Speakers Warn Against “Entrenched” Positions of “Conservative White Men” at Evangelical Conference

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David Gushee, Evangelicals, Evangelicals for Social Action, IRD Blog, Kristin Rudolph, Lisa Sharon Harper, Paul Alexander, Ron Sider, Shane Claiborne, Soong-Chan Rah

(Dr. Ron Sider, founder and president of ESA retired this year. Photo Credit: Surrender.org.au)

Kristin Rudolph (@Kristin_Rudolph)

Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA) gathered July 12 – 14 to celebrate the retirement of their founder and president, Dr. Ron Sider, the installation of two new co-presidents, and the organization’s 40 year anniversary at Eastern University near Philadelphia, PA. The conference, called “Follow. Jesus.” drew a few hundred attendees. Through plenary sessions and small group “conversations,” the conference explored Christian participation in social and political activist causes like economic inequality, immigration, climate change, abortion and racial division, among others. The focus of the main sessions was the history of evangelical activism and what the future may hold for American evangelicalism.

Dr. Michael Lindsay, president of Gordon College, reviewed the 40 year history of ESA, pointing to the 1973 Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern as a turning point for evangelicalism, and remarking the organization made Micah chapter 6 verse 8 “become embraced by a much wider constituency” of evangelicals. The verse, “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” is indeed an oft cited one among Christian social activists.

ESA, Lindsay said, became a voice for what evangelicals were for, rather than what they were against after the social upheaval of the 1960s. Although evangelical organizations have long been involved in mercy ministries, justice work “really started 40 years ago. Sure justice has been around for a lot longer than that but … there hasn’t been organizational focus,” he claimed. But, Lindsay continued: “If you really want to make a difference you’ve got to think about institutions because those are the things that last.”

In a panel discussion on the future challenges for evangelicals, Dr. David Gushee, professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University complained “the culture wars will remain with us, but in a sense they should be over.” He observed “40 years of arguing over mainly sex related moral issues in public … continues long past when one might have hoped that those arguments would be so central … and the polarization doesn’t seem to me to be changing.” Gushee predicted “as conservative white men … feel increasingly threatened by pluralistic post-white America, the heels are gonna get dug in and the positions are going to remain entrenched.”

He continued: “America’s religion and politics in the next generation will be defined as a contest between those who fully integrate the emerging racial ethnic and national background diversity of our country and those who seek to resist it.” Gushee asserted “the future of Evangelical Christianity hinges on getting past the ‘White Male Club’ as the people in charge of everything.”

Similarly, Lisa Sharon Harper, Director of Mobilizing for Sojourners said evangelicals have become “divorced from people who are not like ourselves.” She also pointed out a “deep [scriptural] illiteracy in the church,” which renders believers vulnerable to “politicking people … [who] twist the Scripture and make it mean something it doesn’t mean.”

This illiteracy “bears itself out in everything,” most recently the immigration reform debate, Harper said. “If we don’t know the Scripture, then we don’t know that 92 times in the Old Testament the word ger [the Hebrew word for immigrant] is mentioned … We don’t know or understand the fact that Jesus himself was an immigrant,” she lamented. Harper concluded the “lack of Scripture and a lack of compassion, lack of relationship” with those different from ourselves, makes evangelicals “ripe to be used, to be wielded like a sword in the public square in the hands of people who are politicking in the name of evangelicalism.”

In the same panel, Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, professor of church growth and evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary pointed out the “multi-cultural, multi-ethnic reality of society and Christianity,” and that “declining American Christianity is not rooted in these minority communities it’s actually rooted in the decline of White Evangelicalism.” With this shift, he warned of “the danger of framing [justice and social action] in an American exceptionalism and triumphalism that doesn’t make sense anymore.”

Yet evangelicals should not abandon that label and claim a new name, because evangelicalism has “a history that needs to be confessed” over things like slavery and racism, and evangelicals should not “[excuse themselves] from that history,” Rah said. Instead, he suggested God may be “calling us to engage in a lament rather than in the triumphalistic, exceptionalistic approach to justice,” instead of the long standing “absence of lament in the liturgical traditions in America.”

In an evening plenary session, Dr. Mimi Haddad, president of Christians for Biblical Equality called for a “renewed commitment to gender justice in the Church and around the world.” She described how “ideas have consequences,” and theologies and philosophies that teach the inferiority of women result in tragedies like sex slavery, sex-selective abortion, and other abuses.

