tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106857442024-03-17T23:00:22.943-04:00Hemmeke BlogStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.comBlogger4701125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-81163988137123742782024-03-16T07:03:00.003-04:002024-03-16T16:35:24.451-04:00The Moscow Mood - basic differences, and Moscow's take<div><span style="font-family: verdana;">So Douglas Wilson and Kevin DeYoung are two of my most influential contemporary theological writers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />A few months ago, <a href="https://clearlyreformed.org/on-culture-war-doug-wilson-and-the-moscow-mood/" target="_blank">Kevin critiqued Doug.</a><br />Here is Doug Wilson’s <a href="https://dougwils.com/books-and-culture/s7-engaging-the-culture/novembers-done-kevin-deyoung.html" target="_blank">response to Kevin.</a><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some basic disagreements between them seem to be:<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><u>What is the right level of political engagement? </u></i><br />Should we stay a bit distant, focused on more directly spiritual matters (Kevin)? <br />Or go full-boar into the fray, since politics IS a spiritual matter (Doug)?<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u><i>To what extent should we instigate conflict in culture and politics? <br /></i></u>Not much, since it draws attention to the wrong thing (Kevin)? <br />As much as possible, since people’s focus needs to be here in this moment (Doug)?<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Doug would say, we need to try to set the world right, and not retreat to only our churches and homes.<br />Kevin would say, to focus less on politics and provocative rhetoric, and more on our churches and homes is not retreat, but a proper biblical focus.<br /><br /><u><i>What is the “Moscow Mood”?<br /></i></u>Moscow would define it thusly:<br />You can’t fight a culture without a culture. The mainstream Reformed Evangelical movement (of which Kevin is coming to be a major leader) does not HAVE a meaningful culture of its own. Moscow does, and it’s getting attention. Build Christendom and fight the ungodly culture out there. We want Christ as Lord over everything. Not just Sunday morning. Not just church and family time.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many think fighting a la Moscow-style means scowling or indulging anger. It doesn’t.<br />Fighting well means living a corporate, embodied Christianity with a purpose.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lots of young people hear what they are supposed to be doing, but know they are not doing it, b/c they aren’t plugged into a community. Faith is in the upper story only, to use Francis Schaeffer’s categories. How do we live it out down here, in the lower story? Or do we only escape to the upper story to live out our godliness and piety? Christians don’t know how to build a robust Christian life here on earth. God is bringing the Kingdom of God to earth, not only by the direct work of His Son apart from us, but also through our work here, building families, churches, communities and nations.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The mainstream Reformed Evangelical movement has forsaken this for either a carnal political solution (joining the Trump train, or going Sojourner/liberal mainline). Or, rejecting that, an escapist pietism that ignores politics as much as possible.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next time I’ll respond to Kevin’s critiques of this “mood.”<br />A hint: some of it is off base. Some of it hits the mark.</span></div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-63142740259221121422024-03-08T06:41:00.006-05:002024-03-16T07:03:50.584-04:00The Moscow Mood - Introduction and Piety<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It seems that since <a href="https://clearlyreformed.org/on-culture-war-doug-wilson-and-the-moscow-mood/" target="_blank">Kevin DeYoung critiqued the Moscow Mood a few months ago,</a> Moscow likes to talk about their mood.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I’ve been around the Moscow Mood for over 15 years, and recently have attended other Reformed churches, which have very different “moods” from Moscow. I think I have something to add, here.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Let me start with a question that exposes the important and differing assumptions everyone makes in debates like this:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><u>What is piety supposed to look like?<br /></u></b><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A. In some Reformed churches, it is assumed that godliness – especially in worship – should be slow, somber, reverent, cerebral, formal and deliberate. This is the Ligonier Ministries mentality - the bowed head, furrowed brow, and concerned tone. Generally, this view assumes piety will look and feel OPPOSITE of the world.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">B. In others, piety should look more easy-going, winsome, warm-hearted on your sleeve, emotionally expressive and sensitive. This is the Tim Keller approach - the upbeat, always smiling, love-everyone-warmly tone. This view more adopts the inter-relational customs and fads of how the world acts.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">C. In stark contrast, the Moscow Mood thinks of piety primarily as a fight. A recent CREC’s Council’s slogan was “Fight the Good Fight.” Fight, Laugh, Feast! “Nice” borders on being a swear word. There is a battle going on for your country, family, church, and soul. To not fight is compromise. Of course, this is coming mainly from Doug Wilson: a combative, provocative tone meant to stir you to action in the battle, and usually to feel hostile to the world so you'll fight more effectively.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">None of these are totally off base, but there are pros and cons to each.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A. Reverence is essential to piety. Much of the evangelical world has lost it and churches aren’t encouraging it much. Group A is right to react against that. Believe it or not, some churches have almost total silence in the meeting room before the service, as an expression of this. You can argue if that specific practice is ideal, but we must recover reverence. <br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">B. Love for neighbor should be integral to piety. We are not hostile to anyone, but see the image of God in everyone we meet.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">C. Fighting the spiritual war is also essential to piety. We are hostile to a spirit of anti-Christian malevolence, wherever it appears.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I wish there were churches that blended all three of these together better, but alas, that seems beyond the reach of the current church. We need reverent, warm-hearted, happy warriors.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">There is much more to say about the "Moscow mood.” In future posts I’ll interact with DeYoung and Wilson's response, consider "the mood" theologically (VanTil’s “no neutrality,” v. common grace), politically, and culturally (what is Christian culture?).<br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Until then, the question I leave you with is this: what is your standard for godliness? We all have shorthand markers: things we think, feel, or do, that reassure us we are being godly. What are yours? Are those correct, in the light of Scripture?</span></div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-3396683212552206442024-02-25T15:53:00.000-05:002024-02-25T15:53:19.326-05:00Living in Union with Christ - a Review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43999688-living-in-union-with-christ" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Living in Union with Christ: Paul's Gospel and Christian Moral Identity" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552513878l/43999688._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43999688-living-in-union-with-christ">Living in Union with Christ: Paul's Gospel and Christian Moral Identity</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5861538.Grant_Macaskill">Grant Macaskill</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6293757711">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
