"Whatever the temptations may be for the dominant nation at any point in world history to identify its mission with the mission of God, such temptations must be resisted at all costs; God's providential dealings with people (the Church, not any particular nation) are too mysterious to be reducible to simplistic nationalism; and the gospel … Continue reading Quote of Note #35: Nationalism and the Mission of God in the World
Category: Quotes of Note
Quote of Note #34: Self-Sacrificial Service
"At the height of the [Roman] persecution, a plague broke out. Fearing contagion, pagans dumped members of their own families in the street when they got sick. But Christians, Eusebius said, 'heedless of the danger, took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them. . . drawing on themselves the … Continue reading Quote of Note #34: Self-Sacrificial Service
Quote of Note #33: Evangelical Fear
"Fear was a profound motivator for evangelicals. We carried a vestigial memory of being the little ramshackle clapboard church from across the tracks whose congregation couldn't pay its minister. We collectively carried a chip on our shoulders for being marginalized. Fear and revenge were far from the teachings of Christ, but we had practiced them … Continue reading Quote of Note #33: Evangelical Fear
Quote of Note #32: Bearing with Each Other in our Differences
"We ought to endeavor to live in peace with those who are of different opinions from us. 'Tis a most unreasonable thing to take the liberty of contending with men because they cannot see with our eyes. If this were granted, we would be at war with the greatest part of the world. 'Tis as … Continue reading Quote of Note #32: Bearing with Each Other in our Differences
Quote of Note #31: Overcoming Earthly Powers Through Heavenly Means
"Whatever our calling, we know this: We are not serving wicked kings, but the King of kings who fulfills all types and shadows of the Old Covenant Israel. His coronation did not come by earthly decree, but through his resurrection and ascension. Therefore, his way of conquering the world's kingdoms is also revolutionary. He doesn't … Continue reading Quote of Note #31: Overcoming Earthly Powers Through Heavenly Means
Quote of Note #30: American Evangelicalism and Tribal Deities
"Something had gone terribly wrong with American evangelicalism, or, perhaps, I thought, it had always been wrong and I was simply seeing the problem only now. Over the forty-three years I had been a Christian, the orientation of American evangelicals had shifted from what many theologians call the ultimate to the penultimate. We had descended … Continue reading Quote of Note #30: American Evangelicalism and Tribal Deities
Quote of Note #29: Radical Gospel Hope and American Politics
"As people whose prophetic paradigm is shaped by the radical hope of the gospel, they would reject conspiracy theories, sensationalism, and fear-mongers." Mark Chironna, The Dead Prophets Society: The Significance of Prophetic Function in the 21st Century. Self-published, 2018, page 40.
Quote of Note #28: Political Idolatries vs. the Common Good
"Rather than becoming chaplains or enablers of political idolatry, the faith community should confront it. The idols of politics are legion: the idol of money over democracy, the idol of winning over governing, the idol of celebrity over leadership, the idol of individualism over community, and the idol of ideology over civility -- just to … Continue reading Quote of Note #28: Political Idolatries vs. the Common Good
Quote of Note #27: Fear-mongering and Christian Engagement
"When peace is the agreed-upon value of a community of believers who are contending for 'on earth as it is in heaven,' they will not use fear to control or influence others. This is so deeply rooted in our culture that people often seem unaware of using this tool to manipulate others to their need … Continue reading Quote of Note #27: Fear-mongering and Christian Engagement
Quote of Note #26: Politics of Loving My Neighbor
"This most fundamental teaching of faith flies right in the face of all selfish personal and political ethics that put myself always before all others: my concerns first, my rights first, my freedoms first, my interests first, my tribe first, and even my country first -- ahead of everybody else. Self-concern is the personal and … Continue reading Quote of Note #26: Politics of Loving My Neighbor
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 