A Mind Awake

The title may lead you to believe that this is a book about politicians and faith, but that would not be correct. The subtitle reveals the analysis of this study: “How Evangelicals joined the American Elite”.  The book addresses how Evangelicals moved in a short period of time from the periphery to the center of the White House, Wall Street, Education, and Hollywood.

The book is a series of interviews that the author has with prominent Evangelical.  One of his goals is to show how they are bringing a vision of moral leadership into the public square and answer the question “what does this mean for Evangelicals and for America?”  

The interviewees include two former presidents, political and government leaders, business executives, and Hollywood movers and shakers (one of the couples interviewed are Howard and Roberta Ahmanson from my former church in Newport Beach). People who can use their wealth, influence, and ideas to strengthen and expand the Evangelicalism.

Rebecca Manly Pippert commenting on the book said:

Whether you are a disgruntled evangelical who sometimes fear that the media’s caricature of evangelicals is true or a skeptic who dismisses evangelicals as members of the flat-earth society-or something in between- this is the book for you!  Through D. Michael Lindsay;’s first-rate scholarship, we are given a fair and accurate account of who evangelicals really are and how they have influenced our culture for the good.  In our age of divisiveness and distrust, this is a welcome contribution.

I am fortunate to know a person who in my estimation has influenced culture by exercising power in a very different manner.  Mako Fujimura, a good friend of mine, has been recognized by Christianity today (recent cover) as one who is an evangelical who impacts culture.  His art work, integrity, and Christian beliefs speaks volumes to this generation.  In this next year, he will be finishing his term on the National Council on the Arts.  Noted artist and critic Robert Kushner wrote, “The idea of forging a new kind of art, about hope, healing, redemption, refuge, while maintaining visual sophistication and intellectual integrity is a growing movement, one which finds Fujimura’s work at the vanguard.”

I was visiting New York City last week to see the U. S. Open, visit friends, and take in some down time. During one of my walks around the city, I decided to visit the Morgan Library.  There was an exhibition of Three Gutenberg Bibles.

For the first time in more than a decade, The Morgan Library & Museum presents all three of its Gutenberg Bibles, the largest number of copies in any single collection. Three Gutenberg Bibles allows visitors to see important differences in copies of the first substantial printed book in the Western world, an epoch-making technological innovation, yet also a highpoint in the art of graphic design.

There are several obvious differences in the three versions in the Morgan Library–two of the Bibles are printed on paper and one is on vellum, one is a complete copy (one of only five in the United States) and the other two are not.

I have a very basic knowledge of Gutenberg and his Bibles, but this exhibition allowed me to be better informed. I purchased a book that is a good primer for anyone interested in learning about the Gutenberg Bible (the book is based on the Gutenberg Bible at the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA).

If you happen to visit NYC before 9/28/08, do not miss this exhibit.

Over at Kingdom People, Trevin will be wrapping up his series on Gospel Definitions.  I found it very helpful to see how many different scholars and pastors defined the gospel message.  My definition would closely align with Tim Keller’s (though I am waiting to see the N. T. Wright definition) since the main focus is on the Kingdom to renew the world and not merely save us from this world:

The ‘gospel’ is the good news that through Christ the power of God’s kingdom has entered history to renew the whole world. When we believe and rely on Jesus’ work and record (rather than ours) for our relationship to God, that kingdom power comes upon us and begins to work through us.”

Came across an interesting article perusing the Byzantine Catholic web site:

a-tiptoe-through-tulip

The discussion centered around Brother Roger (Taize) who was both in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and a Calvinist pastor - interesting reading.

The Church of England is planning to open wine bars and introduce “loyalty cards” in a package of measures designed to make it more businesslike.  So, the Telegraph tell us in an article on Sunday.

Mark Hope-Urwin, a former executive with the John Lewis department stores chain, has been recruited by Birmingham Cathedral to oversee a radical change to its image and branding.

The wine bars would feature stained-glass windows, pictures on a religious theme and be decorated in “episcopal purple”.

Once again, it appears that the church resorts to marketing to draw people to worship rather than to simply worship God.

Staff would have to be sympathetic to Christianity and times of cathedral services would be posted on the walls.

“Cathedral wine bars should be seen as a potential commercial operation with profits going into the upkeep of the building and paying for evangelistic work.

This isn’t about turning the cathedral into a big money-making machine, but we have to think of how we can change and spread the brand.

“We are in a competitive environment. People have all kinds of distractions in their busy lives and at the moment too many just see the cathedral as a big brick monolith. That has to change if we are to bring people in.”

There comes a point where you think that you have heard it all and then again, maybe not.

Open Thread: So Where Does A Baptist Go For Spiritual Formation?

So….imagine that a Baptist (or other evangelical)- like my dear wife used to be, for example- were to decide that he or she wanted to deepen their spiritual life; to grow spiritually and in spiritual disciplines; to seek out spiritual direction and pursue spiritual formation.

Where would they go within their own evangelical, Protestant tradition to find resources, guidance or direction?

No one knows how many Protestants and Evangelicals develop a hunger for holiness and spiritual growth, then discover that what awaits them in their own tradition is paltry, often shallow and frequently almost completely unaware of what that hunger needs to be satisfied.

I wouldsay that opportunities within the protestant tradition are limited.  My good friend Pete Scazzero has been inmplementing spiritual traditions into his church (New Life Fellowship) and I have written previously about these.  By clicking the church link above, you can download their rule of life, purchase their daily office, or other resources (also see his Emotionally Healthy Spirituality site).

Some great quotes from C.S. Lewis on the topic of Joy:

Joy itself, considered simply as an event in my own mind, turned out to be of no value at all.  All the value lay in that of which Joy was the desiring.

The very nature of Joy makes nonsense of our common distinction between having and wanting.  There, to have is to want and to want is to have.  Thus, the very moment when I longed to be so stabbed again, was itself again such a stabbing.

All Joy (as distinct from mere pleasure, still more amusement) emphasizes our pilgrim status; always reminds, beckons, awakens desire.  Out best havings are wantings.

I have just finished re-reading Piper’s “God is the Gospel’.  Piper states that the church has confused the many blessings of the Gospel with the Gospel itself and has often missed the greatest blessing of the Gospel - God Himself - here are some good quotes:

We are making it plain that there is no salvation through the Gospel where the best and highest and final good in the gospel is not seen and savored. That good is the glory, the worth, the beauty, the treasure of Christ himself who is true God and true man.

If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?

So the way we should say it is that the promise of salvation is part of the gospel, but the actual experience of salvation in particular persons is not part of the gospel, but the result of the gospel.

Until the gospel events of Good Friday and Easter and the gospel promises of justification and eternal life lead you to behold and embrace God himself as your highest jot, you have not embraced the gospel of God.