In this excellent little book, the author makes three points very well:<br /><br /><br /><div>1. Union with Christ. <br />a. Without arguing for any new doctrine, Macaskill pushes this idea into all our living, using Galatians 2:20 as his touchstone: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” This means that the good that we do we do as those inhabited by Christ and His Spirit. Even secular self-improvement books often point out that how you identify and see yourself has a huge impact on your behavior. When we keep our “Christ-in-me” identity at the forefront of our thoughts, it radically changes the landscape of the fight against ongoing sin, and our view of our good deeds. <br /><br /></div><div>b. Also, Macaskill articulates this union in fresh and provocative ways, like this: “an alien reality [is] being inserted into us with transformational effects” (pg 85). This evokes the sci-fi world, where this is always ominous. Yet this union is not “possession,” where our agency is over-ridden. Christ by His Spirit and Word dwelling in us richly trains, persuades, matures, and aids our will to follow His.<br /><br /></div><div>c. Two quotes from the very end of the book sum it up well. We must avoid “seeing the Spirit as an independent energy working to make us into better versions of ourselves… [Rather] we see Him as the one working to realize the identity of the Son within us” (142). The final defining reality of our lives and our church is the potent goodness of Jesus Christ” (145).<br /><br /><br /></div><div>2. Legalism. Macaskill gives a helpful definition. Legalism is trying to hold and accrue social or spiritual capital with God or others by anything you have done. Legalism isn’t always brazenly thinking you can earn salvation by your deeds, or Pharisaically majoring on minors. The problem is thinking any good we do is “ours” at all. True union with Christ means anything we do that pleases God, Christ has done in us. We can’t use any of it as leverage with God. Union with Christ refutes every shade of legalism completely.<br /><br /><br /></div><div>3. New Perspective. This is a good one for the theology wonks. Macaskill interacts a fair bit with NT Wright and Sanders, the main New Perspective (NP) proponents, and I liked his conclusions:<br /><br /></div><div>a. NP is right to see that broader themes define the gospel than only forgiveness of sin via imputation of Christ’s righteousness. (The kingdom and victory of God and union with Christ are two of their favorites.)<br /><br /></div><div>b. NP is wrong to redefine or reject imputation in favor of those other themes.<br /><br /></div><div>c. Union with Christ helps us see the broader themes without losing the classic, orthodox definition of imputation. The latter does not happen without union with Christ, so it need not (SHOULD not) be seen as a cold or impersonal forensic transaction where the contact is momentary – like getting cash out of an ATM to cover your debts.<br /><br /><br />Although under 150 pages, the writing is quite academic, and light on “street-level,” practical application. There is also one paragraph at the very end where he assumes the LGBT issue is one that should not divide the church, with which I disagreed. But his bigger point is sound, that agreement on everything should not be the basis of Christian unity.<br /><br />Macaskill exegetes several passages like 1 Cor. 5-6, 10-11, Isa 53, Rom 6-7 very well in light of our union with Christ. Any Christian used to more academic writing would profit from reading this book.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2561048-steve-hemmeke">View all my reviews</a>
</div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-79404777850477243092024-02-25T08:11:00.000-05:002024-02-25T08:11:14.856-05:00The Loveliness of Christ - a Review<p> </p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46218668-the-loveliness-of-christ" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Loveliness of Christ: Selections from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560039511l/46218668._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46218668-the-loveliness-of-christ">The Loveliness of Christ: Selections from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/197580.Samuel_Rutherford">Samuel Rutherford</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6292654082">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A rare five stars.<br /><br />This is a tiny book, with just short quotes of Rutherford's letters, which can be found more completely at Banner of Truth.<br /><br />I read them devotionally, 2 pages a day.<br /><br />The older English is a bit hard to follow at times, but footnotes explain when needed.<br /><br />Most of these quotes relate to affliction and trouble - I haven't studied Rutherford's history, but am quite sure he had a keen pastoral sense to respond to write to those suffering troubles with the "balm of Gilead."<br /><br />You won't see this much on social media, but many of Christ's people are hurting, and in need of not just encouragement but also an understanding from God's view of what is happening to them. This little booklet delivers in spades.<br /><br />Highly recommended.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2561048-steve-hemmeke">View all my reviews</a>
Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-65434958424506712402024-02-19T21:23:00.002-05:002024-02-20T07:14:13.716-05:00On the Civil Magistrate – from Westminster Confession, chapter 23<p><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Note the formatting is uneven in the WCF quotes. This is not intended to emphasize anything...</span></i></p><p><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></p><p><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">1. God, the Supreme Lord and King of all the
world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for
his own glory and the public good, and to this end hath armed them with the
power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of them that are good,
and for the punishment of evil-doers.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">My read: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">There is a realm of civil government that is
somehow distinct from churchly or familial authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a legitimate power of force over
church and family in certain situations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;">2. It is lawful for Christians to accept and
execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto;</span> in the
managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and
peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth, so,
for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon
just and necessary occasion.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">My read: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">Christians can be part of this civil government,
biblically, even to waging war when it is just.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">3. The civil magistrate may not assume to
himself the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys
of the kingdom of heaven:</span> yet he hath authority, and it is his
duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the Church, that the
truth of God be kept pure and entire; that all blasphemies and heresies be
suppressed; all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or
reformed; and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administered, and
observed. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">For the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call
synods, to be present at them, and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in
them be according to the mind of God.</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">My read: But civil government cannot usurp the
realm of the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can and should promote
