Comments on: Oh Politic Where Art Thou? http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/ irregularities and other absurdities Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:23:50 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: blake http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/comment-page-1/#comment-71920 blake Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:06:59 +0000 http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/#comment-71920 derek. that's what i figured. but i had to push back and make sure :) derek. that’s what i figured. but i had to push back and make sure :)

]]> By: Derek http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/comment-page-1/#comment-71916 Derek Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:30:36 +0000 http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/#comment-71916 We've gotten to this place before in conversations. My eschatology is not one of sitting on my butt and waiting for the end. Christ commanded plenty of us to do while we await His return. I do think it's easy to see the transformation that Jesus was pushing for and take that extra step towards changing the world. My semi-evangelical background would actually support that. Re-learning this stuff, though, and trying to move away from the assumptions of my background, I now see Christ's emphasis (as well as the rest of the NT's) being on the church, not the world. And any emphasis on the individual is really targeted towards being built into the church. We’ve gotten to this place before in conversations. My eschatology is not one of sitting on my butt and waiting for the end. Christ commanded plenty of us to do while we await His return.

I do think it’s easy to see the transformation that Jesus was pushing for and take that extra step towards changing the world. My semi-evangelical background would actually support that. Re-learning this stuff, though, and trying to move away from the assumptions of my background, I now see Christ’s emphasis (as well as the rest of the NT’s) being on the church, not the world. And any emphasis on the individual is really targeted towards being built into the church.

]]> By: Minnowspeaks http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/comment-page-1/#comment-71915 Minnowspeaks Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:29:19 +0000 http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/#comment-71915 Late to the party but here goes-- When I was newly married I had a conversation with my Mother that went something like: ME--But government doesn't have a heart, it isn't truly looking to help people. It is trying to fix a problem as if it were a math equation. It's the job of the Church to meet the needs of the people. MOTHER--Well, the Church dropped the ball and until it picks it up again government better get its act together. I still believe that Government doesn't have a heart BUT we can elect mouth pieces (presidents) who do and who are willing to use their unique position to encourage healthy families, neighbors who care aboput one another, communities who volunteer, and a nation that looks beyond its borders and its own pocketbook. Jesus may be coming back triumphantly but what will He be coming back to? He'll be looking for a spotless Bride. The servant who buries his talents just to keep what he'd been given safe will be a disappointment. Late to the party but here goes–
When I was newly married I had a conversation with my Mother that went something like: ME–But government doesn’t have a heart, it isn’t truly looking to help people. It is trying to fix a problem as if it were a math equation. It’s the job of the Church to meet the needs of the people. MOTHER–Well, the Church dropped the ball and until it picks it up again government better get its act together.
I still believe that Government doesn’t have a heart BUT we can elect mouth pieces (presidents) who do and who are willing to use their unique position to encourage healthy families, neighbors who care aboput one another, communities who volunteer, and a nation that looks beyond its borders and its own pocketbook. Jesus may be coming back triumphantly but what will He be coming back to? He’ll be looking for a spotless Bride. The servant who buries his talents just to keep what he’d been given safe will be a disappointment.

]]> By: blake http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/comment-page-1/#comment-71882 blake Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:34:43 +0000 http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/#comment-71882 like i said, i think there's a medium in there somewhere. i just think it's as simple and reductionistic as you make it to be. most importantly i don't think that's what the pre-constantinian church practiced. i know they expected the parousia to happen at anytime, but they were intentionally building an alternative community in opposition to the empire. they were about transformation. i just think there's more to it than sitting around and waiting for some triumphal eschaton. like i said, most people use that as an excuse. i'm not saying that's what you're doing, but i've seen done too many times. if jesus was solely concerned about returning why did he come in the first place and why didn't he hurry up and get the death and resurrection part over with? and why did he mess with healing people and teaching and preaching things like the sermon on the mount--that seems to be very much rooted in "wordly transformation." like i said, i think there’s a medium in there somewhere. i just think it’s as simple and reductionistic as you make it to be. most importantly i don’t think that’s what the pre-constantinian church practiced. i know they expected the parousia to happen at anytime, but they were intentionally building an alternative community in opposition to the empire. they were about transformation.

i just think there’s more to it than sitting around and waiting for some triumphal eschaton. like i said, most people use that as an excuse. i’m not saying that’s what you’re doing, but i’ve seen done too many times. if jesus was solely concerned about returning why did he come in the first place and why didn’t he hurry up and get the death and resurrection part over with? and why did he mess with healing people and teaching and preaching things like the sermon on the mount–that seems to be very much rooted in “wordly transformation.”

]]> By: links for 2008-02-20 « Commonplace Book http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/comment-page-1/#comment-71881 links for 2008-02-20 « Commonplace Book Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:23:18 +0000 http://www.iamjoshbrown.com/blog/2008/02/19/oh-politic-where-art-thou/#comment-71881 [...] Oh Politic Where Art Thou? | IAmJoshBrown (tags: christian politics election) [...] [...] Oh Politic Where Art Thou? | IAmJoshBrown (tags: christian politics election) [...]

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