Later, explaining his work toward renewal in impoverished Philadelphia neighborhoods, activist Shane Claiborne said “It’s hard to believe you have a beautiful creator if everything you look at is ugly.” Pointing out the bad reputation Christians in America have, he joked “You can believe in the bodily resurrection and still be really mean to people.” Being a Christian is not just about “right believing” but “right living,” Claiborne said.

He continued: “Poverty is every person’s responsibility … things like good health care and good education are not just privileges for the few that can afford it but they should be available to everybody. That’s what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves.” He urged attendees to follow the advice Ron Sider had given to him years before during the founding of the Simple Way, and keep Jesus at the center of their justice work.

In a concluding worship service Sunday morning, Dr. Al Tizon and Dr. Paul Alexander were installed as the new co-presidents of ESA.
[Note: A report on Tizon’s and Alexander’s remarks is forthcoming]

Update on the Sovereign Grace Ministries Lawsuit

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Church, Evangelicals, IRD Blog, Kristin Rudolph, Lawsuit, sex abuse, Sovereign Grace Ministries

(Credit: pastormattblog.com)

Kristin Rudolph (@Kristin_Rudolph)

Since my last report on the Sovereign Grace Ministries lawsuit in May, more developments have unfolded in this horrific ordeal. For an in-depth overview of the situation, see my last article on the topic. To sum up the events though, back in October 2012 three women represented by attorney Susan Burke filed a civil lawsuit in Montgomery County, MD accusing SGM and various of its leaders and churches of covering up and failing to report child sex abuse crimes through the 1980s and 90s.

In May 2013 eleven plaintiffs signed onto the second amendment of the lawsuit and Burke stated there were even more. The civil suit was largely dismissed for the expired statute of limitations, but criminal investigations are in the works and the plaintiffs have filed an appeal.

SGM is a network of about 80 “evangelical, Reformed, and charismatic” churches led, until a few months, ago by C.J. Mahaney. SGM was headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD until their recent relocation to Louisville, KY.

A major concern in this situation was the silence of well-known pastors and leaders close to Mahaney and SGM. Very little was said concerning the lawsuit outside the rumblings of lesser known bloggers. Shortly after the lawsuit was dismissed, two major evangelical organizations with close ties to SGM and its leader C.J. Mahaney (who is among the defendants in the lawsuit) commented. Within hours of each other, Together for the Gospel (T4G) and members of The Gospel Coalition (TGC) issued statements explaining their silence resulted from hesitation due to the complex nature of the lawsuit and their close friendship with Mahaney.

TGC’s letter was signed by Don Carson, Kevin DeYoung, and Justin Taylor. It specifies that the letter does not represent the views of all associated with TGC. Neither statement calls for Mahaney to step back from public ministry until the allegations and lawsuit are resolved. The three members who make up T4G with Mahaney – Al Mohler, Mark Dever, and Ligon Duncan – received criticism for stating that Mahaney was merely accused of “founding a ministry and for teaching doctrines and principles that are held to be true by vast millions of American evangelicals. For this reason, we, along with many others, refused to step away from C. J. in any way.”

The statement was recently removed from T4G’s website and replaced with a letter from Mahaney explaining why he will not be speaking at the group’s 2014 conference. In the letter dated July 1 Mahaney writes: “Unfortunately, the civil lawsuit filed against Sovereign Grace Ministries, two former SGM churches and pastors (including myself), continues to generate the type of attention that could subject my friends to unfair and unwarranted criticism. Though dismissed in May (and now on appeal), the lawsuit could prove a distraction from the purpose of this important conference. My withdrawal is not intended to communicate anything about the merits of the suit.”

Others in the evangelical community have used this circumstance as an opportunity to address how churches should prevent, and if necessary, deal with child sexual abuse. The Southern Baptist Convention, at its recent annual meeting in Houston passed a resolution titled “On Sexual Abuse of Children” urging churches to vigilantly screen prospective staff members – particularly those working with children – and comply with legal obligations by reporting abuse to the authorities, among other things.

In addition, the resolution encourages “all denominational leaders and employees of the Southern Baptist Convention to utilize the highest sense of discernment in affiliating with groups and or individuals that possess questionable policies and practices in protecting our children from criminal abuse.”

Further, Boz Tchividjian founder and Executive director of GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) has been critical of how evangelical leaders have publicly handled this tragic situation. Tchividjian, grandson of Billy Graham and brother of TGC member Tullian Tchividjian, stated in a post on the GRACE website that “the heart of this lawsuit is about a systematic church effort to discourage and eventually prevent the families of children who were allegedly (and repeatedly) sexually victimized by church officials from speaking out and reporting to law enforcement.”

