““The Church is The Church is Responsible for so Responsible for so Much Suffering”Much Suffering”

Give Me An AnswerGive Me An Answer

July 4, 2010July 4, 2010

Glaring Character Glaring Character FlawsFlaws

CommonCommon grace grace

James 1:17 James 1:17 Every good and Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the down from the Father of the heavenly lights…heavenly lights…

GraceGrace

Ephesians 2:8 Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace For it is by grace you have been saved, through you have been saved, through faith--and this not from faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can not by works so that no one can boast.boast.

ChristChrist-likeness-likeness

Luke 5:31-32 Luke 5:31-32 Jesus answered Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. need a doctor, but the sick.

3232I have not come to call the I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to righteous, but sinners to repentance." repentance."

EnvironmentEnvironment

FanaticismFanaticism

Matthew 18:4 Matthew 18:4 Therefore, whoever Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. heaven.

Titus 3:5 Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,Spirit,

Mark 9:33 Mark 9:33 He asked them, "What He asked them, "What were you arguing about on the were you arguing about on the road?" road?" 3434But they kept quiet But they kept quiet because on the way they had because on the way they had argued about who was the argued about who was the greatest. greatest.

3535Jesus called the Twelve and said, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the must be the very last, and the servant of all.”servant of all.”

Jesus’ CritiqueJesus’ Critiqueof Religionof Religion

Luke 11:39-46; 20:47 Luke 11:39-46; 20:47 You clean You clean the outside of the cup and dish, the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed but inside you are full of greed and wickedness…. You neglect and wickedness…. You neglect justice and the love of God.justice and the love of God.

Isaiah 58:2 Isaiah 58:2 Day after day they Day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of has not forsaken the commands of its God. its God.

They ask me for just decisions and They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near seem eager for God to come near them. them.

33'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’you have not noticed?’

"Yet on the day of your fasting, "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit you do as you please and exploit all your workers. all your workers.

44Your fasting ends in quarreling…. Your fasting ends in quarreling…. You cannot fast as you do and You cannot fast as you do and expect your voice to be heard…expect your voice to be heard…

Isaiah 58: 6 Isaiah 58: 6 "Is not this the kind of Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice… to set the chains of injustice… to set the oppressed free…? oppressed free…?

77Is it not to share your food with Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? your own flesh and blood?

88... then your righteousness will go ... then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.LORD will be your rear guard.

Mark 10:45 Mark 10:45 For the Son of Man came For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.give his life as a ransom for many.

Justice in Jesus’ Justice in Jesus’ NameName

SaltSalt

Matthew 5:13 Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. and trampled by men.

CharacterCharacter

Galatians. 5:22 Galatians. 5:22 The fruit of the The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.gentleness, and self-control.

LightLight

Matthew 5:14 Matthew 5:14 You are the light of You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid, cannot be hid, 1515neither do men neither do men light a lamp and hide it under a light a lamp and hide it under a bowl, but it gives light to all in the bowl, but it gives light to all in the house. house.

LightLight1616In the same way, let your light so In the same way, let your light so shine that they may see your good shine that they may see your good works and honor your Father in works and honor your Father in heaven. heaven.

““Although it has been fashionable to Although it has been fashionable to deny it, anti-slavery doctrines began to deny it, anti-slavery doctrines began to appear in Christian theology soon after appear in Christian theology soon after the decline of Rome and were the decline of Rome and were accompanied by the eventual accompanied by the eventual disappearance of slavery in all but the disappearance of slavery in all but the fringes of Christian Europe. fringes of Christian Europe.

When Europeans subsequently When Europeans subsequently instituted slavery in the New World, instituted slavery in the New World, they did so over strenuous papal they did so over strenuous papal opposition, a fact that was conveniently opposition, a fact that was conveniently ‘lost’ from history until recently. Finally, ‘lost’ from history until recently. Finally, the abolition of New World slavery was the abolition of New World slavery was initated and achieved by Christian initated and achieved by Christian activists.” activists.” - Rodney Stark, historian- Rodney Stark, historian