The Two Kingdoms

The Two Kingdoms
by HANS SCHNELL, ca. 1575

Appearing for the first time in English is this essay found in a handwritten book owned by an Emmenthaler farmer. It is the “rod and staff” of Anabaptist belief— the doctrine of separation from the world.

Little is known about Hans Schnell except that he was a Swiss Brethren Anabaptist who sometimes went by the name Hans Beck. In 1541 his wife Margarete was imprisoned for her faith; he himself left the faith for some 14 years, but had returned by 1575 and was an elder, baptizing and preaching at night in the fields in the area of Urbach and Gottingen in south Germany.

This version is excerpted from a translation by Leonard Gross and Elizabeth Horsch Bender.

There are two different kingdoms on earth—namely, the kingdom of this world and the peaceful kingdom of Christ. These two kingdoms cannot share or have communion with each other.

The people in the kingdom of this world are born of the flesh, are earthly and carnally minded. The people in the kingdom of Christ are reborn of the Holy Spirit, live according to the Spirit, and are spiritually minded. The people in the kingdom of the world are equipped for fighting with carnal weapons—spear, sword, armor, guns and powder. The people in Christ’s kingdom are equipped with spiritual weapons—the armor of God, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit to fight against the devil, the world, and their own flesh, together with all that arises against God and his Word. The people in the kingdom of this world fight for a perishable crown and an earthly kingdom. The people in Christ’s kingdom fight for an imperishable crown.

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The Gleaners

Just War (3)

Some thoughts from Lee Camp, a professor at Lipscomb University:

Particularly in our modern era, seldom has the just war tradition worked in practice. Few "just war Christians" have ever used the criteria to actually decide whether they would or would not fight in a particular war. In fact, I find few among my students who have ever heard a single sermon on the just war tradition. We have a vague assumption that it is legitimate to fight in certain wars, but we do not train ourselves to make the discerning judgments required. Most often, the just war tradition appears to be empty rhetoric. Even when the bishops conclude that a given situation is not legitimated by the just war tradition, the church as a whole appears unprepared to make the moral stand necessary against a government steadfastly preparing to wage war.

Just War (2)

Here are the criteria for a "Just War."

War can only be waged for a just cause, such as self-defense against an armed attack.
War can only be waged under legitimate authority.
War can only be waged with the right intention. War can only be waged with a reasonable chance of success.
War can only be waged as a last resort.

Peace (7)

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

Peace (6)

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all (1 Thessalonians 5:15 NKJV).

The "Just War"

The "Just War" concept specifies criteria, that if met, certify that a given war is "just." If the criteria are not met, the war is considered unjust. This is supposed to provide a way for Christians to determine if participation in a given war is a violation of the faith.

Peace (5)

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9).

War and Peace

Sounds like a great name for a novel, doesn't it? For the last 1700 years or so, Christians have had two streams of thought about their participation in warfare.

The early church seemed to have the view that Christians should not participate in war. This is clearly expressed in some of the writings of the early church "fathers." Some feel it is also clearly expressed in the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus.

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword."

Around 1700 years ago the Roman Empire was ruled by Constantine; he made the empire "Christian." This created a situation where the citizens were not only citizens, but "Christians," as well. The theologian Augustine came up with the idea we know as the "Just War" (as opposed to an "unjust" war).

Evangelism, Outside Politics

This is an editorial from today's "USA Today" about Billy Graham. I think that the editorial writer is "on to something" about Graham, that perhaps many Christians have lost sight of.

Evangelism, Outside Politics

On his mountaintop retreat in North Carolina, Billy Graham sits apart from his brethren of the Christian Right. The world's most famous evangelist is not a combatant in their culture wars. Nor does he join in their politicking over judgeships, filibusters, gay marriage or other issues. Graham's principal message is simple: God loves all his children and will never forsake them, not even the sinners.

But as he prepares for his 417th crusade, his style of evangelizing is not as in vogue as it once was. Many of today's evangelists are more strident and less inclusive than he — and more likely to blur the lines between religion and politics.

At 86 and in failing health, it's perhaps inevitable that Graham's influence wouldn't be what it once was, when he filled arenas around the world day after day. Still, it is hard to read the vivid portrait of him in Monday's USA TODAY without feeling a sense of loss.

These days it's often difficult to see where religion ends and politics begin. Take, for instance, the effort by religious groups to confirm conservative judges. The zeal they expressed in a recent nationwide televised event from a church in Louisville is the type that once would have been reserved for spreading the gospel or tending to the needy.

