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Senators Oppose Christian Nominee over his Religious Beliefs

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“…no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” – Article VI of the U.S. Constitution

But the U.S. Constitution did not get in the way of senators who oppose a Christian nominee for political appointment based on his beliefs!

“I understand that Christianity is the majority religion. But there are other people who have different religions in this country and around the world. In your judgment, do you think that people who are not Christians are going to be condemned?” – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Those words were addressed to Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s pick for deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. Sanders repeatedly challenged Vought’s beliefs and (therefore) his qualification to serve in public office.

It didn’t matter that Vought responded, “As a Christian, I believe that all individuals are made in the image of God and are worthy of dignity and respect, regardless of their religious beliefs,” and “I believe that as a Christian, that’s how I should treat all individuals…” Actually, these words convey a higher view of the dignity of humans (such dignity being imbedded in the nature and work of God) than the secularist Sanders’ philosophical system would embrace, but that didn’t matter to Sanders, who labeled Vought’s belief that salvation is only through Jesus Christ* as “indefensible…hateful…Islamophobic… an insult” to Muslims everywhere.

Even the American Civil Liberties Union took the wrong position and sided with Sanders, issuing a statement that Vought’s opinion about Muslim theology is a threat to religious freedom.

But defenders of religious liberty should side with Vought instead. What counts is not what he believes about salvation in the hereafter, but how he treats people and would do his job in the here and now.

Thomas Jefferson said, “But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg” (Notes on Virginia, 1782). Jefferson believed that one’s doctrines are beyond the judgment of government: “religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions.”

In fact, Jefferson believed that the “wall of separation” between church and state guaranteed freedom to believe as one wills. (see: “Letter to Danbury Baptist Association”, January 1, 1802)

Rather than debating a nominee’s doctrines, Mr. Sanders and other legislators* should defend nominee’s constitutional rights and not make religion a test for political office, regardless of how odious their beliefs appear to be in the eyes of critics.

Nothing is gained in politics or in civil discourse by either airbrushing religious differences or excluding one another from public service over them.

 

* “Salvation only through Jesus Christ” is a core belief of Evangelical Christianity. Secular inclusivism regards this as heresy and insists on generic notions of religion that make no judgments on ultimate issues like salvation.

With regard to this being an “insult” to Muslims, I know of no feeling of insult on the part of the Muslims I interact with in my role as a member of the Long Beach-area clergy. This assumes that both they and I understand the nature of religious pluralism.

* Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) chimed in: “I’m a Christian, but part of being a Christian, in my view, is recognizing that there are lots of ways that people can pursue their God…” The senator should stay in his proper sphere and not pretend to be a theologian.

 

“Groupthink” – Enemy of Civil Discourse

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“Groupthink”—Enemy of Civil Discourse

By Donald Shoemaker

I taught for many years at a Christian university with conservative theological convictions. Professors were expected to accept and advocate these convictions.  Requiring adherence to this theology meant a modification of “academic freedom” and the institution was up front about this expectation

[see footnote on limits to Academic Freedom].

At the same time, an academic institution with a religious creed has to be careful. It can lead to closedminded “Groupthink” on theology and even other topics. I’ve been in clergy organizations that not only agreed on some points of theology but so impaled themselves on a point along the political spectrum that one would be excluded (or at least feel excluded) if he didn’t embrace the group’s political viewpoint as well as its theology.

My key point is this: What conservative theological schools and churches do openly and honestly is often done by other institutions—academic or publishing especially—without them really admitting it.

I attended a professional conference at a prestigious university with religious affiliation. While I was hardput to find the spirituality of that religion evident on campus, leftism was easy to spot. I walked past a long row of faculty offices. The faculty seemed to be competing to see who could plaster the most leftwing political statements on office doors. If I hadn’t known better and couldn’t read, I might have thought I was looking at classroom doors of a nursery school. I actually asked a faculty member if there were any conservatives on the faculty. I’ve heard ratios of 1 to 11, conservative to liberal, on secular campuses—even that statistic might be too low in reality.

This non-conservative religious campus was infected with “Groupthink”.

Newspapers? I was a guest at a luncheon of newspaper reporters. The conversation around the table was entirely leftist—so much so that the reporter who invited me later apologized, maybe fearing I couldn’t handle it. These reporters were infected with “Groupthink” and I fear that, no matter how objective one tries to be, the ethos of the newsroom has got to have an influence. A widely embraced way of thinking becomes the “norm” and serves as a lense through which information is received and evaluated.

