{"id":17130,"date":"2018-03-15T23:11:39","date_gmt":"2018-03-16T06:11:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=17130"},"modified":"2018-03-15T23:11:39","modified_gmt":"2018-03-16T06:11:39","slug":"the-real-tragedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/the-real-tragedy\/","title":{"rendered":"The Real Tragedy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cI remember some of the anticipation that greeted the announcement of the release of James Davison Hunter\u2019s latest work, To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World<\/em>. Given that evangelicals have for some time now been engrossed in a renewed and often passionate conversation about how to engage the culture, how to change the world, and what exactly the church\u2019s mission really is, many looked forward to Hunter\u2019s book as a major step forward in that conversation.\u201d[1]<\/a> This quote by Greg Gilbert I believe demonstrates both the intrigue and challenge of modern day evangelism; there is this constant pursuit to reach out to the whole world, but often the question remains, is that even possible. Has Christianity finally hit the proverbial wall; has it become more a competition of religious organizations to see who can boast the highest number of converts, or build the most important chapel, or are we still truly of the belief that we can still bring something to the party?<\/p>\n

It has been a thought-provoking week for me, and I hesitate to say, it is largely because of a man most of us in the Christian world probably resent; Stephen Hawking. Bear with me, I promise this will tie into our reading. On Monday I read a post on Fox News that discussed one of the latest (and apparently one of the last) interviews with the famed scientist. In this interview I found myself overjoyed to see the back-stepping and word-play performed by this highly revered worldly man; in that he stated that he has come to realize that there was a conflict in what they believed concerning the \u201cBig Bang\u201d theory, because new evidence conflicts with physics. In this discussion he also reports a new proposed answer, \u201cImaginary Time,\u201d a concept that has previously actually been presented on a Dr. Who episode. After explaining this concept the reported followed it with the phrase, \u201cThere is no raw physics that supports his idea\u2026yet. But Hawking\u2019s insight has proven right before.\u201d[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

Which brings me to the reading. I was frustrated by the article in which Stephen Hawking had literally expressed that he has been wrong concerning a lot concerning the \u201cBig Bang\u201d theory, and yet, the writer of the post still insisted that we should listen to him. Here Christians have been fighting to spread a gospel that has been around for 2000 years, supported by Scripture that has been around even longer than that, and we are called liars, haters, and troublemakers. Then I found the question that hit me even harder, \u201cIs there the possibility of finding common purpose in American Christianity today?\u201d[3]<\/a> It was this partial truth that I cannot help but wonder if all of us Christians just want to deny, and yet we keep preaching as though it is not slapping us in the face with every scripture we preach; maybe we are part of the problem! Why is it that Science has more followers than God? Why do you suppose that people are more vocal about being a Republican or a Democrat than a Christian? Perhaps until we understand that, the reality of Hunter\u2019s question has already answered itself. You see, the world has united against God, but for some reason, His people cannot unite behind Him. The media will promote a Scientific claim that bears absolutely no evidence and yet ban everything biblical; but why?! Hunter discusses the difficulty in having a desire to do good on one hand, and yet becoming its \u201cworst proclivities in pursuing that good, on the other.\u201d[4]<\/a> Many of us seem to start out with the right intentions, but somewhere along the way, we allow the people we are to screw it all up. I considered the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5; I always felt a little sorry for these two, because in the beginning of the story, they started out with the best of intentions; they wanted to give to God. In the story, they sell a possession, but then decide to hold back some of the proceeds. The choice is then supported by a lie on both of their parts, which is then punished by instant death. How did a decision to give back to God end up so deadly? The reality is that what started out a godly and righteous decision was intertwined with selfishness and greed, thus corrupting the offering. The title of this reading included the word \u201ctragedy\u201d; perhaps the tragedy of Christianity is not that the world is rejecting God, but rather that it may just be our fault. The problem is not that worldly ideas have more stability, logic, evidence, or support; it is that their people are better united than God\u2019s seem to be these days. We fight over pianos, projectors, service projects, roles, names over the front door, where to send missionaries, and even whether or not the adult classrooms should have a coffee pot or not.<\/p>\n

I have often held a resentment toward Stephen Hawking; not for who he was, but rather, for the message they he shared. However, I realized this week that it was not even that, but rather that so many people believed that message. Today though, I realize something more important; if God\u2019s people do not learn to unite together, behind His Word, with His Holy Spirit guiding them, then people will continue to listen to everyone but Him. Jesus taught a warning in Matthew 15:8-9; \u201cThese people draw near to Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.\u201d The tragedy is that we have keys to eternal life, and yet, something we are doing wrong is preventing so many from having access to it.<\/p>\n

I Timothy 6:12 \u201cFight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.\u201d The world is watching!!<\/p>\n

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Bibliography<\/h1>\n

Gilbert, Greg. 9Marks.<\/em> September 27, 2010. https:\/\/www.9marks.org\/review\/change-world\/ (accessed March 14, 2018).<\/p>\n

Hunter, James Davison. To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, & Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World.<\/em> New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.<\/p>\n

Seidel, Jamie. Fox News.<\/em> March 5, 2018. http:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/science\/2018\/03\/05\/stephen-hawking-says-knows-what-happened-before-dawn-time.amp.html (accessed March 10, 2018).<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Gilbert, Greg. 9Marks.<\/em> September 27, 2010. https:\/\/www.9marks.org\/review\/change-world\/ (accessed March 14, 2018).<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Seidel, Jamie. Fox News.<\/em> March 5, 2018. http:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/science\/2018\/03\/05\/stephen-hawking-says-knows-what-happened-before-dawn-time.amp.html (accessed March 10, 2018).<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Hunter, James Davison. To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, & Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World.<\/em> New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. P 91.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Ibid, p. 279.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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