Dear Evangelicals July 17, 2008
Posted by relsdork in christian, religion.Tags: evangelicals, evangelism, pluralism, world evangelical alliance
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Dear Evangelicals,
I recognize the compassionate intention behind your evangelizing attitude and regret those times which I have so bluntly criticized your methods in classes, blogs, and discussion.
At the same time, I wish to be transparent in affirming that I believe in the benefits of a pluralistic society and the rights of human beings to develop and adhere to their own religious belief systems without interference from proselytizing Christians.
I believe that the best way to protect pluralism and the integrity of human choice is to develop our own belief systems and promote them in ways that allow for growth without creating conflict with others.
I want to make it clear that, as a religious person, I do not wish to offend my evangelical friends by these statements, but I am compelled by my compassion for all humanity to stand by these beliefs.
word.
Sounds to me like anything goes and all roads lead to God mentality. Is that where you are coming from?
Richard
No.
Mankind has endlessly been struggling to understand God, so I think it quite offensive and arrogant to shove one’s personal religion in the face of someone who is quite happy with their own. Really, if a Muslim came up to you and read you some stuff from the Quran and told you that you were stupid for being a Christian and that your morals were bankrupt and would land you in hell unless you were willing to claim Mohammad as the paramount prophet, how responsive would you be?
Also, I think it’s ridiculously naive to think that any of us, especially those of us who are not fluent in the original languages of the Bible, can truly understand its message, especially now that we are some 3500 years after much of it was written and completely absent of the Bible’s original context. Of course we have endeavored to find the historical context of these writings, but so little is available to us. Even for those scholars who can read Koine Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, it’s incredibly difficult to discern what kinds of intricacies and poetic structure was used in scripture, what kinds of allegory, puns, metaphors, etc. that simply don’t translate into English or the year 2008.
One of my goals as a Christian is to faithfully embrace the mystery that is God. While I seek to understand scripture as fully as I can (I am majoring in Comparative Religious Studies, learning both Hebrew and Ancient Greek, and intend to enter seminary), I will never be able to define God or God’s will in any kind of certainty… I can only have faith. Therefore, I should be respectful of whatever faith claims other people have, so long as they are not damaging anyone, imposing themselves on others, or interfering with my faith practice.
Certainly not “anything goes.” If I held a completely relativistic position, I wouldn’t vote or march in Pride or spend so much time trying to elaborate on the things I believe. I believe, however, in living as an example, not taking up “selling” methods.
I do believe that other paths can lead to encounters with the divine. God certainly appears differently to different figures in the Bible. Each Biblical story takes on different meanings and shows many ways to encounter God and many ways God interacts with people. I by no means think that God stopped communicating with humanity after the crucifixion, nor do I believe that God is only made available to those who hear the Gospel or those who respond to the way that Christian tradition presents itself and has presented itself throughout history.
Perhaps, if I were to narrow down that “letter” (which was a response to a NY Times ad that the World Evangelical Alliance took out, publishing an open letter to the Jews), I would say that I don’t believe in a God that is exclusivist in any sense. I don’t believe that God is revealed solely through the words of one book, solely through the life of one being, or solely to certain groups of people. The God I embrace is not boxed in such ways. Therefore, I find it irritating when some people place God into a box and sell God, definining and making promises on God’s behalf. I find it androcentric and arrogant, though I understand the motivations of such people and can appreciate their sincerest intent at helping humanity, even if I strongly disagree with their validity.
Nice post! Thanks for the info… Have a nice day!
relsdork,
Your an interesting one. However, I have met many like you who try to figure God out intellectually. As a gentle reminder, it takes The Spirit of God to be able to understand the things of God. The Word and The Spirit are sufficient.
As far as the Muslim fellow goes. After he had finished, I would share with him Jesus Christ. This would again give him the opportunity to receive or reject Christ. If he chooses to reject Christ in this life time, he will indeed die in his sins. He has had another opportunity.
As a reminder to him and you, Christ said himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father except through me”. That’s bottom
line.
May you seek to be filled with the Spirit of God and thus be led into all truth.
Richard
I am not solely approaching God from an intellectual standpoint. I consider myself very spiritual and strongly believe in the power of the spirit.
I understand the faith claims you make by saying “the Word and the Spirit are sufficient.” Even absent of scholarship and textual criticism, however, the Word wasn’t written in English.
I think it’s very interesting when people use biblical passages to make points… I find scripture inspirational, moving, and relevant, but there is an amazing diversity of information in the Bible. It’s easy to make points using scripture and it’s easy to interpret scripture in very different ways. It’s easy to make contradictory points with the same source. One of the ministers in my church used the passage you referenced in his sermon last week… and what he did with that passage is very different from what you are doing with it.
But that is what is beautiful about Christianity.
relsdork,
True Christianity is believing in Christ and the work of Christ.
People always want to criticize the Bible because of the many translations. There is enough that has been handed down through the ages that has remained the same. The basics of the Gospel and The Christ have remained the same, and we have enough there for even the “wayfaring man” to understand. The mind wants to complicate and try to reason. That road is long, winding and never ending.
May you be blessed as you seek Him with all your heart.
Richard
I don’t see myself as living in ways that contradict what your version of “true Christianity” is. I believe in Christ and his work.
You’re talking about transcription. Language is an intricate animal. I am trying to learn Greek and Hebrew so that I can understand scripture better.
That road certainly never ends, but that makes it beautiful. What good is studying scripture if we only do it at a pshat level?