Christianity in various ways, but not tell church rulers what to do in their
sphere of authority.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">American Revision of 1788:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">3. (Completely rewritten) Civil magistrates may
not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the
power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in
matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates
to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any
denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all
ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty
of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or
danger. And, as Jesus Christ hath appointed a regular government and discipline
in his church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or
hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any
denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief. It is
the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their
people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon
pretense of religion or of infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse,
or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious
and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">My read: Note the civil government is still
called upon to be a nursing father to the church of Christ, just not
establishing any certain denomination as the national church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It adds the duty to protect the civil rights
of all people, regardless of religion – a definite innovation and improvement
of civil government in the modern world, I believe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">4. a. It is the duty of people to pray for
magistrates,</span> to honor their persons, to pay them
tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be
subject to their authority, for conscience’ sake. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">b. Infidelity or difference in religion doth
not make void the magistrate’s just and legal authority, nor free the people
from their due obedience to him:</span> from which ecclesiastical persons
are not exempted; much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction
over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and least of all to
deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be
heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">My read: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">a. Christians must honor the persons in civil
office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><u>(Not just the documents chartering
a nation, to the exclusion of the office-holders, as has been recently
asserted.)</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">b. Just because a culture/people becomes
atheistic, secular, or equally divided among differing religions doesn’t mean
they don’t have a duty to submit to the civil government’s orders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Church leaders must obey civil rulers,
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[TO WHAT EXTENT?]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pope surely doesn’t have authority over
foreign civil rulers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">There must be some middle ground between these
two positions:</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans"; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">We must submit to the existing authorities in
all things, because God put them there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whatever they say, we do, because they are God’s servants and delegates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans"; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">We only submit to the civil government when we
agree that their policies are in accord with God’s Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we don’t think they are, we disregard
them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p>Neither of these is right. </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">Is there a proper time for the civil government
to order the closure of religious services in its area?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YES.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
tornado or hurricane is imminent, e.g.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But when it asserts this authority unreasonably (Covid is
still an emergency, 24-36 months on, e.g.), the church can disregard and defy it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 40.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 2700000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 1.5pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-themecolor: dark1; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-themecolor: text1;">Regarding covid-like situations, church leaders
are free to set their own health parameters regarding meeting and Communion,
following or disregarding guidance or orders from the civil government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <b><u>Their default should be to learn from and obey the state, but exceptions must be made if the state is asking people to sin, and MAY be made if the state is calling for unwise things, out of alignment with scriptural patterns of behavior.</u></b> </span>Church members should do all they can to
submit to church leaders’ policies in such a situation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-20674883410275264752024-02-11T15:42:00.003-05:002024-02-11T15:42:34.106-05:00Forging the Peninsulas: Michigan is Made<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26035902-forging-the-peninsulas" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Forging the Peninsulas: Michigan Is Made" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1438661067l/26035902._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26035902-forging-the-peninsulas">Forging the Peninsulas: Michigan Is Made</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1124577.David_B_McConnell">David B. McConnell</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6254912968">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Local history is a much overlooked subject in education. Everything today has been nationalized – we know way more about what happened today in D.C. or Ukraine than we do across town. This is partly because during the Cold War, our public education shifted to focus on instilling into our pupils a positive national identity. And it drowned out any identity but the American. Local media have been bought up and dominated by national conglomerates. People are quick to move out of state for employment. All this feeds our utter ignorance of the history of our place. We don’t even have a sense of our place, anymore.<br /><br />Back in the 1st century, when God providentially brought many Gentiles into the New Testament church, they became part of a history they hadn’t known before. Jews came alongside them, and read to them from the Old Testament, saying, “As you are in Christ, this is your story, now.”<br /><br />So, if you move to a new place, or as you grow up in the same one, parents or mentors should give you resources like “Forging the Peninsulas,” and say, “Since you’re settling here, this is part of your story, now.” <div><br /></div><div>This is a GREAT textbook, probably for middle schoolers. But I read it and learned a ton, though I’ve lived in Michigan for 30 of my 47 years. It covers the facts and historical trends evenly, both chronologically and ideologically. (As this is a Hillsdale publication I expected nothing less – always excellent work there.)<br /><br />I’d urge you to find similar works wherever you live. Have your children read them. Read them yourselves. Visit local historical sites and enrich your education by actually being there. There is SO much to learn from our past. Too many assume that since we have had phones for the last 15 years that can Google anything, our forefathers have nothing more to teach us. What folly!</div><div><br />Most of the wisdom you REALLY need to know in life, you can’t get from Google. It’s gotta come from somewhere and someone closer.
