakness. Our suffering breaks your heart. Look upon us with love, grace, and compassion today. Father, you know the pain of losing your only son to death. Jesus, you know the pain of dying and leaving those whom you love behind. Spirit you are the giver and sustainer of life. With confidence we approach your throne of grace that there we may receive mercy.
Renew our spirits and draw our hearts, bodies, and minds close to yours. All of us are subject to the frailties of life. Strengthen us in our weakness, bring us wholeness in spite of disease. For those who live under the impending threat of death, offer them comfort and strength in the knowledge that death does not have the final victory and that in you there is true, eternal, and blissful life that lasts for eternity. For those who feel the pain of seeing a loved one die, fill them with courage through the power of your Spirit of life. Surround them with caring and loving people who will show to them the love that you want to give them in their time of need.
Help each of us to strengthen our resolve to obedience and service. Give us courage so that we would not shy away from facing our own frailty and pain. Move us to go to the places of death, like your beloved disciple John went to your cross, so that we may offer love and healing to those whom you love.
Let us delight in doing those acts of mercy that will bring healing and honour Your name.
Today we declare the faith that neither height, nor depth, neither life, nor death, neither angel, nor demon, nor anything in all creation can separate us from Your love. You are the creator God. You make a way where it seems none can be found, your bring forth living waters in the wilderness. We place our trust in You, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
A meditation to guide your prayers and actions today
Nosipho's story - no greater gift.
Nosipho is just thirteen years old - tonight she is lying awake next to her 8 year old brother and her 5 year old sister. Her father named her Nosipho when she was born. She remembers that tonight. Her name has a very special meaning. Nosipho was born to her proud parents, Mxolisi and Vuyisile, in a remote part of South Africa called northern Kwazulu Natal. There was no work there for Mxolisi so he went to the city to find work as a labourer working on the roads. Mxolisi wanted to live a good life and take care of his family as best as he could. So, he faithfully brought money back to his Vuyisile and Nosipho at every opportunity. He and Vuyisile were blessed with a son who they named Andile (meaning 'the family is growing'). They loved their children very much and had great dreams for their future.
However, with each year that passed it became more difficult for Mxolisi to be alone in the city. The months that Mxolisi and Vuyisile spent living apart took a toll upon their marriage and they would often disagree and argue. Once, when they argued, he told her that 'he had needs', 'like all men do'. And so, he decided to take a 'city wife', as many of his friends had done. Sadly, his city wife was HIV+, and so when Mxolisi returned home one December, himself HIV+ by this time, he gave Vuyisile another child, Thandi (which means 'nurturing love'), but, he also gave her the killer virus that would take both their lives.
Mxolisi and Vuyisile discovered that they were HIV+ in the year that Nosipho turned 8 years old. Andile was 5, and little Thandi was just 2. Thandi had already been infected with the virus her mother was carrying through the milk she drank from her mother?s breast. Sadly, both Mxolisi and Vuyisile died of AIDS within 3 years of discovering their status, Thandi, however, is still alive and now a little girl of 5.
Nosipho is a clever little girl. However, she hasn't been to school since her father died when she was 11 years old. By that stage her mother was already very ill and confined to bed, but at least then Andile and Thandi could stay with their mother while Nosipho begged for food and money at a traffic intersection on the edge of the township. She watched the other children going to school dressed in their smart school uniforms, with book bags that had pencils, paper, and no doubt some lunch to eat. She wished that she could be like them, but that would not happen - her mother eventually died as well.
Tonight as she lay in bed she was no longer a child, but a parent, overnight she had become a 13 year old head of a household of three. She knew that she had a much greater responsibility than other 13 year old children. Each day she has to get enough money from the cars and commuters that come whizzing by to feed her two siblings and herself. She has a small cardboard sign on which she has written in a child's handwriting 'No parents, no food, no work, 3 people to feed. Please help. God bless you'. She also needs to get a few rand extra every month to help pay for Andile's school fees. She wants him to stay in school and learn so that he doesn't have to suffer like his father did. She doesn't want him to suffer like she is suffering now. Whatever money she has left after she has paid his fees, when there is any, is given to the 'aunty' who looks after her sick sister, Thandi, while Andile is at school and she is begging at the traffic lights. She doesn't trust the aunty, she drinks, and she's sure that she hits Thandi. But, she has no option. It is too dangerous for Thandi to be with her at a busy traffic intersection.