He continues: “A Gospel-centered response to child sexual abuse begins with our understanding that silence is not an option. We must be willing to openly confront abuse and its surrounding silence and give of ourselves so that those impacted can experience the healing and transformative power of Jesus.”

As the appeal goes to trial and the criminal investigations proceed, we can only pray justice prevails and that moving forward, churches and ministries will do all in their power to protect children from violation.

Marriage: Considering Our Cultural Moment

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Christianity, Church, culture, Evangelicals, Institute on Religion and Democracy, Kristin Rudolph, marriage, Politics

(Credit: Huffington Post)

Kristin Rudolph (@Kristin_Rudolph)

The traditional Christian understanding of marriage, family, sexuality, and human life has long been receding from dominance in America, and this week’s Supreme Court decision in United States v. Windsor, which declared the federal government’s traditional definition of marriage in the Defense of Marriage Act’s (DOMA) as unconstitutional was consistent with this trend. Recent developments and controversies surrounding same-sex marriage (SSM) bring to light cultural assumptions about sexuality, and likewise, clarify what traditional Christians believe on all matters of life, sexuality, marriage, and family.

For church leaders and Christians across America, this is one more opportunity to be salt and light by living and speaking God’s truth in all areas of life. Save a dramatic cultural shift (which is certainly possible) we are moving toward a day where the majority (or all) of US states will redefine marriage. Popular opinion is dramatically changing, because, as it turns out, marriage was hollow even before the recent SSM debate. Christians should not be shocked by recent developments.

Looking Back

An overview of the rise and fall of civilizations throughout history indicates strong marriage and family norms are essential for a stable and flourishing society. The decay of the family is far advanced in America. Back in 1947 (!), Harvard sociologist Carle Zimmerman warned in Family and Civilization that “The family will probably keep on moving, in one direction or another. One of the reasons it cannot stop now is that it is already so completely atomized that it produces no stable social body in which to solidify. Its human products, children, are not sufficient to reproduce the society of which it is a part. Its psychological product, the human stuff of society … seems insufficient to give the society a workable, stable moral code widely enough accepted to enable the great society to hold together.”

Zimmerman specifically predicted widespread divorce, plummeting birthrates, ubiquitous antifamilism, acceptance of sexual deviance, among other trends prevalent today when he wrote Family and Civilization in 1947, noting that these ills are “but symptoms of the final decay of the basic postulates upon which the ‘human’ part of society is built.’”

One major factor in this breakdown is the cultural understanding of marriage as a primarily emotional relationship aimed at making adults happy and fulfilled, which is not sufficient to provide a firm foundation for healthy, thriving future generations. But most Americans now hold a watered down emotionally oriented view of marriage, based primarily on a weak understanding of love. This definition of marriage runs counter to the traditional Christian teaching that marriage is a lifelong, self-sacrificial one flesh union, open to the creation new life.

Barbara Dafoe Whitehead writes in Divorce Culture that during the divorce revolution in the 1960s and 70s, emotional satisfaction and personal happiness became the primary measures of a “successful” marriage, and adults were no longer expected to uphold their vows, even for the sake of their children. In fact, Whitehead writes, children’s literature addressing divorce often told youngsters to “Understand how unhappy your parents are and do what you can to help them feel better.”

Younger generations have only known a time dominated by an individualized, feelings oriented definition of love and marriage, so it is little wonder they view marriage as entirely optional and fluid. Christians should not be shocked by this shift in public opinion. It has been underway visibly for decades, and the philosophic foundations have been under construction for centuries.

This is no reason to despair and develop a defeatist mindset. Instead, it is one area where Christians will continue to contrast with the culture around us. The contrast will grow increasingly stark. There are some who already hate Christians who hold a traditional view of marriage, and the broader culture will likely follow suit. Indeed, the Supreme Court’s majority opinion declares that DOMA’s “principle purpose is to impose inequality,” and asserts the law was motivated by “improper animus” against persons in same-sex marriages.

Looking Ahead

In addition to defending traditional marriage, especially through fresh communication strategies (See the John Jay Institute’s “You’ve Been Framed” document), what should Christians do? First, we must look ahead of the current moment at the coming challenges. Redefining marriage inevitably means redefining family and how families are created. This shift has already meant challenges (and closures) for Christian adoption agencies that will only place children with traditionally married couples and threats to religious freedom will undoubtedly continue. Further, Christianity teaches marriage is the institution God has designed to bring human beings – eternal souls – into this world.

