Just a quick note between flights. I was listening to Mark Driscoll’s latest sermon on Nehemiah (you can subscribe to the podcast on itunes, it’s called “Mars Hill Church Sermon Audio”). Anyway, it has a convicting bit on letting your critics be your coaches. I need to think some….
(considering) 8:28
Implications of the Sovereignty of God
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I’m now sitting in the Hostel for the last morning of the conference for this year. Luckily, the last keynote, as well as the workshops and dinner speakers were all on topic, though some of them still missed the centrality of Jesus Christ (though not everybody). I also managed to get the names of some evangelical conservationist people, and I’m going to start a Google group for Canadian Christian Environmentalists when I get back to my PC.
The reason I feel the need to do that is simple. While listening to the many varied talks, I heard a great many reasons to care about the environment, while most missed the central reason to care and also the central reason to have hope about it. In the first place, those of us who know Jesus in a saving way are generally captured by a desire for God, to glorify Him, to enjoy Him with everything we have. While that desire falters from time to time, it is a general basis of where we are. That desire transcends EVERYTHING else. So, any reason to care for creation that is not centrally tied to a love for God is doomed to failure, as it is only the ultimate desire for God that God will bless with His strengthening Spirit. Other people may have strong desires to do things, but a Christian that sees God as ultimate, and glorified in creation can be fully consumed by it.
That consuming desire to express God’s glory in nature would lead to despair were it not also attended by the fact that it is God that will bring all things to renewal in a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17, 66:22, Rev. 21:1). It is the children of God (Romans 8:19-22) whose revealing will ease the groans of the creation presently subjected to futility.
Thus in two ways, the greatest omission in the majority conference, and the greatest power for a true environmentalism is the same thing. The glorious, all powerful, redeeming Son of God; Jesus Christ.
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Hey All,
This afternoon I’m spending some time at the environmental museum in Montreal, the biosphere (formerly the U.S. pavilion for the Expo). It’s pretty neat, but I’d prefer to visit in the summer, when some of the outside stuff can be done. I have lots of pics, I’ll share when I get back at Bible Study. :-)
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G’day faithful readers.
Well, last night I filled out the feedback form for the first half of this conference, and they seem to have read it. My central concern was, and remains the central problem I see with the ecumenical movement. The problem, however, engenders multiple responses from followers of Jesus Christ.
In the first place, the problem. The ecumenical movement is an attempt to bring together the many disparate belief structures that all call themselves Christian, and provide a forum where they can discuss their differences. As I found out at yesterday’s session, however, most involved in the ecumenical movement fail to see eangelical perspectives generally, and definitely do not see the minority positions in evangelicalism. Many assume that the issues we discuss are at least based on a similar paradigm of belief, which they clearly are not.
I see all people as naturally in rebellion to God, constantly seeking a spirituality that can fulfill the hole in our own souls left by that rebellion with whatever we can. While we have in our hearts the imprint of God, we most often seek to go against that. Jesus came and lived a sinless life, taking the punishment I so richly deserve for MY sin, and leaving me standing in His righteousness instead,
Many people who self-identify as Christian simply do not believe this. In large measure they seem to see the problem as one of education, believing that if we see the right things, we will naturally choose to do the right. They deny that we are blind, and willfully sinful unless God somehow opens our eyes. They claim that all humans are created God’s children, while I would say that those who are in Christ are adopted as God’s children. These differing views of the human condition, of the pervasiveness of sin, and of the central role of Jesus Christ all make dialogue very difficult between what are termed (for lack of better terms) liberal and conservative members of the earthly institutions we call Church. I think that the planners of the conference I am now attending have forgotten how difficult that is (if indeed some ever knew). That lack of understanding of the depth of the disagreement means that some, like the learned keynote lecturer of last evening, begin to make statements based on assumptions that may not be held by those in their presence. Indeed, some would even say that people like me are the oppressor, and must change my ways.
But what is a believer in Jesus Christ to do? As I attend this conference, and engage in dialogue, some may come to believe that I affirm the Christianity of those who accept Jesus as a prophet, or a minor part of Christianity, or a major part that is present in other religions through their central figures. I don’t believe that, and indeed, I believe that an ecumenical conference like this one is already an inter-faith dialogue. I simply do not affirm that all those present here are Christian, and while I do not openly tell them to repent and believe the Gospel in so many words, that is what I believe in many cases. There seem to be two religions (at least) at play here. One is Christianity, where I am saved by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and the mercy God purchased for me in Christ. The other is a slightly baptized belief in salvation by works, of justice by the work of humanity, this latter religion is not Christian, regardless of the fact that many who believe it self identify as Christian.
So do I continue to apparently reaffirm the delusion that this false religion is Christianity? Well, there’s another thing to consider.