Campuses, unfortunately, are fertile soil for “Groupthink” because they (students, but especially faculty) become insular. That’s when we speak of a “[name of institution] bubble!”

The recent blow-up at the Berkeley campus of the University of California over outrageous libertarian Milo Yiannopoulos (his speaking event was cancelled) should alarm anyone who believes that robust free speech is an essential element of a truly liberal education as well as a constitutional right. That the speaker happened to be a gay conservative seemed to make the event especially leprous to the violent protesters. He violated the mold, so opposition must be extra virulent.

Disruption (the “heckler’s veto”) is another enforcement of “Groupthink.”

Public schools? “Public education partisanship has radicalized… As identity politics and critical theory have spread from the universities downward into high schools and beyond, the party line in education has grown more progressive but increasingly illiberal. The result is a militant bureaucratic approach, using schools to push revolutionary cultural ideas and political change” (Long Beach Press-Telegram editorial, February 8, 2017).

Alternative religious schools are viewed as narrow and sectarian. Truth is, they offer an alternate indoctrination (which they admit to) contrasted with the indoctrination of the public schools (which they would not admit). The religious schools acknowledge the “Groupthink.” The public schools that fit the profile above would be places of “Groupthink” without fessing up to it.

If we are to get past the rancor and rejection and stereotyping and polarization we are seeing more and more today, we must reject “Groupthink”.   We must start engaging in mutual understanding, genuine dialogue and efforts to find as many commonalities as possible, even as we honestly recognize our differences after giving a fair listen to the other side.

FOOTNOTE: “Limitations of academic freedom because of religious or other aims of the institution should be clearly stated in writing at the time of the appointment.” (American Association of University Professors, “1940 Statement on Academic Freedom and Tenure”)

 

Reprint (with slight edits) of Guest Commentary in the Long Beach Press-Telegram (February 26, 2017)

Veterans Day Ceremony: Message & Prayer

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MESSAGE AND PRAYER AT VETERANS DAY CEREMONY IN SEAL BEACH, CA

A few feet to the west of us is a significant memorial remembering eight innocent people who were murdered in Seal Beach on October 12, 2011. On October 12, a month ago, I joined family members and people of the community there on the 5th anniversary to reflect on that terrible day and console one another.

That was one act of terror against one community—our community. We owe our gratitude to the many first responders, fire and police, and to all who cared for survivors and the grieving.

There have been many domestic acts of terror against our nation—in the past year 16 died in San Bernardino and 49 died in Orlando due to Islamist terror. Again, we owe our gratitude to the first responders and all who provided care.

In today’s observance we have honored our veterans and I especially honor those in the military who risk their lives to protect us from terrorism at home and abroad so we may be safe and free.

Among the rights they protect is the right of protest. We may disagree with protestors, but we protect their right to peaceful, lawful protest. Many of us may strongly disagree with those who bow the knee instead of standing during the National Anthem, but service men and women have died to give them that right. I ask you—how many countries against whom we have fought would permit this kind of protest? How many cold war opponents would have permitted this protest?

My concern is when the protest creates a false expectation—as if others on a team have a moral obligation to show solidarity and join in. What do you do then, when another team member has a parent who serves in law enforcement or in the military, or has a family member injured or killed defending our rights?

Or what if another team member comes from an immigrant family that is grateful to this country that has given them so much? These want to stand tall during the National Anthem. Who will show solidarity with them?

On June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy stood at the Berlin Wall and told the huge crowd, “Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in.” We need to ponder his words anew.

Even as we sing, “America, America, God mend thine every flaw,” let’s stand tall in gratitude to God for all that is good and great about America and in gratitude to those who defend our precious rights, including all our veterans.

With me, I hope you will say,

I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God bless the U.S.A.

BENEDICTION

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace.
And may God bless this wonderful country, America!

Anti-Muslim Hatred Post-election

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The Virginia Legislature that approved “The Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom” (1786)
“meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo, and infidel of every denomination.”
– Thomas Jefferson

Sadly, several Islamic Centers in California, including one in Long Beach where I live, have received anonymous hate mail in recent days.

Written by a person or persons who claim to be “Americans for a Better Way,” the letter is addressed to Muslims as “the children of Satan.” It calls them “vile and filthy people” whose mothers are whores and fathers are dogs. It asserts a horrible, twisted patriotism that all Americans of good will must reject.

Those who write such hatred care nothing for the Bible or American ideals.

