FORCE AND VIOLENCE Back in the early 70s’ I was at a L’Abri Conference held at Covenant College. Oz Guinness was giving a lecture about “Force and Violence.” I was intrigued and impressed with his ability to help explain the functions and distinctions about both. Some of his thoughts still help me as I seek to understand my own country, these United States of America. As someone who grew up in Newark, NJ, has seen mob violence from riots in the streets in the late sixties, had various encounters with the police, and lived under the historical and present aura of American war, along with an almost omnipresent depiction of it through media and entertainment, violence was something I did and do think about. Living in Newark as a teen-ager meant, for me, that I was always hyper-vigilant about getting into a fight or being attacked. I have attempted to live my life as a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, and been committed to personal non-violence. I choose this path as a …
General
FACING THE ELECTION OF 2020
We are facing the election of 2020. I can feel the temperature rising. I have friends on both sides, people who can’t stand President Trump, and partisans for either President Trump or the conservative party. Let me say up front I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I try to vote as a Christian according to my conscience. I also want to say that I respect anyone who is a member of a political party and tries to influence that party toward what is righteous and good. I think Christians should be politically involved and I know that to be in politics means you have to compromise on some things if you want to be active in a party. No party is perfect, and no candidate is perfect. So, we encourage people to do the best they can, and choose the best they can. PARTISANS Usually, this means at times we will disagree amongst ourselves as to specific policies or directions. Maybe I should say in the best of times, but this is not the best of times. Today the disagreements, …
REFLECTIONS ON JUSTICE
REFLECTIONS ON JUSTICE Anthony Bradley wrote an interesting article the other day in Fathom magazine, “Finally Healing the Wounds of Jim Crow.” It was interesting to me because it echoed some of the discussion my wife and I have had about racial trauma and racial healing. She has often pointed to what happened in South Africa when they ended apartheid with Truth and Justice commissions, and wished we could have had the same. Dr. Bradley points to “transitional justice” as a way for people to pursue racial peace. As a Reformed believer, meaning in this case someone who believes the whole Bible is applicable to faith and life, I am committed to the idea of justice. It is God’s character, one of his attributes, and the corollary to his love of justice is that he hates injustice. The discussion about the phrase “social justice” is a diversion from the important theological pursuit of God’s will that he wants done on earth as well as in heaven. The diversion into some analysis …
ESSAY ON RACISM
RACISM BY Randy Nabors Racial discussions in America are full of rhetorical flourish, phrases, and powerful words which sometimes are not clearly defined, or not universally accepted. Even when there is agreement on definition there might still be conflict over the existence of a concept, such as people when people insist America is built on “systemic racism” while others say such an idea is a “myth.” Some of these arguments are more emotional than rational, and one can listen to arguments jumping the rails of logic to attempt to prove a point, usually because they don’t like the political implications of the other side. We search for explanations. Why did this man get killed by this policeman? Why did this child go to prison, not finish school, live in poverty? Why does this neighborhood even exist? Why did this person get hired and that person get fired? Why does this person have wealth and that person doesn’t? Is success built on personal responsibility and …
IS THERE ANY REASON FOR OPTIMISM?
