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Election Time 2004 |
TCBM is for Thanks Be to Christ for Murken
I begin this newsletter by extending, first of all, a huge word of thanks to Todd Murken, humbly known to the readers of these pages by the initials "tbcm." For the past four years Todd has been the chief editor and contributor to this newsletter. During that tenure, Todd's gift of wit and nose for prose has served well to make this epistle a missile of grace. Our prayers go with him--a devoted father and spouse, a busy pastor and an energetic adjunct teacher of theology--as he continues to cross the paths of others with gospel hope--and occasionally, still, with us through contributions to this newsletter.
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In that article Bob begins by urging the church's preaching to face up to the fact that it is unabashedly political and describes what that means. By "political" Bob means what (he suggests) any good political scientists might mean (for example, David Easton), namely, "the way society allocates value authoritatively." The gospel is a political message because it, too, ascribes "value" and does so "authoritatively."
Of course, what Christian preaching values (things seen through repentance and the forgiveness of sins) may be quite controversial compared to what other authorities value--conservatives and liberals alike. However, its controversial quality, Bob maintains, is not because what it values is too "spiritual," too "intangible." On the contrary, the gospel too values things that are quite "earthy" and "tangible" (the meek, the sick, the poor, the outcast, the sinner, the body, for example) and in ways that other value-ascribing authorities simply can't imagine--conservative and liberal alike.
Then Bob gets practical by making suggestions that are perennial wisdom. He expands the concept of political preaching to include not only what the preacher bequeaths to the believer in the pew (the "gathered church"), but what the believer (as a "deployed church") bequeaths to the world. And this is not primarily as abstracted Christians but as Christians who value their roles as citizens, spouses, parents, workers, etc. as the point of the church's political, value-ascribing engagement with the world.
What's more, unlike many political operatives who tend to be in politics to call attention to themselves or their movement--not so the Christian. The Christian engages in politics not for the benefit of him or herself as a Christian, or even for the aggrandizement of the Christian movement. Nor is she particularly concerned that all her fellow Christians agree with her in matters political or become politically involved to the same degree as she is. Rather, she is in politics for the sake of those in need, even as she is always ready to give an account of the deeper hope she has for those with whom she works as opportunity knocks. The Christian engages in politics not to gain life but to lose herself in service for others for the sake of Christ and the gospel. Accordingly, to underscore the power of this Christian "losing" Bob suggests that the liturgy might occasionally conclude, not with the words "Go in peace, serve the Lord" but simply, "Get lost."
Bertram's idea of Political Preaching is all too imaginative to capture here in a few words. I've only scratched the surface of all that Bertram has to say. So read for yourself and be prepared to value anew how you might engage in the upcoming political season.
steven kuhl
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C is for
Controversial, which is what both
politics and preaching can be.
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R is for
Risky, which is what preaching is,
based as it is on an itinerant, hillbilly rabbi, Jesus.
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O is for
Overthrow, as in to overthrow the reigning
political priorities, to re-prioritize
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SS is for
Some Suggestions of a practical nature
on how Sunday's preaching becomes the dialogue in Monday's world.
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I-N is for
Intriguing News
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G-S is for
Gracious Scribes
