Last Day – Response to Antonia

Hi Antonia, I agree with everything you have said.  When I think about the challenges you bring up in cross-cultural mission work, I  could wonder why God chooses to partner with ordinary people like me and you.  However, I know that  in the process of carrying out his task, we are changed as well.  Our faith grows and we become more like him.. .and that pleases me! 

Happy December 7th! It’s over!

  Sue 

Week 8 – Response to Steve Holt

I think Steve’s assessment of “nationalism” is well said, and I agree with his claim that “abandoning the concept of nationalism simply because of its potential to do harm is counter to what Christ was doing by rejecting participation in community.” I am concerned with the way class exercises are allowed to be used by some to take political or personally held opinions and attempt to line them up with scripture to justify or discredit scriptural validity (i.e. definitions of the Kingdom of God).  In our analysis of the issues in class, it is not enough to recognize something is broken from a narrow prospective, but we must act from a position of spiritual power and integrity to help remedy the situations.  This can only be done when a broader and equal view is given to the problem.

 If we do not agree with the primary or commonly understood meaning of a word, we do not have the right to redefine it for our own purposes or personal agenda, just as the Maori chose to separate themselves from the Christianity of the missionaries because they incorrectly read into the Christology of scripture (Jn 5:23) a meaning that “resonated with colonial claims to superior power” (227). Further, the discussion in class about the Pledge of Allegiance, where the word “allegiance” was redefined, I believe is unjustifiable and incites students in a way that does not advocate a Biblical solution, and most certainly does not come from a place of love.  I was appalled to learn that a parent would support and take pride in his or her child’s decision to boycott the Pledge of Allegiance in school, given the child’s limited understanding as a minor of the gravity of the action.  The Pledge of Allegiance was created in 1892 by a Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy to demonstrate and acknowledge  obedience to the state as a virtue (Dictionary.com).  Allegiance in this case applies to: 1) “a citizen’s duty to his country” i.e. pay his taxes, obey traffic laws; 2) loyalty:  faithfulness to commitments or obligations (Dictionary.com).  If I followed the example of the child, I would petition to have this course removed from Fuller’s schedule, because I am unable to endorse everything that is expressed in class.

Psalm 58 has something to say to all of us (Brandt 1974 Psalms Now/98)

My heart grieves, O Lord,

for the leaders of this world

who play god with the lives of men and women.

With the clever twisting of half-truths

they gather followers into their folds

and manipulate them

into carrying out their purposes.

They blind people to personal conscience

and responsibility

and enslave them to their immoral wishes

and sinful ambitions.

 

Then there are velvet-voiced mystics who assume

they are God‘s special gift to humankind

and who,

through devious tricks or inscrutable gifts,

create their cults of loyal disciples.

 

You shall have the last word, O God,

and those who take Your place,

or who stand in Your way

as You seek to draw people to Yourself,

will be subjected to Your judgments.

 

You are my God, Almighty and Eternal.

Forbid, O God, that I should ever turn from You

to follow the false shepherds of this world.

 

 

Week 7 – Response to Nathan Shenks on Eliza Fraser

I am sure Nathan simply had a slip of the tongue, but Eliza Fraser is a part of Australia’s history, not America’s. I agree with him that bending the truth in order to support personal and political  agendas are wrong, Christian or not.

 However, I disagree that John Newton (1725-1807) wrote ‘Amazing Grace’ while still a slave trader.  He quit the sea and slave trading in 1754 or 1755 and “most likely” wrote the song in 1772.  He began speaking out against slavery eight years later and fought against it until his death in 1807 (see Snoops.com).  All spiritual growth is a process and some areas of our life are slower in conforming to the image of Christ than others.  In the last third of his life, Newton  became a counter-cultural hero for God through  his stand against slavery.  In that respect, I believe Christians can and should point to him as a model for living in our postcolonial world.

Week 6 – Response to Jesse Rivers on Fuellenbach’s Chap. 5

I too disagree with Fuellenbach’s report indicating we do not have “a Jewish Christianity that can really carry on the dialogue between Jews and Christians on a common basis.”  He needs to get out more, or perhaps he does not consider Messianic Jews as legit representatives of Judaism? Do not all things change and grow as culture changes around it?  Jewish Christianity comes in many hybrid forms and should be approached from that angle, instead of looking backward to one historical period and its original identity as the only representive of the faith.

Week 5 – Response to David Pham on “Desiring War”

I agree with David in his disagreement with Runions on President Bush and what she sees as his intention to create “a new imperialist history” (p124).  It is sad to think that while we as Christians believe that God raises up individuals for special ministries and that he places national leaders in place, we second guess their every word and action, offering no grace for mistakes.

 Proverbs 8:16 says, “By me princes rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly.” 

Chuck Norris asserts:  “The text leads us to speak of civil government, as ordained of God, in the hands of the mediator; of civil rulers, as holding their commission and authority under Christ; of their duty and dignity as his Ministers, and of the duty and privilege of the people under their administration. . .”

Week 4 – Response to Jesse on The Church in the Teaching of Vatican II

Although I am in total agreement with Jesse’s take on how “individualism pervades the local church atmosphere,” I am doubtful that the lack of integration and unification among local churches has much, if anything, to do with Vatican II’s teaching.  Doctrine and preferences definitely lead the way in dividing the Body.

Four years ago the pastoral leadership of my non-charismatic non-denominational church voted against hosting a proposed city-wide conference on prayer on our spacious campus. The leader of the parachurch ministry was a member of a charismatic church, ONE of the many speakers was charismatic, and the common fear was that hosting an open service on our campus where speaking in tongues might occur could possibly send the wrong message about what we believe on that subject and also distract non-charismatic attenders when they heard their charismatic brothers and sisters speak in tongues around them during  times of worship. Individualism, pride and distinctions come natural to our carnal natures.

Week 3 – Response to Hang

I agree with Hang’s statement that members of various feminist groups need to dialogue with others in community, but I am intrigued by his opening sentence and its description of postcolonial feminist concerns as “the misled women’s position.”  It may have been just a poor choice of words, but the adjective “misled” sounds a bit patriarchal to me.  In her article, “Making the Connection,” Pui-Lan points out that although feminist scholars in postcolonial criticism take different approaches to the interpretation of scripture, they  share common concerns which bind them together.  I am proud of my sisters all over the globe, who are challenging patriarchal readings, and instead are rewriting, retelling, and reinterpreting the Word through their own lens, even as they continue to be mindful of the lingering effects of anti-Semitism, global racism, and sexism from colonialism.

Week 2 – Response to Ryan

Were there books on leadership in Gandhi’s day and if so, do you think he read one?  Hmm.  Rhetorical question. One of the key principles of leadership is to keep the vision before your people.  Just keep restating it, in the face of criticism or regardless of what outsiders think or do.  Ghandi preached it, lived it, defended it in the courts of law, and ultimately died for what he believed.  His stance of nonviolence succeeded  in gaining independence for India. I do not believe  the U.S. would survive the same radical approach to its conflicts.   Where is my faith?

Week 2 – Response to Joel’s blog

Joel wrote:  “It makes me mad when I read about the things within the media that are withheld or purposely shown to keep our stereotypical views of other nationalities intact.”  I agree, but also will point out the  maddening practice goes both ways.  For example,  when foreign visitors come to  my home state, they want to see “cowboys and Indians, cattle roundups, and all the wild horses.”  Our art galleries are filled with cattle brandings, Indian women and children in costume, and bucking broncos.  These stereotypical images are not my reality and no, it is not quite the same, but it gives me a head start in understanding Said’s concept of “discrepant experience.”