BLOG 8/10/18. CHRIST’S FOLLOWERS NOT SOME OTHER-WORLDLY BUNCH
We need to stop and remind ourselves regularly that our calling to be followers of Jesus Christ does not make us escapists from the often complex and grim realities of our present-day context. We are not called to be otherworldly, or “so spiritually-minded that we are of no earthly use.” I well remember as a pastor (a couple of decades ago) when the Roman Catholic council of bishops rendered a stinging critique of our government’s military policies. One of my members was a retired officer from the armored cavalry, and he was irate at me for affirming the bishops. I reminded him that they were a highly respected company of church leaders. His response was: “Maybe so, but they don’t know anything about the military.” He was so miffed that he left the church.
That maybe a bit of an extreme illustration, but we need to remember the foundations of our faith. Jesus was the Word of God made flesh and blood and dwelling among us. Our most common prayer makes the initial petition that God’s kingdom will be coming on earth as it is in heaven. This means that the invasion of God’s tomorrow will be taking place in our today, … or that God’s already-but-not-yet New Creation will be an ever present and transforming reality among us.
It was the giant theologian, Karl Barth, who commented that “we must do our theology with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.” To be oblivious or uninvolved in the realities of the community around us, economically, politically, morally, and socially, what with all the complexities and ambiguities is a contradiction of our calling to be God’s New Humanity, and the demonstration of his passion for this very present and broken world that Jesus came to seek and to save. We are called to be radical humanitarians, champions of justice, of peace, and of order.
We will undoubtedly make some mistakes, but our ultimately authority is in Jesus Christ, and we live with his word in one hand and our daily newspaper in the other. Such people are springs in the desert, pools of water in the barren valleys of this present engagement.
What an exciting and all-consuming calling that is. It can be dangerous, but it is never dull.
That’s all I wanted to say.
Blessing on you in that calling.
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