Tim Abbott

Shane Claiborne in Esquire magazine

Esquire magazine asks Shane Claiborne to address those who don't believe.

He begins by apologising:

"To all my nonbelieving, sort-of-believing, and used-to-be-believing friends: I feel like I should begin with a confession. I am sorry that so often the biggest obstacle to God has been Christians. Forgive us for the embarrassing things we have done in the name of God."

Then he moves onto the good news:

"I want to invite you to consider that maybe the televangelists and street preachers are wrong — and that God really is love. Maybe the fruits of the Spirit really are beautiful things like peace, patience, kindness, joy, love, goodness, and not the ugly things that have come to characterize religion, or politics, for that matter.
The Bible that I read says that God did not send Jesus to condemn the world but to save it... it was because "God so loved the world." That is the God I know, and I long for others to know."

h/t: Banksy

5 Deeply De-Christian Doctrines Meme

Joe tagged me with this so I thought I ought to play ball and join in.

List 5 doctrines that are taught within the Christian church that you believe to be deeply de-Christian.

I will interpret 'taught' in it's broad sense. Some of these things may not be preached from the pulpit, but are often taught by what we do. Also, I'm pretty much on the same page as Joe with the five things he listed so the pressure is on to find another five.

1. The longer / louder your prayer the more likely it is that God will hear it.

2. When Jesus said 'make disciples'; he had in mind a teaching series delivered by an expert

3. That holiness is more about what I do than what God does

4.The body of Christ looks like a (our?) church rather than the church (with all her faults, diversity and character)

5. That running a business is less spiritual than running a church / Christian organisation

Most of the people I might have tagged seem to be on a blog holiday however, should they wish to join in, for perhaps a more youth work tinted view I tag Ian, Sarah and Alice.

I once was a Buddhist nun

Esther Baker grew up in a home hostile to Christianity and the church. A passionate seeker after the truth, she followed a passing interest in several faiths and worldviews, before finally arriving at Buddhism. Her journey took her to various parts of Asia leading her eventually to ordination as a Buddhist nun in an English monastery.  It was there that God started to make himself known to Esther, stirring her spirit to seek him.

It was Good Friday, and suddenly, for the first time in my life, I really wanted to know what had happened to Jesus that day. It wasn’t rational; I can’t explain why I suddenly wanted to know.

God continued to bring people across her path who, each in their own small way, nudged Esther towards him. An encounter with some Christians protesting outside an inter-faith gathering at Canterbury Cathedral began to sow seeds of doubt about whether Buddhism was really the truth. She started helping an elderly Anglican nun who lived in the village. A visitor spoke enthusiastically about a programme she had seen on TV in which a lady called Jackie Pullinger prayed for drug addicts in the name of Jesus and saw them released from addiction. One night, the abbott of the monastery showed a video of this programme. The impact on Esther was almost overwhelming and all the more remarkable in that no one else in the monastery seemed to have been moved by it. She felt devastated and confused with a battle going on in her soul.

One sleepless night, in desperation, I called out to God. “God, if you are real, please come.” And God came! After I had prayed I felt a sense of peace and well-being flooding my heart and body. This was the first time I had invited God to touch my own life, invited him in and asked for his help. I knew he had answered my prayer.

Over a period of several months, during which time she was able to spend more time with Christians, Esther’s inner turmoil resolved to a new commitment to Christ, and the knowledge that she needed to disrobe as a nun and leave Buddhism. In time God led her to work with Jackie Pullinger in Hong Kong, ministering in exactly the same way that she had first seen on the video in the monastery. She now works in Thailand, a country steeped in Buddhism, where she is involved in a ministry of healing and discipleship helping to build the church and, in her own words, “helping to make the bride of Christ more beautiful and more ready for him.”

Esther writes in a straightforward and very readable style, her own story effectively interwoven with clear teaching about Theravada Buddhism and Christianity. This is a book about the impact that these two faiths have had on one person’s life - the testimony of a journey and a search for truth. It is as honest about the Buddhism that she abandoned as the Christianity that she embraced and I would have no hesitation in recommending it to someone who was dabbling in Buddhism but still searching, or, for that matter, anyone interested to know whether God is real.

I once was a Buddhist nun - Esther Baker: IVP

Fake and real protests from Christians

Phil Cooke reports on a Christian protest that wasn't.  Video game maker Electronic Arts staged a fake Christian protest to market a new third person action game, "Dante's Inferno" hiring in actors with placards and setting up a fake Christian website.

If ever the sub-culture of Christian protest needed a wake up call, perhaps this is it. If our most potent protests achieve so much free publicity for the very thing we find offensive (and I don't deny that some things are genuinely offensive to Christians) perhaps it's time to look again at how we make our feelings known in public. I wonder what really makes a positive difference to people outside the church, a big protest about something, or lots of Christians getting together to do something that will be a blessing to their area. I know which one I'd rather be involved in.

