The Underground Railroad

You Lost Me: A Book Review

It's a church's nightmare: discipleship programs, VBS weeks, 'evangelism Sundays', Bible studies, stadium rock, altar calls, all for the Busters and Mosaics... and they're leaving the church.

Correction: we're leaving the church.

Recently, I picked up David Kinnaman's 2007 work unChristian and grappled with why outsiders perceive insiders to be judgmental, hypocritical, antigay, boring, and resentful. While I wrestled with Kinnaman's beginning perspective which, obviously, affected his conclusions regarding his outcomes, I actually discovered that I, as a more liberal believer, agreed with his findings.

Yet his tone, I perceived, still contained that air of hubris endemic to many evangelical voices, including my own, where we "just know" we're right, "how do we make the world see we're right?" in better ways, etc. Still, he also asked some tough, straight forward questions many evangelicals have already asked and have been condemned for it, or have quietly gone to sit in the corner knowing condemnation is not far off.

First off... I highly recommend you read both books back-to-back. Begin with the earlier work (unChristian), and continue to You Lost Me. If you're like me, you will discover something quite profound: Kinnaman's tone has changed. His message has not, and his research methods are sound, but there certainly has been... maturity... openness... depth. While there still are points I disagree with, I found myself actually engaging with the author more in this work than in the first! I found it to be more honest, authentic, and truly a more respectful forum to ask those scary questions.

Let's begin by reviewing some of Kinnaman's definitions, and adding a couple of new ones just so we're all clear about where/how the author is coming from:

Outsiders: those claiming to be looking at the Christian faith from the outside in
Insiders: those claiming to be of the Christian faith looking at it from the inside out 
Busters: those born between 1965-1983
Mosaics: those born between 1984-2002 

Drop Outs:
Nomads: categorical group described as having left the church, but not the Christian faith
Prodigals: categorical group described as having left both the church and the Christian faith
Exiles: categorical group described as having struggles, doubts, & isolation, often wanting to leave the church or the faith, but sensing the need to stay; often feel abandoned by traditional forms of church and seek to express new forms of church

In his research, Kinnaman sets forth some broad characterizations of each group based on his findings. I appreciate his honesty when he firmly posits (often) that he does not always agree with the rationale of nomads, prodigals, or exiles; yet he is equally firm with the church that it take the rationale seriously. Here is a quick summary of the aforementioned characterizations (bear in mind these are broad and dwell on a continuum, rather than stand each alone in a black/white stance; drop outs also tend to be fluid in their own characterizations of themselves, going through phases of their faith journeys).

Nomads (p.64):
~ still describe themselves as Christan
~ involvement in a Christian community = optional
~ importance of faith has faded
~ most are NOT angry/hostile towards Christianity
~ many are spiritual experimentalists

Two questions I wish Kinnaman would have delved into more is: "what do you mean 'The importance of faith has faded' ?"... the faith of the traditional church? Christianity? Faith searching overall?

And...

Kinnmann sounded to me to be a bit ambiguous about what it means to be spiritually experimental. He vaguely referenced Nomads trying out other religious experiences (p.65), but is this to mean Nomads are turning to Buddhism? Or are Nomads trying out Tibetan singing bowls? To me, they are vastly different things and this point needed some clarification.

Prodigals (p.68):
~ varying levels of resentment towards Christianity and Christians
~ disavowed returning to church
~ moved on from Christianity
~ regrets (if any) often centre around parents
~ feel as if they have broken constraints

Kinnaman is quick to point out that Nomads are for more common than Prodigals (p.69). Page 70 finds the author stating that we see a 1:9 chance a young person will become a total prodigal. While there are concerns for both Nomads and Prodigals, Kinnaman rightly establishes a tenor of hope in that most youth are seeking new expressions of church and faith, and are struggling with the institutionalized church. All things considered, this is a good and positive trend in my opinion.

Exiles (p.77):
~ not inclined to be 'separate from the world'
~ are skeptical of institutions, but not wholly disengaged from them
~ sense God moving outside the walls of the church
~ not disillusioned with tradition; but are frustrated with slick, shallow expressions of religion
~ mix of concern/optimism for peers
~ have not found faith to be instructive to their calling or gifts
~ struggle when other Christians question their motives

Here is where I will input my bias: categorically speaking using Kinnaman's terms, I am an exile. It's a struggle when other Christians question my motives as a believer; I am seeing the institutional church not as church, but rather a staunch arena that demands adherence rather than relationship; I am more inclined to find wisdom in the early Church/desert mothers/fathers than I am in the writings of fundamentalism in the past 100 years; I believe God is moving in brothels and bars as much as He is in 'the church'.

What I find interesting is Kinnaman's use of the story of Daniel in the OT. A story often used in conservative churches to show how people should NEVER compromise, Kinnaman uses the narrative to show how Daniel and his three friends actually needed to learn to bend here and there in order to survive and to bear witness to YHWH. Forced to take on new names (of idols, no less), learn new languages, act differently in and out court, what was worth taking a stand on and what required acceptance? Kinnaman compares Babylon to America (and Canada can be included here too, I have no doubt), and the literal exiles of Daniel&Co., with the church exiles of today. We are navigating a technological super age where the institutional church has fallen into disrepute, has not offered valid or viable answers to current issues, has not extended relationships where needed or desired, and has insisted on re-hashing the same forms of the message over and over to a generation that is lost in translation.

So why are the dropouts dropping out? What are the disconnects? Kinnaman goes into 6 broad categories he found in the responses participants gave. I found it interesting that many of the responses dove-tailed the ones found in unChristian. Patterns are emerging, and it is crucial people within and without the institutionalized church pay attention. They are as follows: overprotective, shallow, antiscience, repressive, exclusive, and doubtless.

Overprotective
With the church answering every question, having a program for every niche, and acting like helicopter parents, kids are going to burst. What I appreciated in this chapter is the mention this is especially difficult for creative kids (like me and my siblings) -- stifle us too long and make sure each and every little sin is insulated against, and we die. I can't find a better word for it. Yes, parents need to be discerning (Kinnaman's answer to overprotection), yet I hope my kids have tonnes of gay friends, friends who cut, friends who steal, and friends who question God. I hope my kids are the ones to question God, question me, have solid friends if they ever struggle with cutting or addictions, and are presented with that supportive community church is meant to be.