My Website’s Home Page speaks of “How We See God’s Kingdom Today” and has this great quotation:

“The Kingdom of God is no longer identified with any geopolitical kingdom on earth. It is no longer the era of driving the nations out of God’s holy land but of living side by side with unbelievers in charity. It is the hour of grace, not judgment.”
– Michael Horton, The Christian Faith (2012)

We must live by these words and let the Christmas message point us to the reconciling work of Jesus. He will sort out everything justly on The Last Day. Meanwhile we commit ourselves to living at peace with one another as best we can, not taking revenge, loving our enemies, and overcoming evil with good (Romans 12:17-21).

Donald P. Shoemaker

Songs from the Bible on the Birth of Jesus

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Songs from the Bible on the Birth of Jesus

By Donald Shoemaker

Christmas Season is a wonderful time for song. The Advent portion of Handel’s “The Messiah” is a top value. As traditional carols go, you can’t do better than “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing” (Charles Wesley).

But do you know the Bible itself gives us four Christmas songs? They are often known by the words that open each song in the Latin Bible.

  1. Mary’s Song – The “Magnificat” [“Magnificat anima mea Dominum”]

“My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46 English Standard Version)

This has been rightly called the “first canticle of the New Testament.” It is a song of ecstasy—praise to God for his grace and mercy and his fulfillment of his promises to his people.

Its message must be viewed in light of the earthly ministry of Jesus (else it can be twisted to serve secular movements and manifestos). In it we learn that God honors the humble and shows mercy to those reverent in heart. We see God’s love for the lowly. And we are warned about pride and the quest for power and the love of possessions.

  1. Zechariah’s Song – The “Benedictus” [“Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel”]

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
 for he has visited and redeemed his people.” (Luke 1:68)

Filled with God’s Spirit, Zechariah (father of John the Baptist) prophesied that his son will point to a deliverer who will save us from the enemies that afflict us (physical and spiritual) and enable us to delight in doing God’s will.

  1. The Angels’ Song – The “Gloria” [“Gloria in altissimis Deo”]

“Glory to God in the highest,
 and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14)

This is the best-known “Song of Christmas” from the Bible—impressed into our collective consciousness by works such as Handel’s “Glory to God” in “The Messiah” (a chorus that tortures tenors!) and the popular hymn “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

The song is by a majestic angelic chorus. They announced praise in heaven and peace on earth. Certainly the story of the birth of Jesus has a peaceful effect in the world. The peace may not be deep and it may not last long when the story is heard, but I’m thankful for it. More important, the story of Jesus brings peace into the lives and hearts of those who truly embrace it.

  1. Simeon’s Song – The “Nunc dimmittis” [“Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine secundum verbum tuum in pace.”]

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
 according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation.” (Luke 2:29-30)

Simeon was an elderly servant of God to whom God gave the promise that he would not die until he had seen “the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). When Mary and Joseph presented the Baby Jesus in the Temple according to the Law of Moses, Simeon took Jesus into his arms and, in the words of the “Benedictus”, gave praise to God. It was as if he had said, “Lord, I’m ready to go now—I’ve seen the Savior!”

The secular world offers its many “consolations.” Some of them have led to terrible carnage and bloodshed, as we witnessed through much of the 20th Century and still see today. Jesus brings true consolation.

Hope of all the earth Thou art.

Dear desire of every nation.

Joy of every longing heart.

Churches and Political Action

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Churches and Political Action
—What Pastors Should and Should Not Do.

With October looming as a very big month in American politics, what’s a pastor to do? Or not do? I offer these thoughts to assist you.

Donald Shoemaker
Chair, Social Concerns Committee
Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches

During last year’s primary season a group of clergy gathered around Hillary Clinton. Like Old Testament prophets with the holy anointing oil they proclaimed, “Until [Jesus] comes again, . . . President-to-be Hillary Clinton, we decree and declare from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet that the favor of the Lord will surround you like a shield, in Jesus’ name.”

While this scene was technically legal (barely!) I don’t advise it. Nor do I advise pastors doing the same with Mr. Trump, though something like that recently happened.