Political engagement is, of course, their right and not unique to any single faith, but it comes with a cost. As religious leaders become more involved in politics, they risk making religion more a vehicle for exerting power over non-believers than for persuading skeptics to join the faith.

They also invite a sullied image. Politics is inherently messy, controversial, full of awkward compromises and sometimes corrupt. Religion strives for something higher and more permanent.

Graham, who has been associated with every president of recent decades and was once criticized for his closeness to Richard Nixon, seems keenly aware of the dangers. "If I took sides in all these different divisive areas, I would cut off a great part of the people that I really want to reach," he says now.

Next month, Graham will take his brand of preaching to New York for the first time since he packed Central Park in 1991. His event will be sponsored by more than 1,300 Protestant and Catholic churches with different views on a number of issues.

It will not be tied to any specific event in Washington. It will not be strident. In other words, it will be a refreshing change.

Peace (4)

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High (Luke 6:35).

Peace (3)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world (2 Corinthians 10:3-4).

Peace (2)

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy (Hebrews 12:14).

Peace (1)

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).

Amish Women and the Feminist Conundrum

The following is the first paragraph of an article called Amish Women and the Feminist Conundrum by Olshan and Kimberly Schmidt.

What are we to make of Amish women? Their acceptance of traditional gender roles, their overt submission to male authority, and their indifference to demands for the liberation of women would appear to put them squarely at odds with the objectives of feminism. Yet even the briefest contact with Amish women throws this conclusion into doubt. Their quiet self-confidence, strength and clarity of purpose, and unassuming self-respect are all attributes actively sought by feminists. These attributes are nourished by the high regard with which women are held in Amish society. The level of recognition they receive in their unabashedly patriarchal society is still being sought by feminists in the society around them.

Jim Dobson and Imus

James Dobson has had a real influence on our efforts towards making a Christian family. When our first child was an infant, around 1986, we began to discover the challenges of teaching and disciplining children. ...How? ....When? ...Why? ...Where? We didn't have a clue and we knew we didn't have a clue.

Then Carolyn's sister Margo recommended a little book called Dare to Discipline. We read it and agreed immediately that it was exactly what we needed. By no means did we do it all perfectly (we're still learning), but Dobson's book was exactly what we needed and I still recommend it to friends.

In those days, Dr. Dobson's mission was to help us be better parents and have stronger marriages and he has done (and is doing) that very well. But these days, he has added another mission- finding and trying to implement political solutions to the moral challenges of the 21st century. I've no doubt that he is sincere and wants to obey what he feels that God is calling him to do. I've no doubt that he is not seeking personal power, but is only seeking to do good and I respect him for it.

But I also feel that he's dead wrong to pursue political solutions to spiritual problems (at root, all "moral" failures are spiritual problems, whether one is a Christian or not). That would be like trying to chop celery with a file. The media is having a field day with him and doing their best to make him look like an idiot, or worse. This morning on the way to work I heard a radio clip of Imus (the radio personality from WFAN in NY) slamming Dobson. (It was the ad hominem approach to debating- a cheap rhetorical trick- to ridicule the man instead of countering the man's argument.)

I feel bad for the man. I wish he hadn't made himself (and Christians in general) a target. When Christians do the wrong thing for the right reasons it discredits Christ. Better to simply be Salt and Light and communicate the love of Christ to those around us. To try to be Elijah or John and attempt to make the unbelieving world conform to Christian ethics will always be a losing battle.

The gospel certainly changes lives- but one life at a time.

Beechwood Vehicle Reconditioning

Today was supposed to be our first job but the weather isn't cooperating. A month ago Christopher and I designed flyers for a new business, Beechwood Auto Reconditioning, and he began distributing them in the neighborhood. Last week we got a call from someone with an SUV who wanted us to do "the works-" cleaning the interior, washing, and waxing.

I hope this works out as a summer business for he and I to do together. And at 15, he gets bored and needs something constructive to do. With my help he'll keep the books- recording expenses and income so he can learn by experience the concepts of running a small business and how to determine if we're actually making money.

Wise or Foolish?

"But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man...."

Jesus' teachings that precede this statement (in chapters 5-7 of the Gospel of Matthew) are pretty amazing.

The Beantown Shuttle

Last Sunday I spent the day schlepping our van to Boston with my daughter. It was dented while in a parking garage there a few weeks ago. It's being repaired, courtesy of the garage, and tomorrow I'm going back to pick it up.