"One of the primary tasks God gave to the prophets in ancient Israel was to instruct the people of Israel on how to order their society so that it reflected God’s heart and mind. These verses from the prophet Zechariah are a prime example of that." (For the full post, click the link below.)
Tag: Christian witness
Pastor Note #145: What Makes for the Blessed Life?
"Blessed are those who force their way to the front of the line; they will get to run things their own way." (For full post, click link below.)
Quote of Note #230: Church & State in Tension
"We know also from our reading of history, that a certain tension between the Church and State is desirable. When Church and State fall out completely, it is ill with the commonwealth; and when Church and State get on too well together, there is something wrong with the Church." T. S. Eliot (click link for full quote)
Pastor Note #143: Coercion & the Kingdom of God
Here’s an important diagnostic question for American Christians to ask themselves: “Does my vision for the kingdom of God rely on coercively imposing righteousness on my neighbors?” Said another way, “Do I see the kingdom of God as something that should be forced upon people against their will? Are people coerced into the kingdom of God or invited into it?”
Quote of Note #227: Camouflaged Racism
"Racism is designed to be invisible to white people . . . so when they are confronted by the reality of racism, it can offend their sense of personal innocence." J. Tisby
Prayer Note #70: Love instead of Anger, Fear, Violence, & Cruelty
“Lord, I live in a world of anger, fear, violence, and cruelty. It is hard for me not to be swept away and molded by these ugly passions that swirl around me. . . ."
Quote of Note #226: Bearing Witness with Graciousness & Faithfulness
“As was in many of the most religious people of Jesus' day, it is possible to become fully versed in a theological tradition or excel in theological education and still have a hardened heart that never truly surrendered to the Word of God.” Costanzo, et al (for full quote, click link below)
Pastor Note #142: Violence & Cruelty in America: Who Is My Neighbor?
"This is a time when followers of Jesus must unwaveringly insist on love of neighbor as a core social value, a value that requires action. Followers of Jesus in America must assert themselves in making love of neighbor, with its firm rejection of cruelty and violence, the centerpiece of our engagement with the wider society." (click link to read the full essay)
Prayer Note #69: A Prayer (Drawn from Colossians 3:12-14)
Grant that I might be a living embodiment of Christ’s saving, healing, redeeming love in this broken world.
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.
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 