Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Let's hope Seattle doesn't have another sports year like the last. Let's hope 2008 stays "The Worst Year Ever": http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=seattle2008


But, thankfully, there are more important things. May God bless you as we celebrate Jesus' birth and the life He offers. And may you have a wonderful New Year as well.

Looking for the Map?

If you want to comment on "the Map" for Cypress Church, go down to the post from December 19th. It's a few posts down. Or, do it the easy way and click here: http://whirledviews.blogspot.com/2008/12/map-discussion.html

Comments are closed on all but the initial discussion thread. Please follow the link or find the one called "The Map Discussion."

Just War?: Background, Part 2

As Christianity gained prominence a shift, but not a break from the past, in just war theory came with the church father Ambrose. He saw the state as subject to the church. The state was charged with wielding the sword (Rom. 13), but the church was responsible for making sure they did it the right way. David was the prototypical just warrior, in Ambrose’s eyes.

Ambrose was a proponent of virtue lived out in the lives of believers, including why and how they fought wars. The pinnacle of virtue was charity (love) and soldiers lived this principle of charity because all they did was for the common good. In fact, abstaining from force in certain circumstances can be the wrong course of action and is, ultimately, unloving. Ambrose uses Moses’ rescue of the slave in Egypt as his example. For Moses to fail to act would have been a failure in character. In some cases love does not just allow for the use of force; it demands it. This is where Ambrose, according to Cole, expands the tradition handed down to him without going against it. It is not a break; it is a development.

Augustine advances the argument by noting it is the purpose of the state to restrain evil and chaos in order to have a tolerable society. Love for the common good is what drives them to do so – even if it means war. Peace is the ultimate common good, but sometimes force is required to get there. Words are preferable, but sometimes a sword is necessary. Cole emphasizes that war is not the lesser of two evils. Rather, it is a virtuous act if done for the love of the other, seeking the common good.

Now the background and foundation have been set. The next posts will look forward to the just war system built by Aquinas and Calvin.

Cypress Church Map

If you want to discuss, or view the discussion, on the "Purpose Map" for Cypress Church, scroll down a couple entries, or click here: http://whirledviews.blogspot.com/2008/12/map-discussion.html. I've closed comments here so we can keep them all in the same thread.

Just War?: Background, Part 1

A few weeks ago I finally finished a book with multiple views on the role of church and state. It was too long a process, but enlightening. I found Ronald Sider’s treatment of pacifism of particular interest as he was defending the Anabaptist position on church/state relations. As I was loitering in a bookstore a few days later a title caught my eye: When God Says War is Right by Darrell Cole. It is a brief book that lays out the theory and application of just war theory in a simple way. I’ll summarize his work and interact with it to a certain degree, but it seems like a good, slim volume that can help me understand this perspective. As a disclaimer, I think I am probably in the just war camp to begin with, but it is certainly not through much contemplation and reflection. Rather, it is probably due to tradition and our Judeo-Christian heritage. Regardless, here goes…

Let’s start with Cole’s definition of just war:

“The classic just war doctrine as articulated by the Church does not view all use of force as evil; rather, it declares that war can actually be a positive act of love entirely consistent with the character of God. Love of God and neighbor impels Christians to seek a just peace for all, especially for their neighbors, and military force is sometimes an appropriate means for seeking that peace” (p. 7).

Cole starts off recognizing the tension that exists when Jesus says to turn the other cheek and love your enemies and yet God, at other places in Scripture, instructs His people to kill – and even does so Himself. Rather than pointing to specific Bible verses (which I hope he gets to later), just war is theologically born – specifically from Aquinas and Calvin.

Sider, and I’m sure others, argue that the early Christians were all pacifists because war wasn’t an option for early believers. Cole, however, seems to give a compelling survey of church fathers who, while they aren’t wild about the idea of Chrsitian soldiers, saw that believers could follow God in this capacity. And those who thought clergy ought not fight still saw the role of Christians to pray for just war.

The Map Discussion

Cypress Church Leaders,

Post your questions/comments on the map in the comment thread. Remember that there might be a delay because I moderate the comments so I don't post a virus for everyone to click on. If you can't figure out how, or you don't want to register to post, send me an email and I'll post it on your behalf.

I'm not sure if this will work, but it seems to be a better route than a massive "Reply to All"

Thanks for your service,
Justin

A Facebook Link

I put a post up about the tension I feel regarding facebook and in the comments, Lee put a link. It was really good. The author has given it far more thought than I have so I thought I’d post the link so you can get a more comprehensive discussion of the opportunities and perils of facebook.

Enjoy: http://www.buzzardblog.com/buzzard_blog/2008/11/thinking-biblic.html