The Organ of Meaning

Man! It’s been a while since the last time I wrote for you fine people. A lot has gone on since April 3. The semester has ended, family visited, friends engaged, earthquakes (here and around the world), flooding (here and around the world)… a lot.

I am affected by all of those things. I have been praying for the tragedies and celebrating with the good things. But, I mostly write here when I’m processing things that are on my mind. This is one of those times for sure.

On May 7 a number of influential leaders within the Evangelical Movement within American Christianity released a document they have termed “an Evangelical Manifesto.” Over the past week and a half there has been a lot of buzz about it in the “blogosphere” (I hate that word).

I had read the summary (PDF) that they had posted on the site and liked what it had to say so last night I took the time to read the entirety of the declaration, and I must say that I like it.

The content of the document addresses a number of issues that are used to define what it means to be an Evangelical Christian. These definitions are sometimes just defined in themselves but more often defined in light of what we (yes, I am definitely one of them) are not, it is done simply by saying so. In my reading of the manifesto, it comes across as specific and forceful but respectful of those who would disagree.

The thing that I have found the most encouraging is the fact that many of the issues and conclusions that have been settled upon are the same things that I have wrestled with and landed on.

1. “Contrary to widespread misunderstanding today, we Evangelicals should be defined theologically, and not politically, socially, or culturally.”
2. “First, to be Evangelical is to hold a belief that is also a devotion.”
3. “Second, Evangelical belief and devotion is expressed as much in our worship and in our deeds as in our creeds.”
4. “Third, Evangelicals are followers of Jesus in a way that is not limited to certain churches or contained by a definable movement”
5. “The Evangelical message, “good news” by definition, is overwhelmingly positive, and always positive before it is negative.
6. “Evangelicalism should be distinguished from two opposite tendencies to which Protestantism has been prone: liberal revisionism and conservative fundamentalism.”
7. “Our second major concern is the reformation of our behavior… We confess that we Evangelicals have betrayed our beliefs by our behavior.”
8. “We call humbly but clearly for a restoration of the Evangelical reforming
   principle…”
9. “We call all who follow Jesus to keep his commandment and love one another, to be true to our unity in him that underlies all lesser differences…”
10. “We call for an expansion of our concern beyond single-issue politics…”
11. “We call for a more complete understanding of discipleship that applies faith with integrity to every calling and sphere of life, the secular as well as the spiritual…”
12. “Above all, we remind ourselves that if we would recommend the Good News of Jesus to others, we must first be shaped by that Good News ourselves…”
13. “We must find a new understanding of our place in public life… we are fully engaged in public affairs, but never completely equated with any party, partisan ideology, economic system, class, tribe, or national identity.”
14. “In a society as religiously diverse as America today, no one faith should be normative for the entire society, yet there should be room for the free expression of faith in the public square.”
15. “Let it be known unequivocally that we are committed to religious liberty for
    people of all faiths, including the right to convert to or from the Christian faith.”
16. “e see two equal and opposite errors to avoid: coercive secularism on one side… and religious extremism…”
17. ” We Evangelicals trace our heritage, not to Constantine, but to the very different stance of Jesus of Nazareth. We all believe that Jesus’ Good News of justice for the whole world was promoted, not by a conqueror’s power and sword…”
18. “We do not see insults and attacks on our faith as “offensive” and “blasphemous” in a manner to be defended by law, but as part of the cost of our discipleship that we are to bear without complaint or victim-playing.”
19. On the other hand, we repudiate all who believe that different values are simply relative to different cultures, and who therefore refuse to allow anyone to judge anyone else or any other culture.”
20. “We respect the right to be wrong. But we also insist that the principle of “the right to believe anything” does not lead to the conclusion that “anything anyone believes is right.” Rather, it means that respect for differences based on conscience can also mean a necessary debate over differences conducted with respect.”

These are some of the statements that I believe define the content of the document very well. If you have any interest in the other 20 pages that surround them, if this sounds very different from what you believe Evangelicals to be, please take the opportunity to read this. You may understand us - you may understand me - better.

The PDF is available at EvangelicalManifesto.com.