There are other girls like Nosipho. In fact most of the child headed households in South Africa are headed by girls under the age of 15. Nosipho knows this because she meets some of them every Sunday at a little group for children like her that is held in the tin church near her shack. They sing songs, some kind ladies read stories to them from the Bible, and then they say prayers and get some food to eat. The church has also given her clothes and shoes for her and for her brother and sister. There is a lady from the government clinic who comes to visit their group once a month. She always asks Nosipho if she is safe, and asks if she and her brother and sister are getting enough to eat. You see, Thandi needs special medicine to keep her healthy, but she can only take her medicine if she eats properly, or else the medicine will make her sick instead of healthy. So on days when Nosipho does not get enough money, or food, to feed all three of them she lets Thandi eat first, so that she can take her medicine. Andile eats next, because he can't learn when his stomach is empty. Nosipho often lies awake at night hungry, but she knows that she is a 'gift' from her parents to Andile and Thandi ? that?s what her name means. Nosipho means 'a gift'. It?s the name her father gave her. She doesn't play anymore, she simply lives to be a gift to her brother and sister. Tonight she prayed to ask God to help her because a man has said he will give her R20 if she takes her clothes off and sleeps with him. She's praying because she is afraid. She has been told at church, and she has seen the posters, and heard the stories - Nosipho knows that's how little girls get sick and die ? but she needs the money. She wants to be a gift. She doesn't know what to do. Maybe God will do something to help her tomorrow? It is Sunday, she will ask one of the ladies to help her.
Reflection: Stories such as this are common in South Africa. In KwaZulu Natal the death rate is higher than the birth rate because of AIDS. Recent statistics from UNICEF have suggested that up to 50% of children are HIV+ and an increasing number of children are growing up without their parents. Children like Nosipho face a stark and dreary existence. They are robbed of their childhood and dignity in a quest to survive. Very often their only support comes from community organisations such as churches and civic groups. For most children the lack of access to food, or poor nutrition and feeding practises, coupled with infection, leads to their untimely death. Children who are born in rural areas who do not have 'bar-coded' South African Identity documents do not qualify for medical care, schooling, or any form of government grant. Sometimes the most basic of help, like helping children register for an ID Book, or offering children a daily meal, and seeing that they take their medication can mean the difference between life and death. Methodist Churches in Southern Africa train all of their ministers to offer support and care to persons who are infected and affected by HIV. It is a central part of their training for ministry. In the region of the world that has the highest rate of HIV infection it cannot be any different. The Gospel demands that we bring healing and transformation. Perhaps the work of the Church near Nosipho could keep her from turning to prostitution at the age of 13? All that is needed is a courageous group of caring people who will see her plight, understand what she needs, and help her to find it - food, shelter, and loving adult support. This is what Jesus would do.
[I wrote this story as a case study for a book that is in publication in the Cambridge Theological federation, UK. Please do not copy it without contacting me. I shall put you in touch with the publishers to get permission. Thank you.]
Silent reflection and prayer.
What do you feel? What do these feelings tell you about yourself?
What does this story tell you about the world, and others in the world?
What do you think God feels? What would God want you, or your Church, to do?
Knowing this, what do you need to pray to have the courage to do?
What will you do today? What will you plan to do tomorrow? What will you want to achieve by next year this time?
A benediction for today
Almighty God, by the power of your Holy Spirit open my eyes to see the world as You see it, my ears to hear the cries that You hear, my heart to have the courage to feel what You feel, and my life to be present to You and all those whom You love this day. Give me the courage to worship and serve you in faithfulness, to be a blessed and healing reminder of Your love to all whose lives I will touch. I offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.
If you're looking for some facts on HIV / AIDS here are a few that may be of interest:
Have you ever taken time to consider the relationship between faith, economics, globalization and the suffering of people
?