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</div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-75400565346291134962024-02-10T17:10:00.000-05:002024-02-10T17:10:44.572-05:00Wounded by God's People - a review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17841888-wounded-by-god-s-people" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Wounded by God's People: Discovering How God's Love Heals Our Hearts" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1375311762l/17841888._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17841888-wounded-by-god-s-people">Wounded by God's People: Discovering How God's Love Heals Our Hearts</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/28654.Anne_Graham_Lotz">Anne Graham Lotz</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6252331583">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This was a very important book for me personally, though it isn’t all that deep or insightful theologically. <br /><br />The daughter of Billy Graham can write and speak well, drawing on Hagar’s life to show us how to handle hard times, and use them to draw us nearer to the Lord.<br /><br />She strikes an important balance in this regard: how to name the wounds we have suffered, without falling prey to a victim mentality about them. It’s important to recognize and identify your wounds, to admit you have been wounded, to see how it is affecting your faith and outlook on life. If we don’t see it or deny it is there, that can be just as harmful. But if we only see the wound and look back on our wounder with resentment, or look inward with self-pity, instead of treating it and moving forward with faith in God, we are no better off.<br /><br />I don’t think Lotz is a Calvinist, but she strikes a strong note of God’s sovereignty in this way: we wouldn’t know God as well as we do, if we didn’t walk through trials and come through them still looking to Him in faith. But as a Graham will do, she also emphasizes our choice and responsibility to respond well or poorly to being wounded.<br /><br />Anyone struggling in their faith because of hard times, conflict, or negative church experiences, should read this.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-16187151616319611982024-02-10T15:57:00.000-05:002024-02-10T15:57:00.130-05:00Son of Laughter - a review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76806.The_Son_of_Laughter" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Son of Laughter" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388422556l/76806._SY160_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76806.The_Son_of_Laughter">The Son of Laughter</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19982.Frederick_Buechner">Frederick Buechner</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6248251884">2 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This was my first book by Frederick Buechner, and boy was I thrown. He retells the story of Jacob, the son of Isaac (which means Laughter). But the retelling is deliberately jarring to refined, modern ears. He tries to put us in the ancient world with lots of crude descriptions of various practices surrounding sex and religion, which were often commingled then. This can be quite off putting to most readers.<br /><br />But if you stick with it there are some nuggets of bronze to be gleaned. Hearing and heeding the voice of God, against all odds. (Perhaps some Karl Barth-like themes, here.) Being faced with hard, pressing life events, and still believing what the Fear (the God of Isaac) tells you instead.<br /><br />Can’t really recommend to the average reader, but if you’re doing a study of Isaac, Jacob or Joseph, it may be useful for a different take on their life.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-9790636616416818982024-02-10T11:04:00.003-05:002024-02-10T11:04:38.341-05:00Carry a Big Stick - a review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/757842.Carry_a_Big_Stick" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Carry a Big Stick: The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt (Leaders in Action)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347691059l/757842._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/757842.Carry_a_Big_Stick">Carry a Big Stick: The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12517.George_Grant">George Grant</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6251459835">2 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I love George Grant. This book inspires me to be like Teddy. His boundless optimism and energy spur me on to productivity and higher purpose.<br /><br />But I also noticed this time through a Grant biography that it is basic hagiography – making someone a saint. Since the purpose is to inspire and hold up as estimable, any failing or flaws are drastically minimized or ignored. Grant does better when treating issues (Blood of the Moon; Bringing in the Sheaves).<br /><br />Each chapter is 3-4 small pages long – probably a blog post or magazine article somewhere else before compiled into this book.<br /><br />If you need something short, quick, and inspiring, this is the book for you.<br />To actually learn about TR, you probably need to look elsewhere.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-20453747191912819152024-02-09T06:50:00.003-05:002024-02-09T06:50:00.144-05:00Leaving Home - a review<p> </p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/319399.Leaving_Home" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Leaving Home" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1408926675l/319399._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/319399.Leaving_Home">Leaving Home</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2014.Garrison_Keillor">Garrison Keillor</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6248238111">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Leaving Home, a Review <br />Life among the Lutherans, a review<br /><br />I love Garrison Keillor. He has a real knack for telling a good story, and subtly weaving in ideas. He can make you think about something deep, just by listening to what you thought was plain tale about down-home people or everyday events. Basically he can be a little preachy without it usually coming off as such.<br /><br />This can be good or bad, depending on the message. For Keillor it’s a bit of both. Sometimes he’s showing the importance of a small town, and how good it is to be known by those who live around you – something we’ve mostly lost today. But other times, he treats marital affairs and the breakup of families casually, making them feel okay. As long as you can detect and reject the latter, it’s good, lighthearted fun, along the lines of Wodehouse.<br /><br />This also applies to the church and pastors in the town. They’re shown as a natural and good part of life. As he writes sermons and counsels people, the pastor has his own thoughts and motivations, sometimes aligned with the faith, and other times not. It was easy to recognize myself there. The rivalry between the Catholic and Lutheran church is hilariously caricatured. <br /><br />But Keillor either doesn’t understand or deliberately misrepresents the faith at many points. Being gracious, he’s trying to explain how and why people of faith fail to live out their beliefs well. But now and then, I noted a darker tone of bitterness against the church. Guilt trips of “perpetual responsibility.” The hypocrisy of insisting on presenting one thing publicly when you live a different way privately. <br /><br />And salvation was mostly found in the sentiment of fondness for the people in your town, not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Keillor’s is the faith of Fosdick, Peale, and Schuller, not of Luther.<br /><br />Still, the social critiques are sometimes justified, and can help church people be self-reflective about their own flaws, without a harsh word given.<br /><br />So, you’ll find entertaining stories here, which I recommend to the discerning reader. But stay alert to the messages lying beneath.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-52892209809534480922024-02-08T15:21:00.004-05:002024-02-09T03:27:28.035-05:00Ten Ways to Kill a Pastor - a review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31445498-ten-ways-to-kill-a-pastor" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Ten Ways to Kill a Pastor" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1471198957l/31445498._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31445498-ten-ways-to-kill-a-pastor">Ten Ways to Kill a Pastor</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13855720.Christopher_Ian_Thoma">Christopher Ian Thoma</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6248212948">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Pastor Thoma’s provocative title really means, “Don’t do these things to your pastor.” <br /><br />In 10 short chapters, he depicts different, dangerous, potentially lethal situations. His wife is not supportive. The leadership doesn’t pay him enough. Members are too demanding of his time. Some of the "better" ways: the church or the pastor himself insisting that his children are picture perfect. And the whisper campaign where one or some members turn others against the pastor behind his back.<br /><br />It’s beyond the scope of the book, but it could’ve used a section on how the pastor responds. How does he avoid self-pity? A victim mentality? Anger at the flock (think Moses!)? It is easy for the pastor himself to strengthen external attacks like these 10, with his own poor internal responses.<br /><br />So this is a dangerous book to read, especially by a pastor in the midst of conflict. But it is definitely a helpful book.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-2212095908460650892024-02-07T13:46:00.001-05:002024-02-07T13:46:00.137-05:00<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80571.American_Prometheus" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1686079247l/80571._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80571.American_Prometheus">American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45879.Kai_Bird">Kai Bird</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6240870302">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