As a youth leader, I respect parental authority deeply. However it must be said: Parents... get out of the way. Sometimes it is impossible to have a relationship with your kid because you need to be in such massive control of everything. Yet then when things go wrong, the youth leaders aren't doing their 'job'. Sometimes, parents, you need to step aside and support other supportive adults who love your kids deeply.

Shallow
We come in. We sit. We stand. We sing. We pray. The guy speaks. We leave.

That's church?

Don't think so.

Kinnaman (p.122) describes a Bat Mitvah he was invited to, and sees the void many flavours of Christianity have created: we have no rituals.

Rituals? That's legalism! There's no salvation in rituals!

There's that reductionist dogma again, making church a heaven/hell, "repent or perish" issue. If it's not commanded in the Bible, it's not needed! Yet... nomads, prodigals, and exiles alike are seeking cultural, traditional, and new expressions of ritual that expresses a profound faith that the Sunday preacher simply can't encompass on a weekly basis. (oh yeah, legalism can be found everywhere... so if anyone is thinking for a second that our version of church has overcome legalism, think again)

Antiscience
Young people struggle when they cannot reconcile faith and science, or when the church poo-poos science, or science proudly demonstrates humanity's ability to overcome 'god'. I have to admit, if I hear the creation/evolution debate one more time, I might just have to pull out of my hair to get rid of the wood bores burrowing into my brain. Christians still often believe that apologetics are THE WAY to persuade people that we're correct.

Ummmm... no offence, but please be quiet now.

I have been just as guilty as making massive arguments out of useless scientific debate, and I have also been a bystander watching Christians derail those with differing opinions, and being proud of trouncing the opposition. Might there still be a place for healthy debate? Perhaps. Note I said: healthy. Are we healthy right now to be debating? Are Mosaics and Busters really being persuaded through the art of debate?

I don't think so.

All those viral emails of how students prove to their atheist professors that God exists... wow... didn't know chalk, glasses of water, or talk about being unable to see one's brain with our physical eyes 'proved God'. If the church truly has faith in a Creator God, why be afraid of the science He's created? If we have questions about how faith and science can co-exist, why are we afraid to ask them? We're human... we don't have power to debunk God, and science is constantly changing (just like we are) enough that questions are required. Think about it.

Repressive
Did someone say "sex"? Yes. Yes I did. Youth leave the church because of various reasons relating to sexuality. I must hand credit here to Kinnaman. He handled a hot subject with grace, finesse, and challenge. The distinction he made between tradition and traditionalists (p.154) was well spotted. Older generations perhaps are not exemplifying a healthy sexuality any more than individualistic Mosaics are, thinking that sex is "just sex". Neither paradigm is working, nor do they fully explore God's vision of sexuality.

I agree that more transparency is needed (p.162), that we share our struggles with sex, and our questions. For example, when a colleague of mine was called to the ER to help calm a female rape victim, she found a woman in complete disarray. Why? Not initially because of the rape, but rather because the first person the woman had called was her pastor. What did he say: "Well dressed like that, you asked for it!"

Epic fail.

When we talk about doctrines of "purity" and lay it on the shoulders of our kids, we aren't really thinking through what we are asking of them. Celibacy is a calling of God, and for some it is a life long call. Yet we don't communciate that to the Mosaics (or the Busters, I must say). It's just "until you get married". Or we say "Sex is dirty, dirty, dirty! But then when you marry THAT ONE PERSON, it's great!"

Personally, the "sex is dirty" message coupled with "it's beautiful in marriage" confused me. How can a dirty thing make marriage beautiful? But we still communicate this to our kids.

So... if people are waiting longer before getting married, temptation for sex outside of marriage lasts longer. It can be harder to deal with. Our churches aren't set up for this sociological pattern. We still assume our kids will marry in their early twenties.

We rarely talk about persistent thoughts of lust as being "as bad" as premarital sex.

We create the illusion that sex is just fab in relationships. My marrierd friends tell me: "Sometimes, Erin, it ain't that great. In fact, I wish I could just sleep right through it."

Now again, Kinnaman and I butt heads a bit. Refer back to my review on UnChristian and my concerns with his assumption about the LGBTQ lifestyle being all wrong all of the time. The author does not seem to see any difference in orientation v. behaviour, or relationship v. hook ups here. However he appreciates that Mosaics are far more accepting of the LGBTQ lifestyle.

Kinnaman also goes on to posit that perhaps we need to discuss sex from God's perspective and not as traditionalism would (p.64), or as individualists. Sex is about us -- we in community and relationship with one another. When old time preachers screech out on YouTube about masturbation being a sin, it's hard to connect with a young male who maybe had a wet dream the night before, or a young woman who orgasmed during her sleep. Everyone's touched themselves, even in surprise. As one pastor friend told me (and I agree with him): masturbation alone isn't wrong! If it leads to lust/needs lust, porn or violence to occur, THEN we're dealing with something entirely different. As Dr.Tony Campolo once said to us in what I have come to affectionately refer to as The Campolo Method: "In talking about transparency, ask your pastor if he or she masturbates. If s/he cannot answer or won't, it's probably safe to assume other issues won't be allowed out on the table either."

When abuse victims are told they are no longer "pure", or when young people perhaps "go to far" and lose their virginity and are told "that's it. You damaged your goods", I get pissed off (a truly academic term). Do I advocate for loose sex and hooking up? NO! My work in the abolition arena supports that. However, a 14 year old boy who has an erection and "works it", or a girl who lets a boy touch her between her legs are suddenly not impure. Little flaps of skin does not purity make. Yet does the church have open and honest places where we can talk about this stuff?

Speaking from many experiences... no. We don't. Furthermore, we often surpress well meaning pastors who try and address sexual issues forthrightly and in a relational manner.

We are our own worst enemies.

Exclusive
Here again, Kinnaman and I disagree. He sees evangelism as a verbal sharing of one's faith (p.177). I do not. So his assertion that Mosaics not verbally evangelising is of grave concern is not as concerning to me. Evangelism isn't what fundys define it to be... or Catholics... or libs. In fact, our lifestyles often speak more volumes than our words, as expressed in Kinnaman's 2007 study of how oustiders see us. Is it wrong to verbally share? No! But I don't believe we ought to be oppressing ourselves so severely if we haven't shared "The Gospel" with at least 10 people by the end of today.

