Separation

"Because politics rests on an irreducible measure of coercion, it can never become a perfect realm of perfect love and justice" (Christopher Lasch).

Sometimes I have a hard time telling the difference between our American love of country and our love of Christ. There is a tendency among some to mix the two together, espousing a sort of civil religion that has a Jesus wrapped in red, white, and blue. There is this idea among many Christians that the state is the instrument of God to bring order and preserve justice, but does this belief mean that we must accept all that the state does as being the will of God? While we do honor Caesar, we do not worship him or call him lord!

Take the war in Iraq, for example. I know many who have been in favor of the war on the basis that we can force democracy onto another nation so that they might have religious freedom (and the Gospel could be spread there). For me, I have a hard time justifying death, devastation, and trauma in the name of advancing anything good...especially the Gospel! It isn't consistent at all with the message of the Kingdom preached and lived by Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon put it this way: "...the progress of the arms of a Christian nation is not the progress of Christianity, and that the spread of our empire, so far as being advantageous to the Gospel, I will hold, and this day proclaim, hath been hostile to it." In other words, we might convince ourselves that the spreading of democracy (by means of war) can open up possibilities for the Gospel to be preached, but the truth is that it will only lead to resentment and hatred among the conquered.

The way the kingdoms of this world advance is not the way the Kingdom of God advances!

When the church and government lie together, the off-spring is an insideous half-breed that corrupts the blood-line of true Christianity! I don't believe we should seek to advance the Gospel with an alliance with the state, because our obedience transcends any political power or allegiance. My spiritual ancestors, the Anabaptists, rejected any use of coercion in religion, and many of them still practice biblical non-resistance to this day. While Anabaptists do not believe that peace always resolves conflicts, they do not believe that violent conflict ever results in peace. They certainly believe that living as his in this world means that our values and actions must transcend the values and actions of the world. We live differently.

While some would seek after political power because they seek influence and change, I believe we should be seeking to love and serve our neighbor (and love and serve the nations)so that Christ can bring about the change he desires. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world" (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Extra

Create

Create: to cause to happen; bring about; arrange, as by intention or design.

My friend Jon and I got together earlier in the week at one of his favorite coffee shops in Denver for a chance to catch up on life. Jon's a good friend, an so there is always the opportunity to share what's going on in my head. Thank God for a wife and friends who allow transparency, take risks in relationship, and celebrate openness and honesty!

Sipping away at my cup of chai (yes, I was drinking chai...gotta problem with that?), he asked the greatest question of the night: what brings you life when the mind overwhelms you? It would probably be helpful at this point to explain a little about the "battle of the mind" to clear up any confusion. I have this special ability to zone in on my fears, worries, and insecurities with so much concentration that it almost drags me entirely into a steamy, boiling, sticky pit of soul mud. I tell my students it's called the "death spiral". I think there are a lot of us who can think outselves to death by unconsciously over-concentrating on those things we fear.

Back to his question...

I have lived my life in the past several years with a sense of God's grace that has been new and fresh. In short, I have felt "kept" by God whereas in the past, I would have felt that my struggles in life may have put some distance between us. The embrace of God has been more real to me that it ever has! I have sensed his embrace when life has been all I imagined; I have sensed that same embrace when it hasn't.

At this point, our conversation switched directions slightly. I began to think about some of those things I do that bring me life. For example, I feel really alive when I am doing my photography. I love capturing images of creation, particularly images of humanity alive and a part of the natural landscape. I enjoy capturing the personality of people in an image as well as capturing the personality and creativity of God in the details of creation.

I also feel alive when I am writing. This is only a recent discovery for me, but there's something invigorating about forming words and phrases into concepts and thoughts to express what is on my heart and mind. When I write, I am writing for myself as a way of self-expression. Some people speak, some people paint, some people take photos, some people mold clay, and some people write. It's all creative.

I mostly, though, feel alive when I am investing in the lives of others, whether they be family, friends, or people I don't even know. I enjoy contributing to the lives of others, and I relish the vitality they bring to mine. There's something about this life-giving/life-receiving experience that we share as people that also strikes me as being creative. My biblical world-view teaches me that the earth -- and everything in it -- is the result of the creativity of God. Somewhere in his supernatural spirit, he dreamed of humanity and put his power to work at forming flesh and bone, breathing life into us with his breath. When God imagined beauty and life, he imagined us and the universe we inhabit.