One of the few books I’ve listened to almost completely on audio. I am not an audio fan. Retention and reference are poor. Still, this was a fascinating book. Oppenheimer was a prodigy/genius, naïve at first to the political trends affecting his work. He seemed to have the gift of gab as well as abstract physics acumen – he could wow a grad school seminar, a parlor soiree at his home, and a congressional hearing.<br /><br />Still, it is difficult to be hounded by the FBI for possible Communist sympathies, and to realize you have made possible the atomic bombing of tens of thousands, as you hear it on the radio. Oppie discovered this fire and opened a Pandora’s box that we still struggle to contain.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-35039631378478483842024-02-06T09:19:00.001-05:002024-02-06T09:19:35.616-05:00Raspberry Wars<p> </p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200912894-raspberry-wars" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Raspberry Wars: My Boyhood through Berries, Bullying, and Bravery" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1698511877l/200912894._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200912894-raspberry-wars">Raspberry Wars: My Boyhood through Berries, Bullying, and Bravery</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/43784579.Sherwood_De_Visser">Sherwood De Visser</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6240220029">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
We need more books like this. Personal and local histories written by normal people, describing real life.<br /><br />I know the author personally. His family story drips with dysfunction, bitterness, injustice, envy, complaint, and malice. So it is astounding to me that he is the happy man he is today through it all.<br /><br />How do we respond when we are unwanted, rejected, and hurt by those closest to us? Some shrivel and curl up into themselves, nursing the bitterness with pettiness like the “raspberry wars.” Others trust God and look to His goodness, finding joy and life on the other side.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-87390741731515979492024-02-05T09:27:00.001-05:002024-02-06T09:28:14.284-05:00The Dark Tower - a Little-Known CS Lewis Work<p> </p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30037800-the-dark-tower" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Dark Tower: And Other Stories" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1469812752l/30037800._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30037800-the-dark-tower">The Dark Tower: And Other Stories</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1069006.C_S_Lewis">C.S. Lewis</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6240240273">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I recently discovered a book by CS Lewis I didn’t know existed.<br /><br />It’s actually a collection of very short stories and a couple of unfinished novels. The main one is “The Dark Tower.”<br /><br />Lewis depicts well various modern responses to the supernatural, mostly rejecting it in different ways. He gets across the horrifying nature of evil.<br /><br />If you’re a Lewis fan, look up this little book. The description in the foreword of cleaning up CSL’s papers after his death – saving some from the fire, but not many - was fascinating.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-34601317903992180262024-02-04T16:14:00.000-05:002024-02-04T16:14:22.110-05:00Living Faith in Life and Pulpit<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">One of my favorite magazines from years ago is entitled “Credenda/Agenda:"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Things to be believed. Things to be done.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Christianity is about faith and action, both.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I had occasion today to review the first questions of the Westminster (WSC) and Heidelberg (HC) Catechisms, and I found this summarized neatly there. Our only comfort is in believing gospel truths (HC 1), and we have to know (HC 2) and do things in response (HC 86-129!). The Scriptures teach us what to believe about God, and what God requires us to DO (WSC 3).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">My main point here, is how hard it is to keep the right balance of these, both in our relationship to God personally, and in our delivering and receiving the preached Word on Sundays. We tend toward faith OR works, trust OR requirements, and usually neglect important things on the other side. It's a false choice, and we need to pursue both credenda and agenda.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Take our personal piety.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">One side emphasizes the atonement and forgiveness of sin, based on God's free grace. So "Let go and let God." You are forgiven so forget about it. And this can wind up saying, "If you're trying so hard to obey God, you're not receiving grace." But the Bible doesn't describe the Christian life as a casual and easy walk in the park, just because it's (truly) all of grace.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The other side says, "We need to act out our faith in gratitude to God for His saving us." True. We remain under a moral obligation to obey His will, after we have received His forgiveness for past sins. But this can quickly wind up in ongoing, false, condemning guilt for not obeying enough. If I don't read my Bible every day, if I haven't presented someone with the Gospel evangelistically this week, God is up there shaking His head at me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The first side we call antinomianism (against the law). The second is a form of legalism.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">------------</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As a preacher for the last 20 years, I know the constant struggle to balance credenda and agenda in the sermon. As a newcomer to the pew for a bit now, receiving the word, I have a newfound respect for the importance to get the balance right. When it's there, it's extremely satisfying and I hear the Good Shepherd's voice giving me healing balm and a kick in the pants, both. When it's lop-sided, it's either casual grace or condemning law.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Again most preachers or denominations emphasize one or the other side.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Groups like Ligonier Ministries, which I highly respect, emphasize the first side. I was steeped in this in high school and college and am thankful for the Gospel foundation it gave me. And it isn't that they get the second side wrong. But they talk about it less, and in less detail than people need today. (A Christian newlywed couple today probably needs far more instruction in how to live and relate to each other than 40-50 years ago.)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Other groups spring up in reaction to this with lots of specific solutions on what to DO as a Christian. Some of those I've been exposed to over the years have been parenting techniques, family worship, leadership and submission in marriage, worship service structure, how to be a Christian man, how to think about cultural trends.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Now, none of these are bad things to address. They SHOULD be brought up, in the pulpit. But when done so untethered from the first Gospel side, they tend toward a legalism that places too much reliance on the technique being pressed, to "get the job done." And that last phrase is key. If you get the baby to go down for the night with the technique, then God favors you. If you lobby or pray hard enough, or <b><u>understand your worldview thoroughly enough so the culture changes for the better</u></b> (the one I've been most exposed to), then God favors you. No.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Preachers, I urge you to find a way to articulate this Ephesians 2:8-10 balance in every sermon, whatever the passage. Keep Jesus and His grace the root from which every branch/point of your message flows. He isn't a diving board to jump off to wherever else you want to go.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">You're not being legalistic if you get too specific, as long as you can show it from Scripture, and it flows from the Gospel.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">You're not being antinomian if you ground every call to action in Gospel grace, if you're repeating the basic Gospel of forgiveness every Sunday. As long as that's not ALL you're doing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Give us both credenda and agenda.</span></div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-66797087573988941272024-02-03T09:04:00.001-05:002024-02-06T13:47:48.206-05:00Atomic Habits - a Review<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Some common sense, common grace wisdom for improving your
