Tim Keller on Authentic Christian Fundamentalism

 "The Greco-Roman world said, "We don't know who has the truth. Everybody's got their own." So why did Christians live the most peace-loving, the most generous, the most sacrificial, the most inclusive possible lifestyle out of the most exclusive possible truth claim? Here's the answer. Actually, my wife Kathy gave this to me some years ago, right after 9/11. All the papers were saying this is the problem with religious fundamentalism. If you're a fundamentalist, if you really believe you have the truth, this is what happens. Kathy said, as I tried to show you here, everybody's a fundamentalist, in a way. Everybody believes fundamentals; everybody's got exclusive truth. I remember Kathy said, "Fundamentalism doesn't necessarily lead you to terrorism. It depends on what your fundamental is. Have you ever seen an Amish terrorist?" And if the Amish are not fundamentalists, there ain't no such thing. So why will there never be Amish terrorists? I'll tell you why. If your "fundamental" is a Man dying on the cross for his enemies, if the very heart of your self-image and your religion is a Man sacrificing and praying for his enemies as he died for them, loving them-if that sinks into your heart of hearts-it's going to produce the kind of life that the early Christians produced. The most inclusive possible life out of the most exclusive possible claim. This is the truth. But what is the truth? The truth is a God who became weak, who loved and died for the people who opposed him, forgiving them. Take that into the center of your heart and you will be at the heart of the solution that we need in this world. And that is the "divisiveness" of exclusive truth claims by the Christian."

Dallas Willard. A Place for Truth: Leading Thinkers Explore Life's Hardest Questions (Kindle Locations 757-766). Kindle Edition.

A Brief Word on Apologists, Temptation, and Defending the Truth of the Scripture

The goal of every apologist is that those who do not believe in Christ would repent and acknowledge their need for a Savior. We ourselves are sinners saved by grace, once dead but now made alive by the sacrifice of Christ. One of the main tasks of the apologists is defending the Scriptures from attacks that would demonstrate its falsehood. The Bible is God's special revelation it man - if the Bible is false, then what we believe is false. Part of our defense is intellectual, to be sure, but another part of our defense is practical living. Some truths of the Scripture can be demonstrated historically, philosophically, or intellectually, while some truths can be demonstrated by living it out.

Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 10

12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

If what Paul is saying is true - namely, that God will provide a way of escape against temptation - then it makes sense that his claim must be tested in real life. I believe this is where personal testimony becomes a very powerful tool. If I have experienced God providing a way of escape against the temptations I face, then


The defense of the Christian faith is often an intellectual endeavor, and while that is certainly a good thing, we should also show how Christ helps us overcome our struggles in a personal way. I'm a guy - sexual temptation is a common temptation for normal males. When I try to deal with it on my own, I usually succumb to it. When I seek God for strength to deal with it, I am able to "stand up under it" as the passage says. But maybe for you the temptations are different. Whatever it may be, if we want to convince unbelievers of the truth of this particular Scripture, we should be willing to acknowledge our temptations and provide testimony for how God helps us deal with it.

Apologists interact with everyday people, and sometimes we need to engage people on the heart in addition to the head. In doing so we are showing another element to what we are defending; we are not defending mere ideas or propositions, we are defending ideas and propositions that, if true, changes lives,and our lives should be the first and foremost defense of that transformation, so much so that we can openly speak of our struggles and proclaim the strength of The Lord.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A Response to Phil Snider: Spotlighting a Secular Response

When something goes "viral", it's a good idea to pay attention. Here's the newest viral sensation: a Missouri pastor, speaking at a city council meeting, opens up his speech by taking a stance against gay marriage - or so everyone thought. In a stunning turn of events, he closes the speech by saying that his speech up until that point consisted of quotes from preachers gone bye who attempted to justify racism, and since contemporary pastors are using the same lines of reasoning to justify an anti-SSM stance, we should allow same sex marriage.

Don't take my word for it - watch his speech below:

 

My friend and colleague Tom Gilson has posted an excellent text and video response in direct response to the video. I highly encourage you to read that post and watch that video - Tom does a thorough (but polite and respectful) job of debunking the speech. Rather than give another Christian response (which Tom and others have already done), I want to take a secular perspective against same sex marriage. Are all arguments against SSM strictly from religious grounds?

I'm a fan of savvy media, so I thought I would share this little video that makes a case against same-sex-marriage from a secular standpoint as my contribution to this viral sensation.




If this secular argument against same sex marriage is a good argument, then the issue cannot be pigeonholed to a matter of supposed Christian bigotry. A good argument is a good argument, no matter where it comes from, and unlike Phil's "argument", good secular arguments against same sex marriage exist and should be taken seriously.


Other responses from the Christian Apologetics Alliance:

Carson Weitnauer (Reasons for God): A Response to Phil Snider

A Brief Word on Atheists, Pineapples, and Shunned Messages

The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science tweeted a story this morning that caught my attention. I follow them for informational purposes, and occasionally something interesting comes to my feed from them. This particular story was about an atheist society getting kicked out of a freshman club fair for displaying a pineapple and naming it "Mohammed".

Yes. A pineapple.

The society said they "wanted to celebrate free speech and promote their upcoming debate 'Should we respect religion?' The pineapple named Mohammed was upsetting Muslim students there, and so they were given a choice to take the pineapple down or get kicked out (you can read the full story here)

The point of my post is not about muslims being offended. The muslim student's response has no real bearing on my post. Instead, I would like to ask one question that may or may not be somewhat obvious: what in the world does a pineapple have to do with debates on religion? Or better yet, what does this atheist society hope to communicate by starting off a "discussion about blasphemy, religion, and liberty" with a personified pineapple? I don't understand how anyone in that society thought that grabbing a pineapple and naming it Mohammed (knowing that there would be Muslim students there) communicates "Hey, let's have a serious discussion about this." The ideas and subject wasn't inappropriate - indeed, a discussion about blasphemy, religion, and liberty would be a good discussion to have, and I give credit to that society for wanting to have that discussion. They weren't thrown out for the discussion that they wanted to have; they were thrown out because their actions undermined what they were supposedly trying to do. If they truly wanted to encourage this discussion, they would not have allowed a pineapple to get them kicked out of this club fair.

Christians preach the gospel of Christ, which is arguably the most provocative idea to have ever existed. Christian apologists deal with objections that would prove the Gospel to be false. But if you are a Christian apologist, don't let something silly or unimportant be the reason why your message is not welcome. It is one thing to be shunned for a message - it is another thing to be shunned for something that has absolutely nothing to do with your message, like a pineapple. Give care to how you conduct yourself as an apologist, and don't allow yourself to be shut down for any other reason than the message you defend.

¹⁴ If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. ¹⁶ Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. - 1 Peter 4:14-16