tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post1233330713976484485..comments2023-08-02T07:32:35.851-04:00Comments on LifeAbundant: Does Christianity make a good civil religion?Zachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09635287176222651611noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-84849817559888036462009-09-08T21:36:24.688-04:002009-09-08T21:36:24.688-04:00Charge on, Michael. You are a braver man than I a...Charge on, Michael. You are a braver man than I am. I have only read selections, and those were brief.Zachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09635287176222651611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-52848475395104804942009-09-05T13:42:36.799-04:002009-09-05T13:42:36.799-04:00I'm plowing through Augustine's "City...I'm plowing through Augustine's "City of God" right now. Tough sledding, but I assume it will bear luscious fruit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-75352596841060065862009-08-21T14:34:14.368-04:002009-08-21T14:34:14.368-04:00Matt, thanks for the note of caution. You probabl...Matt, thanks for the note of caution. You probably know better than I do what Gamble's point in his article was just because you know him & his thoughts better. But from what I understand, Gamble takes issue with Christians applying biblical metaphors to society (civil religion) or society hijacking Christian metaphors. The most obvious example being America thinking of itself as the "city upon a hill" or a "redeemer nation." While I think this is wrong, I do not believe it is Christian's primary responsibility to "protect what belongs to us." The world is going to distort any truth that Christians teach. We are suppose to speak and teach the truth, but more importantly to live it. Jesus says in the Gospel of John that, "They will know you are my disciples by your love for one another." Similarly, Christ said to love your neighbor as yourself. Love requires an act of service. We should consider that first before worrying about "protecting what belongs to us" (which I'm not even sure I know what you mean by that). So, while Gamble is dead on in his analysis of Christianity as a civil religion, I think Christians should acknowledge that but not focus on reclaiming metaphors, but on doing what we've been called to do, love God and one another.Zachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09635287176222651611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-62388568009408363592009-08-20T20:23:14.577-04:002009-08-20T20:23:14.577-04:00Gamble's argument suggests that it is the fail...Gamble's argument suggests that it is the failure of the church to protect what belongs to the City of God that has started these problems. Good thoughts but I would just remind you that Gamble is not suggesting that simply serving God in the City of Man is enough to restore the division between the two cities. The church must do what it has been called to do first- to worship Christ and protect what belongs to us. Not what the world tries to take away from us.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01719522588542214322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-651927495388044652009-08-20T12:43:20.102-04:002009-08-20T12:43:20.102-04:00Thanks for the comments guys.
Gwen you are correc...Thanks for the comments guys.<br /><br />Gwen you are correct -- the hardest part is knowing how to live in light of the fact that we are citizens of the City of God but called to serve in the city of Man. That will take a lifetime to really know, but we can begin by serving. Especially now when many even in America are struggling, Christians should step out and serve.Zachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09635287176222651611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-65902373480605406512009-08-19T20:18:38.466-04:002009-08-19T20:18:38.466-04:00What adam said. It's hard to go wrong quoting ...What adam said. It's hard to go wrong quoting gamble and augustine...oh and Peter too.Trevwahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11525950192127852230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-18042578895515228092009-08-19T18:10:50.359-04:002009-08-19T18:10:50.359-04:00Nice piece dude.Nice piece dude.sigdor3https://www.blogger.com/profile/12930924734445942975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-91586956149887235832009-08-19T17:49:01.077-04:002009-08-19T17:49:01.077-04:00Well said, Zach. Heaven and earth may touch in a f...Well said, Zach. Heaven and earth may touch in a few points, but ultimately the head to very different places.Dakotahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13926688042041730524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876214331558127967.post-27665180814011048892009-08-19T15:49:42.685-04:002009-08-19T15:49:42.685-04:00Zach, I really enjoy your reflections. This partic...Zach, I really enjoy your reflections. This particular topic has been something I've been thinking about a lot this summer because many argue that we must return to being a Christian nation. You and the sources you used put it just right; we cannot put City of God and City of Man into one entity. Doing so would tear apart the structures of each establishment. Now for the hard part- how do we act accordingly? :Pspiegomiealihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09827381603765951731noreply@blogger.com