Query... what IS the Gospel?

For me, there is a holistic and beautiful vision to it. For others, it's about Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. For others, again, it's a "REPENT OR PERISH!" force of coercion. If we aren't told repeatedly about our sins and just how sinful we are from Day 1, we cannot truly know the Grace of God. Eeesh... (personal bias, true, but I am glad I can thoughtfully declare them and not simply accept all of Kinnaman's conclusions at face value).

Mosaics are less likely to desire denominations, and I would count myself among them. I don't have to be an evangelical to go to heaven, as it were. I'd rather hang out with people on their turf and talk God, than show up at a glitzy building where the preacher is the main show.

Doubtless
Often Mosaics and Busters express their frustration that they were never given the chance to share their doubts about the Christian faith. Doubt is seen as rejection of God, or a lack of conviction (p.187). Here is where I found Kinnaman's largest expression of maturity since 2007 to be. Even his subtitle "Shades of Doubt" caused me to smile a little. Doubt not only is inherent to faith, but there are different kinds of doubt that need to be addressed in different ways.

As I read through his definition of institutional doubt (pp.190-191), I immediately sensed an affinty. Accordingly, he said that exiles were more likely to express their doubts here: that being traditional forms of church that suppress life, and oppress exiles in their newer expressions of church (The Simple Way being used as an example here - bravo!). Preaching/teaching have taken over as THE way to expound upon the Bible. Yet... there's so much more.

Personally, doubts are like issues surrounding sex. We simply do not know how to respond. So we react. And we think we're reacting Biblically, but we're reacting in a morally uptight way that destroys the human spirit. We take the easy answers and plaster them over festering wounds... or go so far as to suggest those wounds don't even exist. So why are we doubting? When pastors preach that going to counselors or therapists are silly because they simply tell people what they want to hear, I cringe. Wounded... I needed just such a therapist for a while, and she certainly didn't tell me all of what I wanted to hear. Nor is any pastor immune to that itch to just preach what people want to hear.

What's Old Is New
One of the most profound ideas Kinnaman presents to deal with this incredible disconnect between older generations and Mosaics is to redefine intergenerational relationships (p.202). We have modeled church programs based on an outdated public school system that generates mass converts, unrooted in faith, but insist this is the right and true way. So we separate off: kids with kids, youth with youth, marrieds with marrieds, singles with singles (although I can attest that these groups are usually the church's attempt to create a holy dating scene... really not cool, to be honest), elders with elders.

Instead of digging ourselves into the grave, can we not redefine what it means for older women to mentor the younger? As Kinnaman proposes:

Original assumption: The church exists to prepare the next generation to fulfill God's purposes
New Thinking: The church is a partnership of generations fulfilling God's purposes in their time.

Yes, elders need to be listened to and learned from, but here is where I struggle: it is the elder groups who continue to spit out doctrine after doctrine that makes no sense to me, that is not biblical, that is condescending, and creates divisions. Who am I supposed to look up to? I suppose the elder groups feel very much the same about us younger folk. It's true: how can we have a real talk when you young things always have your heads bent down texting or some such thing.

Noted.

Mosaics are born into technology. We cannot change that. Yet we can influence how they use that technology, and how face-to-face relationships flourish when we put distractions aside. This is a valid and vital point, I believe, for Mosaics. They (and us Busters too) need to put the phones down... log off... power down... unplug. Right or wrong, agree or disagree, none of us can hope to truly mentor one another together when we are always relying on technology to make our friends for us.

Kinnaman ends the book with 50 ways we can consider that might help us reach out to one another better. Again, he precedes the list with the disclaimer that he does not agree with all the views here, but his deliberate inclusion of diverse viewpoints showed me that he is more open than he was even four years ago. He is as intentional about his honesty in disagreeing as he is about inviting diversity -- that spoke volumes to me. And it was much appreciated.

Summary... At Long Last!

I definitely connected with this book far more than I did the first, although unChristian certainly expressed many of my personal feelings and thoughts about the modern church. When all is said and done, many of our issues are communication issues. That might be easy to say when we are dealing with a generation of Mosaics glued to their cell phones, yet that is not quite what I am trying to say.

When someone expresses a different doctrine, a doubt, a question, or something that appears to usurp the status quo in the church, we are largely reactionary. We ask close ended questions (yes/no, right/wrong, black/white), rather than open ended (what I hear you saying... when you use that word, are saying...). We make sure the person knows all of their sins (or at some point confesses all real or perceived sins), understands our statements of faith, declare them ungodly, self-righteous, proud, or some other name intended to hurt rather than to heal. By and large, we do not how to listen deeply. In fact, many of us do not wish to listen at all. We already know what's right, so why bother hearing out all of what this person has to say because we already know our answers?

Dehumanizing.

Sometimes... we don't want answers. We just want YOU.

If we could lay down the guns we have aimed at people, not just in the name of doctrine, but to also keep ourselves protected, we are going to discover a world of hurt in broken people. But we might just be stupefyingly surprised that perhaps that correct answer/doctrine/zinger was not what we needed to give in the first place; but rather we needed the presence of the other person too.

unChristian: A Book Review

So why are Christians thought of as judgmental... hypocritical... antigay... boring? David Kinnaman's 3-year research study through the Barna Group aims to answer some of those questions in his book unChristian. I have read the book, and have some thoughts on his findings. Remember: this is only a brief post trying to cover an entire book on a touchy subject. I will do my best to be concise!

At first I couldn't wait to dive into the book. At last! Someone speaking some reality! Immediately, however, George Barna sets the tone for him in the introduction by deriding written works relying on personal anecdotes (p.8). 

Great.

Another research snob.

If it isn't logically studied through the lens of the scientific method, it is of little worth.

Don't get me wrong! Solid research has its place and is valuable, but not at the expense of other sources of knowledge, insight and wisdom.

Okay... Barna's bias is set, but to be fair this is an attitude of many-a-statistician, Christian or not. Press through it and move on. Kinnaman seems to truly have done a thorough and solid work in his research -- interviews, anecdotes (qualitative); and tools gathering statistics (quantitative). Over a period of 3 years, using population samples crossing ethnic and socioecnomic lines, as well as religious differences, it appears the foundation is well set.

