Friday, June 22, 2012

Piper is playing it safe

So Piper and some other conservative evangelical pastors are staying out of the marriage fight according to StarTribune. From the article:
"Don't press the organization of the church or her pastors into political activism," Piper said during his sermon, posted on Bethlehem Baptist Church's website. "Expect from your shepherds not that they would rally you behind political candidates or legislative mandates, but they would point you over and over again to God and to his word."
Piper had been under pressure from conservative groups to weigh in on the amendment, according to his spokesman David Mathis, adding that Piper did not hold back over concerns the church could lose its tax-exempt status.
"Basically our position is, we're not taking one as a church," Mathis said. "And by addressing this in June rather than October or early November, there's no effort here for political expediency, trying to get certain votes out of people."
"He [Piper] wants to avoid the political realm as much as possible. The Christian Gospel is not left, it's not right. It is what it is."

As a pastor, this is a safe position. I won't lie. It is a safe position. Piper and the other guys not commenting politically on the issue can hold up their hands and say, "Hey, we're outta this fight. We have no comment." They can't catch heat for saying there should be a federal law banning homosexual marriages or even state laws banning homosexual marriage. They also can't catch heat for saying homosexual marriage is "cool" and "alright with me and my flock" because they didn't endorse homosexual marriage either. While they are staying "safe" on the issue I think they also messed up in some ways.

Piper didn't condone homosexual sex. He said that such a thing is sinful and the only sex a Christian can have is in a heterosexual marriage. So he didn't mess up theologically, but he did mess up by just playing it safe. Why? Because the serious thinkers on both sides of the issue won't take him seriously. How can they? Playing it safe regarding issues is weak. I don't think Piper should have yelled fire and brimstone from his pulpit declaring all who have homosexual sex are going straight to hell if they don't repent and become Christians. I don't think that is the correct action to take at all. He could have said the following: "Our church isn't going to take an official position on the issue, but here's my reasoning for thinking homosexual marriage is harmful to society." Phrasing it that way leaves the church out of the fight, but keeps Piper from looking weak. If you present good reasons for having a position, then you don't have to play it safe and have no comment on public policy. However, if your reasoning is weak and totally dependent on revelation then you do have to play it safe, meaning you can't comment on issues like this.

When I hear people say, "Christianity isn't Left or Right" I cringe on the inside because that statement is a crock of crap. Really? You think Christianity isn't Left or Right? What Bible did you read? Socially Christianity is "Right" or I guess the better word would be conservative. People who say that Jesus, Paul, and the others were socially neutral or that they embraced all flavors of lifestyle choices are blinded. Christianity is right-of-center on social issues and I would even argue right-of-center on fiscal issues as well.

This might read harsh to you all, but I think it's worth thinking about. If you don't want Christianity, the full-blown one hundred percent real-deal then choose something else. Really. If you're not comfortable with Christianity being socially Right then go to something else. Don't try to lodge the pieces of the Christian worldview you like into your Leftist worldview puzzle. I think it's ridiculous to try and make Christianity something it isn't, don't you? Now we Christians don't have to stand for our positions in a harsh, rude, ignorant, and violent way; I'm not advocating conversion by the sword. What I am an advocate of is discourse on the issues in a reasoned and gracious manner. Why are we for traditional marriage? Then give reasons 1, 2, 3, and so on. Why are we for abstinence until marriage? Then give the reasons. Our reasons aren't just from the Bible, but from other sources as well. I'm not convinced that Jesus, Paul, and the early church fathers only used the OT as their reasoning for the Christian worldview. We have reason. Let's use it.

I think Piper will still catch heat from both sides of the aisle. Also, I think did a disservice to Christian theism because he essentially made the traditional marriage position look totally faith-based when in fact it isn't a faith-based position.

UPDATE
John Piper argues that same-sex marriage could threaten religious liberty


Links

Key Minnesota pastors opt out of marriage fight

Secular Case Against Same-Sex Marriage



8 comments:

  1. "When I hear people say, "Christianity isn't Left or Right" I cringe on the inside because that statement is a crock of crap. Really? You think Christianity isn't Left or Right? What Bible did you read? Socially Christianity is "Right" or I guess the better word would be conservative. People who say that Jesus, Paul, and the others were socially neutral or that they embraced all flavors of lifestyle choices are blinded. Christianity is right-of-center on social issues and I would even argue right-of-center on fiscal issues as well.

