1) The document discusses different perspectives on issues like just war theory, nonviolence, and the role of governments. It acknowledges merit in multiple approaches but expresses more agreement with views that see nonviolence as an extraordinary virtue rather than a political imperative.
2) It notes the complexity of these issues and that reasonable people can disagree, emphasizing the need to avoid caricatures. Moral stances are often combined in various ways and influenced by empirical disagreements.
3) The author believes the teachings of Jesus are primarily about an intimate, trusting relationship with God rather than ethics or morality. This has moral implications but is not itself a moral proposition.
This is a study of Jesus being not divided. The church of Corinth was divided but it was contrary to the nature and will of Jesus and Paul fights for Christian unity to glorify Christ.
This is a study of Jesus being not divided. The church of Corinth was divided but it was contrary to the nature and will of Jesus and Paul fights for Christian unity to glorify Christ.
Various Rules of Interreligious DialogueRobert Munson
For the most part a collection of lists of guidelines, rules, principles, or attitudes that are relevant to productive interreligious or interfaith dialogue. www.munsonmissions.org
Storying-- Redemptive Analogies, and Metaphors in Cross-Cultural MinistryRobert Munson
Looks at the utilization of stories and metaphors of various types by cross-cultural ministers/missionaries. Special emphasis is placed on parables as a means of seeking positive cultural transformation.
Various Rules of Interreligious DialogueRobert Munson
For the most part a collection of lists of guidelines, rules, principles, or attitudes that are relevant to productive interreligious or interfaith dialogue. www.munsonmissions.org
Storying-- Redemptive Analogies, and Metaphors in Cross-Cultural MinistryRobert Munson
Looks at the utilization of stories and metaphors of various types by cross-cultural ministers/missionaries. Special emphasis is placed on parables as a means of seeking positive cultural transformation.
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. identify the moral challenges of globalization
2. compare responses to shared moral dilemmas of baby boomers and millennials
3. state qualities of the filinnials
4. construct a plan for the coping with the challenges of globalization .
divine omnipotence, divine omniscience, divine omnibenevolence, divine attributes, divine omnipathy, polydoxy, theodicy, problem of evil, miracles, soft power, weak power, the hobbit, the annunciation, the incarnation, ivan karamazov and the grand inquisitor, mary's fiat, the passion of jesus, axis of...
Also found in:miracles, theodicy, the hobbit, divine attributes, the incarnation, the annunciation, polydoxy, soft power, problem of evil, marys fiat, axis of codependency, axis of cocreativity, divine omnipathy, divine omnipotence, divine omniscience, weak power, apathetic indifference, divine omnibenevolence, ivan karamazov and the grand inquisitor, the passion of jesus
metaphysics, natural theology, philosophical theology, theology of nature, john haught, joseph bracken, philip clayton, david ray griffin, a.n. whitehead, charles sanders peirce, charles hartshorne, john milbank, catherine keller, thomas oord, monica coleman, tripp fuller, panentheism, john caputo, process theology, evolutionary epistemology, fallibilism, john sobert sylvest, malunkyaputta, nominalism, essentialism, univocity of being, analogy of being, god concept, epistemic indeterminacy, ontological undecidability, entropic erasure, problem of induction, godel's incompleteness theorems, infinite semiosis, self authenticity, self transcendence, self actualization, soteriological trajectory, sophiological trajectory, polydoxy, radical orthodoxy, radical hermeneutics, homebrewed christianity
aurobindo, tony jones, crystal downing, charles sanders peirce, amos yong, john sobert sylvest, leonard sweet, brian mclaren, panentheism, panen-theism, pan-entheism, triadic sign, semiotic science, pansemioentheism, pan-semio-entheism, polydoxy, theology of nature
dorothy day, anarchist, pacifist, anarchism, pacifism, distributism, communitarian, corporal works of mercy, spiritual works of mercy, coercive government, anti-statist, preferential option for the poor, preferential option for the marginalized
What Should be the Christian View of Anime?Joe Muraguri
We will learn what Anime is and see what a Christian should consider before watching anime movies? We will also learn a little bit of Shintoism religion and hentai (the craze of internet pornography today).
