9.09A
06.09.08
Princeton University. NJ.
Alexander Hall
Plenary I:
History of Evangelicals with Randy Balmer
Professor of American Religious History at Barnard College, Columbia University
Green v. Connely
June 30 1971: More influential than Roe v. Wade
Anyone discriminating against minorities is not a 501(c)3 active organization
1971 Southern Baptist Convention
Passed Resolution calling for legal abortion and members favored Roe v. Wade
Enter: Polarization of/by Religious Right
Evangelicals of the "right" were trying to defend and protect their own subculture
IRS went after Bob Jones University due to racial discrimination/other discrim.
Religious right appointed Ronald Reagan as their czar in 1980
.80 – Divorce was an operating issue so for Reagan the issues were shifted by the right from divorce to abortion and homosexuality
JESUS
is very clear about divorce but not abortion or homosexuality
Use of Scripture citation to support segregation and discrimination :: 20 years prior
"Intelligent Design" is one of the surest proofs for evolution
President Bush appointed a judge that turned down creation theory for text books
The canons of rational enlightenment do not determine life
To denegrate Genesis to the sciences is to flee God
Cornwall Declaration
Most cynical document signed by Dobson/Colston/etc. that empowers corporate to make decisions best for corporations
1st Amendment
Equal to those who deny the Holocaust are those who adhere that the founding fathers wanted to separate church and state
Roger Williams: Puritan in Massechusetts "Garden of Church Protected"
The church shouldn’t look to the government for sanctions
Truitt: Issues affirmation as a baptist that lines must not be blurred b/t church and state
Prayer in schools always exists
Faith doesn’t need approval from science or government
JESUS
is not interested in being an arbitor of religion
Recover the SCANDAL OF THE GOSPEL
:: Get quote from "Thy Kingdom Come"
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THE PRECEDING TEXT COPIED AND/OR ADAPTED FROM MY TYPED OR MOLESKINE RECORDED NOTES ON THE ENVISION CONFERENCE MAY OR MAY NOT BE MY OWN THOUGHTS AND MAY OR MAY NOT INCLUDE DIRECT CITATIONS OF ORATORS/FACILITATORS. THE ORATORS/FACILITATORS SHOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE CREDITED OR HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SPECIFIC WORDS OR PHRASES THOUGH SOME WORDS ARE THEIR OWN.
My Learning Track for Envision ’08 is “Beyond Consumerism” with Ron Sider. Our second meeting was in lecture format compared to our usual interactive dialogue. Book TV was present filming the lecture to be shown on C-SPAN possibly this coming weekend. I’m not sure how I feel about being on C-SPAN. I used to make fun of my dad for watching it all the time but now I feel myself captivated by watching the “YES” and “NO” votes tally during a congressional vote (post on “voting” coming soon). Ron is not with us today so we are interacting with Bart Campolo and some other practitioners who have come from the Philadelphia / Eastern College area. Sider had to fly out to Chicago in order to meet with Barrack Obama concerning the very things about which we are engaging at the conference: social justice, human rights activisim, non-violence, and the politic of Jesus.
I had the pleasure of meeting with Dan Merchant briefly this evening at the ACSD conference. Dan is the writer/director/producer of the documentary, “LORD, save us from your followers.” I also attended the viewing of the film. I was entertained, confronted, and reaffirmed all at the same time. I am definitely going to be purchasing the film and hosting a screening as a part of the film forum of Oakwood Hall. I will also be meeting with Dan hoping that he may visit our community at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
The following trailer is somewhat vague and does not come close to providing a full representation of the movie. Please visit the website to watch more video clips and read more information.
There were about 70-80 well-dressed, “appropriately adorned,” monetarily secure and even affluent individuals conversing, smiling, and mingling while circling the San Diego Bay on a dessert cruise. Cheesecake and chocolate truffles had been served along with coffee and much remained to be eaten. The cruise was a type of celebration or at least a designated time to relax and enjoy company after several days of meetings and meals in dialogue about leadership, strengths, and vision for student leadership in the way of Jesus on college campuses. After consuming the freshness of the crisp air, the sweet flavored delicacies, the lights of the city, and the warmth of relationship the boat docked. Upon descending from the ramp connecting the boat to the city sidewalk and proceeding to the shuttle for the return trip to the hotel, there were about 70-80 well-dressed, “appropriately adorned,” monetarily secure and even affluent individuals conversing, smiling, and mingling while three individuals prepared their separate “beds” on cold, hard, street-side benches. One had a shopping cart with some blankets and cardboard. As he laid down and covered up there were about 70-80 well-dressed, “appropriately adorned,” monetarily secure and even affluent individuals conversing, smiling, and mingling who WALKED RIGHT BY. The “religious elite” composed of student leaders and staff members from a theological seminary and eight “Christian” colleges WALKED RIGHT BY. I… WALKED RIGHT BY. Not a word spoken. Only a glance. I… WALKED RIGHT BY. I thought for only an instant… “I should stop. I should ask if there is something I could do to help. I could catch a cab back to the hotel after having a conversation with this man.” “But everyone will see me. I don’t want to appear hyper-religious or provide a poor representation of engaging people with the love of Jesus.” So I continued on. I was part of the “religious elite” who had better things to do or at least a certain image to maintain. Meanwhile, I was hyper-religious and provided a poor representation of engaging people with the love of Jesus. On behalf of the Church. To the church. I apologize. Grace.
A week of interviewing 64 candidates for Resident Assistant and Spiritual Life Assistant positions caused a brief hiatus in my posting. It is intriguing to experience different personalities communicating and expressing themselves in both individual and group interview settings. Psychological and sociological observations could be conducted in the setting of an interview. I was fascinated.
I was also highly encouraged to be reminded of the energy and passion that college students have to be servants and to love incoming students so that they may experience the love of Jesus.
“1. People Watching. The thing is if you are a student of human nature and/or enjoy sociology at any level, then you would find this entire experience to be well worth it. For me, I’d probably go even if I didn’t buy a single thing. It’s that much fun.”
I suggest that next year one goes and does not buy a single thing. There is an incredible sense of freedom to be experienced when one dismisses that commercial exploitation of Jesus and expresses the love of Jesus to others who are in genuine need of our monetary wealth and overall possession of resources. It is joyful. It is hopeful. It is peace. Not that I have already obtained this, but I press on against my desires for more that oppress my neighbors.
2. Hearing people waiting outside a Target store at 4:30am, in late November calling other shoppers crazy. (They were talking about folks that had been camping outside of a Best Buy since midnight.)
I would have liked to hear that as well so that I could blank stare at them for a solid 5 minutes creating an incredible sense of uncomfortability and/or awkwardness. Were you one of the people in line at 4:30 a.m. who is now talking about the crazy people?
