Book #12: I recently finished Jim Wallis' The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America. I kept having stirrings that reminded me of what Carol wrote about her emerging church conference experience in that I just think it's weird that some people are just figuring about that Christianity and social justice have something to do with each other (I'm not talking about Jim Wallis himself. I think he's the real deal). I also wonder what's supposed to be so different about this generation's idealism compared with others; will it not go away as they/we grow older?
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I have bangs now. I haven't had bangs for about fifteen years. Back then, I had mall bangs... you know what I mean. I'm adjusting.
Much more important things that that are going on, but my brain is checking out.
About Me
- apbs
- I'm from the southern US, a region with which I have a love/hate relationship. I majored in Economics and International Studies in college, all set to join the world of management consulting. Brief yet somewhat intense crises of meaning while studying and traveling led me on a somewhat screwy journey that somehow resulted in my becoming a priest in the Episcopal Church. My posts are merely a slice of what's going on in my head and nothing more; in other words, my opinions cannot and should not be considered to be those of my congregation, my religious tradition, or my friends and family.
3 comments:
I've never really considered myself an evangelical, but more of a conservative-ish confessional Christian who happens to be left-leaning politically. With some evangelical tendencies.
My reformed church relatives and people have some issues with this whole "evangelicals are just discovering social justice" thing, too. Because we feel like our little bunch of Reformed folk have been doing this social justice thing all along. (For instance, our denominational college was a very bizarre hot-bed of anti-Vietnam stuff in the 60s at the same time that it was very theologically conservative. And, a few years ago when Bush spoke there, 30% of the faculty basically went into revolt.)
Last week, I was listening to a sermon of a preaching mentor of mine and he said, "You know, I'm amused by the NYTimes saying that 'evangelicals are finally getting this social justice thing and caring about poverty and the environment.' It's like they're really saying 'evangelicals are finally behaving like we, at the NYTimes, think they ought to behave."
And then, there's my brother, the conservative-theology, liberal-politics, cynical-Calvinist polisci Ph.D student who says, "I think Jim Wallis is getting a little big for his britches."
So, I agree--it's weird that some people are just figuring this out, but it's also so frustrating to be one of these people who comes from a tradition that did this, but doesn't fit neatly into the established rules about who's who.
what a thoughtful comment. thank you.
part of my problem is that i lump together evangelicals with non-denominational mega-churches, which is totally unfair and not true.
Erica leaves thoughtful comments about evangelicalism, and I want to see bangs pictures. I'm so shallow.
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