The people who believe these things are people created in the image of God, and to be frank, I love them. I believe that the wrath of God continues on those who do not accept the Jesus of scripture, so that means that they will perish in their own sin. Unless they turn to Jesus, these people with whom I laugh and speak and discuss will die. And how will they hear unless someone preaches?
Of course, there is the problem that it is the fees my school pays to send me here that leads to the speakers that seem to deny Christ, and focus on derivative parts of the Gospel to the point that they ignore the central point of the Gospel (God). Do I support that evil for the sake of being here to preach truth to those around me? All the while, unsure of how they would take it if they read this blog entry that denies that some of them are Christian. Does this somehow go against the minimum level of respect for ecumenism?
At the basis, I guess my question is simple. Is ecumenism the willingness to talk between different groups who claim the name “Christian”, and share and learn from one another, hopefully thus bringing us all closer to God, or is ecumenism the meeting between people who are willing to see each other as already unified in Christ, whether we claim Him as Lord or not?
The latter is, to me a lie, while the former is an opening to preach the Gospel.
Any thoughts?
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Hi All,
Just on a strange note, in the cafe I sit in there are 3 laptops running, all macs. Just though I’d share. I love Montreal. :-)
So, if you look back, you’ll remember the awesome way in which the Lord dealt with my developing bitterness over a talk that seemed to deny almost everything I believe about my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I have to admit, that in that case the understanding I had was only by implication, and so it was quite correct of my brother from the west to question my anger.
Tonight, however, I am left with a similar response of anger. Remember that the topic of the conference I’m attending is “Stewards of Creation: Theology and Sustainability”. Thus I’m sure many of you would’ve shared my surprise that this evening’s keynote lecture was essentially about promoting sustainability by challenging (and one would assume eliminating) patriarchal models of leadership in the Church. (Can someone comment on what this has to do with the topic I came to discuss?)
Now, most of you know that I have an opinion on that topic, and not one that would generally be in agreement. The problem is that the majority of conference goers here are women seeking ordination. The speaker allowed for a short breakout session in which we were asked to name patriarchal symbology and come up with ways to question it. Floating my complementarian position among the group, I was met with questions like “So do you believe that leadership in the church should be determined by whether you have a penis or a vagina”. I really didn’t feel safe to speak after that in either the small group, or the general large group. That was even after some people floated the openly modalist (an early heresy) rephrasing of the trinity, and as a poor girl spoke up in favor of at least a moderate sense of chivalry. I had to apologize to her afterwards, as I can’t help but think I was being unchivalrous of letting her take the flak. I even didn’t comment when a man got up and said “I open doors for everybody, whether they be male, female, or transgendered”. The clear rhetorical aim of the statement could not be missed, and it was clearly not to provide a safe space for our disagreements.
I’d like to say that I stayed silent because I was patient, but I have to confess, it was because I was very, very angry. The kind of anger that leaves me absolutely stone cold silent. I am not proud of that, as honestly, these people didn’t really deserve my anger. They probably didn’t realize just where some of the conference participants were on the continuum of Christian belief. I don’t believe that I sinned, but I have to admit, that it was only barely. God drew out into my mind the need to bear with adversity with patience, to listen to those who disagree with me, and later, that in my anger I should not sin. Indeed, the adversity of this evening may produce some benefit, as I hope I learned a little of how to hear people who really disagree with me, and I learned that God had a good plan in making my highest form of anger a silent one. In this case it kept me from saying hurtful things I would not mean.
All of that said, I am still at this conference tomorrow, and until Friday. I am still unclear as to how I should be faithful to my Lord, Jesus Christ, in this context. I also need to deal with a clear self-centered streak that made me far angrier to face attack on “my faith”, rather than anger at the seeming desire to ignore Jesus (he was mentioned once in the opening keynote, twice during the seminar session, and if he was mentioned tonight, I wasn’t counting since I had lost perspective.
In any case, thanks to all of you who are praying for this weak vessel of a Christian. Your prayers are felt, but I feel like I am clearly at the front lines of a spiritual battle. On praise, I had an opportunity to witness openly to someone about my own sinfulness, and the way Christ saved (and continues to save) me from my own evil. I got to discuss environmentalism with some evangelicals who are affiliated with A Rocha (they’re delegates, not really speakers), and I have been able to speak some to a roommate who seems even more isolated here than I am. Pray that I’d be faithful, pray that God would give me opportunities to speak lovingly and humbly, and use me in those opportunities. Pray most especially that God would grant that his will be done as they choose a national planning committee for the next conference. I’m left wondering where a Christian is to knock the dust from their feet, and where are they to be salt and light to lost people. Should I be working to see that some real believers get on the NPC, or should I just work to tell people about Jesus and when I come home forget all about these things?
Again, thanks to anybody reading, and an even greater thanks to those who choose to pray for this conference, and the people here (especially those who confess Jesus Christ). In all things, may He be glorified above all!
In Him,
– Steve
(considering) 8:28 