Sorry i replied to another comment. Here is the comment I intended here. I read your other post today, and I have the context now. Being with and for the most vulnerable will always be seen with suspicion.
I think what you're saying is that politics can't replace relationship with the poor, which is convicting and true. I do think this in and of itself sounds like you believe that political engagement can't ever be on behalf of the poor, and I don't think you believe that...I really like the point about progressivism being a guise for elitism, I just think overall this probably comes across as more Hauerwas than you are in reality, but maybe I'm wrong?
No, I’m not saying political engagement can never be on behalf of the poor. I probably could have made this more clear.
I am cautioning against two things:
1) A reaction to CN that is so swift that it ends up playing by the same rules as what we react to. More debates. More books and book clubs. More pointing fingers… But the individual life is left untransformed. One may attack CN in the name of mercy and justice without ever becoming a more merciful and just person.
2) A reaction that jumps from conservative evangelical politics to wholesale progressive evangelical politics. I have been in enough gatherings and seen enough online to observe the “cage stage progressive Christian” phenomenon. “I’ve been a republican evangelical my whole life, but I’m voting democrat now and you’re going to know about it.” Great. Just don’t jump from one to the other so fast that you trade one idol for another.
I’ve not read much Hauerwas so I can’t comment on that.
Hello King Laugh. It appears you’ve read what you wanted to read in this piece, and not what I actually wrote. This response interprets a selection of my words at their worst. If you were in any way familiar with my writing, much of what you have written here would not be possible. I don’t care too much to get into that. I would ask that you refrain from using r* as a pejorative though. Thanks.
Sorry i replied to another comment. Here is the comment I intended here. I read your other post today, and I have the context now. Being with and for the most vulnerable will always be seen with suspicion.
I read your other post today, and I have the context now. Being with and for the most vulnerable will always be seen with suspicion.
I think what you're saying is that politics can't replace relationship with the poor, which is convicting and true. I do think this in and of itself sounds like you believe that political engagement can't ever be on behalf of the poor, and I don't think you believe that...I really like the point about progressivism being a guise for elitism, I just think overall this probably comes across as more Hauerwas than you are in reality, but maybe I'm wrong?
No, I’m not saying political engagement can never be on behalf of the poor. I probably could have made this more clear.
I am cautioning against two things:
1) A reaction to CN that is so swift that it ends up playing by the same rules as what we react to. More debates. More books and book clubs. More pointing fingers… But the individual life is left untransformed. One may attack CN in the name of mercy and justice without ever becoming a more merciful and just person.
2) A reaction that jumps from conservative evangelical politics to wholesale progressive evangelical politics. I have been in enough gatherings and seen enough online to observe the “cage stage progressive Christian” phenomenon. “I’ve been a republican evangelical my whole life, but I’m voting democrat now and you’re going to know about it.” Great. Just don’t jump from one to the other so fast that you trade one idol for another.
I’ve not read much Hauerwas so I can’t comment on that.
Justin Giboney recently critiqued the "Evangelicals for Harris" along the same lines. I thought this whole podcast was really helpful (and I think you'd find it encouraging): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/evangelicals-for-harris/id1289898626?i=1000665474026
Once again proud to call my bold and merciful brother my friend.
Thanks, James.
Very refreshing to find someone who I completely agree with. Thank you for this.
Wow. Gut check.
Thank you.
Hello King Laugh. It appears you’ve read what you wanted to read in this piece, and not what I actually wrote. This response interprets a selection of my words at their worst. If you were in any way familiar with my writing, much of what you have written here would not be possible. I don’t care too much to get into that. I would ask that you refrain from using r* as a pejorative though. Thanks.