Posted on 10/02/2018 8:49:10 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Timothy Keller has argued that historical Christian positions on controversial social issues do not fit with America's two-party political system.
Keller, a best-selling author and founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times on Saturday that the Christian approach to social issues could be attacked both by the left and the right.
"For example, following both the Bible and the early church, Christians should be committed to racial justice and the poor, but also to the understanding that sex is only for marriage and for nurturing family," he wrote.
"One of those views seems liberal and the other looks oppressively conservative. The historical Christian positions on social issues do not fit into contemporary political alignments."
Keller pointed out that this does not mean that Christians should avoid making stands on important issues, noting that in the 19th century, churches that did not speak out against slavery were in reality supporting the practice.
Timothy Keller has argued that historical Christian positions on controversial social issues do not fit with America's two-party political system.
Keller, a best-selling author and founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times on Saturday that the Christian approach to social issues could be attacked both by the left and the right.
"For example, following both the Bible and the early church, Christians should be committed to racial justice and the poor, but also to the understanding that sex is only for marriage and for nurturing family," he wrote.
"One of those views seems liberal and the other looks oppressively conservative. The historical Christian positions on social issues do not fit into contemporary political alignments."
Keller pointed out that this does not mean that Christians should avoid making stands on important issues, noting that in the 19th century, churches that did not speak out against slavery were in reality supporting the practice.
"Another reason not to align the Christian faith with one party is that most political positions are not matters of biblical command but of practical wisdom. This does not mean that the church can never speak on social, economic and political realities, because the Bible often does," he wrote.
"Racism is a sin, violating the second of the two great commandments of Jesus, to 'love your neighbor.' The biblical commands to lift up the poor and to defend the rights of the oppressed are moral imperatives for believers. For individual Christians to speak out against egregious violations of these moral requirements is not optional."
Keller argued that it is neither valid to withdraw entirely from politics, nor to "assimilate and fully adopt one party's whole package."
"The Gospel gives us the resources to love people who reject both our beliefs and us personally. Christians should think of how God rescued them. He did it not by taking power but by coming to earth, losing glory and power, serving and dying on a cross. How did Jesus save? Not with a sword but with nails in his hands," he concluded.
Mark Tooley, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, praised Keller's op-ed in a blog post, but added that some Christians rightly serve God in a life of political abstinence while others serve God in politically partisan endeavors.
"Cloistered religious orders, the Amish, various other separatist communities, and many persons are generous in prayer and charity without direct political witness. They serve God where they are without insisting all others follow their example," he wrote. And, "Intense or professional political activism is a special calling likely for very few Christians, as no doubt Keller would agree."
Keller has made similar points in the past, and in 2016 told Christians divided by politics that their Christian identity should come first.
"All across the world there is a lot of political fragmentation ... there is more and more political fragmentation in so many countries, and unfortunately Christians might be tempted to be fragmented right along. We might start getting divided politically instead of remembering that you're Christian first and you're white, black, Asian, Hispanic, second. You're a Christian first and you're American, or you're British and you're African second," the theologian argued weeks before the 2016 general election in the U.S., won by now-President Donald Trump.
“But what is racial justice? “
It’s whatever Barack Obama and other progressives want it to be. And you can be certain that you’re guilty of crimes against racial justice.
In this whole topic, there are some instances that defy description
For instance... I have a friend who is a pastor. I’ve known him for the better part of 25 years. I met my wife when he was the pastor in charge of the singles group at the church I attended. In fact, he was the same pastor who married my wife and I. He was promoted into the lead pastorship of the church that my wife and I attended. In all this time, I have never heard him preach anything that was one iota out of line with Biblical Doctrine. He’s against abortion, he’s against sex outside of marriage, he really emphasizes treating others the way that we want to be treated, which is the rule that Christ Himself set forth. About 20 years ago, we left that area and moved to where we live now, but we kept in contact with him.
All that being said, when President Trump became the Republican nominee for president, my same pastor friend came out strongly against him. In fact, he continues to be against him to this day. He doesn’t like anything that the president has done, and he honestly thinks that those who are Christians and support him and his policies are 100% deceived.
In fact, about two months after President Trump was elected, my pastor friend started emphasizing refugee rights and how immigration should not be restricted from anywhere. He emphasized his friendship with Iraqis who had come over to the us as refugees. These refugees were not Christian... In fact, they are Muslim.
I’m not sure what has happened in order to change his views in the preceding 20 years. He is still happily married to the same woman, has three beautiful daughters, two of which have given him grandchildren. They all married normal-looking white American guys.
I have no idea what set him off on this path. What I can say is that it saddens me to no end to see somebody who I respected and looked up to go somewhat crazy.
RE: just another boot spouting the old social gospel dogma
Where in the article does it clearly show that?
It’s throughout the article.
“Social Gospel: Christian faith practiced as a call not just to personal conversion but to social reform.”
You don’t see it?
RE: “Social Gospel: Christian faith practiced as a call not just to personal conversion but to social reform.”
That sentence is NOT in the article.
I’m a big fan of Keller, but I just can’t agree with him on this.
In a normal political setting, he would be right. But right now the political battle in this country is a manifestation of a cultural war, and even the cultural war itself is but a manifestation of a spiritual war.
The war is about whether America remains a country whose institution are committed toward individual liberty and traditional Christian values, or one that abandons those in favor a powerful secular state run by a self-appointed group of elites.
I don’t see how in a fight where that is at stake, how can a truly committed Christian not fall on one side against the other.
Keller is also being very erroneous (I will stop short of calling him disingenous) when he gives the example that racial equality as a “liberal issue” and traditional marriage as a “conservative issue” as his example of Christian values being neither left or right. The left doesn’t care about racial equality, or the poor for that matter, they use those issues to accrue power for themselves. Conservatives are the ones who actually want equality of opportunity for all.
I’m a big fan of Keller, but I just can’t agree with him on this.
In a normal political setting, he would be right. But right now the political battle in this country is a manifestation of a cultural war, and even the cultural war itself is but a manifestation of a spiritual war.
The war is about whether America remains a country whose institution are committed toward individual liberty and traditional Christian values, or one that abandons those in favor a powerful secular state run by a self-appointed group of elites.
I don’t see how in a fight where that is at stake, how can a truly committed Christian not fall on one side against the other.
Keller is also being very erroneous (I will stop short of calling him disingenous) when he gives the example that racial equality as a “liberal issue” and traditional marriage as a “conservative issue” as his example of Christian values being neither left or right. The left doesn’t care about racial equality, or the poor for that matter, they use those issues to accrue power for themselves. Conservatives are the ones who actually want equality of opportunity for all.
“That sentence is NOT in the article.”
No. And it doesn’t need to be, anymore than the word ‘Trinity’ needs to appear in the Bible in order for the substance of it to be there.
What I posted is a definition of the Social Gospel, and it applies to what Keller is doing. Evidently the history of the Social Gospel movement is terra incognita for you. It’s what he’s doing.
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