Well, recently I did a post about the neurological causes of greed, and how these can be managed as a 'value transaction' in order to address some of the economic inequalities that we face across the world.
Let me show you a few basic analogous maps of the world to illustrate the economic inequalities that exist in the world.
First, here is a basic map of the world based on geographical land mass (i.e., this is the traditional manner in which maps are drawn - the area of each land mass is a represented equivalent of the actual land mass drawn to scale).
Now, take a look at this next map - this map is analogous of the world's wealth. In other words, the more wealth a nation has the larger it will appear on the map. Look how large North America and Europe are in relation to the rest of the world - it is also worth noting how rich Japan is on this map. Clearly, the world's wealth is concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere, and it is largely concentrated in the West. I shall, however, say something about the shifts that are taking place in the world's economy at a later stage.
Next, take a look at this map which analogous of poverty across the world. It is almost an inverse representation of the wealth map above - this map shows nations that are poorer as larger masses on the map.
Now, take a look at this map which shows HIV / AIDS infection across the world - it is interesting to note that 68% of all HIV+ people live in Southern Africa (that is 22.8 million out of the 33 million persons who are HIV+). I have just written a study on this for a new book on a Christian response to HIV / AIDS - it is shocking to see the prevelance of AIDS deaths in Africa. But please do take a look at the last map in this series.
This last map gives an analogous representation of where the world's Christian population lives. Isn't it sad to see that Christians live in most of the places where wealth, poverty and HIV / AIDS are significant problems? Clearly we have a few things to learn about money, God's economy, health care, reproductive care, women's rights, and sex!
OK, now I made mention of the fact that the world's wealth is concentrated predominantly in the North and the West - this is changing! Within the next 10 years the economies of the USA (North America), and most of Europe will show negative growth in some instances, and decline in others. The economies that are on the rise are China, India and Brazil (Australia is also a Southern Hemisphere economy that is growing at a significant rate). In other words, by 2020 we will see a completely different picture in global economic power! My advice is that you send your kids for a 'gap year' in China! As for me, I'm starting to study Mandarin!
Sadly, Africa's economy will only show marginal growth since it is crippled by the impact of AIDS, political instability, underdevelopment and international debt. However, if we play our cards carefully the continent could be the next economic powerhouse after China and India since we are one of the only continents on earth that still has natural resources!
So, here's the point - did you realise that if we spent just 10% (190bn US$) of the annual world budget for military expenditure (1235bn US$) we could BOTH restore the earth's natural resources (cleaning up our water, replanting trees, creating environmentally friendly and more sustainable energy source), AND meet the basic water, sanitation, education and health care needs of the whole world! Just 10%... You can read about that research from Brown 2008 (entitled Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to save civilization) here.
Christians make up more than 40% of the world's population - surely we could take up our responsibility to manage the 'household of God' (oikosnomos - economy) for the transformation of the world?
What do you think? How do we do it? What practical steps can you suggest to start making a difference within your sphere of influence... As I've been doing this research in recent weeks I've been praying one text consistently:
The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. (Psalm 24.1 NIV)
If you're interested in an article / chapter that I have published on the subject of the environment and earthkeeping you can read
More red than green ? a response to global warming and the environment from within the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. Forster, DA in The Epworth Review - the Journal of Methodist ecclesiology and mission Vol 35, No 2 (2008). This paper was also published in
Forster DA, 'More red than Green', in What are we thinking? Reflections on Church and Society from Southern African Methodists. Forster, DA and Bentley, W. 2008. Methodist Publishing House, Cape Town. ISBN: 978-91988352-6. (2008:117ff. Chapter 7)
(This is not my area of expertise by the way, I am far more interested in justice and economics, but there was not much being written on this topic from our perspective so I took it upon myself to do some research in the area).
