In the Interest of Fairness
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Back in October, I wrote a blog in which I was somewhat critical of evangelical Christians. I quoted an opinion piece in Rolling Stone magazine about Lance Wallnau, an evangelical Christian who is also known as a Christian Nationalist.
The article said that Wallnau “is a leading
figure in the New Apostolic Reformation, or NAR, whose followers believe that
we are living in an age of new apostles and prophets, who receive direct
revelations from God. NAR believers hold that the second coming of Jesus is
fast approaching, and that it is the destiny of Christians to accelerate the
End Times by exerting ‘dominion’ over the world.”
I then went on to write that Wallnau is among evangelicals,
and other believers – including some in my own Catholic faith – who believe Christians should impose their beliefs on the
rest of society, and even promote a “Christian” state, and that this idea has
been a continual thorn in the side of Christianity, and indeed, of religion in
general, for centuries.
A Fringe Element?
But recently, I read an online article from
Newsweek magazine reporting on a group of evangelical Christian leaders who disagree
with their above-mentioned co-religionists. The group’s statement says such
groups are “a fringe element that espouses a dangerous and unhealthy form
of 'Christian nationalism.’"
According to Newsweek, however, this group does not include the big guns of evangelical Christianity. The group has 64 signatures so far but does not include the evangelical leaders who have huge numbers of followers on social media.
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We
denounce calls to violent, armed resistance
in the name of Christian nationalism or as an alleged means of advancing the
cause of the gospel.
·
We
reject the triumphalist, top-down, take-over of society as
part of a so-called “dominion mandate,” also noting that we do not know of any
major Christian movement that espouses such a top- down, take-over mentality.
·
We
reject the merging of Christian identity and national
identity, as if the Kingdom of God and our particular nation were one and the
same.
Similar Statements
Pope Francis has issued similar statements. An article
in the National Catholic Reporter reports on the pope’s 2021 visit to Slovakia.
"The salt of the
faith acts not by reacting in worldly terms, by engaging in culture wars, but
by quietly and humbly sowing the seeds of God’s kingdom, especially by the
witness of charity," he said. "The church is
not a fortress, a stronghold, a lofty castle, self-sufficient and looking out
upon the world below."
Instead, he told the historically
traditionalist Catholic community to embrace humility and a readiness to engage
the world around it, especially its young people and those on the margins.
"This will help us to escape from our
self-absorption, for the center of the church is not the church. We have to
leave behind undue concern for ourselves, for our structures, for what society
thinks about us."
Well said. Thanks, Tom.
ReplyDeleteI always like your thoughts and remarks, Tom! Merry Christmas!
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