So where does that leave the sticky issue of things that happen that really are offensive to most Christians? If I'm to follow the way of Jesus, I can't help feeling he didn't leave me much useful advice about how to protest effectively, though he did mention that we are blessed when people have a go at us.

Perhaps the trouble is that when we protest in public we end up looking worse than the thing we're protesting about. The protests organised by Steven Green and Christian Voice was the best gift of free publicity that Jerry Springer: The Opera could have wished for. So it's no wonder that the marketing industry has finally cottoned on to the immense promotional power of a big Christian protest.

I expect we'll see a few more of these 'fake Christian' protest things. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if some marketing companies now work to deliberately stir up a Christian protest in advance of the launch of a new product. After all, that would achieve all the same marketing objectives at even lower cost. Where does that leave real Christians who are genuinely offended by something that strikes at our faith and at the Biblical world view?

If we shout at the world about things we find offensive, like standing in a big crowd all pointing at an abomination and saying, "Look at that," it should come as no surprise that people take a greater interest in the thing we're pointing at.
May I suggest that the best alternative to shouting at the world is a conversation with the person next to us. They're more likely to listen, to dialogue, to think about the issues and perhaps even to agree with us

Imagine - no religion

Connecticut Valley Atheists, fed up with so many Christian displays at Christmas, have responded with their own thought for Christmas. Their three sided billboard in the town park of Vernon has a picture of the Twin Towers with the message, "Imagine, no religion".

See the full story here.

Tricky, this one. 'People of faith', both Christian and Muslim, are sensing persecution. But I'm inclined towards the view that this is simply freedom of speech and tells us about the views of Connecticut Valley Atheists. It's foolish to try to pretend that any of our traditions, Christian, Muslim or atheist are innocent of wrongdoing and atrocity. I'm getting a little tired of the ongoing gainsaying about whether Christianity or atheism is responsible for the worst wrongs against humanity, as if winning this argument will somehow prove that our way is right. Really all that's happening is that we're trying to show we're the least bad!

Supposedly in the name of Christ people have done terrible things. They were wrong, even if sincerely wrong - no excuses. Perhaps we need to say sorry sooner, more often, a bit more readily, and more clearly. Real people of faith do. Those with political agendas in religious wrappers don't.

Over at Christians confess you'll find that it's quite possible for Christians to say sorry.

Faith, belief and superstition

31% of people who say they're 'not religious' believe in ghosts.
62% of people believe we have a soul.
Christians are (apparently) more likely to read their horoscopes than average.

Ben Schott's Almanac of belief in The Times reveals what we Brits believe about faith and superstition this Halloween.

The Holocaust and the History curriculum

I may be late on this one, but since it dropped into my inbox yesterday I thought I'd mention it.

There's an alarmist email doing the rounds about the Holocaust being dropped from the uk history curriculum because it offends Muslims. With a subject line:
EVERY DAY - THE MORONS ARE CHANGING THE HISTORY BOOKS...
you'd be right to be suspicious. Here's what it said;

Recently this week, UK removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it "offended" the Moslem population which claims it never occurred.
This is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving into it.
It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended.
This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six millionJews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated with the German and Russian peoples looking the other way!
Now, more than ever, with Iran, among others, claiming the Holocaust to be"a myth," it is imperative to make sure the world never forgets. This e-mail is intended to reach 40 million people worldwide!
Join us and be a link in the memorial chain and help us distribute it around the world.

Please send this e-mail to 10 people you know and ask them to continue the memorial chain.
Please don't just delete it. It will only take you a minute to pass this along -

Thanks!

Yes, you've guessed it - it's absolutely wrong.

The rumour started following a government report on the teaching of history which showed that at KS4 GCSE some teachers were avoiding historical events which would be emotive or controversial in their area. The report cited one history department in a northern city which decided not to teach the Holocaust as a topic for GCSE coursework.

The report was picked up at the beginning of April by The Daily Mail, The Telegraph and The Guardian all of which identified the difficulty of teaching some aspects of the history curriculum where there are strongly held views among the local community about these events.

On the specific issue of the Holocaust, it remains a coursework topic at GCSE and is compulsory at KS3 (11's - 14's). It will remain a part of the history curiculum at KS3 in the new syllabus which comes into force in September 2008.

The original report is here.
Here's how the BBC reported the issue.
There is a balanced and informative response from the Holocaust Education Trust

Whilst on the subject of email hoaxes, if you haven't already done so you should check out TruthOrFiction.com which keeps tabs on all of these eRumours and checks them out to see if they are true or not.

Seeking first Righteousness

I'm sure that like me you've heard it said that what the church in the west needs is more persecution. Sometimes we seem to set ourselves up for what we consider to be persecution. The classic example is preaching on street corners, but protesting loudly outside theatres when something you consider blasphemous is on is also invoked as 'responding to persecution'.