    This might read harsh to you all, but I think it's worth thinking about. If you don't want Christianity, the full-blown one hundred percent real-deal then choose something else. Really. If you're not comfortable with Christianity being socially Right then go to something else."


    I appreciate your subtlety!

    ReplyDelete
  2. haha thanks. I don't understand how anyone can think Christianity isn't socially right-of-center.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I never say "Christianity isn't right or left" because it is ultimately right. If you don't believe that, try to maintain a consistent biblical worldview, and then go out and talk to a die-hard liberal. What I usually say instead is "Christianity isn't Republican or Democrat," because that deals with specific political parties with specific agendas.

    As for Piper et. al., while this makes me sad, it also doesn't surprise me. Given Piper's fellowship with and adamant defense of Rick Warren (the KING of playing it safe when it comes to hot topics) as well as his gradual dabbling with the Charismatic movement, this isn't altogether strange.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "I don't understand how anyone can think Christianity isn't socially right-of-center."

    What bothers me is that Biblical Christianity used to be in the CENTER of this country instead of "right of center."

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ Tony.

    Yeah, I wouldn't say Christianity is Republican because there are Republicans who aren't on the Right. Parties change.

    I haven't ever been a Piper fan because of his hedonism and his flirtation with the Charismatic movement. I get Reformed Theology from Sproul, the White Horse Inn guys, Koukl and Macarthur. Those are very solid guys.

    Do you think the source of Piper's associations with odd Christian movements is an attempt to "unify" Christian denominations?

    @ Truth.....
    haha, yeah I know what you mean.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Seth;

    What do you mean by Piper's "hedonism"? I'm just curious.

    Sproul, Michael Horton & Co. at the White Horse Inn, and MacArthur are all good guys (not familiar with Koukl). Obviously they and I have some theological disagreements, but nothing brothers in Christ can have disagreements with. I also listen to James White's Dividing Line podcast.

    I don't know if Piper's associations with odd Christian movements is "an attempt to 'unify' Christian denominations." I don't want to second-guess his motivations, but personally I think part of it is the same problem Dave Hunt ran into. When you start a ministry that gets popular, a lot of people start to look to you as a sort of prophet, and as a result you might start to reach a level of infallibility where you feel freer to make bolder decisions and become more defensive of criticism. Which means, of course, your mistakes start to grow, and get more and more serious. Happens in all modes of leadership, and pastors aren't immune to it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Piper's hedonism, from desiring god's site, http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/we-want-you-to-be-a-christian-hedonist

    "Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—pleasure in him.

    By Christian Hedonism, we do not mean that our happiness is the highest good. We mean that pursuing the highest good will always result in our greatest happiness in the end. We should pursue this happiness, and pursue it with all our might. The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy you cannot love man or please God.

    Some people are inclined to believe that Christians are supposed to seek God’s will as opposed to pursuing their own pleasure. But what makes Biblical morality different than worldly hedonism is not that Biblical morality is disinterested and duty-driven, but that it is interested in vastly greater and purer things. Christian Hedonism is Biblical morality because it recognizes that obeying God is the only route to final and lasting happiness"

    I don't think man, especially the Christian man, is to pursue happiness even if you're pursuing happiness in God's direction. Happiness shouldn't ever be a goal because seeking something that is, how should I say it, flighty or loose isn't very smart. Faithfulness is what our goal should be. I agree with the Westminster catechism that "the chief end (or goal) of man is to glorify God." If the Christian is faithful to God and that goal, then happiness will take care of itself. Happiness will come and go. I'll enjoy it when it's around and thank God for it. When it's not, I will do my best to trust in God and be faithful to thanking Him for what I do have in my life. Seeking happiness and pleasure even in a "godly" fashion is a mistake I think because it can only bring disappointment when happiness isn't around.

    No, pastors aren't immune to thinking of themselves as what their flock projects onto them, which is sad.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for the link, I was actually unaware of that whole thing. I just wouldn't like the phrase "hedonism" being attached to Christianity.

    ReplyDelete

Reformed Seth appreciates and encourages your comments, but we do have guidelines for posting comments:

1. Avoid profanities or foul language unless it is contained in a necessary quote.

2. Stay on topic.

3. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem attacks.

4. Threats are treated seriously and reported to law enforcement.

5. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.

Thanks!