Evangelicals, Numbers, and Success

We evangelicals are a funny bunch when it comes to numbers. Some of us sectarian types–and I was raised among such, in a little church in northern Ontario–used statistics to congratulate ourselves on our sanctity, by way of inverse proportionality. The proof of our holiness was precisely in our tiny numbers. We hadn’t “sold out” to the culture, like the “liberal” churches had, and thus we were faithfully small.

Now a lot of evangelicals, here and abroad, congratulate ourselves because our numbers are big. Big church memberships, big churches, big church staffs, big budgets, big paracongregational organizations, big schools, big everythings: clearly God is blessing us!

(Meanwhile, some in the liberal/mainline churches have flipped things around and are congratulating themselves, precisely as we fundies used to do, for their refusal to “sell out” to the culture, maintaining their prophetic integrity and thus their declining numbers.)

So what about the decline of churchgoing in Canada–and in Australia, New Zealand, Britain and, according to some recent surveys, the United States–over the last few decades? Evangelicals have been alarmed at this decline. But should we be?

Southwestern Seminary, Paige Patterson, and Christian Speech

I have taken down the two posts I had on this blog about Southwestern Seminary and its president, Paige Patterson. I have done so not because my opinions have changed, but because it has become apparent to me that my way of voicing those opinions has distressed some people I do not want to distress. Furthermore, I have become less and less sure in my own mind that the sarcasm I used in those posts was edifying for anyone involved.

These kinds of issues make me sad and angry, and I often don’t observe the apostolic injunction to “speak the truth in love” when I am sad or angry. I’m not confident that these posts met the apostle’s test, so I have yanked them. And I apologize to those who were offended by their tone, which was intended to amuse and, yes, provoke, but not to seriously offend–not even Brother Patterson himself.

One more thing: I am glad to say no one at Southwestern or at Regent has asked me to do this. I have removed these posts on my own initiative and according to my own conscience. There frankly is far too much wounding speech around these gender discussions and I regret adding in any way to it.

Virginia Tech: How Could This Have Happened?

There are a lot of people asking this question, and a lot of people offering answers: sociologists, psychologists, preachers, pundits….

So here’s one simple answer: guns.

No, I’m not about to sound off about gun control. And no, I’m not saying that the individual wasn’t to blame, or that his parents aren’t to blame, or that society isn’t to blame, or that God isn’t to blame. All of those are valid sites for analysis and reflection.

Here I want to say something a little different, at least for a theologian, and I need to say so in two parts.

Hail to the Faithful of Your Church and Mine!

Some Christians get a lot of recognition for what they do. Some write bestselling books. Others lead impressive organizations. Some accomplish dramatic feats, while others become popular entertainers.

Within our congregations, a few people–pastors, preachers, worship leaders, and band members–get most of the attention and garner most of the plaudits.

Most Christians, however, do not get a lot of recognition for what they do. Yet they should. So let us raise a toast to the usually-unsung faithful, the Christians who do most of the work while a minority get most of the affirmation. Grab your glass of milk, your tumbler of juice, your goblet of wine, your stein of beer, your demitasse of tea, your mug of coffee, your bottle of soda pop–whatever your cup of cheer–and join with me in praising our fellow servants.

Coercion? Or Church Discipline? Jehovah’s Witnesses, Blood Transfusions, and the Sovereign Individual

The British Columbia Supreme Court has been deliberating over whether the parents of sextuplets can refuse blood transfusions for their children on the basis of the parents’ religious beliefs.

Clearly there are a number of crucial issues at stake here: the proper interest of the state in the well-being (as it sees it) of its citizens, and particularly its most vulnerable ones; the freedom of individual conscience on matters of medical treatment; and the freedom of individuals to act according to their religious beliefs. But there is also the question of the freedom of religious organizations to impose consequences on members who flout their shared convictions.

If It’s on TV, It Must Be Unreal

We used to joke that “if it’s in print, it must be true.” But now we seem to think that our dominant medium, TV, makes things unreal. I don’t think that this is just a function of the “distrust of authority” wave that has swamped cultures around the world–notwithstanding the King of Thailand’s pathetic outlawing of disrespectful videos on YouTube. I think the line between fact and fiction on TV has blurred weirdly in the direction of fiction–as it has in the related media of film and popular music, and celebrity in general.

I got thinking about this driving home this afternoon from the studios of Global TV. For those outside Canada, Global TV is one of our national networks–indeed, a network that jumped from its regionally modest name of “CanWest” to the ambitious “Global” in one fell swoop. Yes, a bit unusually megalomaniacal for a Canadian company, I agree.

I was there to tape a short segment for Canada’s finest Christian TV show, “Listen Up,” hosted by Lorna Dueck. (I sympathize with those who think that to call it “Canada’s finest Christian TV show” is to damn with faint praise. But Lorna is a fine journalist by any measure and this is a pretty good show–despite her occasional lapses in the selection of guests…!)

Anyhow, while I was getting made up, I found myself between one Global news anchor, Deborra Hope, and another, Kevin Newman. And while they looked a little unreal in their perfect makeup, hair, and clothes, they were nonetheless real people getting ready to go to work. They bantered with the make-up artist, they politely made conversation with the odd duck in the room (yes, the theological professor), they discussed a current event or two–just like people at your job.

And I came away thinking, “Why am I surprised at this experience?”

What’s “Good” about (Bloody) Good Friday? Some Thoughts on the Atonement

A correspondent recently wrote: “I’m more baffled than ever about the Atonement. I sometimes feel like banging my head against the wall because of the conflict between the emotion and the logic. Why do you think a loving, merciful creator would demand a blood sacrifice?”

As Christians throughout the world commemorate the crucifixion of a whipped-raw Jesus on Good Friday, and as they symbolically eat Christ’s body and drink his blood on Easter Sunday, one might well ask: What in God’s name is going on?