"the most stubborn heresy in the history of monotheism is the belief that God chooses people for exclusive privilege, not for missional responsibility"
Leslie Newbiggin
I've spent a bit of my time over the weekend biting my tongue - why do I always find myself working right by the exhibition stand promoting a view of Israel that is so pro-zionist it is just untrue, - or is it spin (same thing)? That's what dodgy eschatology gets you. And don't get me started on prosperity...
But I was reading - and aspiring to be generously orthodox. Sting and McLaren - a heady mix, in a strange context. Me - generous? - big ask. Maybe I'm the dodgy one?
Seriously - I am dodgy. I confess - I'd have loved to be with my friends at Greenbelt - but that would have been a copout.
Look again at the gathering where I was - 10,000 plus Christians - and the demographic was the big wake-up call. Loads of tattoos - obese people - handicapped people - in short not a middle class doctor to be seen (well not by me) - the demographic was - normal! The stewards included 90 recovering addicts (from Betel) - fantastic people! (great to see them all wearing the tshirts I made last week) Betel (a WEC ministry) epitomises missional responsibility for me.
OK - so very little fair trade - not much recycling. But a whole load of normal people.
The Irony - the exclusive privilege gospel.
Sadly that can be found pretty well anywhere.
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