life habits.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clear has been on the New York Times bestseller list for
months, and it’s easy to see why.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He makes self-improvement easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just do small things, little things, one thing,
at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add a good habit to any routine
you already have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the chapters are
very short to make for easy reading.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sometimes I think this is genius – other times it feels
totally gimmicky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the book’s
techniques are disconnected from your desire and motivations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he does address identity well – it’s more
fundamental than action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Define yourself
as a non-smoker effectively and you’ll stop smoking, without the hamster wheel
of trying to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also liked the emphasis
on your system over goal-setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Goal
setting is good to do now and then, but what you do every day, every hour is
what really has an effect on your life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Not a necessary read, but helpful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3 stars.<o:p></o:p></p>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-27142791520591571522024-02-02T14:35:00.003-05:002024-02-06T14:37:08.163-05:00The Source, Review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12657.The_Source" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Source" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1412531751l/12657._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12657.The_Source">The Source</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7995.James_A_Michener">James A. Michener</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6240880602">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I’m pretty sure I’ve reviewed this before, as I’ve read this book several times.<br />I cannot recommend it highly enough.<br /><br />Written in the heyday of 1960-70s liberalism, there’s a heavy dose of evolutionary thought throughout, especially in the first chapter or two. But Michener’s historical sense, his ability to understand and paint a picture of how people believed and lived from century to century is superb. It is critical to understanding the Bible in its historical context.<br /><br />His description of the Baal worship fertility cult, Josephus, the Crusades, and the persecution of Jews in Medieval Europe are especially compelling.<br /><br />Michener makes it a story, so don’t be turned off by the 1000 page length. He gets into the mind of the average person’s way of thinking about God, worship, worldview, etc.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-7445238136817946342024-02-01T10:39:00.000-05:002024-02-01T10:39:52.786-05:00Three Things to Look for in a Church<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Using the same three points<a href="https://hemmeke.blogspot.com/2024/01/three-kinds-of-churchgoers.html" target="_blank"> from my last post</a>, here are three things to look for in a church.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>1. Doctrinal orthodoxy</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In our day, if a church isn't "out and proud" about its adherence to the historic Christian faith and the infallible Word of God, it's at least a yellow flag. Many mainstream evangelical churches want to downplay this, out of a fear of not looking "with it," or scaring people away with too much "doctrine." Of course, ultra-conservative churches can careen too far the other way and focus ONLY on doctrine, or be self-righteous about being more orthodox than anyone else.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meta observations are important, here. What is being assumed by how the Word is preached, how the service is conducted, and how the music is led? If we take God seriously, we'll take His word and its preaching seriously. Meeting with Him should be a mix of joyful reverence. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Key questions to ask:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - do you believe Scripture is infallible and inerrant, each (verbal) and every (plenary) original word inspired by God?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - do you adhere to the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - what other confessions do you adhere to, if any? (Westminster, Heidelberg, London Baptist, etc.)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - Do you sense in the announcements or music time that leadership is catering or pandering to your feelings or natural wants?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - Is the music always and only upbeat, when God's songbook (the Psalms) includes lament and even imprecation?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - Is there an over-display of emotional affect, implying that we are always happy here? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Or that our emotions are driving what we believe? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - If your best friend died 3 days before, would it still make sense to go to church here the next Sunday? Or would the emotional disconnect be too great?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>2. Connectedness</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This relates to the first point of my last post (historical/familial churches). Many churches are either resting on historical relationships too much, or focus on programs to the detriment of relationships. What you want is a place where you experience people who are intentional about getting to know you - not just hearing it said from leadership but people actually doing this. You know it when you see hurting people getting attention, care and help. Programs might be able to foster this more, and give a place for it to happen. But just going to a class isn't being connected.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some people are more reserved, and some leadership makes the mistake of pressing people to open up too much and too soon. But members of the body of Christ need to give and receive from other members to function properly.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Key questions to ask:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - Is someone at church praying for you for a specific thing right now / this week? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - Are you praying for someone at that church?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - Have you had a longish conversation with anyone recently that got beyond "How are you?"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>3. Organization</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The last point above was more about the people at the church. This one is more about the leadership. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I went through a fairly long phase as a church leader where I thought putting on any program or class was inherently artificial and worked against an organic and connected church body. I don't believe this any more.