If you're interested in reading a chapter that I wrote on the Christian's response to Greed and Economics please see:
Upon the Lord's sermon on the mount - discourse 8 (a contemporary exposition of John Wesley's sermon on stewardship and the use of money from an African Liberation Theology perspective) in Shier Jones, A and Reisman, KD 44 Sermons to serve the present age (2007), London: Methodist Publishing house. ISBN: 97807162063
Oh, and if you're looking for my 'other' post on maps of the world please go here. This is the MOST clicked linked on my blog - isn't that amazing!?
Yesterday I was phoned by the producer of Kate Turkington's radio program on Radio 702 / Cape Talk Radio to ask if I would be willing to do an interview on her show on some of the characters and characteristics of Christian Leadership. You may stumble upon this page today, or in the months that follow. Please feel free to add your own thoughts, insights and convictions in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you!
An unwavering commitment to the person of Jesus and the ways of Jesus.
If one declares one's self to be a Christian in leadership he or she should naturally display a clear devotion to the person of Jesus Christ, and the ways of Jesus. I would suggest that a Christian leader should bear some resemblance to the character of Jesus (Phil 2:1-5 and Gal 5.21-23). Moreover, a Christian leader should seek to devote his or her life to doing the kinds of things that Jesus came to do (to establish God's Kingdom of justice, mercy, grace, equality, provision and wholeness - c.f. Lk 4:33 and Lk 4:19ff).
A Christian leader should display integrity and courage.
All of the great leaders of the Bible (among whom I would count Jesus, David, Joseph, Moses and a host of others such as Esther) displayed great integrity and courage.
Let's talk about courage first - it was Christ's courage that cost his life. It was Moses' courage that highlighted one of the central themes of the Bible (God's emphasis upon social justice), he set a nation free and courageously led them through very trying conditions in the desert. David faced Goliath and many other enemies in his lifetime. Esther won over a foreign King and saved her people.
Integrity is another hallmark of a great Christian leader. The Bible is clear that we should not say 'yes, yes' with one breath and 'no, no' with the next (Matt 5.37 and 2 Cor 1.17). Jospeh showed incredible integrity in not giving in to the seduction of Potiphar's wife. He was not swayed by the might of the King, and eventually he went on to save many nations - even his own brothers who had sold him into slavery. Of course David made a number of indiscretions in his life and faced grave consequences for that!
A Christian leader should seek to be a servant of God's will and the needs of the people.
One of the most shameful characteristics of contemporary leadership is that it is selfish and self fulfilling. It is all about the leader. However, the real reason for leadership is to serve a greater cause. Christian leaders are called to live like Jesus did, as servant leaders (see Luke 9.46-50; 22.24-30; Mark 9.33-37; 10.35-45; Matt. 20.20-28). Of course Jesus himself was a leader who recognized that his life should be lived for others - he served the will of his Father first and foremost, and sought to uplift others and bring out the very best in them (John 13.1-7).
In our time I have seen a few people like this. Bishop Desmond Tutu was willing to sacrifice himself for what he believed God wanted for the nation of South Africa. He would place himself in difficult situations, facing powerful groups and people, and even placing himself between waring groups, for the sake of peace and transformation. His servanthood and sincere love for others won them over, changed first their hearts and then their minds, and later won the day!
Nelson Mandela is another man who has done this in our nation. After all that he had been through in his lifetime he would have been justified (socially) if he was filled with revenge. Yet, he held the needs of the nation as higher than his own. He exemplified forgiveness and reconciliation and inspired others to do the same.
A Christian leader should be skillful, self controlled and humble.
The leaders of the Bible were all equipped for the tasks they were to take up. Some received divine empowerment, others were trained in courts or under Godly mentors. Some had previous life's experience that they could apply to their new tasks.
A person who is skilled and secure in what they are to do will have a powerful personal life. They will be resolute and secure, not pandering to the needs of others, or selfish ambition and vein conceit (Phil 2:5). I'm afraid that there are many leaders who have dismal private lives, and it shows clearly in their public life!
A Christian leader should do all that she or he can to lead first within their home, displaying the deepest and most sincere character traits in those relationships, and then from that strong base to lead in the broader community.