Definitions:

Outsiders: those claiming to be looking at the Christian faith from the outside in (p.17)
Insiders: those claiming to be of the Christian faith looking at it from the inside out 
Busters: those born between 1965-1983
Mosaics: those born between 1984-2002 

I appreciated Kinnaman pointing out that using lanaguage such as "pagan" or "the lost" labels outsiders in such a negative light that these people are immediatley put on the defensive. He refuses to use traditional labels, nor does he "name names" -- Christian leaders, churches or groups who have 'done wrong'. His discretion is well taken.

However, Kinnaman's bias does ring out almost as quickly as Barna's with such as phrases as how we "hijack Jesus" by "softening or re-shaping the Gospel" (pp.32-33). I would agree but Kinnaman is coming at this research as a conservative Christian addressing Christians (p.27). Here, I sighed... Okay, he and I are looking at the same issues from quite different parts of the Christian continuum. For example, when the author repeatedly includes buying a lottery ticket as a form of sin, I disagreed completely. So I had to really scrutinize those actions Kinnaman labelled as sinful, because this would obviously affect his numbers. Bear in mind, numbers are as easily manipulated as words. Furthermore, I disagreed with his definitions of things like discipleship ("learning about Christ, learning about the Bible", p.50), or lifestyle ("doing good and not sinning", p.50). This could be left for a different post entirely, but suffice it to say that discipleship is far deeper than helping someone memorize Scripture, and lifestyle can be far richer than just a moral compass.

So as I read through the pages, I realized I was reading through the lens of an outsider still on the inside. Many of his findings I have found to personally apply to me, and yes... I am one who would really rather not "bring a friend to church". So there's my bias.

Moving on.

Kinnaman focuses on the 6 top areas respondants said evangelical Christians were being destructive towards people to. Now, this is the spot where some evangelicals will say: "But even Jesus said THEY will hate us because of Him!" Rightly, Kinnaman addresses this issue stating "we have become famous for what we oppose rather than what we are for" (p.26). Christians are not being repelled because of our radical love for Christ and others, but because our version of 'love' has been to beat people down with their sin, get converts, demand repentance, and then... leave them. If this is how people are experiencing church, then absolutely attention needs to be paid to what outsiders are saying! They are not hating Jesus... they are hating US!!!

Kinnaman digs into 10 broad areas that repeatedly announced themselves in the results he took from respondants (6 of which he focuses on in the book). He focuses mainly on the 16-29 age group. I was not surprised in the least when the author said the top 3 reasons people leave the church or refuse to become part of one are: 1) we're antigay; 2) we're judgemental, and 3) we're hypocrites. He begins each chapter with how the thousands of respondants perceive Christians, and then proposes a new perception whe could work towards.

Hypocrisy:
Perception: Christians say one thing but live something entirely different.
New Perception: Christians are transparent about their flaws and act first, talk second (p.41).  

Kinnaman claims that as much of a perception as this is, Mosaics and Busters aren't always bothered by hypocrisy because at some level, everyone is a hypocrite, and our generations apparently are okay with living this kind of dissonance. I'm not sure I appreciate his take on all of us being okay with hypocrisy, but I did appreciate his pointing out that Jesus called only the religious leaders of the day "hypocrites!"... guess who's taken on that role today? Us. 

Point taken.

We have such a holier-than-thou attitude, with a few doctrines of grace and love thrown in that we seem like lying snakes (p.51... the snake thing I added). Remember: perceptions are important here. We are not being seen as relational and approachable, but aloof. I know I can't live up to the moral standards set out by this flavour of Christianity. It turns my stomach. Yet... I pause here and look inward to see where hypocrisy is rearing its ugly head in my own life.

Get Saved!
Perception: Christians are insincere and concerned only with converting others
New Perception: Christians cultivate relationships & environments where others can be deeply transformed by God (p.67) 

Ummm... why aren't we creating environments and cultivating relationships where we all are deeply transformed? I was put off immediately by the well-intentioned new perception, but it still had the air of pomposity to it: we create the places, we cultivate the relationships, we are Christians and we draw people in. It is still reductionist dogma, consumer-driven "God is just for ME" individualism. I saw where he was coming from but it fell short. Yes, we do need to create sacred spaces of healing, reconciliation and restoration, but thinking that it is always for 'the other' still perpetuates the us/them myth.

As one astute young man who came into our drop-in centre so aptly put it: "You Christians don't give a shit about me. You just want to convert me so I'll think like you. You don't love me at all. Even if I did convert, you wouldn't love me until I acted like you."

Ouch.

I can't blame the guy. I am sick to the teeth of this "Repent or go to hell!" message that excludes a holistic magnificence in the Gospel. It's wrong. That's my interpretation, I guess. But after living nearly 20 years with the fear of hell gripping my life, driving me to near psychosis, and the love of God so far away, I can say as an evangelical reject (as Kurt Willem's would call me!) that reducing the Gospel to a heaven/hell issue is an afront to all of who Christ is and why He came.

Antihomosexual
Perception: Christians show contempt for gays and lesbians
New Perception: Christians show compassion and love to all people, regardless of their lifestyle (p.91) 

Now I know with a limited amount of space, Kinnaman couldn't address ALL aspects of his research in depth, but the attiude of "We all KNOW it's wrong, but we're going about expressing it the wrong way" attitude was another put off. Again, it seemed like a veiled attempt for another evangelical stance to come at "the problem" in a nicer way. Was there any discussion as to whether or not Scripture has been misinterpreted? Was there any intentional attempt to dialogue with the LGBTQ community to learn new perspectives? It was hard to swallow the "hate the sin, love the sinner" merry-go-round when it still sounded so arrogant. What about gays who have been "born again" (as Kinnaman describes it) and still struggle? What about Christians who discover they are gay? What about gays who have been abused by the church?

However I did appreciate that Kinnaman pointed out the complexity of the LGBTQ community, its experience with the evangelical church, and vice versa. It is not a black/white issue. So while I perceived the author's attempt to elevate the conversation to fall somewhat short, it was not entirely without merit. For a great resource about conversations and really elevating the conversation between gays and Christians, check out Andrew Marin's, my friend and former classmate, book Love is an Orientation. You won't find black/white, yes/no answers. But you will find some of your questions posed there, and how others have addressed things. The Marin Foundation is doing some great working building bridges between churches and the LGBTQ community where others have certainly feared or disdained to tread.

