7 Burning Questions

The current issue of Relevant features an article with the 7 burning issues of our generation. They had some of the leading voices in the Church today respond to them. Click the links below for a synopsis of their answers.

1. InJustice
2. Homosexuality
3. Faith
4. Politics
5. Culture
6. Consumerism
7. War

Check out the May/June 2008 issue (#33) for their complete answers.

As a followup to this series, I listened to a recent edition of American Public Media’s Speaking of Faith, where host Krista Tippett presents a conversation among three generations of evangelical leaders (two of which were involved in the Relevant article) — Chuck Colson, Greg Boyd, and Shane Claiborne — about how (or if) Christians should be involved in politics. The event was part of a larger pastor’s conference in San Diego sponsored by Zondervan.

You can listen to or download various audio formats on the Speaking of Faith site or watch the video online.

Very good stuff!

Filed under: Brian McLaren, Chuck Colson, Church, Cindy Jacobs, Culture, Homosexuality, N.T. Wright, Nancy Ortberg, Politics, Religion, Shane Claiborne, Steve Brown, War

7 Burning Questions – War

The current issue of Relevant has a feature article with the 7 burning issues of our generation, and they have some of the leading voices in the Church today respond to them. I thought I’d highlight them in seven separate posts. Here is burning question number seven…

War: How should we respond?

The real problem here is the cultural captivity of the Church in America. Most American Christians are Americans first and Christians second. National identity trumps commitment to Jesus time and time again. When American Christians show a moral preference for war as an instrument of U.S. foreign policy, they have not discerned the true meaning of the Gospel. They’re blinded by nationalism, rather than having their eyes fixed on the Prince of Peace. — Jim Wallis

Some of the leaders of America and Britain over the last 10 years have spoken quite openly about getting rid of evil and doing so by means of violence. That seems to me extraordinarily lacking in historical awareness, theological substance and just sheer human wisdom. — N.T. Wright

People are pretty hunkered down in their positions-the vast majority favoring war as an acceptable option, and a small but growing minority either committed to pacifism or growing ore suspicious about war. We need to move to higher ground, and move from binary yes-no questions like, Are you for or against pacifism? to questions that force people to think more deeply. — Brian McLaren

How do we as a Church become communities in our nation that really advocate for peace? I don’t see a lot of churches doing things that make me think, or give ma a lot of hope that the Church could be a force for peace in this country. — Nancy Ortberg

Now, when one gets into the specifics of which war to fight, how to go about obtaining justice, what kind of force should be used and how in particular one should protect the innocent, the way gets muddy. I sometimes fear that Christians (both pacifist Christians and “Kill the enemy for Jesus” Christians) have never taken the time to go through the complexity. — Steve Brown

It’s unmistakable to me, when I look at the cross, what love looks like when it stares you in the face and says, “Forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Now the Sermon on the Mount may not look like the best way to lead the biggest superpower in the world and the biggest military–maybe that should tell us something. — Shane Claiborne

This seems to pose the question of whether or not we should be pacifists as Christians. Sometimes one has to go to war to make peace. Ask the veterans of World War II when they battled against the evil tide of Hitler’s regime. The Bible clearly states there is a time for war and a time for peace. — Cindy Jacobs

We live in a fallen world, which is why Augustine first formulated what is known as the “just war doctrine.” Thomas Aquinas was perhaps the most articulate on this when he included the just war doctrine under the section in Summa Theologica on love. He considered it a supreme act of charity to give one’s life in defense of innocent civilians. I agree with Aquinas. — Chuck Colson

Check out the May/June 2008 issue (#33) for their complete answers.

Other Burning Questions:
1. InJustice
2. Homosexuality
3. Faith
4. Politics
5. Culture
6. Consumerism

Filed under: Brian McLaren, Chuck Colson, Cindy Jacobs, Jim Wallis, Love, Love Wins, N.T. Wright, Nancy Ortberg, Politics, Religion, Shane Claiborne, Uncategorized, War

7 Burning Questions – Consumerism

The current issue of Relevant has a feature article with the 7 burning issues of our generation, and they have some of the leading voices in the Church today respond to them. I thought I’d highlight them in seven separate posts. Here is burning question number six…

Consumerism: How do escape the excess of culture?