From a LEGAL STANDPOINT, here are the “Do’s and Don’ts”:

· Churches MAY NOT endorse or oppose a candidate.
· Pastors MAY as individuals support or oppose candidates, but MAY NOT convey that they speak for their churches. And they should not proclaim their “personal decision” in any church medium (like the pulpit or church newsletter). No preaching, “I’m not telling you who to vote for or speaking for the church, but here’s where I’m putting my support.”)
· Churches MAY NOT use their resources (like facilities, property or equipment) in contexts that endorse or oppose a candidate.
· Churches MAY invite candidates to speak if done even-handedly and not selectively. Their presence in a service or in the pulpit must not convey the church’s support of any candidate.
· Churches MAY distribute voter guides, but I don’t recommend it because almost all have a “slant” to promote. I also would not allow members or outside groups to bring literature to the church or blitz cars in the church’s parking lot with flyers. If outsiders show up or blitz the parking lot, it may be wise for the pastor to disavow it.
· Churches MAY schedule a forum where the candidates for an office are invited to speak and answer questions. If only one shows up that’s not a legal problem, but it may not look the best and the church would need to be careful not to have the occasion appear to be an endorsement of the candidate who appeared.
· Churches MAY spend money and lobby and encourage members in support of or in opposition to a ballot measure or a piece of legislation (like many did in California recently on Senate Bill 1146). The limitation is that the resources expended not be “substantial”. This may be interpreted as “not more than 5%”, which would probably never be exceeded in churches as reticent as evangelical churches traditionally are. The limit applies not just to money spent but also to other factors such as pastoral time.

I DO RECOMMEND these points of guidance:

· Always maintain a distinction between the ultimate issues of the Kingdom of God and the penultimate possibilities of the political process. The latter are genuine but not perfect. They are secondary but not primary. They need the church’s voice and attention but must not get top billing.
· Preach on morally laden issues and proposals like good or bad legislation or initiatives. But be sure that the biblical “connectedness” is made clear. Of course, we preach sensitive to the congregation and visitors in such matters, but avoiding the topics should not be considered an option.
· Have the church’s official body (Elders, board, or congregation) take positions on issues subject to the above qualifications and when the issue is important (as Grace Community Church of Seal Beach did on SB-1146).
· Do voter registration at the church before and after services. This is a non-partisan activity.
· Have a forum to educate church members on ballot initiatives.
· Have your facility used for voting, subject to acceptable rules (for examples, I wouldn’t accept a demand to cover the cross but removing a literature table may be acceptable). This is a natural way of showing interest in the wellbeing of your community.
· DO NOT politicize your message. By “politicize” I mean stridently or subtly speaking for or against a particular party or political stratum.
· Remember that EDIFICATION OF THE SAINTS is always the goal in a worship service. This influences sermon style and content immensely.
· Politically activist Christians must remember that the unity of the church must transcend all political and secular unities.
· Remember the admonition (I’ve made it often and sometimes it’s been heard with much irritation, but at least the point wasn’t missed): “The church is the one place where a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican should be able to join hands and sing, ‘We Are One in the Bond of Love’.”

Topics to Proclaim:

Churches have a powerful gospel instrument known as “The Pulpit” (even if “pulpit” is now a metaphor). Here are some topics, which could be sermons, sermon points, or discussion points:

· Immigration from a biblical perspective
· The Sovereignty of God over the Governments of Man (“The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” – Daniel 4:25)
· Religious Freedom and how it is eroding
· How healing can come to fractured race relations
· The duties of good Christian Citizenship (we now live in a participatory republic rather than in the Roman society that disadvantaged and even persecuted believers)
· The need for fiscal wisdom and accountability in government
· Godly men of the Bible who served the secular state and society of their times (Joseph, Daniel, Nehemiah)
· How God works peace and justice through governments he establishes, be they ever so fragile and faulty
· What God expects of secular rulers and those who “bear the sword”
· The Issue that Won’t Go Away—Protecting Unborn Human Life

Scriptures that Shaped Our Culture

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Scriptures that Shaped Our Culture

The Bible is the most published book of all time. Its influence has been powerful in Western culture up to our present day, even if other patterns of thought compete with it as never before.

Here are Ten Statements from the Bible that have had great impact on our culture. I’ve added explanations. Note: I’ve used the language of the King James Version because its influence has been greater than any other version in the English language.

 

  1. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” – Genesis 1:27

“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” – Genesis 9:6

Humans are not merely animals, which is about all science can say. We are unique among all God’s creation. We bear likeness to God. We derive our worth, our dignity, our moral capacity and responsibility from God. This “likeness to God” not only befits the great but also includes the least among us. It embraces both genders, which are clearly demarcated in Genesis 1:27.

