Right now I am going through a really rough time with my dad. The church I grew up in has the exact story of the young couple caught in “sexual transgression” and they were made to stand before the church. I think of it now and want to cry (I still keep in touch with the couple, who are happily married with three kids). My dad and I do not see eye to eye at all. I’m so bitter and upset about the way he makes me feel like I am not a follower of Christ because I disagree with his conservative opinion.

Wallis, McLaren, emergent, this group of women are so refreshing. I feel at peace and free in what I read from you all and affirmed.

After Christmas and spending time with my dad, I realized that and seem to just want to argue with him and treat him the same way he treats me.

I think its important to make strides to step out of this “safe world” of the emergent women’s blog. I just don’t know how, and I’m scared. I don’t want to feel like I feel around my dad all the time, judged and going to hell.

Julie, how did you deal with the church that sent you away? How do you forgive them?

Uhhhh…I guess I didn’t talk much about the book. I’m only half way through….

What do you ladies think are some ways we could draw more attention to critical issues in a way that would touch people’s hearts and “change the wind” and the whole political discussion?

Two points that have stood out to me… First, his description of politics…

“…land, labor, capital, wages, debt, taxes, equity, fairness, courts, prisons, immigrants, other races and peoples, economic divisions, social justice, war, and peace–the stuff of politics.” These are the subjects that the biblical prophets addressed! Jim’s break with his childhood faith was at the point where his an elder in his church tells him, “Christianity has nothing to do with racism; that is a political issue, and our faith is personal.” Jim’s conclusion was that God IS personal, but NEVER private.

Being from the south, this is a typical defense when people begin to have conversations below the surface of the weather… Politics and religion are taboo topics, because they are personal, thereby private. I love Jim’s line! I so agree!! This is the source of much pain and abuse… Not dealing with topics that are personal and private. But I am seeing how important it is to be active in the politics that God is interested in…

Another story was the one of the teens in the church who found themselves in a ‘sexual transgression’. The girl was pregnant and the elders wanted to publicly denounce the behavior and bring the couple to the front of the whole church. Jim’s dad, the head elder, agreed on the condition that everyone else be brought up, also… and since he had counseled with many of the people, he was going to make sure they left NOTHING out! They crawled off their self-righteous podiums very quickly and the discussion turned to HOW to support them in a difficult situation.

LOVED THAT!!

everytime I hear such stories I amazed — I understand being a hypocrit because I know I am one in many, many ways, but it’s hard for me to comprehend such blindness to Jesus’ and the prophet’s persistent message.

How so, Agma? What do you think Jim should say (or refrain from saying) to avoid giving this impression?

I really get riled up when I hear stuff like this…in particular that bad things like hurricane Katrina are part of God’s wrath against sinful people. If God wants to beat up on sinful people, God will have to take us ALL out!!!

Fortunately, God is so much bigger and better than such religiousness and self-righteousness. I wish I could be too.

as for bringing up the “easy” issues of helping the poor first in a church setting, I have to add that that tactic may be dangerous as well. In the church we were asked to leave, social justice and helping the poor were not accepted topics. One could help unwed mothers because the point was to prevent them from getting abortions, but beyond that nothing. The pastor would preach that consumeristic captialism was the biblical way for societies to operate. He preached that since in James it says not to favor the rich that means we can’t help the poor. And after Katrina he said the people were suffering because of the sinful lifestyles they had chosen.

As youth leaders of focus on the bible and justice issues and involvement in things like the 30 hour famine, the One Life Revolution, and IJM were not looked favorably upon. It was all part of the case brought against us at the end.

So to read people like Wallis is refreshing for me. To just get evangelicals (and were I livedwas often colled the evangelical mecca) to see that there are other options is a huge step.

I know (because I’ve been there myself) that fear and the need to “know” who’s on my side of the line becomes important within some communities. Beginning the move past the lists of who’s measuring up and realizing the freedom of being called to love and to be change agents is a relatvely recent experience for me. Remembering where I’ve walked and allowing others to begin to tip-toe the path without dragging them along behind me is something I’m working on.

I appreciate the insightful input.

Sometimes I think ecumnical dialogues are really cross-cultural exchanges. You have to understand the other person’s basic assumptions about life and reality and create bridges by speaking to them in terms they understand/can resonate with to have a hope of discovering and collaborating on common ground. My experience is that most conservative evangelicals are not ready to ask tons of (potentially) threatening questions about the nature of the bible/revelation, but many are willing to relook at what the bible actually says and understand it as God’s word in a particular context, when educated within their existing paradigm.

Our church, which in someways embraces emergent thought and is trying to be more open, is launching the Focus on the Family “Truth Project” in January. They are trying to open an environment where we can really discuss what we believe and why. They have also made sure to include those of us on the more “liberal” side of the congregation as group facilitators. But, most of the church has the unwritten rule that if you don’t vote republican, you’re not really a Christian. “One issue” voting is pretty much the name of the game.

I’m not sure what Jim’s suggestions may be, but was wondering how some of you have navigated politics and social issues within your faith communities. Do you have any other resources to recommend?

Thanks!