This isn't persecution. No Christians were hurt in the making of this programme. Many will consider this kind of show to be offensive (including quite a few non-Christians), and many will ignore it, or would have done if the Christians hadn't made such a noise about it. But it's hardly persecution. Being crucified on the walls of your own church - that's persecution. Having your church destroyed, being arrested for meeting, being forced to 'convert' - that's persecution.

Jesus told us to, "Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness..." Matt 6:33. He also encouraged us that "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matt 5:10. See how easy it is to mis-read this to imply that the more you're persecuted the more righteous you must be.

But persecution isn't a mark of righteousness. Our righteousness comes not from what we do, but from God through faith in Jesus Christ Rom 3:21-22. Persecution of Christians happens when the surrounding culture doesn't like Christ and his church and all that it stands for. It's not about us, it's about them and their reaction. Jesus said this would happen, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world." John 16:33. Whatever happens, Jesus is bigger. This is the conviction of the Chinese church in the face of an immense, powerful, aggressive, secular state. Jesus is bigger. We're on his side, and he has overcome the world.

We don't fight back, taking militancy onto the street - we seek his righteousness, engage with people respectfully, and ultimately may have to walk the path of the suffering servant. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven."Matt 5:43-45

In the UK there are growing and significant areas of conflict between Christian values and national legislation which threaten to undermine the Christian heritage of our nation. I am grateful to those with the skills to challenge much of this legislation on the grounds of justice and equality. But I am less convinced by those who hope to perpetuate a vision of Christian Britain that most people would reject as an arrogant and imperialist imposition. Was that what Jesus wanted?

If we, in the west, face greater persecution, let it be because our passion is to live out God's righteousness, granted to us by grace through Christ. And if we face our persecutors, God give us grace to love them and to pray for them.

[pic: Church Times, from an article about the new Sexual Orientation Regulations]

Synchroblog - Persecution/Suffering for Righteousness

Today is SynchroBlog day exploring the theme of persecution for righteousness sake. Here are the contributors:

David Fisher at Be the Revolution
Fishing for Trouble at Phil Wyman's Square No More
Mike Bursell at Mike's Musings
Restoring Our View of Humanity at Eternal Echoes
Persecuting the Marginalized at Calacirian
Billy Calderwood at More Than Stone
Persecution and Martyrdom at Handmaid Leah
"Don't squash the counter-revolutionary/the plank in my own eye" fromJeremiah
The Martyrs of Epinga at Notes from the Underground
Terrorism in Christianity at The Rivera Blog
Persecution or Poor Elocution? "Hello," said Jenelle

As ever, do go have a look at what they have to say on the subject and may I encourage you to post comments by way of encouragement or challenge - it's what SynchroBlog is all about.

The Lost Tomb of Jesus

If you haven't already heard, James Cameron today held a press launch for his new documentary, The Lost Tomb of Jesus, to be aired on the Discovery Channel. The film is based on the discovery, in a suburb of Jerusalem, of a tomb containing the graves of Jesua, son of Joseph, Mary, Mary, Mathew, Jofa and Judah, son of Jesua. He's apparently confirmed from DNA evidence that Jesus and Mary were married and the some of those buried were their children.
If you're interested, the film web site is at jesusfamilytomb.com [I'm denying it the benefit of a hyperlink] There's quite a lot of purportedly historical, cultural and theological detail and it's got an interesting page called 'provisos' which notes that Jesus might still be resurrected, but from this tomb, not the one in Jerusalem.
There's a BBC item on it here which very humbly fails to mention that the BBC produced a programme about this grave in 1996.

As usual with these sorts of things, the 'experts' who worked with Cameron turn out to be, how shall we say, less than renowned for their world-wide reputation in such matters. "Archeologist" Simcha Jacobovici turns out to be a film maker and writer with an interest in religious history and Charles Pelligrino has a Ph.D. in paleobiology but is best known for being a writer for Star Trek: Next Generation, author of several science fiction novels and has produced a number of books about the lost city of Atlantis. To make comparisons with Dan Brown's 'The DaVinci Code' is too easy, people!
Among the various responses, is this from the London Evening Standard and there's a good write up here with helpful cross-referencing.

Expect much interviewing of raving atheist pseudo-historians and raving fundamentalist Christians. Also a certain amount of anxiety and confusion by some Christians and a mild case of bemused disinterest by most of the general public.
After an initial flurry of interest I suspect everyone will be bored of this by about a month after broadcast.

UPDATES:
Tuesday 27th Feb
There's an excellent analysis by Ben Witherington here, particularly from the perspective of Biblical and Church history.

Thursday 1st Mar
Reaction from the Washington Post. Top quote is surely this:

"I'm not a Christian. I'm not a believer. I don't have a dog in this fight," said William G. Dever, who has been excavating ancient sites in Israel for 50 years and is widely considered the dean of biblical archaeology among U.S. scholars. "I just think it's a shame the way this story is being hyped and manipulated."