Capital punishment for murder is taught in all five of the Books of Moses (the only commandment so widely taught). Instead of the modern notion that human dignity requires opposition to capital punishment, this text makes it the reason for this penalty. However, accepting the legitimacy of capital punishment in principle does not necessarily endorse either the act or the judicial processes that lead to it as we may often find them, past and present.

 

  1. “And the Lord said unto Cain, ‘Where is Abel thy brother?’ And he said, ‘I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?’” – Genesis 4:9

Cain, first son to Adam and Eve, refused to subdue his violent anger and consequently killed his brother. His answer to God’s question has become the classic answer through the ages when people seek to live independently of service and duty toward our fellow human beings, especially those in our own family (1 Timothy 5:8). In short, the answer to Cain’s protesting question is always “Yes!”

 

  1. “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, ‘Let my people go!’” – Exodus 5:1

God’s call to Pharaoh of Egypt through Moses his spokesman was, in context, a call for the Israelites to have a “worship retreat.” The phrase has become a call for the emancipation of exploited people everywhere. For this I am glad.

 

  1. “The Ten Commandments” – Exodus 20:1-17

And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

[Note: some Jewish/Christian traditions number the Ten Commandments differently, with no change in meaning.]

1st Commandment: Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2nd Commandment: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image…

3rd Commandment: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain…

4th Commandment: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

5th Commandment: Honour thy father and thy mother…

6th Commandment: Thou shalt not kill.

7th Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8Th Commandment: Thou shalt not steal.

9th Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

10th Commandment: Thou shalt not covet…

The Ten Commandments, given by Moses, have formed our understanding of basic morality—how should we respond to God and how should we treat others? Many, religious or non-religious, accept “The Second Table of the Law” (commandments 5-10) as an important moral code for everyone to follow.

Standing at Mount Sinai in the year 2000, Pope John Paul II said the truth inscribed on the second table of the law, that one must not take innocent human life, is first inscribed on the human heart as a moral truth that could be known by reason (George Weigel, The End and the Beginning, Pope John Paul II – The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy, p. 355).

The above three pictures depict these Commandments. They are all features of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

 

  1. “Thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

– Exodus 21:23-25

Many look on these phrases as barbaric, when really they prevent barbaric treatment of others and promote just judgments. Here’s how:

First, these penalties were to be ordered by judges, not executed by vengeful people (Exodus 21:22 – “…as the judges determine.”).

Second, the phrases represent lex talionis—the principle of retributive justice or proportionate judgment, or as we say it, “The penalty should equal the crime.” Consider how much we see disproportionate revenge around the world today. A man is killed for looking at someone the wrong way. A family is killed because of one man’s perceived wrong.

Third, as the context shows, settling a wrong can be done by settling for the value of something. Knocking out another’s tooth might just be vengeance—instead we may ask the judges to determine what the tooth was worth and order payment. Knocking out a slave’s tooth or putting out the eye of a slave led to freedom for the slave (Exodus 21:26-27), not to the loss of the slave-owner’s own tooth or eye.

These points understood, lex talionis still has value as a principle of justice today.

 

  1. “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” – Leviticus 19:18; 33-34

Jesus said this is “The Second Great Commandment” that follows the command, “Love the Lord your God…” (Matthew 22:37-40). Jesus taught that all God’s commands emanate from these two, and without them commandments become burdensome legalisms.

 

  1. “And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” – Leviticus 19:33-34

Israel was to be kind to the “alien living in the land” because she, too, was once an alien nation and her oppression as aliens must be in her memory forever. She was never to become like those who abused her.

“Strangers” bear the likeness of God, just as a country’s citizens do.

How should these verses influence our treatment of the “stranger”?

 

  1. “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”     – Leviticus 25:10

Israel’s “Year of Jubilee” (every 50 years) was proclaimed this way—a year of emancipation and freedom and restoration. These words were inscribed on the Liberty Bell long before it was the Liberty Bell. They became words of colonial independence. Later they became anti-slavery words, for liberty must be proclaimed unto all the inhabitants of the land.

 

  1. “The Golden Rule”

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” – Matthew 7:12

The “Golden Rule” didn’t originate with Jesus. It is found far and wide. Jesus taught it too, and his teaching is recorded in the Bible. The Bible is the main source from which the “Golden Rule” spread through Western culture.

 

  1. “The Good Samaritan”

“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

“And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

“And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.”