We are the living creativity of God.

And because we are made in his image, it is only natural that we are also creative. Since the creation of his masterpiece, the Father has been re-creating, transforming, and molding his creation, seeking to bring Life from where it was taken. Jesus. When we give our lives to bring life, healing, and mercy to those around us, there is something within us that is satisfied with living our lives in alignment with his. I find that I am furthest from the "death spiral" in my head when I am living allied with his life and his dream for humanity. Being able to imaginatively create sets us apart from the rest of creation and gives us one of our greatest indicators of our purpose for living.

"In the beginning, God created..."

Fruit

Theocracy

Theocracy: a government ruled by or subject to religious authority.

I think our forefathers had tremendous insight and courage when they placed limits on the role of government in religion and vice versa. They had great insight because they were aware of the potential of religious dominance based on European history. They were courageous because they created a system of government that was vastly different than any other nation on earth at the time.

There is a centuries-old tension in US history over the role of religion in government and the role of government in religion. The limits they placed in our founding documents not only protected religious freedom, but it also protected the people from those who would use their religious/political power to coerce or dictate the masses.

This is one believer who is grateful for the separation of church and state.

I see a stark contrast between the Kingdom of God as demonstrated and taught by Jesus and religious people who seek after power, position, and influence. While I can see benefit in having true followers of Christ working in government, I get disturbed when I see Christians pursuing power to "wield God's influence over the land". I get the feeling that the "influence" they long to brandish has little to do with Jesus and a lot to do with legistlating their ideas of morality. Faith cannot be legislated; behavior can. There are those who would replace faith with a moral code, caring not about the bankruptcy of the human soul but only their conformity to certain norms of behavior. Conformity to certain behaviors hardly demonstrates that we are a "Christian nation".

The Kingdom of God doesn't long for political power. Judas was gravely disappointed with Jesus because he was expecting a Messiah who would bring about the military uprising to topple the imperialist Roman government. The Pharisees rejected Jesus -- among many reasons -- because he rejected their use of coercion to bring about external conformity of behavior to match up to their interpretations of scripture and tradition.

And there are many in this nation who would do the same!

While I agree that God's word is good for us and a better way to live, I don't believe that people can be coerced into faith. I do not accept that religious coercion is God's will, and I believe instead that it only prevents people from coming to faith in Jesus Christ. Are we more interested in external conformity of behavior or in the genuine transformation of people that comes through the grace of God found in Jesus?

I often hear well-intended Christians saying "I want our country to live according to the Bible". My question is this: who's interpretation of it? The legalist's interpretation? The liberal interpretation? Those who would want to "usher in" the last days? I fear which version of Christianity would rule the day!

Years ago, my spiritual forefathers (the Brethren) didn't exercise their right to vote because they thought to do so would be to participate in all the decisions -- good or bad, right or wrong -- that their elected officials carried out. I can understand their historical point of view. Do we concern ourselves with the Kingdom of God or the kingdoms of this world? Although my citizenship is in the United States of America -- and proudly so -- I seek to live my life by a higher calling. My identity in Christ transcends my loyalty to my nation, and the revolution Jesus brings about in my heart causes me to love and serve my neighbor rather than pursue political power or personal gain.

"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is in another place." (Jesus, John 18:36)

"Seek first his kingdom..." (Jesus, Matthew 6:33)

"...the kingdom of God is within you." (Jesus, Luke 17:21

Give and Take

Campaign for Unflattering Profile Pictures

Unflattering Profile Pic

I've been thinking for sometime now about how we always seem to put our best face forward. Take Facebook for example... We carefully select which picture we think markets us the best and upload that photo to say "this is me" to anyone who clicks on our profile. I'll be the first to admit that I avoid uploading those photos of myself showing multiple chins and a mouth gaping wide open. I am, however, at the mercy of my friends who choose to upload unflattering photos of me. If I had the veto power, I would exercise it!

Many of us are so image-conscious and conditioned to think about how we market ourselves on a daily basis to the world around us. With a world covered in lipstick and rouge, it's hard to see people for who they really are. It's also hard for us to allow others to see us for who we really are. Image obsession seems to me to be a fairly serious roadblock to authenticity, depth, and relationship.