One of the most powerful things the next generation of emerging Christians can do is be at the heart of a new global movement for ethical buying and fair trade. We can use the power of markets for good, just as they have been used for evil in so many ways—environmentally, socially and politically. — Brian McLaren

How should we then live? With simplicity, compassion and a realization that our hearts are where our treasure is. — Steve Brown

I think the most important question is not what I should give away, because the scriptures say you can sell everything you have and give it to the poor, but if you don’t have love it’s nothing. So the deepest question around simplicity is about love, and redistribution of resources is only meaningful inasmuch as it’s rooted in love. — Shane Claiborne

One of the first steps we have to take is to recognize that the vast majority of the Christian world for the last 2,000 years-and still today-lives in much more poverty and a much simpler lifestyle than we in the modern West can easily imagine. It’s up to the individual churches and individual CHristians to find ways to use the wealth we’ve got, with wisdom-and the best thing to do to avoid making money a god is to give it away. — N.T. Wright

Beyond yourself, figure out how much is enough, and then start thinking of serious ways to give away boatloads of money. Find organizations you care about that are making a difference. How do you release your money back into the world to do good when you have enough clothes in your closet and enough cars in your garage? The freedom that comes from that really teaches us a lot about God. — Nancy Ortberg

God has worked in this generation a desire to make the world a better place for all. This means grappling with issues of eliminating systemic poverty, taking care of the environment and living with each other in a kinder, more gentler way. — Cindy Jacobs

Check out the May/June 2008 issue (#33) for their complete answers.

Other Burning Questions:
1. InJustice
2. Homosexuality
3. Faith
4. Politics
5. Culture

Filed under: Brian McLaren, Cindy Jacobs, Consumerism, N.T. Wright, Nancy Ortberg, Politics, Religion, Shane Claiborne, Steve Brown, Uncategorized

7 Burning Questions – Culture

The current issue of Relevant has a feature article with the 7 burning issues of our generation, and they have some of the leading voices in the Church today respond to them. I thought I’d highlight them in seven separate posts. Here is burning question number five…

Culture: How do we influence it without being consumed by it?

Part of what I think we have to do is not just figure out how we interact with the culture, but create a new culture where we bring one another to life and call each other to the best of who God wants us to be. So it’s not “How much secularism can I get away with?” but “How can I be set apart in a way that celebrates the distinctiveness of who we are as people in this world who are resident aliens. — Shane Claiborne

To me, the issue isn’t whether something is religious/spiritual or secular, but rather whether something is good and healthy and wise on the one hand, or bad and unhealthy and unwise on the other. — Brian McLaren

I believe our margins have moved as to what we consider secular entertainment that doesn’t grieve the Lord by our participation. We have become a subset of the world rather than completely set apart from those things that are unholy, such as fornication, adultery, lewd behavior, corrupt communication, etc. — Cindy Jacobs

We need to move beyond the issue of the behavior which is portrayed, although that too is important, and talk about the manipulation of people’s emotions. We need to go beyond the kind of superficial things like, “This is a story about people doing bad things; we shouldn’t watch it.” Sometimes stories about people doing bad things and seeing how the consequences play out in their lives can be an extremely moral thing to do. there are stories like that in the Bible. It’s a matter of Christian discernment. — N.T. Wright

Check out the May/June 2008 issue (#33) for their complete answers.

Other Burning Questions:
1. InJustice
2. Homosexuality
3. Faith
4. Politics

Filed under: Brian McLaren, Cindy Jacobs, Culture, Movies, N.T. Wright, Relevant Magazine, Religion, Shane Claiborne

7 Burning Questions – Politics

The current issue of Relevant has a feature article with the 7 burning issues of our generation, and they have some of the leading voices in the Church today respond to them. I thought I’d highlight them in seven separate posts. Here is burning question number four…

Politics: Is either party right?

We need Christians in the Republican party calling their party to have a higher priority for nonviolent peace-making and being a good global neighbor rather than a dominant global bully. We need Christians in the Democratic party who call their party to a greater concern for sexual integrity and respect for life in all its forms. — Brian McLaren

Christians should embrace a consistent ethic of life, rejecting the selective moralities of Left and Right where only some human lives are considered valuable. I criticize Democrats who don’t see abortion as a life issue, but I also take issue with Republicans who see it as the only life issue. The Church should address every assault upon human life, protecting the unborn, victims of pandemic diseases, genocide, human trafficking, the death penalty and even America’s unjust wars. — Jim Wallis

I have issues with both parties, but one thing I do not have any issues about is that the Bible is God’s word. He says life begins at conception (Psalm 139). I will always support the pro-life candidate because we already have almost 50 million unborn children who have died since 1973. — Cindy Jacobs

If I may comment as an outsider on your present election, I think one of the healthy things about it is that the Christian Right is not able to say, “Here is one candidate whom we must support because he is clearly God’s choice.” — N.T. Wright

A Christian is not supposed to vote on one issue. It’s tempting, but it’s important to have the whole picture in mind, to think who is best suited to run the country and take it in a direction that we would support. — Nancy Ortberg

Check out the May/June 2008 issue (#33) for their complete answers.

Other Burning Questions:
1. InJustice
2. Homosexuality
3. Faith

Filed under: Abortion, Brian McLaren, Church, Cindy Jacobs, Faith, Jim Wallis, Life, N.T. Wright, Nancy Ortberg, Politics, Relevant Magazine, Religion

7 Burning Questions – Faith

The current issue of Relevant has a feature article with the 7 burning issues of our generation, and they have some of the leading voices in the Church today respond to them. I thought I’d highlight them in seven separate posts. Here is burning question number three…

Faith: What is the biggest problem facing the Church today?