IS THERE ANY REASON FOR OPTIMISM? My answer is “yes” but I am struggling to articulate why. I will give you my reasons, and I am sure on just about each one there is an opposing point of view. Nevertheless, in spite of all the trouble we are in, in these days of a pandemic, of economic threat and for us locally in the south, of tornadoes, there is reason for hope. Optimism is important because it is a crucial factor in moving toward solutions, and enduring the hardships of the present. Legitimate optimism is not a denial of truth or fact, otherwise it would be more like being a sucker, a victim of con men, clueless or blind. One has to admit that not only do the circumstances seem terrifying, but we continue to be in a context of extreme political and ideological division. Almost any event, speech, or decision is dipped in partisan vitriol and so reason seems to leave the building – or at least our Facebook pages- when a partisan interpretation is put on things. This seems …
CORONAVIRUS
WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING ABOUT THE CORNAVIRUS? Randy Nabors Many people are worried and wondering what they can do in case this virus comes to their area, community, family, or church. As the Coordinator of Urban & Mercy Ministries I want to send out some ideas and thoughts especially for churches in rising to this challenge that is before the church. Let me begin by saying that though COVID-19 is new as a virus the concept of a plague or pestilence is not a new challenge for the Church. Since mankind fell in the garden of Eden disease has come into the world. It is one of the evidences of judgment generally on all mankind, just like the common cold. Most likely, just like the rain, it will fall upon the just and the unjust. Is it a cause or reason to call for repentance? Of course, since death comes to us all here is another way it may claim us, but it is not something that we can particularly say, “because of this sin, in this country, that is why this disease …
PASTORING FOR THE LONG HAUL
I've done a few things in my life during which I wondered why I was doing this to myself. I have run in several marathons and climbed a few mountains. Both kinds of experiences mean your body depends on the training you have given it so you can maintain a healthy oxygen level. There is nothing like sucking air and hyper-ventilating to make one realize how fragile we are. In one marathon I felt I was doing fine until an EMT stuck his head out of a passing ambulance and asked me if I needed bandages. I told him, “no.” Then I tried to figure out why he had asked me. I looked down and saw that the front of my shirt had two streams of blood on it from my shirt chaffing against my chest. I didn’t finish that race. In another marathon I lost all the feeling on the left side of my body. When I climbed Mount Kenya I(and don’t you dare ask what country that is in) I was feeling pretty sick by the time we reached the base of the peak camp at 14,000 feet. My head hurt and I was sick …
DR. SLAUGHTER
Correspondent Interview with Dr. Greevos Slaughter C: Dr. Slaughter I am conducting this interview to clarify some of the views you expressed in a recent lecture. For the record, you are now a Professor Emeritus holding a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Economics? Dr.S: Yes, but it might be more correct to say I specialize in economic philosophy. C: In a recent lecture you stated that you hoped we would one day make murder legal, that our society would decriminalize it, is that correct? Dr.S: Yes, that is what I said and what I advocate. C: Would you admit that this seems a bit radical? Could you clarify for our readers what you mean? Dr.S: Well, as I have said on my lecture circuit it is my conclusion that much good would result from our decriminalizing murder. I advocate taking it out of the criminal justice system, except maybe for murder against public officials, and putting it into civic law and civic lawsuits. This would give people the opportunity to prove …
HOW DOES SOMEBODY GET ORDAINED IN THE PCA?
THE COMPLEXITY, NECESSITY, AND CHALLENGE OF PROPER CREDENTIALING By Randy Nabors One of the challenges for the Presbyterian Church in America is the process we have for ordaining our ministers. If you want to be a pastor in this denomination there are certain “hoops” one has to jump through. I am in favor of being true to Scripture, and holding our Elders to that standard, both Teaching and Ruling. However, I submit there can be several competing) dynamics that afflict this process and it is important for presbyteries and their “Credentials Committee” to keep these in mind The ACADEMIC DYNAMIC Our pastors, or Teaching Elders, need to be competent theologically. We want them to not only be competent in knowing theology but “orthodox” (as per the PCA standards) in what they believe. It is not enough to know what the denomination confesses and professes but the candidate for both licensure and ordination must actually hold to these beliefs and be ready to defend them …
BE EAGER TO REMEMBER THE POOR
REFLECTIONS ON TYPICAL PCA CHURCH AND PASTOR DECISIONS CONCERNING A CONGREGATIONAL MINISTRY OF MERCY. (I am making a distinction here between typical congregations as opposed to those within the New City Network.) 1. Most church planters and pastors see mercy ministry as optional, and not a necessity as a church ministry. 2. Many church planters see mercy as a distraction in the first couple of years of planting a congregation. 3. Many pastors and congregations see mercy ministry as something done by church members through non-profit or volunteer agencies. 4. Some pastors and congregations see mercy ministry as something accomplished only on mission trips in distant places. 5. Some pastors have no idea on how to train Deacons in how to do mercy, so usually opt for biblical or theological training in the office of Deacon and character qualifications. 6. Some churches refuse to show or give “charity” to people who ask for help because… • There is a political spirit in …