Sheltered
Perception: Christians are boring, unintelligent, old-fashioned, and out of touch with reality
New Perception: Christians are engaged, informed, and offer sophisticated responses to the issues people face (p. 121) 

What greater evil force is there than hate? Rejection. When Christians deign not to associate with outsiders, we are perceived as snobby, arrogant, fearful, in our own little worlds, too good for others, etc., etc. We've all heard it before. Kinnaman (shown left) makes a distinction that there are times when we pull back from the world (for example, not letting a child watch innappropriate videos), yet our isolationism in the name of not being of this world has hampered our rep. 

Yup.

Bring out the torches and pitchforks, because I cringe when believers yank their kids out of every activity where perceived demonism or sin might be lurking. Sin is everywhere. It certainly won't hesitate to be in your home (if we're going to go that route). Hiding is cowardice. Conforming is also a risk, but Jesus took that risk & faced conformity by acting radically amongst the untouchable classes. 

Too Political
Perception: Christians are primarily motivated by a political agenda and promote right-wing politics
New Perception: Christians are characterized by respecting people, thinking biblically, & finding solutions to complex issues (p.153) 

The Moral Majority... The Tea Party... Canada's conservative Right... traditional family values... anyone else feel like fingernails are being scraped over a blackboard? 

The author points out that conservatives are trying very hard to create a Christian government. I would agree, but add that we did that already -- with disastrous consequences. We had power centuries ago and still do today whether we like to admit it or not, made policies that created genocides, slavery, poverty, disease and death. This isn't Jesus Christ. Why would we want that back? Are we that power hungry?

Should Christians back out of politics altogether? The author says "no" since the Christian influence needs to extend into every area of life. But advocating for things like making gay sex illegal is dangerous. Christians might be successful in gaining that policy (scary!), but they will effectively destroy any hope of creating relationships with gays and lesbians (and what is with our fixation on homosexuality anyway!?). Not only that, but policy will logically have to extend to YOUR bedroom as well. Do YOU want the government dictating your sex life? Thought not.

Judgmental
Perception: Christians are prideful and quick to find fault in others
New Perception: Christians show grace by finding the good in others and seeing their potential to be Christ followers (p.181) 

This one struck me hard. Not only because I've felt deeply judged and wronged, but because I know I've been judgmental too... towards conservative Christians especially of late. It's wrong and I know it. It's one thing to disagree on issues, but to truly dislike conservative ideology and let that trickle into the Body of Christ... well... let's just say a friend of mine and I have committed to each other that our jaded spirits do need healing FROM church, but we also need reconciliation WITH church. A sincere transformation of Love is in order... and wanted. It is so easy to slide into judgmentalism. As a wise professor once told me: "Hurt people hurt people." 

That being said, some days I think If I hear that the social gospel is not the "real" gospel one more time, I'll ---!!!!!!! Remember, I'm looking at this issue being an outsider on the inside. When I am told that my faith is not real, it is not sharing the Gospel to enough people, that my 'conversion experience' was a false conversion, when it is not a real gospel, or that I'm preaching communism or nazi socialism, feelings do get hurt. I get jaded. I feel alone. 

And I'm not the only one.

I was waiting for the abortion shoe to be dropped, and here it is. Kinnaman describes an interview he conducted with a young woman named "Lisa" (p.162). An outsider, she attended an "insiders" women's group on and off. One day, the group was talking about sexuality, intimacy and those sorts of issues women do tend to wander off on at times. She joined in the conversation by sharing how she was empathizing with her outsider friend who had had an abortion. The conversation immediately changed in tone: it went from sharing with one another, to insider women preaching and condemning Lisa. It wasn't until Lisa had the chance to explain herself that she, herself, had once had an abortion and how badly it wounded her, no one really quite knew where to go from there.

Silence.

I can only imagine the pins dropping all over the place in that church.

Once again, I disagree with Kinnaman's broad sweep that Mosaics and Busters are morally relativistic and content be so. Newsflash: EVERYONE is morally relative (as my brother would say). Yet, the plain truth of the matter is that insiders' words and actions have done deep damage to outsiders. These outsiders are not "pagans" or "lost", but by and large people who have encountered church and Christianity already! But because of bad behaviour, and wounding judgments, they/we never go back. We give up. I mean, who wants to be speared week after week? Not me.

Kinnaman is correct in stating stereotypes must go if judgmentalism is to be demolished (p.191). They do kill relationships. Christians don't have all the correct lenses through which we see the world. Far from it. Just look at how entangled we are in insisting that our countries (US and Canada) are Christian nations, whose forefathers founded our great empires on godly principles, thus our definition of freedom, capitalism, and democracy are THE correct and godly ways to live. Where does it say THAT in Scripture?

From unChristian to Christian

The author sums up his book with ways insiders can change perceptions - resolve the image problem. It's true there will always be nay-sayers, doubters, and spiteful critics. However, it's also true that insiders can live better than how we are. 

~ respond with the right perspective
~ connect with people
~ be creative (evangelicals aren't known for their creativity or passion for the arts as expressions of worship, despite their being evangelical artists... we certainly can do much better here)
~ serve people (social justice IS a part of a whole Gospel! To denounce otherwise is to denounce major reasons why Christ came)
~ a lifestyle of compassion (pp.205-215)

Okay... a brief summary after a lengthy blog: I did not agree with many Kinnaman's definitions of sin, spiritual disciplines or what it means to be evangelical. I did not like his rather proud sounding tone at times which bordered on hubris. I certainly felt disappointed when he truly grappled with a complex issue but then fell short of actually shedding light on solutions that could come from places other than traditional dogma. His guest authors who contribute to his work spanned the spectrum from John Stott to Brian McLaren. I am still unsure as to whether this was a deep intention to include diverse voices from across Christianity, or just a tip of the hat to show conservatives were playing ball (and don't think the minority of women's voices went unnoticed).

However...

