A Call to Write an Anabaptist Worldview Book
Someone who is well-read and reasoned needs to write a cogent, comprehensive,
philosophically satisfying book that defines and argues for the philosophy of Anabaptism, particularly as it pertains to the many aspects of our culture (the arts, law, the government, etc.).
I think this because though there are Christian thinkers who have supplied the world with that kind of writing (Francis Scheaffer and C.S. Lewis, for instance), they have done it from the traditional Christian view which insists that Christians are duty-bound to use politics to change the culture and participate in wars as called upon by their country.
Scheaffer's argument is that Christians must engage the culture in every arena, politics and law and the arts included, thus allowing Christ to be Lord of every area of life. That makes sense, more sense in some ways than the Anabaptist view that essentially requires us to designate a few areas of life as "off-limits" to the Christian's direct influence.
But if a "two kingdoms," non-resistant perspective is truly Biblical, there must be a satisfying philosophy that can be built up around it.
Thus, someone should write a book. I'll even give you a title.
The Anabaptist Worldview: Loving the Whole World (and changing it)
Ok, so I'm not a headline writer, but I think it's a book that needs to be written.
posted by Byran @ 12:03 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
When someone comes to me and says, "Somebody/the minister/the minister's wife ought to do something about that troubled marriage/the way the teenage girls dress/the young guys sitting in the foyer during church", I tell them that the ones that notice the problem are almost always the ones God is calling to do something about it.
Hmmmmmm...????
One of the reasons I want someone to write a book is that I haven't been able to come up with a satisfying philosophy to go with the Anabaptist interpretation!
Did you ever hear of John Howard Yoder? He was, in the words of a recent bibliography, a man with "Mennonite patience, Evangelical witness, and catholic convictions. He was really the first man to ever put the philosophy of Mennonites into a cogent theological argument. Read his books with an open-mind.... you may find your worldview strengthened and enriched.
I'd recommend starting with Politics of Jesus, and A Christian's Witness to the State, and after that perhaps Discipleship as a Political Responsibility, and Body Politics. Good luck!
Thanks Arthur! I guess I was rather arrogant, to think that if I hadn't heard of such a book, then one didn't exist. I will add these to my reading list.
hmm.. why is that the religious world needs more books? Are we trying to convince others through our writings or the spirit which we carry?
Don't take offence, just my observations, that His plan was to always have the Spirit direct, and Teach.
If you're not satisfied go to the Source.
You know, anon, I've been processing things like what you're saying. Some people emphasize (like it seems you are) experience or objectivity in their faith. In fact, it seems like that's what God emphasizes when he talks of childlike faith. But I can't get away from the need for my faith to rest on objective truth, and it seems like one of the ways we can get to objective truth is through reason. Thus, books.
Reason, is a dangerous thing when it comes to matters of Faith. I tell my children Reason would make it seem that the fossil she found indicates that Dinosaurs roamed, Faith in the Word shows me that creation was built with age, and thus many of the things we can "reason" are maybe there as a test of our faith.
The faith of a child. Yes this is where we need to get. Jesus was amazed at the centurion. 'Speak the word only'. My wifes gfather is a mennonite and it saddens me to now see that his daily reading has turned from the Word to many other religious writings, which just introduce new ideas, thoughts etc.
btw are there blog sites for the others in AHQ? Saw ITF. nice singing btw. Going to get me a cd.
Ah, I agree reason is dangerous, but so is God! I don't mean to equate reason with God, but my point is that dangerous things are not necessarily evil. College is dangerous, spiritual warfare is dangerous. In fact, working on the front lines of any battle is just begging to be attacked. But we need to go run to the battle! And one battle to be fought is the battle of thought.
David writes at: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=vocal_chordz
Anon, when you pull out reason out of faith your treading on a dangereous path. By the way many scientist today would say that science backs up Creation. Science would prove for instance that we live on a very young earth.
I am reminded of our Christian Evidence class taught by Walter Beachy. Remember By? I know I can't say it like him, but he told us that evidence is like building blocks that bring us closer to the truth that we believe is God's word. He said you will never be able to build up totally to the truth. The bridge that seperates Truth from evidence is faith, but the more evidence we have stacked up the stronger our bridge of faith will get. Did I say that right? Anyway, I also don't buy this whole thing that you should read nothing but the Bible. We can learn a lot from each other, and even though we should measure every book with the Bible I think it is rather arrogant of us to assume that no one else can teach us anything through books.
A book that has really helped me in one area of the Anabaptist beliefs, in the area of the covering and headship is the book "Let Her be Veiled..." I'm not sure of the author cause I've lent it out so much, and I don't have the book any more, but maybe you could find it or someone else would know. It really grounded me in my belief of the veiling. It's look at the Scriptures honestly in that area.
I'm fairly convinced that a decent book on "an anabaptist worldview" would have to start by disavowing the very concept of "worldview" in the first place! ;-)
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