Absences and Oodles of Plans
April 4th, 2008 by Adam
Yes. I haven’t been posting with much frequency lately. I know. We’re all ashamed of it. But hopefully that will change.
Meanwhile, in my absence, I’ve done a few fun things that make for fun edu-muh-cation. In particular, John Granger, better known as the Hogwarts professor - one of the leading literary authorities on Harry Potter - has hosted one of my papers on his website as a guest essay. My thanks to John, and I encourage all of you to bask in the wonderful atmosphere over at his blog. You can read my paper here.
Also, I recently discovered that Jim Wallis - who some of you might possibly have heard of recently - is coming to Columbus, Ohio to do a “Justice REvival” at the Vineyard church there (the Vineyard is a charismatic/faith healing denomination started in the 80s). Wallis is the leading political spokesman of the whole neo-evangelical shebang and Christian leftism in general. His positions are delighted over by Jimmy Carter, Bono, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Brian McLaren, Desmond Tutu, Ron Sider, Tony Campolo, and a host of others. It’s evangeligoop shot straight out of group-hugist hell.
In the interest of objectivity (or possibly stomach ulcers), I got his latest book, The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America. Three days later, I have finished going through the book - and the ink from several pens. I marked that book up leftways and upside down, and about the only thing I didn’t do was write my own index in the back (it already had one). I’m hard at work on a response. Here, for your enjoyment (or development of stomach ulcers) are some of the choicest quotes.
First from Jimmy Carter, who wrote the foreword:
What we need is a way to tap the power of the revival of faith in order to inspire and encourage the secular social reforms that are espoused in all the great religions. This is the pathway described in this book, (p. x).
And now, straight from the horse’s mouth:
The Third Great Awakening . . . helped usher in the progressive era, the social gospel, and the New Deal, (p. 2).
Religion has no monopoly on morality, (p. 32).
The kingdom of God literally brings a great reversal to the values, assumptions, and norms of the world as we have known them. This is whi Christianity in defense of the established order - “Christendom” “Christian civilization” “Christian nation” “Christian empire” and the rest - have never made sense, (p. 62).
Churches cannot provide health care for 47 million Americans who don’t have it … or ensure enough affordable … [or] socail security … or a social safety net for children. … Only governments … can do that, (p. 71).
The Pentagon cannot be expected to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus, but the church must be, (p. 73).
The role of the state is ‘to defend and promote the common good of civil society … [The common good should] make accessible to each what is needed … food, clothing, health, work, education and culture . . . (p. 86).
As a Christian, and an evangelical Christian at that, I want to say emphatically that America is not, and should not be, a “Christian nation,” (p. 180).
The list, horrifically, goes on. But I’ll limit your development of stomach ulcers for today.