– Luke 10:30-35

The moral lesson in the famous story of “The Good Samaritan” is for us to be people of mercy. It is a call to selfless, generous service toward “our neighbor” –the needy who cross our pathway. We often hear someone was a “Good Samaritan.” We even have “Good Samaritan” laws to protect people from liability who in good faith offer urgent assistance to strangers in crisis.

 

These are my first ten picks. Can you think of other scriptures I should include on this list?

And if the Bible has not been on your reading list, consider adding it. Start with Genesis, the Book of Proverbs and the Gospel of Matthew.

© 2016 Donald P. Shoemaker

What Do Christianity and Islam Teach about Jesus?

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What Christianity and Islam Teach about Jesus

Jesus Christ and his life and death as highlighted by Good Friday and Easter are critical parts of the faith Christians confess.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
    

and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,
    

suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.

He descended into Hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead.

– The Apostles Creed (early Christian confession)

The question of what Christianity and Islam share in common versus what separates them came to a head at Wheaton College, a prominent Christian higher education institution in Illinois. Larycia Hawkins, an associate professor of political science at Wheaton, will be leaving the institution following months of controversy. She had donned a hijab to show solidarity with Muslims. But the main controversy was her statement that Christianity and Islam worship the same God.

In my talks on Christian social activism one key word of advice I give is: “Get the facts, get the facts, get the facts!”

Without “the facts” you are flailing at the wind, missing the key issues, knocking down “straw men”, accepting fictions. Perhaps feeling good about it.

A commitment to accuracy is absolutely essential if there is to be honest communication between people of differing faiths. Not the only essential, but without it there is little to be said between us. I should be able to express the beliefs of another person with such accuracy that the other person will say, “Yes, that is what I believe.”

It is important for Muslims and Christians to understand each other because we must learn to inhabit this finite world together in shalom-salaam and because many of us live together in America. Christians must relate to Muslims as those who share the likeness of God through our common humanity (Genesis 1:27; Acts 17:28-29) and, if we share a common American citizenship, as those who possess with us the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the free exercise of religion (without having an established religion).

Now, what can we say about Christianity and Islam?

These two common grounds are shared by the two faiths and also by Judaism:

  • Monotheism – the belief there is only one true God.
  • Abrahamic Roots – Judaism, Christianity and Islam trace their origin to the biblical Abraham.

But Christianity must be distinguished from Islam on several critical points, especially those that relate to what orthodox Christianity teaches about Jesus.   I will limit my comments to this subject, with the caveat that what one teaches about Jesus influences what one teaches about God.   When I use the word “Christianity” I am referring to the Christian faith as it embraces the teachings of the New Testament and the confessions of the ecumenical creeds, not to everything that might wear the title.

Both religions teach that Jesus was born to Mary who was yet a virgin. And Jesus performed many miracles, as the Christian Gospels state. Interestingly, the Qur’an (19:27-33) goes further by actually having Jesus speak from the cradle somewhat in defense of his mother (this may be seen as a prolepsis).

Both religions believe Jesus was a prophet. Islam sees Jesus as a prophet in a long tradition of prophetic voices culminating in Mohammed. Christianity sees Jesus himself as the culmination of the prophetic office—the Second Moses, God’s Final Word (see the quotation from Hebrews 1, below).

While Christianity sees Jesus as a prophet (and while the ethical teachings of Jesus can be a great starting point for discussions with non-Christians), Christians confess Jesus to be more than a prophet. He is, according to the Bible’s best-known verse (John 3:16), God’s “only begotten son.”

Islam cannot accept this. Its belief in God’s absolute uniqueness abhors any notion of him having a son. This is a core understanding of Islam.

Say, “He is Allah, the One;

Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;

He begets not, and neither is He begotten;

And there is nothing that can be compared to Him.” – Qur’an 112:1-4

Furthermore, according to Islam, Jesus is not “from the beginning” for he lived a finite, short life 2000 years ago. Nor should he be worshipped.

Christianity’s understanding is that Jesus, as the unique Son of God, specially revealed God to us as none other could do (John 1:1, 2, 14, 18 ESV):

In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 No one has ever seen God; the only God*, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. [* Some Greek texts read “only begotten son”.] [end quote]

Christianity teaches that Jesus died on the cross, and his death was “for our sins.” Christians debate exactly how this “works” – the doctrine of Jesus’ atoning death that removes our sins raises many points of discussion. But the fundamental confession “Christ died for our sins” is biblical, critical and non-negotiable—a sine qua non of The Faith.