I remember how Paulo Friere insisted that true change of an oppressed people could only come from within. I believe the same to be true here. Conservative Christianity, in my mind, has become not oppressed but an oppressor group. Known for its disrespect of persons, dehumanizing methods (calling it 'love' so people are fully aware of their sin), ignorance, isolationism, and poor judgments, deep and true change can only come from within the group. David Kinnaman appears to be just such a voice. I could blather on and on until I'm blue in the face as to why telling unwed mothers they are not "God's true vision for the family" is abhorrent, but until people like the author stand up and share these realities between themselves, we all will stil be known as unChristian.

Next up... "You Lost Me"

 

Where Is The Excellent Way?

I don't know what I am more disturbed by: the dissension and factions this one book is creating amongst the unified Body; or that people are suffering and dying around the world in a multitude of ways, and Christians still feel the need -- nay, even righteously justified -- to declare war on one another. I Corinthians 13 has gone out the window, and even more scary... people feel right and loving in their comments/stands/remarks.

I have not read the book. This isn't a commentary or review (or jump-the-gun preview, as the case was for some).

Jimmy Spencer, on the Red Letter Christian blog (Love Wins: A New Split In Protestant Evangelicalism), divides the younger believers and older believers as "heretics" and "haters". The heretics are frustrated with the evangelical church and are pleading to God for His way to worship Him while rejecting current orthodoxy; while the haters are the old guard, declaring that the Emergent Church is what is tearing us apart to begin with (kind of forgetting that the Emergent Church died awhile back... someone forgot to send the memo).

I don't like Spencer's cut and dry division. Older folks have a lot of love and express well, and younger folks indeed seek an orthodoxy that honours God. However, Spencer's comments about a huge inter-evangelical split occuring may be well founded. Sadly.

Kevin deYoung on his blog, God Is Still Holy and What You Learned in Sunday School is Still True, posts a scathing review of Bell's book. Theology aside, his comment about believers not as evangelical as himself (so he perceives) reads:  "Others—and they are in the worse position—will opt for liberalism, which has always seen itself as a halfway house between conservative orthodoxy and secular disbelief."

deYoung may have had some valid points. I cannot comment accurately since I haven't read Bell's book. Yet... I guess I'm in a worse position than a non-believer. When I read that statement, he lost me.

I am a lover of God

I believe Jesus Christ lived as fully man, and fully God and died for the sins of this world.

I believe He rose again on the third day and has established His kingdom on earth and heaven.

To some, I am not a hardcore fundamentalist... and that makes me bad and in danger of grieving the Holy Spirit which, to some, equals being ripped from the Vine and burned. To others, I am not nearly progressive enough (dang labels again!), and could do with some more open-minded ideas and conversations. deYoung's affirmation that in times like these, strong words and arguments are required... I don't know. He needs to define what he means. Because he sounded like a Grade 7 bully on the playground, making fun of the little Grade 1s.

To Spencer I would say: yes, rifts are erupting, but if progressive believers don't like labels, let's stop using them.

To deYoung I would say: your definition of liberalism is so far off the mark, it has disappeared from view. You have just alienated anyone with a perhaps different theology, but still Biblically sound. The comment about, "aside from blondes, universalists have more fun" was not appreciated either. I'm not a blonde or a universalist, but deYoung's tone was one where I definitely saw and felt why people want to leave the church: they get hurt.

It has nothing to do with heaven or hell.

We call names.

And names hurt.

So... what to do?

I know for myself, I will go back to live the calling Christ has set out for me. There are slaves in the world Christ promised freedom for. If that makes me a liberal, worse off than a non-believer, well...

... deal with it.

Oh The Places We'll Go...

 
Dear Dr.Suess,

The slave trade hasn't gone away. It's still here.

50% of the world's victims of the modern slave trade are children. 

So today, on your 107th birthday, I pray all the places we'll go -- abolitionist, victim, and human being alike -- will be places to freedom, reconciliation, redemption and love.

And yes, there will be places where the Haken-Kraks howl and enemies prowl...

... but there too will be Great Places... Great Places to stay.
Let's step up and out now.
Let's be off and away.
______________________________________________________________________________

Oh The Places You'll Go!
by Dr.Suess

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
in any direction you choose.
You're on your own. You know what you know.
And you are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
You're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do
to people as footsy and brainy as you.

And when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along. You'll start happening too.

OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
and soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang, and soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you'll top all the rest.

Except when you don't, because sometimes... you won't.

I'm sorry to say so, but sadly it's true
and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on. You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant Bump.
Then, chances are, you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should turn left or right... or right-and-three-quarters?
Or maybe not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weird wildish space,
headed, I fear, for a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go, a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come or the rain to go
or the phone to ring or the snow to snow
or waiting round for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO! That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the Bright Places where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping, once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky! Ready because you're that kind of guy!

Oh the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored, there are games to be won!
And the magical things you can do with that ball,
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you on TV.

Except when they don't, because sometimes... they won't.

I'm afraid sometimes you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul
On you will go though your enemies prowl
On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up a-many frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak.

On you will hike and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems, whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know.
You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step,
Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteeed).

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So... be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
So... get on your way!

Good Bye Rob Bell

Chris Latondresse, founder and CEO, of Recovering Evangelical, discusses a "twitter-storm" this past weekend begun by John Piper denouncing Rob Bell. Check out the link:

Farewell Rob Bell (or John Piper's Inferno) 

I like John Piper. I do.

I respect his teaching, his leadership... his poetry.

I confess, I haven't read too much of Rob Bell. You know those never-ending reading lists students have? He's in there somewhere... I think. Yet I have heard little but controversy about him, either people trying explain his teaching or people denouncing his teaching. If you like labels, here you go: fundamentalists would say that they are part of a Remnant clinging to the Truth, and Rob Bell's controversial storms only show he is a heretic. Progressive believers claim he is being slammed because he is speaking the Truth and no one wants to hear it.

I've spoken my share of slams too. There are certain teachers and preachers who expound on doctrine, but when I look into Scripture, my stomach goes queasy. "Jesus didn't say that, so how can the teachers explain this is what He stood for...?"

Chris' blog brought out questions for me.

Finally.

I'm not the only one with these kinds of questions!

I will admit it straight out: sometimes I am afraid of asking the tough questions in life because I know I'll get torched. Either someone already has the answers altogether and throws Scripture at me, or someone tries to encourage me to stay true to the faith (aka, "you're walking into dangerous territory").