Some of the greatest weaknesses that we see in leaders who make mistakes in the Bible (David, Saul, Judas) etc., are mistakes that result from a lack of self-control, a lack of humility, and personal ambition and desire. Christian leaders should have the needs of the people and the will of God as their primary motivation.
Finally, on my list, I believe Christian leaders should live by faith.
It takes faith to achieve great things for God and God's people! A Christian leader will require faith in God's ability and God's sovereign Power and Will. Many leaders in the Bible (Joseph and Moses, even Paul) had to rely on God to do things that seemed impossible! Their faith in God, which arises out a deeply intimate relationship with God in Christ, gave them both courage and sustanance for the journey of leadership.
Well, that's my list for now! I hope to be able to record the show this evening and put a copy up here after the fact.
Please fee free to add your thoughts, ideas and insights in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you.
In Mark 2.13-17 to we read one of the many accounts in the Gospels where Jesus was judged by the Pharisees for fraternizing with sinners.
There is little doubt that the religious establishment of his day thought that Jesus was a heretic!
I was reminded of this today as I was speaking to a friend about one of my little books 'Christ at the centre - discovering the cosmic Christ in the spirituality of Bede Griffiths'. We were remarking how different Fr Bede's Christology was from that of his friend CS Lewis. In fact, Fr Bede's theology developed in a very different way to CS Lewis' - I think that it may be because each of the men honoured the context in which they served Christ. Lewis formed his faith in the University City of Oxford, while Griffiths formed his faith as a missionary monk in Southern India. Both were committed to Jesus, yet that commitment found expression in quite different ways.
I was milling over our conversation as I was driving to a meeting at the University of Stellenbosch (where I was to give input into a new Master's degree for ministry practitioners). My thoughts turned to two rather strange questions:
1) I wonder how the contemporary Church would 'judge' God's radically gracious theology?
2) Would we, like the pharisees of Jesus' time, consider God to be heretic?
Here's a video I recorded while driving.
In the December 2008 volume of the Journal STUDIA HISTORIAE ECCLESIASTICAE I did a review on Richard Burridge's wonderful book 'Imitating Jesus: An inclusive approach to New Testament ethics' - Burridge makes an interesting point in his book, one that I tend to agree with. He notes that if we read the words of Jesus (his teaching) we will see that he had a rather stringent ethic, a high set of moral standards. Yet if we observe the actions of Jesus we will find that he acts far more graciously. It is not a matter of incongruence, or cognitive dissonance, rather it is that the teaching of 'the law' finds it's fullest expression in a life of loving grace.
Perhaps the contemporary Church, and many Christians, have become too caught up in the stringency of 'the law' and have not held on to a lifestyle of loving grace.
Perhaps we would consider God to be unorthodox, maybe even a heretic? What do you think?
As for me, I am trying to be a little more like Jesus every day! I want His love for this world to run through my speech, my thoughts and my actions. Some may find the company that I keep difficult to bear, the may even call me unorthodox, perhaps even a heretic!
Wow! This is shocking! Take a look at the infographic below to get an idea of the pervasiveness of Internet pornography.
This such a troubling issue - in my regular counselling as part of my ministry the matter of addiction to porn has become increasingly common. At least once or twice a month I have someone coming to see me about this matter. Frequently it is wives who have discovered that their husband or son is visiting porn sites on their computer or cell phone. At other times it is men who feel convicted by this issue.
If you look at the bottom of this image you'll see that the most common day on which porn is viewed is a Sunday! My goodness - that is a concern! Here's what I assume.
- Most men view pornography on their personal computers and cell phones.
- This is done at home (and not at work).
- People view porn when they are not engaged in other mentally stimulating or physically taxing activities (e.g., work, sport etc.)
We need to do something about this. I am convinced that pornography destroys relationships and objectifies human persons!