Islam rejects the crucifixion of Jesus and, with it, any thought that his death was redemptive. I have read this Muslim explanation: while it appeared to many that Jesus died on the cross, in reality Jesus was miraculously protected by God and the crucifixion was the death of another.

This brief discussion scarcely does justice to the topic.   And there are other important comparisons to make and issues to raise. Three examples: [1] the nature of Holy Scripture, [2] the divinely-appointed position of Isaac, son of Abraham and father of Israel as compared to Abraham’s other son, Ishmael (see Genesis 17), [3] the propriety and right of Arabic-speaking Christians to use the name “Allah” when referring to the Deity of Christian belief.

I conclude with an extended quotation from the New Testament’s “Epistle to the Hebrews” (1:1-12) and its classical, definitive statements about Jesus:

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?

Or again, “I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?

 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”

 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.  You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you 
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed. 
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.”

 

Protecting Our Churches from Gun Violence

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Protecting Our Churches from Gun Violence

As I write this (Thursday, December 10), I’m on stand-by to go to San Bernardino as part of the Seal Beach Police Department’s “Peer Support Team”. Four years ago a disgruntled man killed eight people at a hair salon a couple of blocks from Grace Community Church in Seal Beach. We can’t say, “It can’t happen here” because it has.

How might churches be ready? Or do we “just trust the Lord”? Consider what Nehemiah did when faced with a threat. He said, “We prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat” (Nehemiah 4:9). Trust and do.

Suggestions:

Does your church have a “This facility is a weapons-free zone” sign posted? If so, take it down. Why advertise your vulnerability?
Do you have members with CCW (carry concealed weapon) permits? Consider asking them to be armed when they are on-site and have a plan for them if something happens.
Take a look at the federal government’s (FEMA’s) PDF document on how places of worship can develop an Emergency Operations Plan. It has a section on “Active Shooter Situations.” The link is below.
Your insurance company might offer assistance on developing a plan. Church Law and Tax Report has material available. Check with your local police department on what advice it might offer. It would be more expensive, but you could obtain the services of a safety/security consultant.
• Church Law and Tax Report has a checklist, “Are We Prepared for Gun Violence at Church?” http://www.churchlawandtax.com/web/2008/june/arewepreparedforgunviolenceatchurch.html
Be in prayer for churches that are touched by these tragedies and be sure to give them your condolences and support. I sent an email to Hope Chapel in Colorado Springs last week. The officer slain at the Planned Parenthood shooting was a lay pastor in that church.

Finally, just “trusting the Lord” on things like this is a form of hyper-Calvinism. It separates the end from the means and separates God’s sovereignty from human responsibility. Another form of this is the pastor who prays about his personal financial needs but never asks his church for a raise (no charge for this insight).

Donald Shoemaker
Chair, Social Concerns Committee, Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
Senior Chaplain, Seal Beach Police Department
Pastor Emeritus, Grace Community Church of Seal Beach

Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/developing_eops_for_houses_of_worship_final.pdf

God’s Saving Grace and God’s Common Grace

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God’s Saving Grace and God’s Common Grace
By Donald P. Shoemaker
Reprinted from GraceConnect (Fall, 2015)

I was finishing some yard work in front of my home on a recent Saturday morning when I saw them coming—a group of eight Jehovah’s Witnesses. I went to my porch and read the front page of the morning paper and then piddled in the yard until they reached me. The two who talked to me spoke of the importance of good fathers. So did an article on the front page of my newspaper. In both cases, I rejoice in the grace of God that was revealed! More about that experience later.

“Grace” is God’s unearned, undeserved, unobligated favor.

Christians are well acquainted with God’s “saving grace”. We usually have this in mind when we speak the word “grace”. But there is another important dimension to God’s grace—his “common grace” to all humanity.

We’ll explore both dimensions of God’s grace. But I will emphasize common grace for it is the dimension we tend to overlook.

Saving Grace

God’s saving grace operates as we are brought into the sphere of faith and forgiveness. Grace is seen in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross so our sins may be forgiven (Ephesians 1:7) and God can declare us righteous (Romans 3:24). By grace we are saved through faith, which itself is a gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Because of God’s saving grace, we sing “Amazing grace…that saved a wretch like me.” No matter how great our sin, God’s grace is greater (Romans 5:20).

God’s saving grace continues actively in us as we walk our Christian pathway “through many dangers, toils and snares.” We are not passive under grace—we must continue and grow in this grace (Acts 13:43; 2 Peter 3:18).

