Several months ago I drove to Western Pennsylvania with my
two daughters for a family reunion. We spent several days near the Ohio
border. There was plenty to eat and drink as we progressed through a
delightful three-day weekend. But perhaps more memorable were some of my
conversations with other guests.
In particular, I had a long chat with my cousin Peter whom I
had not seen for 30 years. He is a few years younger than me, and works
in some capacity as a medical researcher.
At one point, I remarked to Peter how beautiful was the
little church that I had passed on my way to that night's family
gathering. Peter agreed, but added that as he saw religious faith, it was
not about beautiful buildings and ritual ---- it was about strict adherence to
some basic Gospel principles. He explained that he was an evangelical
Christian, and to him salvation by faith was all about the sin-atoning death of
Jesus Christ, which he had come to believe in through personal conversion,
meaning that he believed that his life had needed to be changed. Equally
important to him, he said, was the authority of Scripture, and the importance
of sharing the Christian message, as contrasted with mere church ritual.
At that point, I had to sit down. Peter was a bit
wound up now, so I thought I had better ask him some questions about
evangelical Christianity. He told me that "evangelicals" do not
form a distinct denomination ---- it is an umbrella term applicable in varying
degrees, across many Protestant denominations.
Peter explained that American evangelism has had two core
convictions: (1.) that a personal encounter with the risen Christ is necessary
for our salvation ---- the change in our lives that leads us to reject sinful
acts and thoughts, substituting a more holy daily life. (2.) that
Scripture offers a trustworthy guide to God's will for humankind. All
evangelicals believe in biblical inspiration, he said, though they disagree
over how this inspiration should be defined. However, they believe that
their interpretation of Scripture is incapable of error.
Peter told me that ever since American evangelism broke with
the mainline Protestant churches more than 100 years ago, the hallmark of
evangelical theology was a vision of modern society as a sinking ship, sliding
toward depravity and sin. He said that for evangelicals, the call of the
church altar was the only life raft ---- the chance to accept Jesus Christ, and
thus rebirth and salvation.
I was glad he had brought our conversation back to the
centrality of Jesus Christ. So, I asked him what he meant by "a
personal encounter with the risen Christ"? Did Jesus appear to Peter
in a dream, was there a distinct voice in the darkness of night, or did
something happen on a mountain top? How did he know that there had been a
"personal encounter" with the risen Christ, in Peter's life?
Peter said he had read the Gospels over and over, so he
already had an intellectual understanding about Jesus Christ, even though it
left some questions unanswered. But at some point, he said, he had begun
to feel an emotional attachment to Jesus. He continued, "This
analogy is quite simplistic, but it was a bit like my courtship with the girl I
eventually married. When we were dating, initially I learned much about
her interests, friends and life experiences. She learned many factual
things about me. At some point I began to have feelings for her, as well
as factual knowledge. On an emotional level we began to have sort of a
'personal encounter'. I thought about her a lot, even when we were not
together."
"I continued to have some of my old impulses and
appetites," Peter continued, "but I could see myself moving closer to
her impulses and her way of seeing the world. Then, whenever we
were together, we felt really close. I think a 'personal encounter' with
Jesus is somewhat like that. It is a process, over time. When
people say they have been 'born again,' I believe that they are simply saying
that they have now progressed to the point in a long-term process where they know
they are in love with each other. And my 'personal encounter' with Jesus
Christ was like that."
"These days," said Peter, "many younger
evangelicals take a less fatalistic view. For them, the 'born again'
experience of accepting Jesus is just the beginning. What follows"
he said "is the long-term process of 'spiritual formation' which involves
applying the teachings of Jesus in the here and now. Modern evangelicals do
not see society as a sinking ship. They talk more about the biblical
imperative to repair the ship by contributing to the betterment of their
communities and the world."
Peter noted that modern evangelicals support traditional
charities, but also public policies that address health care, racial equality,
poverty and the environment. Beginning in the 1970's, he said, emphasis
seems to have shifted from just winning souls, to also saving bodies ----
evangelical mission became as much about making the world a better place as it
was about populating heaven.
Peter went on to say, " We shouldn't allow a child to
live under a bridge or on the back seat of a car. We shouldn't be
satisfied if elderly people are being abused or neglected, even though they are
living in a nursing home." Peter the evangelist, really resonated
with me when he said, "You can't just say 'respect life' and mean it
exclusively for unborn babies."
Quoting evangelical pastor Rick Warren, Peter suggested that
if more Christians worked to alleviate needs in their local communities, the
church would become known more for the love it shows, than what it is against.
At the end of the evening, I thanked cousin Peter for
sharing so frankly his approach to faith. At first, I had been a little
overwhelmed, but Peter had left me with much to think about. I especially
remember his closing comment about today's evangelicals. "People in
my age group are much more attracted to participatory theology," he
had said, "and are resistant to being told what to think or do."
As my daughters and I drove back to New Jersey the next day,
I recalled my conversation with Peter and wondered ---- are there not some
members of CPC who would be very happy embracing some of the modern evangelical
theology? Perhaps I am one of them!
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These thoughts are brought to you by CPC's Adult
Spiritual Development Team, hoping to encourage some personal spiritual growth
for you this winter at CPC.
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