Here's what I suggest:
1. Don't place yourself in a situation where you can be tempted! It is far more difficult to fight temptation than it is to avoid it altogether! So, don't ever use you computer in private (make sure your laptop or home computer is in a public space where anyone can walk past and see what you're surfing)
2. Speak openly and honestly to your wife and sons about the challenges and dangers of pornography.
3. Pray that God will keep your mind from this temptation. And, this may sound a bit crazy, but dedicate your computer and cell phone to Holy Purposes! Dan Ariely's great book on the neuroscience of choice ("Predictably irrational") shows that when we make a simple oath like this it is a powerful motivation to do the right thing! I, for example, prayed and offered my cell iPhone, iPad and laptop for Godly use. It makes a huge difference.
4. Get support and help. A simple thing that I have heard about is to get an accountability partner who you agree can check your browsing history and cookies at any time, and someone that you can phone and pray (and even meet) with if you face temptation.
So, do you think I am being puritanical by expecting men (and women) to not access pornography?
If you agree with my perspective do you have any suggestions for combatting temptation? I'd love to hear from you!
Boing Boing is reporting the findings of an American study which shows that atheists have greater knowledge of some elements of religions than the followers of those faiths. Boing Boing's report makes for interesting reading! However, what it fails to mention is that that while atheists may have far greater knowledge about certain elements of various faiths (by virtue of the fact that they would justify their stance by having reasons to support their lack of belief), surely they cannot have a better general, or overall, understanding of the subtleties of a particular religion?
For example, while many atheists may know some interesting facts about the creation narrative (I have even heard some atheist friends quoting words and portions of verses from the original Hebrew text to make a point), it is unlikely that they would have equitable 'technical' knowledge about others elements of a particular faith, e.g., the emphases of compassion, goodness, or love as expressed in those faith traditions.
Regardless, this is a an interesting article. What do you think - is it true, do atheists know more about religion than professing believers?
A new Pew survey on religion in America finds that atheists and agnostics are more likely to be well-versed about different religions' beliefs and practices than people who profess a belief in those religions. For example, atheists and agnostics are more likely to know that during Communion (Catholicism's central rite), the wafer and wine are meant to transubstantiate into the literal flesh and blood of Christ -- they aren't merely symbolic, as 40% of Catholics believe. Atheists and agnostics are also more likely than Protestants to know that Martin Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation (the majority of Protestants could not identify him).
Interestingly, Mormons are, on average, better versed on the traditional New Testament Bible than evangelical Christians and mainstream Christians, many of whom consider Mormonism to be apostasy.
American atheists and agnostics tend to be people who grew up in a religious tradition and consciously gave it up, often after a great deal of reflection and study, said Alan Cooperman, associate director for research at the Pew Forum.
"These are people who thought a lot about religion," he said. "They're not indifferent. They care about it."
Atheists and agnostics also tend to be relatively well educated, and the survey found, not surprisingly, that the most knowledgeable people were also the best educated. However, it said that atheists and agnostics also outperformed believers who had a similar level of education.
The groups at the top of the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey were followed, in order, by white evangelical Protestants, white Catholics, white mainline Protestants, people who were unaffiliated with any faith (but not atheist or agnostic), black Protestants and Latino Catholics.
This week I had the privelage of teaching at the University of Stellenbosch on two days. The topic of the lectures was Scripture and Ethics.
The Bible is a critical source that informs our moral and ethical decision making processes, and helps us to justify why we have taken a particular course of action. My lectures were based on two chapters that I have written.
When we need the Bible most... Complex ethical dilemmas and Christian scripture
Sadly, the Bible is often abused in moral and ethical decision-making processes. I often hear people quoting a single verse to justify a stance on something (whether it be politics, sexual choices, wealth etc.) An overly simplistic approach to ethics and an ignorant application of the scriptures can be extremely hurtful and damaging in complex ethical decisions.
In this set of lectures we began by examining the complexity of ethical decision-making. We used a story that a student shared with me when I was still a lecturer in Ethics and Systematic Theology at the University of South Africa (UNISA) some years ago:
Moral problems tend to have straigthfoward answers (right or wrong), whereas ethical dilemmas seem to have a mix of both good and bad. No matter what choice you make it will not be entirely good or entirely bad. The complexity is to work out what decision is best under the circumstances. This process of deciding is often complicated when one asks the question 'What would God want me to do in this situation?', or 'What does the Bible say I can and cannot do in this situation?'