With so much image comes so little transparency. With so little transparency, comes very little authenticity. We have become masters of hiding who we really are, concealing what we really struggle with and obscuring the cracks and fragments in our lives. Our clandestined Christian existence gives the impression to others wearing the same disguise that we are just fine, doing well, and have our act together.

Transparency is not about trying to act right. It is, instead, a willingness to be open and honest about what is really going on in our lives. I heard a speaker say once that it simply means admitting what the bible already says about us: we are fallen people who desperately need the Father in our lives everyday. Our generation is image-obsessed, but it also craves authentic relationships intensely. Like Jesus, we should be modelling openess and transparency in daily living.

A little transparency would be refreshing. I suppose if we were to start anywhere, we could start with an unflattering profile pic. It wouldn't hurt for us to be able to laugh at ourselves and not take our self-image so seriously either. It is going to take a lot more than that to change our image-is-everything culture, but perhaps it's a humorous place to start.

I'm heading over to Facebook now...

Control

Comfort

I went camping last night with my brother and a few friends in the Pike National Forest of Colorado. Our campsite was somewhere near 10,000 feet in elevation, and a cold front brought snow and falling temperatures that registered 26 degrees around 7:00 a.m. this morning. I built a fire and huddled close enough for my shins and toes to roast while anything on my body more than two feet from the fire seemed to shiver and spasm involuntarily. The cold kept me close to the fire and also to those sharing the few cubic feet of space affected by it's glow.

That last sentence could preach!

As I hovered over that fire this morning, I began thinking about some of the other things that are bringing discomfort to my life at the moment...things that are beyond our control such as missing our friends and home in Ireland or our Irish home not selling because of the housing crisis. Just about the time that the "death spiral" had taken over in my thinking, I was reminded again of the faithfulness of God even in the midst of those moments of crisis and travail. My sense of bullish entitlement faded, and I was prompted to remember that suffering -- whether great or small -- is a shared human experience, and even people of faith are not excluded from it.

Comfort seems to be a core value these days. Sometimes we live our lives as if nothing else matters but our own comfort and security. I don't believe it is a biblical value, but it certainly is a cultural one. We are immersed in a culture of convenience where the highest pursuit seems to be making our lives more comfortable -- even at the expense of others if necessary. This idolotry of comfort has skulked its way into our understanding of God and the expectations we have of our churches. God has become our genie in a bottle whose belly we rub when we face trials (and minor inconveniences) of many kinds.

Is God still a good God even in the face of our suffering? My heart and soul leap in affirmation of his goodness!

Suffering as a human being -- and as a Christian -- is normal! But our discomfort is a far cry from genuine suffering, and it is so easy for us to get the two confused when living in a land of privilege. Jesus identified with humanity in his suffering, and when we identify with Jesus, the suffering of humanity becomes our concern. He laid aside his comfort and security to bring us mercy and to help us know God. How easy it is for me to get caught up in myself!

The cold kept me close to the fire...and it kept me close to those who shared the same level of displeasure and the same longing to be warm. I'm grateful for both.

"I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.

In this world, you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the world."

(Jesus, John 16:33)

Falling in Love with Little Things

"It's to easy to fall in love with the great things, whether we are revolutionaries or church-growth tacticians. But we must never simply fall in love with our vision or five year plan. We must never fall in love with 'the revolution' or 'the movement'. We can easily become so driven by our vision for church growth, community, or social justice that we forget the little things, like caring for those around us.

There is a brilliant truth I have come to see, largely because of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, spiritual writer and fellow resister, whose words are now inscribed on my front wall. 'The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community [even if their intentions are ever so earnest], but the person who loves those around them will create community.' Many congregations are in love with their mission and vision and rip one another apart in committee meetings trying to attain it. And many social activists I know tear each other up and burn themselves out fighting for a better world while forgetting that the seeds of the world are right next to them."

-- Shane Claiborne, "The Irresistible Revolution"

Redeemed

"You have redeemed my soul from the pit of emptiness.

You have redeemed my soul from death.

I was a hungry child,

a dried up river,

a burned out forest,

and no one could do anything for me.

