I’m at the second day of the Envision 08 at Princeton. I spent yesterday with a new friend in NYC so I missed most on Monday’s events. Here’s some summaries of the day’s events that I will update when I can:
Obery Hendricks giving a talk on the "Politics of Jesus". He begins with establishing that part of who Jesus was, was in fact a political figure. He also make the point that Jesus’ teachings and political conservatism are not one and the same At first, his lecture seems obvious to me. Are people in his room may be hearing this for the first time? After at any United Methodist gathering (at least here in the Northeast) Jesus the radical is just an accepted concept.
But rather than get elitist about it and think, “Glad to see you evangelicals catching up,” I sense a deep feeling within myself that I may be the one who is off track. Do I preach the radical Jesus often enough? Or do I just assume every does or should know that already?
Hendricks sees the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus’ radical manifesto and analyzes it for its anti-imperial implications. (For my own thoughts on this listen to my sermon "Be Careful What You Pray For.") His breakdown: Our (not my personal) Father in heaven, be who you were for us in the past (we’re ready for your judgment) Let your kingdom of love and holiness come and replace that of Caesar’s on earth, be concerned that everybody has enough to eat, release our debts (financial debts) as we keep going along with it and benefiting from it. Keep us from being tempted to stick with the old ways, saying one thing and bowing down to something else.
Additionally, he describes Jesus’ spirituality as holistic – vertical and horizontal. Love God and your neighbor. The only evidence of our love for God is our love for our neighbor. If your not working for others to have what they need, you’re not truly spiritual.
Jesus’ politics is putting his holistic spirituality in action.
Justice – restoring fair relations in he society. Everyone has a right to it.
Righteousness – fulfilling their relationship with God and neighbor. Fulfilling obligation to neighbor is ultimate expression of obligation to God
Loving Kindness/Steadfast Love – responsibility for the well-being of others. God desires steadfast love and not ritual or doctrine
Summary of Jesus’ politics – treat the people’s needs as holy
Test for government or politician’s policies : Does it treat everybody’s needs as holy?
Great Commission: making converts or making students? Follow Jesus not worship him. Praise God not him. Teach the nations. Don’t convert them.
Matt 25 – should be the litmus test of faith not what you believe
Hendricks also going on to point out the differences between Paul’s and Jesus’ teachings. Rom 13 call to obey governments cannot be reconciled with the fact that Jesus was crucified on a cross by a government. Like many scholars before him, he explains hat Paul never even met Jesus. This has led to quite a few murmurs in the audience. This guy has balls.
He characterizes the church’s misappropriation of Matt 28 as a scourge upon the world.
Great stuff
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