One of the most dangerous things in the Church today is the prosperity gospel that God has come to bless you and give you health and wealth. The Christian experience becomes just about what you can get. But Jesus is saying, “If you want to find your life, you better give it away.” — Shane Claiborne

We don’t believe God. We don’t believe the vision of God. We don’t believe who He is. We don’t believe that He’s good. We’re not captivated by that vision. Because if we were captivated by the vision of the goodness of God, I have to think that over time other things would fall into place. — Nancy Ortberg

Reason, to many, is discounted; people don’t really do that stuff very much. If you try to mount a sustained argument, looking at evidence and thinking it through, people don’t want it. They want sound bytes, slogans and so on. The Church ought to be at the forefront of helping the wider world think wisely. But along with this goes a wise reading of Scripture. — N.T. Wright

The world is defining us by the attacks of aggressive secularists, best-selling authors who admit to being anti-theists. They will continue to define us unless we learn how to define ourselves–and not only define ourselves, but live out our faith in such a way that people can see the invisible Kingdom made visible in our midst. — Chuck Colson

We’ve gotten comfortable carrying on a version of Christianity that has drifted farther and farther from what God intends. We have various versions of Christianity that are dangerously at ease with racism (as long as it’s not too overt), with a kind of idolatrous nationalism, with political partisanship that trumps our identity in Christ, with complacency about injustice and with consumerism that makes life consist in the abundance of possessions one acquires. — Brian McLaren

I think the biggest problem might be self-righteousness. What to do about it? Repent, publicly and often! — Steve Brown

We need to get back to a biblical worldview. Why haven’t we attacked the big problems in the world, such as systemic poverty, violence and abortion? We need to learn to love God with our minds, not just our hearts and souls. — Cindy Jacobs

Check out the May/June 2008 issue (#33) for their complete answers.

Other Burning Questions:
1. InJustice
2. Homosexuality

Filed under: Brian McLaren, Chuck Colson, Church, Cindy Jacobs, Faith, N.T. Wright, Nancy Ortberg, Relevant Magazine, Religion, Shane Claiborne, Steve Brown

7 Burning Questions – Homosexuality

The current issue of Relevant has a feature article with the 7 burning issues of our generation, and they have some of the leading voices in the Church today respond to them. I thought I’d highlight them in seven separate posts. Here is burning question number two…

Homosexuality: How should we respond?

I think churches need to stop being primarily known for this issue. There are so many other things in the world that we need to be proactively bringing the Gospel and the Kingdom to bear on. — Nancy Ortberg

First of all, one needs a biblical worldview and to know what the Bible says in passages such as Romans 1:26-27. Homosexuality is a very serious issue to God. With that said, it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. Therefore, we are to love homosexuals. I didn’t say “homosexuality,” but homosexuals. — Cindy Jacobs

I have a friend who says that you see a lot of fat preachers yelling at gay folks, but very few gay folks yelling at fat preachers. He was making the point that nobody has the luxury of speaking as an outsider of the human race and that our subculture has certain “acceptable sins,” and others that are just not the ones for which Christ died. — Steve Brown

God created a physical order. He then condemns those who ignore what should be obvious to them, who exchange truth for a lie. And then he immediately singles out homosexuality. That is not because homosexual sex is any worse a sin than many others we commit. It is just that it is the one that most obviously violates the natural created order. — Chuck Colson

We can never forget that we’re dealing with more than a theory or issue. We’re dealing with people with breakable hearts–sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, and colleagues and pastors, too. In my view, to be a follower of Jesus means to live in that relational tension and not try to solve it by writing off a percentage of people as lepers or Samaritans or Pharisees or enemies. — Brian McLaren

We have undergone a huge change in public policy, and I think that kind of swing, whatever the issue, is dangerous and potentially unhealthy. It may seem liberating to some, but it creates enormous confusion in a society. A cooling-off period of public policy wouldn’t be a bad thing, instead of this frantic race on the one hand to say, “We must have gay marraiges,” and on the other hand to say, “We must ban any such thing.” — N.T. Wright

I had all these ideas about “homosexuality,” “civil union” and “gay” when I was in high school. Then I met a kid who was attracted to other men, and he told me he felt God had made a mistake when He mad him and that he wanted to kill himself. If that brother can’t find a home in the Church, then I wonder, who have we become? But I would say it doesn’t mean we talk around the issue. — Shane Claiborne

Check out the May/June 2008 issue (#33) for their complete answers.

Other Burning Questions:
1. InJustice

Filed under: Brian McLaren, Chuck Colson, Church, Cindy Jacobs, Homosexuality, N.T. Wright, Nancy Ortberg, Relevant Magazine, Religion, Shane Claiborne, Steve Brown