The Next Christians: Krista Tippet with Gabe Lyons and Jim Daly

In this fascinating video, Krista Tippet, host of NPR's Fresh Air, interviews Gabe Lyons and Jim Daly.  Lyons is co-author of UnChristian, author of The Next Christians and founder of Q, a TED-like gathering for Christian culture-makers.  Daly is President and CEO of Focus on the Family.  Together they discuss the diverse Evangelical approaches to public engagement in politics and culture.  It's a fascinating, and at points hope-giving look at one potential future of evangelicalism.  I will say I was a bit let down that there wasn't more (evident) disagreement between the guests.  

You may want to skip the first 6 minutes of set-up. 


The Next Christians ~ In the Room with Gabe Lyons, Jim Daly, and Krista Tippett from On Being on Vimeo.

Evangelicals and Politics since 1980: A Documentary

Reagan was the first presidential candidate who the press credited Evangelicals for electing in 1980, the year I was born.  Find 50 minutes to watch this excellent PBS documentary (The final episode of an excellent six part series).

It looks at key figures including Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Robert Cizik, Rick Reed, Jim Wallis, George W. Bush and Barack Obama evenhandedly. 

Watch the full episode. See more FRONTLINE.

Render Unto Caesar? Jesus' Subversive Submission

What you think "Render Unto Caesar" means is probably wrong.  That's right.  Mark 12:13-19 is a widely known, and generally misunderstood passage.  Here it is in the TNIV.

 ¹³ Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. ¹⁴ They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

    But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose image is this? And whose inscription?"
       "Caesar's," they replied.

    ¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."
       And they were amazed at him.

In order to understand this passage, we really need to unpack several layers of the context.

The first thing we need to know:  Israel was an occupied nation.  This was deeply disturbing to Jewish faith.  Jews were Exodus people.  They were free for several hundred years in the beginning under David and Solomon and others, but then had been conquered by Babylon and exiled and when finally brought back, had never really been free, but always under the thumb of a global empire.  Now it was Rome, and one of the most visible and offensive signs of this occupation were the taxes. The tax represented the fact that the People of God were inexplicably subject to a sinful Gentile kingdom.

The Ordinary Radicals

Check out the fresh liturgy at the beginning of this trailer!  That's my kind of Christianity - radically opposed to what God opposes.  

http://www.theordinaryradicals.com/

The Myth of a Christian Nation: Greg Boyd on Video

"You can't pick up the cross, without putting down the sword." ~Greg Boyd

Charlie Rose interviews Pastor Gregory Boyd on his book, "The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church."

Although Boyd is no liberal, he lost one-fifth of his congregation when he preached that the church should steer clear of mixing the gospel with a specific political stance, noting that the Kingdom of God is, in Jesus' words, "not of this world."

I've read the book, and found it a compelling elucidation of the Kingdom and way of Jesus in contrast to the way of the kingdoms of this world. The book.

Piecemeal reflections on TV Politics and Faith

"...the hope of the world." Mitt Romney uttered these words in reference to the good ol' USA at the Republican Convention recently. And the words rung hollow to me. Maybe it's because I hear in them a nationalistic messiah complex. Maybe it sound too arrogant. Maybe it's a throwback to Puritan theologies of America as the New Israel, the city on a hill. Maybe it's because as a Christian, I have to agree with Bill Hybels, who often says, "the local church is the hope of the world." Of course, the church is not merely a collection of kind people, but the very (broken) vessel of the God who's existence is the grounds for all hope. One of Rick Warren's interview questions for both Obama and McCain was this: "Does evil exist, and how shall we deal with it?" Obama has been criticized for not responding as forcefully as McCain - who almost shouted 'defeat it!', though he too landed on these words. The question drew to mind an oft mentioned anecdote from the life of G.K. Chesterton. About 100 years ago, a British paper invited many writers to answer the same question, What’s Wrong With the World? They extended the invitation to G. K. Chesterton who wrote back, Dear Sirs; I am. Sincerely, G.K. Chesterton Is there evil in the world? Yes.  How do I know?  I have felt it within me. Alexander Solzhenitsyn has wisely said that the battleline between good and evil is not between good nations and ill, but "runs through every human heart."