The formation and stability of families and the dignity of the human person is at stake in all angles of this revolution. Sex has already been separated from marriage and procreation while marriage is viewed as a largely optional arrangement for having children. As such, assisted reproductive technology (ART) is increasingly common for heterosexual and homosexual couples and single persons.

Ultimately, as the interconnectedness of marriage, sex, and children is dismantled, the human person becomes commodified and broken down into pieces. The ART industry, a new wild frontier largely unexplored ethically and legally, shows this breakdown clearly. Although the euphemism “donation” is used to describe the selling of “genetic reproductive materials,” the creation of human beings through ART is undoubtedly a business, profiting on the creation of human beings.

LGBT activists are touting a bill before the Washington, D.C. city council that would legalize surrogacy contracts in the nation’s capital. Louisiana’s governor recently vetoed a similar bill that state lawmakers approved with overwhelming support. Such legislation receives little attention and creates even less controversy than it should. By definition, children raised by homosexual couples are separated from at least one biological parent, or have an array of multiple “parents.” It is rare to hear anyone publicly seriously consider the implications of ART for the children created through such means. Children, once again, are the defenseless victims left to the whims of adult desires.

The average American knows little to nothing about the ART industry and the ethical issues it entails. More alarming, most Protestant Christian leaders seem unaware and/or silent on the matter. This is unacceptable. As our culture moves further away from a traditional understanding of marriage and family, these ethical questions will only intensify and multiply.

Christians must focus on the big picture. We cannot isolate SSM or abortion as moral concerns without articulating the consistent Christian teaching on the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death, the validity of a chaste life in singleness or lifelong marriage, and the necessary connection between sex and procreation within marriage. Many within the Western Church have already compromised on these teachings, but our cultural moment is a wake-up call to refine our convictions about marriage, family, sexuality, and human life.

Clear Principles for Messy Politics

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Africa, Christianity, Evangelicals, Luke Moon, Mali, Politics, Social Justice

Equipping young Christians for public service.

By Luke Moon (@lukemoon1)

Years ago my vision was pretty simple: Train and equip young Christians in developing nations to effectively serve in public office or civil society.  As a missionary for 10 years I had trained and equipped hundreds if not thousands of young Christians for all kinds of righteous activities.  Whether it was teaching inductive Bible Study to a group of young pastors in an underground seminary in China, leading teams of young evangelicals to trace the human trafficking routes through Europe, or hiring a butcher to help me demonstrate the Old Testament sacrificial system I always aimed to be practical and relevant.  But politics is messy and mission agencies, often rightly, avoid training people for a vocation in politics. Even the agency I served with would talk about vocation and bringing transformation to education or Hollywood, but rarely was there talk of bringing transformation public service or civil society.

This avoidance of politics entirely understandable.  Politics is wrought with divisiveness, unhealthy alignments, and countless unforeseen pitfalls.  Mission agencies have found temporary safety in a handful of consensus issues like fighting human trafficking or providing clean water and mosquito nets. But what about more complicated issues like poverty, war, and marriage?  Are there biblical principles for how Christians should engage politics and public service?  Over the last five years I have developed a 15 hour lecture series that I think answers that very question.

While the lecture series includes a variety of topics and give special attention to relevant issues in the community, it consists of five major themes.

Theme 1. Politics is more than just Right vs. Left, Republican vs. Democrat, or Labor vs. Tory. Politics is largely about how people live together and structure their community.

Theme 2. There are a variety of political structures outlined in scripture.  From self-government in the Garden of Eden to the Kingdom of Heaven as described in the book of Revelation, government has always been part of God’s plan for humanity.

Theme 3.  Jesus was not an apolitical figure.  A King in his own right, Jesus confronted the major political structures in Israel.

Theme 4.  The Church has a long and complicated relationship with civil government.  The three standout models which have emerged recently are Catholic Social Teaching, Principled Pluralism, and Anabaptist. Each model offers a unique understanding to how Christians engage public service.

Theme 5.  Scripture offers a framework for human flourishing and therefore public policy advocated by Christians should seek that as well.

Since leaving full-time ministry and coming to work at the IRD, I have come to realize how important it is for Christians to understand the role of the Church in society and how it engages with the State.  I am inundated daily with examples of Christians confusing social justice gimmicks with life-changing Christ-centered community transformation.  Sadly, it seems much of the teaching in church that is geared towards young Christians tends to emphasize social justice that rarely leads to the heart change.  My lecture series puts social justice in the right context and with the right understanding.