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Any group of people needs some level of formal structure, like a body needs a skeleton. Say the leaders see a need to put evangelism or education or anything specific in front of its people for them to grow in. They need to not just talk about it, but give them some ways to act on it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When God created the world He started by forming spaces: heaven and earth, sea and land. Then He filled them with things. The leaders' job of organizing is to form spaces and times for their members to do things they are calling for, then trust the Spirit to fill those spaces with people learning and growing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many small churches have little organization, and that is fine - IF it's due to smallness. You can't put on 3 Sunday School classes at once if you have total attendance of 40 people at the Sunday morning worship service. But often leaders of small churches overlook the guidance they still need to give people:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - "Who's counting the money, and how?" </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - "That new member has a passion for prayer, and we could use that to start or beef up our prayer meetings." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - "Do we really want Mrs X doing that every week, even if that's what she's always done?"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finally, it's important to know how the leadership itself is organized. Most can tell you on paper, but sometimes it is different in actual practice, and that can be hard or impossible to discern. Three quick but important principles are that a church should have (1) multiple leaders, not just one; (2) accountable in some tangible way to each other (regardless of who's up front most of the time), and (3) to an outside body that oversees them.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Key questions to ask of leaders:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - how do I get involved if I'm interested in this or that area?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - who are the leaders and what is their relationship to each other?</span></div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-11124211627167305652024-01-31T14:49:00.002-05:002024-02-06T14:50:31.814-05:00Holy Confessions<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20717798-holy-confessions" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Holy Confessions" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677809707l/20717798._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20717798-holy-confessions">Holy Confessions</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7817449.Thadd_Kuehnl">Thadd Kuehnl</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6241031954">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A local church teacher wrote this excellent devotional study on Westminster.<br /><br />It goes through the confession, larger, and shorter catechism topically, for 365 pages, one for each day of the year. This is a VERY useful resource for family or private devotions.<br /><br />A couple weaknesses<br />- he skips the sacraments section, as he is credo-baptist.<br />- there is a page or two on the kingdom or the millennium that seemed off to me.<br /><br />Every other page was solid gold, and I recommend it.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-37571856639771458222024-01-30T13:08:00.001-05:002024-01-30T13:08:11.220-05:00Church music is a big stinking deal<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Church music is a big stinking deal.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I was in church as a participant in the pew last Sunday (a relatively new experience for me), I realized that I was getting FAR more in word count pressed upon me to sing in worship music than I was in word count in the reading of God's Word.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That's bad, to begin with.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A worship service should have a high quantity of Scripture verses. I get the sense that many old school presbyterian churches see Scripture the same way they see the sacraments: <b><u>if we give it to them too often, too much, it won't be special.</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So we preach on 1-3 verses at the most, and wind up inadvertently emphasizing our words more than God's. (If you have to explain 20 verses instead of 2, you'll inevitably refer to Scripture MORE, or you'd better.) The idea they're chasing is that there is so much rich truth in every word of God, so you can squeeze a lot out of 1-3 verses. And that is true. But it isn't like the elves' lembas bread in Lord of the Rings, where if you take more than 3 bites, you're over-stuffed and it does more harm than good.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The principle is not true for either the Word or the sacraments: "If we give too much to them, they won't value it as much." No. God's Word should pour down like Niagara over us; the Lord's Table should be like a daily evening meal; they are means of grace, and need frequent use. They shouldn't be doled out sparingly, in a misguided attempt to get us to value them more, by doing so.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But my larger point here is that the lyrics of worship music have a profound effect on the worshiper. There are a LOT of words given us to sing in any given worship service! Luther said that he who sings, prays twice. If this is true, and I think it is, the words our worship leaders give us to sing are hugely important. And <b><u>in almost every worship service, there are more of THEM than there are of God's own words spoken to us!</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This winds up being the best argument I've heard for only singing Psalms in worship - so you are affected most by God's Word when you worship Him. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">But I'm not convinced of that view, and have been exposed to, ahem, "different" music than I've been used to for the last 20 years. (CCM instead of Psalms and traditional hymns.) Some lyrics are quite good. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As we need sermons to riff on the actual Word of God, we need hymns to riff on the Psalms and other Gospel truths.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So I'll be posting worship music lyrics regularly, as a devotional exercise, as I've been quoting Samuel Rutherford. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">In worship, we should hear God's Word more. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">In worship, we should meditate on the words we sing more.</span></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stay tuned.</span></div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-38791589295937500872024-01-29T15:05:00.001-05:002024-02-06T15:07:43.797-05:00In Pursuit of Kindness<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25626621-in-pursuit-of-kindness" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="In Pursuit of Kindness" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1448512256l/25626621._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25626621-in-pursuit-of-kindness">In Pursuit of Kindness</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7450342.Jason_Farley">Jason Farley</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6241080042">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Please read and listen to everything by Jason Farley.<br />You can find some of his work at Fight Laugh Feast – Chocolate Knox Unplugged podcasts.<br /><br />An effective antidote to cranky conservatism, Farley knows how to put the screws to those who put truth over grace. His sweeping grasp of Christian cosmology captivates.<br /><br />In Pursuit of Kindness, he especially rejects a stern, censorious version of the Gospel. But he also rejects the compromising liberal gospel. <br /><br />Kindness is key.<br />
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-86457901235917464312024-01-28T07:00:00.001-05:002024-01-28T07:00:00.164-05:00Three Kinds of Churchgoers<div style="text-align: left;"><div>Why do you go to church where you do?</div><div><br />In my lifetime, I’ve encountered three basic categories of church goers.<br />I’ve experienced them in this order:<br /><br /><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u>One: Familial/Historical<br /></u></b>I grew up in a very historically rooted church. It was wonderful. We all lived close to each other, and went to school with each other. My family and most everyone else’s had been there for more than two generations. Singing familiar hymns and talking with the same people each Sunday was reassuring. <br /><br /></div><div>The Christian experience was primarily about comfort. You learned and grew spiritually, but the main thing is that you did so with people you knew, with music that was the same. Change is near anathema to this temperament. It's usually a tight-knit group that can be weak in welcoming new people.</div><div><br />New contemporary church plants arise, and feed off rejecting this life pattern. People who want to break away from family and history, will not stay in familial churches. They will leave, and go find the latest new thing, where typically people do not know each other nearly as well.