Christians in the Public Sphere: A Call for Civility

For much too long the image of Christians in the U.S public sphere has been one of screaming heads with no capacity to listen. This has been true of every side of the political spectrum. My blogging on this issue stems from a concern that some of Christian discourse in the public sphere has descended into the demonizing and divisive discourse that was part of the culture wars in the 1980s and 1990s. It is time to turn the page!!!! Liberals, conservatives, moderates, progressives, and all others must choose a better way forward.

My hope is that Christians' would be committed to civil discourse that honors our discipleship of Jesus and to speak the truth in love. Perhaps, a better word would be "Prophetic Christianity." Prophetic Christianity is a way of being prophetic without being viciously destructive. One mark of true Propethic Christianity is an incredible capacity to be pastoral and empathetic without compromising conviction. We must earn the right to be prophetic. Christian prophets must embody paradox and dialectics. The paradox of empathy and compassion with zeal and passion. Empathy and compassion for those who most need it must be coupled with a righteous indignation against injustice, oppression, and abuse. Most Hebrew prophets reflected a love for the people even when they denounced their sin and injustice.

This paradox is not easy to balance; most modern-day prophets are all zeal and no compassion. A call to civility is not an excuse to ignore and obviate injustice but rather a call to denounce injustice and provide just alternatives. Genuine prophets do not dehumanize or demonize someone just because they disagree with them. In the words of M.L King Jr., "we should meet others capacity for inhumanity with our humanity." Admittedly, this is not easy. Still, we do things because they are right not because they are easy.

So my prayer is for respectful disagreement in the public sphere as we all seek the common good. My prayer is that righteousness will roll down like an ever-flowing stream. My prayer is that we would be civil while we seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly before God.

Presidents Addressing Students

In recent days much has been made of President Obama's speech to address students across the country. Regrettably, in the words of Shakespeare "this is much ado about...." Most citizens forget that both Presidents Reagan and Bush addressed students. In 2002, President Bush addressed students in a similar pep talk about volunteering and responsibility. Sadly, he too was critiqued from the left. Somethings need not be ruined or capitalized on for political points on any side of the political debate. As a registered independent, Evangelical pastor, formal school teacher, and someone who believes in education I am saddened by the politicking that goes on by both the left and the right on this issue.

Of course, President's should speak to students on the importance of education and doing well in school. When Presidents are encouraging students to do well I am all for it. These are not policy speeches these are speeches by the democratically-elected leader of the country. Having read both the Department of Education's notes on President Obama's speech (http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html) and excerpts from President Reagan's and Bush's speech I say "Shame on anyone who is making this out to be something it is not." If these were policy speeches to impressionable youth I would decry them. Being that these are presidential pep talks our children hearing from their president (be they Republican or Democrat) to work hard and succeed is a good practice. Those who decried Bush's speech are just as responsible as those doing the same on the other side to Obama.

Here are two suggestions to begin with:
1) Start with the facts: It is sad state of affairs for people to state uninformed opinions and comments while ignoring the facts. This is not the first time a President has done this and this is not a policy speech. Please read and inform yourself before commenting and opining. There is nothing more dangerous than uninformed opinions and rhetoric that does not do the hard work of looking up all the facts.

2) Commitment to not demonizing people when we disagree: As a Christian I say, "Enough is Enough" of demonizing rhetoric. Let's return to civil disagreement and stay away from hyperbole, falsities, and divisive talk that does not seek healthy solutions and the common good for all. Let's disagree respectfully even if with passion.

The New Evangelicalism: The Coming Mosaic

I've been reading Soong-Chan Rah's book, The New Evangelicalism, and I am struck by the insight of Dr. Rah concerning power and Western hegemony within U.S. Evangelicalism. In light of this I continue to advocate for a "New Mosaic" of Christianity that is inclusive and respective of the great diversity of Christians around the globe. What does this mean? It means taking the vision of Isaiah 11, the Peaceable Realm, seriously. I am praying that we can get the Lion and the Lamb to live together in the way that shows an equitable distribution of power and agency. If we are to be the Global Church Revelation 7:9 can not just be an eschatological vision but rather a missional imperative. This missional imperative reflects our willingness to see the "other" as our equal, as our sister and brother.
The New Evangelicalism says in the words of C. René Padilla, there is no citizenship test to belong to the Church. The Church is the great multitude of saints, independent of their language, race, or geography. May we press on to be the church, the whole church, for the sake of Christ and humanity. Every denomination, movement, and institution must continously wrestle with this mosaic in ways that challenges tribalism, and the privilege of the few.

Diplomacy: Re-visiting the Huntington Thesis

Much has been said about President Obama's speech to the Muslim world from Cairo, Egypt. As I heard it I reflected on the Obama administration's diplomacy meant in light of Samuel Huntington's book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Clearly, one speech does not guarantee anything. Nevertheless, it may set the tone for a U.S. diplomacy that understands the consequences of Huntington's assertion that the world is on a collision course with the rise of fundamentalisms in different religions and civilizations.

The questions then become, "What is the role of diplomacy with the real threats of nuclear proliferation and oppressive dictators and governments?" Diplomacy, at its best, is not the abdication of standing for human dignity, freedom, and love of neighbor. Nor is it the refusal to speak with people or groups with whom you have fundamental disagreement. At the heart of diplomacy is the refusal to give in to the idea that differing cultures are always doomed to collide. This being said, there must be a place for standing against all those things that threaten human life and dignity anywhere in the world. This is where the Huntington thesis can be well served with the dialectal theological reflections of Reinhold Niebuhr. Niebuhr understood well that in a world where human power can manifest itself with world-destroying power, power must be reigned in. Diplomacy is not the abdication of power but the reigning in of power. Diplomacy does not mean that evil will not be confronted. Rather, diplomacy seeks to call on all means of communication and pressure before resulting to military power.

Does this mean that diplomacy will work with dictators, despots, and crazed rulers all over the world? Absolutely not. Even with the presence of another way, nations and rulers can choose the way of hatred, violence, and war. The history of humankind has shown that evil lurks and manifest itself in every generation. Still, the hope is that every generation would learn and pray so that in our day we can "beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks." Until this day comes we must preach and teach a Gospel that calls us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly before our God.

I pray that the message of Jesus of loving our enemies and doing justice will make Dr. Huntington's thesis an unfulfilled reality.

Pastor Salguero

Hispanic Evangelicals Rising

Recently, I wrote a reflection on 3 reasons why Hispanic Evangelicals are making an impact on public policy. The 3 reasons; a) Demographic explosion; b) Immigration Reform as a watershed moment; c) the emergence of bi-lingual and bi-cultural 2nd and 3rd generation leaders. Read the rest here; http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/gabriel_salguero/2009/04/hispanic_evangelical_rising.html

Torture: Shortcuts to losing our Moral Compass

Recently, I posted reflections on why Jesus followers should not endorse Torture.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/gabriel_salguero/2009/05/torture_shortcuts_to_losing_our_moral_compass.html

Let me know your thoughts.

Pastor Gabriel