an interesting take on a boring topic….

I dont buy into Colson’s political ideas for the most part but I love what I have heard about the prison ministry.

I think we as christians should avoid the political realm at least in traditional terms like liberal and conservative and stick to Kingdom politics of loving others in the name of Jesus and being willing to live and die so that they may find life in Him.

Two books that I think can shed some helpful light on the topic at hand are 1st, the one mentioned above, which explains the failure of the Moral Majority to effect any real and lasting change through political means and 2nd, Resident Aliens; Life in the Christian Colony, by Stanly Hauerwas. While both have been around a while, they remain relevant to us as we struggle to live as citizens of the Kingdom not of this world, yet remaining ‘resident aliens’ in a worldly kingdom.

On second thought, no I think Yoder would have considered the W TP to do violence (in his terms) to another person and he would have cordially rejected it from his relative in Austin. Just trying to keep you honest in your question for true pacifism, which in my opinion is not a worthless pursuit.

Your friend,
Me

To sum it up, it talks a lot about how Christians can change the world. The following thoughts struck me and seemed very applicable:

“It is important to stress that for Christians, authority comes from sacrificing to meet the needs of others. As the ultimate case in point, Jesus speaks as ‘one having authority’ (Matt 7:29) He does not coerce us into yielding to His will. Instead, we come to an awareness that He has a legitimate claim to our allegiance through His sacrifices for us–especially His sacrifice on the cross. . . ”

He then gives several examples of authority earned through sacrifice, “I once heard Mother Teresa speak at a National Prayer Breakfast, which was attended by the US president, the vice president, and a host of other world leaders. She said things that many of those present did not want to hear, but everyone listened to her with great respect. She spoke strongly against abortion, even though those at the head table with her were overtly pro-choice. She spoke with authority, authority that had been earned through her sacrifices for the dying poor on the streets of Calcutta. . . I surmise that if push came to shove, more Catholics would likely have listened to Mother Teresa, who gained authority through her sacrifices, than to the Pope–regardless of all the power he wields as the head of the Vatican State (Tony Compolo, The Red Letter Christians).”

He continues later, “I contend that Christians will only have authority if they first serve the needs of others in sacrificial ways, especially the poor and oppressed. When those who hold power witness how Christians live our love–meeting the needs of others and binding up the wounds of those who have been left hurting on society’s waysides–Christians will earn the authority to speak. When Christians specifically give of their time and resources to run soup kitchens for the hungry and provide shelters for the homeless, they gain the right to be heard. When they tutor poor children and care for those with AIDS, they expand their mandate to call for change. But before they speak, Christians must demonstrate God’s love through sacrificial ministries. Sacrifice gives them the ability to be taken seriously by those who seem to be in control (Tony Campolo, The Red Letter Christian).”

Much higer standard than just casting a vote every four years.

Would Yoder have W toilet paper?

Of course, John Howard Yoder had a lot to say about Christians and politics. His is one voice that needs to be heard. And for an unorthodox take on Christianity and the larger culture, think about this.

“I think part of the problem is that those on the left translate conservative positions on economics as disregard for the poor. When the left gets a chance to fix things through collectivism, they usually wind up with unintended consequences that sometimes leave the poor in worse shape than they were before all of the compassionate policies were implemented.”

Thank you, Jim. Well said.