<br /><br /><br /><b><u>Two: Doctrinal<br /></u></b>Once I started reading books of Christian doctrine and history in high school, a whole different world opened up to me. (This was not encouraged in the familial church setting. Nor discouraged. Just mostly ignored.) I discovered churches that existed solely because their last church was wrong on issue X. So people with no other connection at all, gather in a church because they agree on issues X, Y, and Z. Here is a list of issues I’ve encountered that rally people. (I’m on the right; there’s probably a whole separate list of issues on the left that may also apply.) None of these are necessarily dangerous or unbiblical in themselves, but to organize a church around them instead of the gospel is… less than ideal. Google C.S. Lewis’ “Christianity and…” for more on that.</div><div><br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Post-millennialism<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Calvinism (predestination, doctrines of grace)<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Family-integration (having your children in worship, no nursery)<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A particular liturgy<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A particular Bible translation/version<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A particular political persuasion<br /><br /></div><div>The Christian experience in the doctrinal church is primarily about learning, and reinforcing assumptions of how we should read the Bible.<br /><br /></div><div>The music tends to be Psalms or traditional hymns.<br />New church plants will arise in this stream, usually breaking away from churches going liberal.<br />If you force me to choose between these three categories (though that’s not the goal – see below), I would choose this one.<br /><br /><br /></div><div><b><u>Three: Casual – consumeristic<br /></u></b>I’ve had least experience with this category. But this is most people, I think.<br />Most people go to a church because they like the:<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>music<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>programs offered for the kids<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>preacher’s pulpit presence/personality<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>easy access in and out without a lot of pressure to commit further<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>total lack of judgment on anything from your recent divorce to having your coffee in the sanctuary </div><div>(I’m getting snarky now, but you get the idea)<br /><br /></div><div>This is the consumer mentality that has sadly come to pervade the church, from the secular capitalist free market world.<br />The music tends to mimic the latest from Nashville/CCM/radio.<br />The Christian experience is primarily about experiencing and taking in a program that is put on for you, not so much you actively taking part in worship yourself.<br /><br />CONCLUSION<br />Now honestly, none of these three should be rejected or adopted completely. You should go to church somewhere, and should decide based on a combination of these three factors. Rejecting any one factor completely, or deciding only based on one, is what I’m arguing against.<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Your history should not lock you in, to the church you’ve “always gone to,” nor should you reject your family wholesale.<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Your latest hobby horse ideas shouldn’t completely dictate going to the church that caters to those ideas. <br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Your life stage and felt needs, your convenience or what the church can “do for you” shouldn’t dictate where you go to church. ("Ask not what your church can do for you. Ask what you can do for your church!”)</div><div><br />Just be aware of the downsides to each category, to make an informed decision.</div><div><br />This is all rather negative. I’ll try to write next describing things you should look for in joining a church.</div></div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-40635482880038164202024-01-27T14:56:00.001-05:002024-02-06T14:57:17.971-05:00Getting Back in the Race - review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13023471-getting-back-in-the-race" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Getting Back in the Race: The Cure for Backsliding" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1355058139l/13023471._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13023471-getting-back-in-the-race">Getting Back in the Race: The Cure for Backsliding</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51268.Joel_R_Beeke">Joel R. Beeke</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6241053082">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This book was extremely helpful to me personally in a period of spiritual crisis.<br /><br />One critique of the Puritans is that they overdid a “morbid introspection.” I agree they did. But sometimes the introspection is warranted. When it is, the Puritans do it right. Count on Joel Beeke to faithfully channel the Puritans on any topic.<br /><br />But he doesn’t just quote Puritans. Beeke’s touchstone is Scripture, in Hosea.<br /><br />This book will describe your spiritual state, and show you what to do about it.<br />
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-36934732124181918582024-01-26T15:07:00.001-05:002024-02-06T19:39:15.635-05:00The Cruciform Way<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93513615-the-cruciform-way" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Cruciform Way: A Steady Cadence of Christ for Life, Volume 1" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1678699937l/93513615._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93513615-the-cruciform-way">The Cruciform Way: A Steady Cadence of Christ for Life, Volume 1</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13855720.Christopher_Ian_Thoma">Christopher Ian Thoma</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6241757335">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A prolific local Lutheran pastor near me wrote this, keyed to the church year. One devotional per week, 3-4 pages in length. Down to earth reflections on the Christian life and ministry. Recommend just to stay grounded in the ordinary means of grace.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10685744.post-26073167185178848012024-01-25T15:53:00.001-05:002024-02-09T03:55:13.996-05:00Life among the Lutherans - a review<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6438906-life-among-the-lutherans" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Life among the Lutherans" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347376884l/6438906._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6438906-life-among-the-lutherans">Life among the Lutherans</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2014.Garrison_Keillor">Garrison Keillor</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6248240592">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Leaving Home, a Review <br />Life among the Lutherans, a review<br /><br />I love Garrison Keillor. He has a real knack for telling a good story, and subtly weaving in ideas. He can make you think about something deep, just by listening to what you thought was plain tale about down-home people or everyday events. Basically he can be a little preachy without it usually coming off as such.<br /><br />This can be good or bad, depending on the message. For Keillor it’s a bit of both. Sometimes he’s showing the importance of a small town, and how good it is to be known by those who live around you – something we’ve mostly lost today. But other times, he treats marital affairs and the breakup of families casually, making them feel okay. As long as you can detect and reject the latter, it’s good, lighthearted fun, along the lines of Wodehouse.<br /><br />This also applies to the church and pastors in the town. They’re shown as a natural and good part of life. As he writes sermons and counsels people, the pastor has his own thoughts and motivations, sometimes aligned with the faith, and other times not. It was easy to recognize myself there. The rivalry between the Catholic and Lutheran church is hilariously caricatured. <br /><br />But Keillor either doesn’t understand or deliberately misrepresents the faith at many points. Being gracious, he’s trying to explain how and why people of faith fail to live out their beliefs well. But now and then, I noted a darker tone of bitterness against the church. Guilt trips of “perpetual responsibility.” The hypocrisy of insisting on presenting one thing publicly when you live a different way privately. <br /><br />And salvation was mostly found in the sentiment of fondness for the people in your town, not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Keillor’s is the faith of Fosdick, Peale, and Schuller, not of Luther.<br /><br />Still, the social critiques are sometimes justified, and can help church people be self-reflective about their own flaws, without a harsh word given.<br /><br />So, you’ll find entertaining stories here, which I recommend to the discerning reader. But stay alert to the messages lying beneath.
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05081920850753920313noreply@blogger.com0