The example used in class came from a student that I taught at UNISA.
Example: Is it ever right for a son to have sexual intercourse with his mother? What does the Bible say? The answer is, no, it is not acceptable for a son to have sexual intercourse with his mother. The Bible will not allow that. This is a clear moral problem. It is easy to resolve since the choices are either right or wrong, good or bad.
However, in this instances the young man was at home with his mother. A gang of thugs burst into their home, stole various items and then held a gun to the young man’s mother’s head. The told him that if he did not have sex with his mother they would kill her. What should he do? Does the Bible make some allowance for him to break a law on sexual purity because the value of his mother’s life is more important in Biblical terms?
This last point is an ethical dilemma. There is a conflict of values – the value of sexual purity in conflict with the value for life. Which is more important in Christian ethics? How does one use the Bible to inform such an ethical decision making process and choice?
Well, here are the slides from the lectures. You can download the original Microsoft Powerpoint slides from this link (5MB). These slides have notes and references in them.
However, if you simply want to click through the slides then please use the slideshare window below.
In order to illustrate the complexity of using the Bible in Christian ethics we used a very contentious subject, the Christian (Biblical) perspective on persons with a same sex orientation, and in particular persons in an active homosexual relationship, to consider an approach to ethical decision-making.
I would highly recomend that you read the chapters referenced above. They give a detailed technical outline of both the content of the lecture, but also the Analyse, Ask, Evaluate and Act model that is presented here.
It is always humbling to have an article published! I am particularly grateful that my article on Business as Mission was published in the September Lausanne World Pulse!
It deals with a subject that I am passionate about!
I'd be grateful if you'd read it here and encourage others to do the same.
The Methodist Church of Britain has just launched an iPhone app - the application is available for free from the iTunes store and works on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (in fact the screen grab that you'll see in this post comes from my iPad - I have it expanded to double size to fill the iPad screen).
I think this is a marvelous, missional, idea! In a context where persons are far more likely to want to structure their encounter with the Christian faith around their available time and location this is just another wonderful means of adding value to people's lives! Don't get me wrong, I am still convinced that people need community and places of real connection (such as that offered by a local congregation). But, we have to be honest - in Britain there are fewer persons who will want to make a faith connection through their local Church, than those who may be willing to receive a daily prayer and some reflection upon scripture on their phone (to read wherever they are).
The application is quite simple - it has a 'Spirit' section which has one part that offers prayers chosen from the Methodist prayer book and another section that offers thoughtful reflections upon sections of scripture. The other part of the application offers news (naturally with a Christian, Methodist, and UK slant).
I think this is a great idea! It even got some international news coverage! We need more forward thinking like this in denominations across the world!
Do you use a devotional application on your computer or phone? Do you have any others to recomend? Do you know of any other Churches or Christian groups that are offering similar outreach tools on creative technology platforms? I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback!
My friend Prof Cheryl Anderson, who I first met at Garrett Evangelical Seminary in beautiful Evanston Illinois - right on the Northwestern University Campus, in 2005, has just published a fantastic book entitled 'Ancient laws, contemporary controversies: The need for inclusive Biblical interpretation.' (Oxford University Press, 2009).
Cheryl is a Professor of Old Testament who has done some wonderful work on contextual hermeneutics. Her approach to reading the Bible responsibly is well worth studying!
Cheryl, thanks for sending me a copy of the book! It looks fantastic! I can't wait to read it! It will help me to gain a better understanding on how we treat the text with integrity when there are so many elements of it that we no longer accept as morally or theologically binding (e.g., slavery, incest, polygamy etc., are no longer deemed acceptable because of shifts in culture. We can't simply dismiss them without having some clear reasoning for passing over these elements while holding on to others)! Anyone who is serious about the Bible, as I am, should read this book!
Here's the link to the book if anyone reading this blog would like to buy a copy.
