Another great post over at God's Politics. Cathleen Falsani writes of the influence of Bruce Cockburn's music and introduces a DVD Bruce has made on his return visit to Nepal.
If you know Bruce Cockburn's music you'll want to make sure you follow the link to the DVD site. If you don't know Bruce Cockburn's music yet, this is a great way to find out about one of the most insightful and challenging musicians of our generation. You can visit the Bruce Cockburn site here.
Showing posts with label God's Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's Politics. Show all posts
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Friday, 24 April 2009
Love your neighbour - all your neighbours
Over at God's Politics Brian McLaren has a good post with a link to a USA Today editorial by Jonathan Merritt.
I very much agree with the conclusion of Merritt's editorial that our Christian duty is to love our neighbour, all our neighbours, perhaps especially those with whom we disagree. Too often debates about human sexuality become offensive name-calling exercises which display nothing of the love of Christ or the grace that should characterise Christian living. This is espeically important for those claiming the title of Evangelical as we should be people who not only preach grace but live graciously.
I generally don't like theological slogans, which are often theological reductions. 'Hate the sin, love the sinner' is one of those slogans I find less than helpful.
'Love your neighbour as your love yourself' is not a slogan of this type, it is a command of the Lord Jesus. I think it would make a real difference to our debates if we committed to this love of neighbour. If we recognised and confessed that too often homosexual people have suffered abuse and found only alienation from the Church and Christians we might understand our duty to be loving towards such sisters and brothers - even if, as I understand the Scriptures, we must seek to show them that we believe God has a better way for them to exercise their sexuality.
It is not loving to allow someone to continue on what you believe is a wrong path. It is also not loving to so speak to someone, or speak about someone, in ways that are rude and offensive.
Love your neighbour as your love yourself.
I very much agree with the conclusion of Merritt's editorial that our Christian duty is to love our neighbour, all our neighbours, perhaps especially those with whom we disagree. Too often debates about human sexuality become offensive name-calling exercises which display nothing of the love of Christ or the grace that should characterise Christian living. This is espeically important for those claiming the title of Evangelical as we should be people who not only preach grace but live graciously.
I generally don't like theological slogans, which are often theological reductions. 'Hate the sin, love the sinner' is one of those slogans I find less than helpful.
'Love your neighbour as your love yourself' is not a slogan of this type, it is a command of the Lord Jesus. I think it would make a real difference to our debates if we committed to this love of neighbour. If we recognised and confessed that too often homosexual people have suffered abuse and found only alienation from the Church and Christians we might understand our duty to be loving towards such sisters and brothers - even if, as I understand the Scriptures, we must seek to show them that we believe God has a better way for them to exercise their sexuality.
It is not loving to allow someone to continue on what you believe is a wrong path. It is also not loving to so speak to someone, or speak about someone, in ways that are rude and offensive.
Love your neighbour as your love yourself.
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