But you put food in my body,

water in my dry bed,

and to my blackened branches you brought the springtime green and new life.

Nothing is impossible for you!"

("You Have Redeemed My Soul" from the highly recommended album "Enter the Worship Circle", volume 1)

Mysterious

Every Guest a Treasure

EVERY BELIEVER A PRIEST.

EVERY HOME A TEMPLE.

EVERY TABLE AN ALTAR.

EVERY MEAL AN OFFERING.

EVERY GUEST A TREASURE.

Life is better with people in it! Over the course of the last month, we've had an endless trail of people we love -- from east coast to west coast -- coming through our door to spend some time with us. We take great delight in welcoming people into our home whether they come from across the street or on the other side of the Atlantic. There's just something about welcoming people into our home and lives that feels healthy and right.

I am a self-confessed introvert. In other words, I get re-charged when I pull myself aside for some alone or quiet time. I also confess that I have in the past used that natural tendency as an excuse to keep myself distant and "safe" from the crowd and uncomfortable situations. I still need my solitude, and I am taking it today as I sit and read, write, and rest in the presence of the Father. It's healthy to know what you need, but it's also healthy to have the mindset of Christ and know what other people need as well.

I believe that our busyness in life is making war on our relationships and causing some to become emotionally and relationally bankrupt. In our addiction to fill our lives up with commitments and stuff, less and less of our quality time is being given to the people we love and those who love us. Due to technology, we are "in touch" with more and more people, but we seem to be touched by fewer and fewer. We hear such phrases as "crowded isolation" and "alone in the crowd" to describe how many are living their lives.

While our Christian circles seem to have ever-shrinking boundaries, we live in the midst of a generation that is burning for connnectedness! Many young people will give themselves lock, stock, and barrel to anyone -- ANYONE -- who will give them even a peep of belonging. All other considerations are secondary to their need to fill their relationship vacancy. This isn't an opportunity to "take advantage of their situation" as though we were pouncing on spiritual prey, but it is the time for the people of God to practice the hospitality of God!

In my opinion, hospitality is the most underrated gift! I've mentioned before how we tend to be drawn to the flashy gifts with all the spiritual shizzaz and hoorah that accompany them, but I have come to appreciate and value the quieter gifts, the ones practiced in the presence of the ones and twos and not the crowds. I respect those whose hands get dirty because they are working to free people from the mud of life or whose houses are a mess because of the trail of people who walk through for brief but powerful moments of connection with the mercy of God.

Too often, we connect hospitality with putting on a good performance with a spotless house and over-the-top meal. Hospitality is less about our homes and food than it is about opening our love and lives to others. I have known many macaroni and cheese saints whose openness and generosity of living served as the conduit of the grace of God for those who walked through their doors. I firmly believe that as people find safety and belonging in the presence of the children of God, they begin to understand the love, mercy, and grace of God for themselves. Our homes and our lives become the petri dish where faith and freedom, grace and goodwill are cultivated.

As believers, we believe in disciplining ourselves to practice the Presence of God. Should we not also practice the presence of people and give ourselves to the people the Father loves? I think so. Our generosity of living goes a long way to help those distant from God to understand His goodness!

"God sets the lonely in families..."

Psalm 68:6

Believe

Protest for Jesus?

When the Democratic National Convention came to town last week, a legion of protesters arrived simultaneously. Some were anarchists, some were anti-war or pro-Hillary, and many were people without much of a cause at all but were just looking for a good time. Typically, there were a host of Christian protesters present there as well carrying their banners offering the latest in clever catchwords of condemnation -- all in the name of Jesus.

I'll leave the final assessment on their "protest" to you, but to be honest, these people irritate me to the core. Do such protests truly represent the Kingdom of God on earth? Do these people imitate Christ and how he walked among the ungodly? In my opinion, these people do not represent Christ...and they certainly do not represent me.

I have no doubt that these people believe they are doing right...as did the Pharisees and countless other religious people who have wronged humanity in the name of Jesus. Banner-carrying, slogan-shouting, street corner condemnation, and freelance judgment simply does not fit, in my opinion, into the New Testament image of Jesus.

I don't think this is the witness he had in mind.

PHOTO CREDIT: These photos were taken by Jon Purner on his visit to us in Denver.