Monday, May 7, 2007

Thoughts a Republican thinks when he marries a really cute Democrat...

Greta and I used to participate in a small group. This group—filled with bright, young married couples—was a rather eclectic crew. We had Texans, Yankees, mid-westerners, and us, the token left-coasters.

One day in group I mentioned how I had seen a funny bumper sticker that week that read, “Why Care About The Poor When You Can Be A Single-Issue Voter?” One of the members of my group said, “What do you mean?” I proceeded to explain how Christians have ignored concern for the poor while only trumpeting the issue of abortion. This group member then grew animated and began her retort with, “You know what the problem is? We already give too much to the poor.” I shan’t tell you the rest in order to protect the guilty party.

I tell this story because I’ve had politics on my mind a lot lately. I would love to see ’08 be the year that Christians finally decide to vote the whole Bible. Certainly, abortion is an important issue, but it’s one of many issues we need to take seriously. The teachings of God’s Word should influence our thinking regarding the poor, peace, the environment, and a host of other “issues.” The whole Bible—not just selected topics—should be on our minds when we go to the polling place.

The other night, Greta read an excerpt from Sojourners that mentioned that a few evangelical “leaders” were calling for the removal of the vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals because he was getting behind the fight against global warming and deviating from the apparently pre-approved platform of promoting the family—whatever that means—and the fight against abortion. Could we be a little more well-rounded? These leaders don’t represent my thinking nor my faith. My Bible simply won’t excuse such political myopia.

What issues does your faith make important to you?

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

The Once and Future Graduate...

In an exercise of complete anti-climax, seminary has ended...except for not.

My spring semester is over. Since I'm doing the hooded walk on Saturday, May 12, I had to get all my stuff in early. Kinda sucked then, but really nice now, 'cause all I have to do is show for class (a task that has grown shockingly difficult). So, how have I celebrated my new-found freedom? By starting on my work for summer school.

See, I get to walk on Saturday and then go to class on Monday. Funny how that happens when you've only finished 117 of the 120 units. I still have to take my last Greek class, which covers Romans.

I'm really not in the mood to do school work. Everything around me says, Relax and do nothing for a while. You've really earned it. Everything around me, that is, other than the Greek New Testament I've started lugging around again. It says things I don't feel like translating into English.

Somehow, it will get done. It has to. I just don't feel like doing it myself. Maybe it will be easier if I put on my robe and hood and then translate Romans...nope, even harder.

In other semi-related news: Getting a job is hard. Swallowing my sizeable ego and being willing to obeidently do whatever job God has in store for me: super difficult. I'll have to update. You know, in all that pseudo-spare time.