So we're all just supposed to shut up and take whatever is spoon-fed us?

No... we take what we're taught, use the teachers' own tools to prove their points, and miraculously come to their conclusions. Interesting how that goes...

Yes, there are gifts of teaching and there are many teachers. But golly... if Jesus is The Truth, how the heck can an elite group of any denomination or label claim to perfectly know all doctrine we'll ever need?

I am true.

I am faithful.

But I'd like to think that God makes room for questions... and that He won't hurt me for asking them. I'd like to think that when I disagree with certain teachings, perhaps there can be open dialogue. When public figures like this call down more attention on a pithy evangelical argument than worthwhile support for the Egyptian people in crisis, I stare at our priorities in shame...

Chris makes a good point: a hope is not a doctrine.

Will everyone go to heaven? I hope so. I know what Scripture says, I know what various monopolizers on the Truth have said, and my time in prayer and the Spirit says "no". But I can hold to the hope that God knows all things perfectly, and I can be encouraged to share Christ enough that everyone will be saved.

I have so many questions... and you know what? I'm not a heretic for it.

What about slavery?

God makes it clear about His heart for the oppressed (Isaiah 58), but also outlines the way slaves ought to act (Philemon). Some believers are adamant that sex slavery is wrong, but labour slavery is perfectly Biblical.

What about homosexuality?

What about violence?

What about peacemaking?

Before you start reaching for your Bibles, know that I'm not looking for answers. I'm just saying that I wrestle with God. I am working out my salvation with fear and trembling. I have total faith in Him that He is producing a worthy woman of character in me. Can't we all simply talk about these questions and still love each at the end of the day?

John and Rob can work out their own issues. They're big boys.

I look at some of the Scriptures in the Bible about slavery, study them, pray over them... and yet am still compelled to end the buying and selling of people in our world.

Will God hate me for that?

I don't think so.

I don't think so at all.

But there are days people like me ache only for an open, safe place to ask those though God-questions without being burned at the stake.

Jean Valjean, my brother... You Forgot the Candlesticks

Today, February 26 1802, one of the greatest writers and thinkers of all time was born.

If you have never picked up one of Hugo's works, I highly suggest you do so.

His famous novel, Les Miserables, has endured to be one of my favourite novels. The intricate plot surrounds the haunted Jean Valjean, a convict released on condition of a bail agreement. Trying to put his life back together, he encounters the scrappy but desperate Fauntine whose daughter, Cosette, he adopts. 

Many lives and encounters merge and entwine within the heart of the plot, but one must never forget the driven Javert -- former prison guard where Valjean was an inmate, and new made law enforcement official. Recognizing Valjean as a former inmate who did not meet his bail obligations, he hounds the protagonist for years, believing a man is unable to change. Valjean was a criminal and needed to be exposed as such.

No redemption.

For all the stories and webs that are wrought in this tome, my favourite is near the beginning. The humble and good Bishop of Digne takes in Valjean just after he is released from prison. Valjean needs only a place to sleep before moving on, cares not to share his identity with Digne, and simply uses the Bishop's compassion for the night.

Believing himself to be the criminal prison taught him he was, Valjean robs the Bishop blind, leaving the cleric wounded, while he flees into the night. Caught by local gendarmes, they drag the pathetic Valjean before the Bishop demanding identification of the accused. They only needed one reason... one flimsy reason... to send the scum of the earth back to prison.

What's this?

Redemption.

The Bishop vouches for the criminal. Gives him all the silver. Loves him as a human and not an animal. If ever there was an example of love and turning the other cheek, it is here. Some have accused Hugo of "buying freedom". As an abolitionist, I do not condone such practice, but I do not believe either that this is what happening here. The silver is immaterial. It assists Valjean later in life, but here it is simply to show a deeper truth: Valjean is beloved by God. No one... not any power or principality... can deny this truth. 

Here are the legendary words of redemption spoken over Valjean, who went on to change the lives of many. May our simple acts of love be so freeing, so humble, and so true.

"The bishop approached him and said, in a low voice, 'Do not forget, ever, that you have promised me to use this silver to become an honest man.' Jean Valjean, who had no recollection of any such promise, stood dumbfounded. The bishop had stressed these words as he spoke them. He continued solemnly, 'Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!"

The Inspiration Series Part 9 - Father Michael Doyle

Father Michael Doyle... the Poet of Poverty. A true Irish Catholic priest with a lion's heart and a lamb's gentle demeanour. I met him yesterday in South Camden, New Jersey, where he has been ministering, building relationship, community and love in one of those forgotten places of the world.

We all were huddled inside a dim, wood-paneled room waiting for this 76-year old hero to arrive. The door opened and in walked this wee elderly man, unassuming and humble. He seated himself at the head of the table and began to speak, quietly and yet passionately about community... leadership... transformation.

He never saw himself as a leader. His words. 

My attention was instantly riveted.

I do not see myself as a leader... not in the way many people see "leaders" or "leadership" anyway. Charisma, extroversion, relational (yet able to get things done), and terrific listening skills... it kind of blows me out of the running for change.

Not so, says Father Michael.

His little bit of life he has shared with the people of Camden has seen him protest for peace, turning swords into ploughshares, and sowing seeds of goodness.

"[Jesus] pushed Love to the limit. He pushed it right to the Cross."... and beyond I would add. As He is Love, He pushed Himself to the limit. Strange thought seeing as God is limitless. His humanity as Christ is not.

I admire this Poet of Poverty... this gentle man with a fiery passion for justice, peace and love for all people. His wisdom of 76 years is golden.

http://poetofpoverty.com/Poet of Poverty

Against the Wall? Must Mean the Devil's Got Your Back...

I think we give Satan far too much credit.

As soon as bad things start to happen in evangelical Christian circles, it has become almost liturgical to pronounce: "We are in the throes of spiritual warfare."

Anyone want to start singing Jordan Sparks "Get Your Armour"? Anyone...?

When there is uncertainty or hurt amongst the people, division within leadership, or obstacle after obstacles, Satan is credited with launching direct attacks against us, certain upon our failure and doom. Considering that God might be sending the torment is something one hardly dares breathe amongst church people. Ludicrous!

Take Paul.

II Corinthians.