Here's a description of Cheryl's project:
The Ten Commandments condone slavery, and Deuteronomy 22 deems the rape of an unmarried woman to injure her father rather than the woman herself. While many Christians ignore most Old Testament laws as obsolete or irrelevant-with others picking and choosing among them in support of specific political and social agendas-it remains a basic tenet of Christian doctrine that the faith is contained in both the Old and the New Testament. If the law is ignored, an important aspect of the faith tradition is denied.
In Ancient Laws and Contemporary Controversies, Cheryl B. Anderson tackles this problem head on, attempting to answer the question whether the laws of the Old Testament are authoritative for Christians today. The issue is crucial: some Christians actually believe that the New Testament abolishes the law, or that the Protestant reformers Luther, Calvin, and Wesley rejected the law. Acknowledging the deeply problematic nature of some Old Testament law (especially as it applies to women, the poor, and homosexuals), Anderson finds that contemporary controversies are the result of such groups now expressing their own realities and faith perspectives.
Anderson suggests that we approach biblical law in much the same way that we approach the U.S. Constitution. While the nation's founding fathers-all privileged white men-did not have the poor, women, or people of color in mind when they referred in its preamble to "We the people." Subsequently, the Constitution has evolved through amendment and interpretation to include those who were initially excluded. Although it is impossible to amend the biblical texts themselves, the way in which they are interpreted can-and should-change. With previous scholarship grounded in the Old Testament as well as critical, legal, and feminist theory, Anderson is uniquely qualified to apply insights from contemporary law to the interpretive history of biblical law, and to draw out their implications for issues of gender, class, and race/ethnicity. In so doing, she lays the groundwork for an inclusive mode of biblical interpretation.
Among evangelical Christians there seem to be some basic differences, perhaps one could even call them divides. One of the more common differences relates to what the intention of the Gospel (good news) of Jesus is about.
Some would suggest that the intention of the Gospel is to 'preach truth' to people so that they are convicted of their personal sin and so make a commitment to Christ that saves them from eternal damnation. The outcome of that process in this life may be a transformation of behaviour.
Others, such as myself, believe that the thrust of the Gospel has to do with connecting people with the saving power of Christ that not only deals with their personal sin, but also empowers them to engage with structural sins in the world around them. Why do persons steal? Frequently it is because they have need, or they have been poorly socialized.
So, are these two approaches mutually exclusive of one another? Here's a great video from Skye Jethani, the editor of the Leadership Journal and a founder of the 'Out of Ur' blog on this topic. I'd love to hear your feedback!
It was 7 years ago, November 2000, Megan and I were at a Conference in Jerusalem, Israel. At the Conference were a number of passionate young Christians from Sweden... Nothing strange about that - I'm sure that there are MANY passionate young Christians in Sweden. However, what set these young men and woman apart from the other passionate young Christians who were at the Conference was the way they dressed, and how they looked! These guys had mohawk haircuts, pierced ears, noses, eyebrows, they wore tartan 'bondage' pants, had leather jackets and ripped T Shirts, and they were covered in tattoos... However, these were not ordinary tattoos, they were much more like the icons I had seen in Orthodox Churches, they were images of Christ, the virgin Mary, they also had knotted Celtic crosses, and ornate Germanic script with verses from the Bible...
These young people were passionate about Christ, and they weren't afraid to show it.
That got me thinking - what do Christians look like? I am sure that when God surveys all of the diverse and beautiful people that God has created there are lots of people with purple hair (heck I had a whole team of them in a Church I once served - they were called the 'WA' (woman's auxiliary). But I am sure there are a few young one's as well). I'm sure that there are respectable people - men in checked shirts and women in neat pinnafores (in South Africa we would call these folks the 'Woolworth's clan' (I'll confess that I am one of those who LOVES to buy a nice checkered shirt and a pair of Chinos from Woolworths!) - Woolworth's in South Africa is more like Marks and Spencer than Woolworths in the UK).
Oh, and for those who don't know me that well... Did you know that I have two tattoos? Yup, nothing quite as spectacular, or Christ honouring, as those that can be seen by following the link above... In fact, my tattoos are merely a reminder of a misspent youth! Let's see if anyone has noticed, and can say, what tattoos I have...
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 12:10PM 
