Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Crisis of the imagination

I'm going to go ahead and say this out loud. I don't have all the answers to how Christians ought to respond to all the various problems of the world. Big surprise right? 

 I might be a pacifist though justified war is attractive. Though I confess that just war is mostly attractive because it allows for violence which I harbor plenty of in my heart and mind.

What it boils down to is that I haven't had occasion to think these things through, and it's usually not something I'd do unless I had to. (this is the bugbear of parish ministry by the way, too many meetings and not enough study, don't get me wrong I love my work and I don't expect to study for a living, but the Christian tradition is HUGE and to think that we got all we needing seminary is laughable.) I don't feel up to the task of responding to this very large question, I will work hard to get some clarity. I will pray too.

What I will do. I will commit myself to getting educated about Christian responses to war and violence and I will review my findings here as often as I can. I hope you will join me in this exploration.

Here is a good analysis of the situation in Syria:

And this:

Finally: Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and for ever. Amen.

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