10:13 says that no temptation has seized us where God will not provide a way out. This one passage has been so warped today that it has us believing that God will never, ever, EVER bring anything AT ALL into our lives that we ourselves cannot handle. The last time I checked, the passage speaks ONLY to temptation... not to natural disasters, consequences of other people's choices, or God's holy choice. Temptation. That's it.

Take Paul again.

And II Corinthians once more.

Chapter 12... God sent Paul a messenger from Satan so that Paul wouldn't become conceited. Not a holy angel, not a trusted "accountability companion", but a bona fide satanic messenger whose piercings into Paul's life were far better for him, according to God, than the sin of conceit.

God sends pain.

People make choices.

The are powers and principalities in our world we cannot see, comprehend or understand that are at war.

There are indeed battles of higher quality than any soldier will fight on earth.

In order for us to confront slavery, and other evils of the world, we need to live and accept the presence of God's control of evil -- it is still in His specific, perfect, compassionate, control... and on a VERY short leash. We hate admitting this, as this means we must accept God's allowances for all the evil in the world.

Bob Ekblad in his Reading the Bible with the Damned (2005) points out that the Bible never explains evil. It merely introduces it. First all is perfect. Then, the serpent appears. I can't answer the eternal questions of good and evil here... more specifically why men trade money for the flesh of children, or why Christians have such a difficult time changing their lifestyles even after seeing the destruction they're causing to others around the world.

What I DO know is this... instead of crediting the devil with every thorn, spear, or feather-ruffling, perhaps consider God is providing a prophetic opportunity to shape us, grow us... and love us.

The devil is just a fallen angel that can only be in one place at one time and is at the mercy of God. His fate is sealed. Don't give him more than what he has or blame him for a gift God is placing at your feet.

Accept that you cannot handle everything.

Accept that not all tragedy and brokenness is caused by the devil.

Accept that pain and suffering can show the power and love of God in your life and the lives of the people around you.

Accept that God loves you. 

Book of Common Prayer Party!

Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove toiled and strained to put together this amazing volume of old, new, and in-between songs, verses, and liturgies. During the first week of December, 150 communities around the world hosted "Common Prayer Parties" -- Lac La Biche being one of them! 

Well... Saturday, December 04 arrived...

The camera broke so there's no real visual evidence that we ever had a party. Oh well... the early Christians tended to keep a low profile anyway.

Only 3 people showed up... 2 being my parents. Oh well... my parents are saints, and bless the heart of the 4th brave soul who came.

Nothing turned out quite the way I envisioned it. With already a somewhat disturbed spirit over the state of the world, my country and community, I held onto a faint hope that perhaps others would have sensed a stirring of the Spirit and voila! A vast population of saints praying together, worshipping together as Christ moved amongst us, opening our eyes, our hearts, our spirits.

But we were a mighty force of four.

And Christ moved amongst us, opened our eyes, our hearts and our spirits... we came to find how thirsty we were for community... how desperate. The beauty of the cold December night was made greater only by the Spirit of the Living God hovering within and around a small band of human beings.

If you get the chance, get "Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals" (http://www.amazon.com/Common-Prayer-Liturgy-Ordinary-Radicals/dp/0310326192)... you won't be sorry.

"But Erin... we're evangelical. Liturgy leads to legalism and redundant worship."

It can. But I've said it before: legalism is found everywhere. Even being told to "stand" then "sit", "stand" then "sit" in our worship services can be legalistic. Have you ever stopped to think what standing before the Lord God Almighty entails?

"But Erin... we're Catholic/Anglican/Lutheran. Liturgy is boring and what we do all the time."

Perhaps. Yet... if you feel you've lost something, wouldn't it be worth taking the chance to find out how thirsty others like you really are? No matter their denomination?

You're right... this ain't the inspired Word of God. Never claims to be. But test the waters. Try it. You may end up with only 3 other people (2 of which are close family members) on a night where the camera doesn't work and the computer powerpoint is fussy, but you know what? You'll find something greater... deeper... harsher... more beautiful... powerful... comforting... and communal than you may have experienced before.

You may just find home.

Freedom's Sacred Cause

MP Joy Smith's assistant, Joel Oosterman, posted this site on Facebook tonight: "Song of the Abolitionist". Sung to the tune of Robert Frost's "Auld Lang Syne", it is a call to empowerment and solidarity for all those crying for freedom.

The words are by William Lloyd Garrison who, in an effort to encourage abolitionists of old in the United States, rallied men (and women too!), slave, ex-slave and free.

I do consider the call to freedom to be sacred... it is holy. Offered by Christ Himself to all peoples, not a soul on earth has the right or cause to take this offer away from anyone. And yet in a remarkable glimpse of Divine Love, even the slave traders, the pimps, the handlers, the masters... they, too, are extended this holy freedom Christ has secured for all time. Some of the greatest champions for freedom once cowed humanity into chains.

Abolitionists are merely Criers, Peace-Creators, Lovers, and Toughened Fools who know the humility of this freedom, whatever colour our skins are, whatever language our tongues speak. How can we only offer it some, but not others. No matter if we have lived in freedom or have dwelt in the realm of slavery, we all stand together as human beings created in the very image of God.

http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform/resources/song-abolitionist

Transcription of Primary Source

Song of the Abolitionist. 

Words by W. L. Garrison.  Tune – “Old Lang Syne.” 

1.  I am an Abolitionist!  I glory in the name; 
Though now by slavery’s minions hissed, And covered o’er with shame; 
It is a spell of light and power, The watch-word of the free; 
Who spurns it in the trial-hour, A craven soul is he.

2.  I am an Abolitionist!  Then urge me not to pause, 
For joyfully do I enlist In Freedom’s sacred cause; 
A nobler strife the world ne’er saw, Th’enslaved to disenthral; 
I am a soldier for the war, Whatever may befall.

3.  I am an Abolitionist!  Oppression’s deadly foe; 
In God’s great strength will I resist, And lay the monster low; 
In God’s great name do I demand, To all be freedom given, 
That peace and joy may fill the land, And songs go up to heaven.

4.  I am an Abolitionist!  No threats shall awe my soul; 
No perils cause me to desist, No bribes my acts control; 
A freeman will I live and die, In sunshine and in shade, 
And raise my voice for liberty, Of nought on earth afraid.