Lean to the left, lean to the right...

Stand up, Sit down, vote, vote, vote
A friend who is a pastor referenced an article by Jim Wallis at the Huffington Post which only reinforces the difficulty I have with the easy generalizing trap we sometimes fall into.  What does it mean to be "evangelical"?   


The good news -- the Good News -- is that Jesus came to save sinners, of whom I am chief.  But did He come to save me so that I am part of His club (yay!  I am now IN!  Heaven is my reward!)?  Or did He save me so that I can be part of His movement which is supposed to remake this world?


What do we do after we believe?  And how then should we live?



Am I left or am I right?  It's not that simple.  Well, maybe it's simple, but not easy.  

Holy Heck, Batman, I think I may be emergent!

The Emergent Church
OK, what even does this mean?  There are so many diverse creatures tagged with this label that pegging them down categorically is pretty much impossible.  But like the gnostics from long ago (or from today, even), there appear to be some common themes.  Among them seem to be a commitment to social justice, to LIVING out one's faith explicitly and openly.  The emergents (to risk generalizing) seem to value RIGHT LIVING over RIGHT THINKING (which of course presents a false dichotomy -- one cannot actually LIVE rightly without also THINKING rightly).  But the emphasis would seem to be about what you do, rather than what you think.

Hmmm, this reminds me of something.  Oh, I know, it kind of sort of sounds like Jesus.  You can read about it in His Bible:

"He has told you, O man, what is good;
   and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
   and to walk humbly with your God?"
I just wish they did not play so loosey-goosey with sound doctrine.