God’s grace especially sees us through our weaknesses, low points, and when prayer isn’t answered our way (2 Corinthians 12:9). It makes us strong and steadfast when we suffer for Christ (1 Peter 5:10).

By God’s grace, spiritual leaders are called to their positions and believers have spiritual gifts (“charismata”—works of grace) bestowed on them for service (Ephesians 4:7, Romans 12:6).

Saving grace is never without good morals. Grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” (Titus 2:11-12 New International Version). Like a sleek train designed to speed on carefully laid rails, God designs us to do the good works he has already set before us (Ephesians 2:10)!

And on the great day when Jesus appears, saving “grace will lead me home” (1 Peter 1:13).

Common Grace

Common grace is a different dimension of God’s grace. The term is an umbrella we give to a number of biblical thoughts we pull together. Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology, 657) defines it as “the grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation.” People benefit from this grace whether they love God, believe in God, obey God or not.

One obvious common grace is the vast blessing God gives humanity through his abundant creation. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). “He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy” (Acts 14:17). God “makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth, wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart” (Psalm 104:14-15). And you know? God enjoys every minute of it (Psalm 104:31)!

God’s many ways of keeping our humanity humane are works of common grace. Fundamental to this is the value and dignity that flow from our being made in the image and likeness of God. Because we are all made in God’s image, human life at all stages is precious and must not be taken except as God requires or permits. We must treat others respectfully, especially in our words. We can’t bless our Creator and then curse people made in God’s likeness (James 3:9-10).

God has also bestowed to everyone a basic sense of right and wrong. When the Protestant reformers talked about our “total depravity” they nonetheless spoke of this universal sense of morality. The Canons of Dort (1619), which articulated the Calvinist doctrine of depravity, also said, “Unbelievers retain glimmerings of natural light that provide some knowledge of God, of natural things, and the difference between good and evil.”

Parenting and family structure show God’s grace. Even unrighteous people want what is good for their children (Matthew 7:9-11). When God permits this grace to be lifted, we see the resulting family and societal chaos.

Human intelligence, creativity, artistry, achievements (cultural and scientific), and wholesome enjoyments are all by God’s grace. All can be corrupted, of course, but this does not change the fact that they are capabilities bestowed by God’s gracious providence.

Another common grace is how God uses human authority to promote justice, punish evil, encourage good, and secure peace (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17). No government is perfect—certainly not the Roman government of Paul and Peter’s time. But God works his grace through this instrument of clay and calls his children to honor it, though this doesn’t at all mean that we shouldn’t address the injustices of the state when they occur.

Last, we note God’s restraint of evil, lest the world become even more intolerable and ungovernable. God may restrain individuals (Genesis 20:6) or the whole of humanity (2 Thessalonians 2:7). We don’t know how much God does this, and we must acknowledge much mystery because we see so many instances of ruthless depravity in history and the present.

Should we cooperate with God’s common grace? Absolutely!

• Encourage good stewardship of God’s creation.
• Bless others—just or unjust—with good, as our Father in Heaven does.
• Reason with non-Christians about good and evil, faith and unbelief, and ultimate issues—God is the author of logic.
• Strive for points of commonality with opponents to enhance peace in a diverse society.
• Cooperate with non-Christians for the good of the culture.
• Encourage and participate in wholesome deeds (Reformation thought recognizes the “civic good” unbelievers may perform).
• Commend good and oppose evil in society.
• Work to diminish grief and suffering.
• Participate in government at all levels.

Finally, remember that if we emphasize either saving grace or common grace and minimize the other, we easily fall into error. Minimize common grace and you may fall into cultural withdrawal, abandoning all efforts in the world except evangelism. Minimize saving grace and become fulfilled in what you accomplish with your non-Christian colleagues and you may fail to tell them the way of salvation.

Now back to the story of my morning newspaper and Jehovah’s Witnesses who came by. Whether from a secular source (the newspaper) or from a religious source not at all orthodox, truth came forth. Families hurt and society suffers when fatherhood fails. Where fatherhood is uplifted and strong, people thrive. This truth overflows all secular and religious borders. Strong fatherhood, wherever it blossoms, is God’s common grace at work!

[Donald P. Shoemaker is Pastor Emeritus of Grace Community Church of Seal Beach, California where he served as Senior Pastor 1984-2012. He is Chairman of the Social Concerns Committee in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. His Website is: donaldshoemakerministries.com.]

© 2015 Donald P. Shoemaker