I have taught this seminar all around the world, but never in Africa.  Last month, I received an invitation to teach this seminar in Mali.  This invitation was unique because in 2008 I helped train a group of students from Mali, and since then every attempt to set-up a training event in Mali has been forced to cancel due to numerous tragic circumstances (one reason being a civil war).  It is also unique in that I need to cover all my travel expenses. The recent civil war weighs heavy on the nation and I pray that the Lord with use this seminar and these young Christians to bring hope and healing to the nation of Mali.

If you would like to contribute to this project you can donate here. Please include “For Mali” in the note section of our online donation page.

Tyler Wigg-Stevenson’s Advice for Christian Activists

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Activism, Evangelicals, Institute on Religion and Democracy, Kristin Rudolph, Q Ideas, Two Futures Project, Tyler Wigg-Stevenson

(Photo Credit: Jonathan Merritt)

Kristin Rudolph (@Kristin_Rudolph)

As a young generation of activist-minded, idealistic evangelicals confronts the brokenness and frustration of the real world, Tyler Wigg-Stevenson is calling for a “calibration check” to determine what it means for Christians to “have a faithful commitment to doing good.” In the first of a new webcast series from Q Ideas, Wigg-Stevenson told Q founder and president Gabe Lyons he sees “a generation of Christians really who are thinking seriously about cultural renewal [and] … the common good.”

Wigg-Stevenson, a pastor and founder of the nuclear abolition group, Two Futures Project, said “there’s been a real surge in what I’d call Christian activism over the last ten years.” He explained “the work’s harder than we initially thought it might be,” which demands serious consideration of what it means “to live out our faith in public.” To consider these questions, Wigg-Stevenson wrote The World is Not Ours to Save: Finding the Freedom to Do Good, which was released this year.

The author said the idea of “progress and that we are just slowly but surely we’re building a better world and it’s irreversible” cannot be reconciled with a Christian understanding of the world and history. “Part of the progressive vision … is that we’re building into the future. But it doesn’t necessarily have an answer for how you deal with the past,” Wigg-Stevenson explained. He continued: “One of the things I think is so troublesome from a Christian perspective is that [a progressive vision] just cannot make sense of the irreversible tragedy of history that there are people and cultures who have been ground under … and they are not retrievable.”

“As Christians we have to think that history needs more than an oil change. History needs redemption and that’s part of a Christian understanding of salvation,” Wigg-Stevenson stated. He cautioned activists that the world is “tragically shot through with sin and that requires a Redeemer … so our response to history is not to get in and tinker with it until it’s okay, our response to history is to be faithful to the only One whose entry into history is its solution.”

“American Christianity, especially American evangelicalism is so pragmatic, so practical,” Wigg-Stevenson explained, that it often loses sight of its primary commitment to Christ and takes a “problem solving” approach that leaves little room to lament the incurable brokenness of our world. Further, he said “first and foremost our call is to fidelity [to Christ] and in some places fidelity looks like being effective,” but “fidelity isn’t always effective.”

Wigg-Stevenson pointed out how American evangelicals have downplayed the role of peace in Christianity, as they “are not super comfortable with the peace movement coming out of the Vietnam era as being something sort of culturally and morally suspicious. I think we need to get over that allergy to peace because peace is shot through the Bible.”

He pointed to Micah chapter four, which describes the “the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established … and peoples will stream to it” in peace during the last days. Wigg-Stevenson said “the kingdom is quite obviously not here yet … [and] the ‘mountain of the temple of the Lord,’ from a Christian interpretation of Micah, is the mountain of the cross. That’s where Christ, whose own body became the temple of God, that’s where he was crucified and died for our sin.”

He explained that “every place where … Christ is exalted in every heart and in every community will start to see effects that look like what’s outlined in Micah, [though] they might be small.” A primary orientation toward Christ as Redeemer is the essential foundation of all good work, the pastor advised. Lyons agreed, adding: “these glimpses of the kingdom are the way that the world starts to know there is a better way [to live].”

Activist minded evangelicals would do well to heed Wigg-Stevenson’s advice. It is easy to lose sight of the Christian’s primary call to love God while pouring one’s life into a worthy cause. To do so results at best in burn out, at worst idolatry, and even worse, both. While evangelicals are rightly concerned with addressing the world’s brokenness, a sober approach to activism grounded in Christ’s ultimate redemptive work is true faithfulness.