"Reclaiming the American idea against all this means returning to the beginning: to our basic commitment to the inexhaustible, inviolable dignity of every person, and to our recognition that an effective and enduring politics can only be built atop this fundamental conviction." B. Sasse
Tag: American politics
Pastor Note #141: Getting My Bearing for These Times (Cont.): Rejecting Coercion
Coercion can never achieve the kingdom of God. I do not believe it is ever God’s desire or plan that any one group of Christians should aspire to get its hands on the levers of coercive governmental power and use that coercive power to impose its will on its unwilling neighbors. Again, coercion cannot and will never achieve the kingdom of God.
Quote of Note #207: The Church & Governments
"If the church is to be the conscience of the state, it must begin with the courage to tell the truth." S. Bezner in _Your Jesus Is Too American_
Quote of Note #206: The Cultural Conformity of the Church
"Called to combat social evils, [the church] has remained silent behind stained-glass windows." M.L. King, Jr.
Quote of Note #204: Motive, Means, & Politics
"As sinners we need a spiritual strategy for dealing with our own sinful tendency to put the best possible interpretation on our own motives while putting the worst possible interpretation on those of our opponents."
Quote of Note #197: The Church and the State
"The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state and never the tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority."
Quote of Note #196: Influencing Culture or Being Influenced by It
As a result, we are angrier and more divided within both our nation and our church than we have been in a very long time.
Pastor Note #138: The Way of Jesus: Selfless Service OR Coercion and Domination?
The Way of Jesus: Selfless Service OR Coercion and Domination? The Church of Jesus Christ in America has to decide whether it will embrace coercion as a tool of mission and ministry or not. This decision is not a new one for Christians. Throughout our history, we have frequently embraced a love affair with coercion … Continue reading Pastor Note #138: The Way of Jesus: Selfless Service OR Coercion and Domination?
Quote of Note #187/Prayer Note #66: A National Prayer
"O God, who art the Ruler and Judge of all nations, look mercifully on our land. Sanctify all that is rich and noble in our traditions. Grant that our ideals and aspirations may be in accordance with thy will. Take away pride and false pretense from our midst; give us humility in our relations with … Continue reading Quote of Note #187/Prayer Note #66: A National Prayer
Blog Announcement: A New Topical Track
YouTube Channels and Podcasts have things called "playlists" where videos and audio tracks are organized according to topic. My blog has something like that, too. I call them "Topical Tracks," and you can find them at the top of the page whenever you are on my blog site. So far there are five of them. … Continue reading Blog Announcement: A New Topical Track
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 