This is a piece I wrote years ago that I was eager to revisit and update. There is a lot of violence in the Old Testament (hereafter OT), which provokes a host of unhelpful reactions from my perspective. Some want to chuck the whole OT in the bin like Marcion or treat the God revealed […]
Kingdom vs. Government
Greg Boyd over at ReKnew wrote a post describing what he would say to President Obama if he were asked to advise about the situation in Syria. His post is appropriately humble. He knows it is a hypothetical exercise. He doesn’t weigh his own opinion heavier than it deserves. He acknowledges valid differences of opinion […]
When Will This Movement End?
Christianity was forged as a movement in opposition to a hegemonic and oppressive Roman empire. Today, in that same spirit, battling against the oppressive weight of corporate greed and a government characterized by lust for militarization, violence and a repeated disregard for the poor, people are descending on Wall Street in anger and protest. Annie […]
Not in My Name
I’ve really appreciated MaryAnn’s reflections, and the Friars/Fool thoughts, and the others who have chimed in as well. Though I may quibble with a few of the individual ideas presented, mostly I resonate with the questions that folks have raised, and with the doubts about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of civil disobedience in its typical […]
Not Violent Enough
It is an honor to be in dialogue with Rick Ufford-Chase, who unflinchingly walks the talk of radical Christian faith and practice. As I read his reflection I was reminded of a blog post by Pete Rollins, of whom I am an unabashed fan. Rollins wrote some time ago about religious extremism, and argued that […]