|
Buddhism, expressed even into such as the musical scene. This trend influenced the Church and society as a member of the Beatles memorably sung “My Sweet Lord”, a song not dedicated to our Lord Jesus, but a pacifistic Far-Eastern deity. In the midst of this time, the “Jesus Movement” began to whole-heartedly embrace the term of Christ as the “Prince of Peace”, but erroneously wrapped his words around worldly teachings and the example of such people as Gandhi. In answer to the horrors of Viet Nam and the Cambodian war, to relieve human strife many of these proponents went on hunger strikes... or sometimes demonstrated in the extreme by setting themselves on fire. Their pacifist inaction, therefore, became an action expressed in violence that often went inward rather than outward. However, the resultant movement did not stay internal. The marchers and followers of peaceful resistance often created a temper which boiled over into confrontation with authorities, and such strife as the Kent State riots resulted. Therefore considering this rather active inactivity, consider the counterpoint. Speaking against this position of pacifist theology, Richard Niebuhr’s brother countered with the Christian recognition that we are sinners who live in a sinful world. (see St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, Chapter 3, verse 23). As sinners we Christians are redeemed by the cross of Christ. We are called then |
|
to work while both sinners and saints in the world. Thus we read… "Love may qualify the social struggle of history but it will never abolish it, and those who make the attempt to bring society under the dominion of perfect love will die on the cross. And those who behold the cross are quite right in seeing it as a revelation of the divine, of what man ought to be but cannot be, at least not so long as he is enmeshed in the processes of history." (Reinhold Niebuhr, of Union Theological Seminary, NY)
Therefore, Reinhold took what I perceive as a rather Lutheran position. By saying we shall "never abolish it... he echoed a sentiment expressed by Martin Luther during the troubles of the Reformation era. To abbreviate Luther's Reformation-era position, it was simply stated that when all socially acceptable human endeavors are ended and nothing righteous seems to work… “sin boldly, but believe more boldly still.” |
|
We thus found Luther being asked to take sides during civil strife against rebels within the German state of his day. There was a loss of life involved then, as is now. Therefore living in a fallen world, Reinhold Niebuhr stated.., "Christians cannot act as if the reign of God has already been established, and must sometimes use force to protect the innocent."
We today find that the period following the Viet Nam War gave opportunity toward enlisting the Church into socialist revolution. |
|
Click picture to view our automotive videos! |
|
Steer Toward Kingdom Fulfillment |
|
Click Here To Fight Abortion! |
|
Just War... |