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way.pptxCelso Napoleon
Lesson 9 - Resisting Temptation Along the Way
SBs – Sunday Bible School
Adult Bible Lessons 2nd quarter 2024 CPAD
MAGAZINE: THE CAREER THAT IS PROPOSED TO US: The Path of Salvation, Holiness and Perseverance to Reach Heaven
Commentator: Pastor Osiel Gomes
Presentation: Missionary Celso Napoleon
Renewed in Grace
The PBHP DYC ~ Reflections on The Dhamma (English).pptxOH TEIK BIN
A PowerPoint Presentation based on the Dhamma Reflections for the PBHP DYC for the years 1993 – 2012. To motivate and inspire DYC members to keep on practicing the Dhamma and to do the meritorious deed of Dhammaduta work.
The texts are in English.
For the Video with audio narration, comments and texts in English, please check out the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF2g_43NEa0
The Good News, newsletter for June 2024 is hereNoHo FUMC
Our monthly newsletter is available to read online. We hope you will join us each Sunday in person for our worship service. Make sure to subscribe and follow us on YouTube and social media.
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile.
The Chakra System in our body - A Portal to Interdimensional Consciousness.pptxBharat Technology
each chakra is studied in greater detail, several steps have been included to
strengthen your personal intention to open each chakra more fully. These are designed
to draw forth the highest benefit for your spiritual growth.
HANUMAN STORIES: TIMELESS TEACHINGS FOR TODAY’S WORLDLearnyoga
Hanuman Stories: Timeless Teachings for Today’s World" delves into the inspiring tales of Hanuman, highlighting lessons of devotion, strength, and selfless service that resonate in modern life. These stories illustrate how Hanuman's unwavering faith and courage can guide us through challenges and foster resilience. Through these timeless narratives, readers can find profound wisdom to apply in their daily lives.
Exploring the Mindfulness Understanding Its Benefits.pptxMartaLoveguard
Slide 1: Title: Exploring the Mindfulness: Understanding Its Benefits
Slide 2: Introduction to Mindfulness
Mindfulness, defined as the conscious, non-judgmental observation of the present moment, has deep roots in Buddhist meditation practice but has gained significant popularity in the Western world in recent years. In today's society, filled with distractions and constant stimuli, mindfulness offers a valuable tool for regaining inner peace and reconnecting with our true selves. By cultivating mindfulness, we can develop a heightened awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, leading to a greater sense of clarity and presence in our daily lives.
Slide 3: Benefits of Mindfulness for Mental Well-being
Practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, improving overall quality of life.
Mindfulness increases awareness of our emotions and teaches us to manage them better, leading to improved mood.
Regular mindfulness practice can improve our ability to concentrate and focus our attention on the present moment.
Slide 4: Benefits of Mindfulness for Physical Health
Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can contribute to lowering blood pressure, which is beneficial for heart health.
Regular meditation and mindfulness practice can strengthen the immune system, aiding the body in fighting infections.
Mindfulness may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity by reducing stress and improving overall lifestyle habits.
Slide 5: Impact of Mindfulness on Relationships
Mindfulness can help us better understand others and improve communication, leading to healthier relationships.
By focusing on the present moment and being fully attentive, mindfulness helps build stronger and more authentic connections with others.
Mindfulness teaches us how to be present for others in difficult times, leading to increased compassion and understanding.
Slide 6: Mindfulness Techniques and Practices
Focusing on the breath and mindful breathing can be a simple way to enter a state of mindfulness.
Body scan meditation involves focusing on different parts of the body, paying attention to any sensations and feelings.
Practicing mindful walking and eating involves consciously focusing on each step or bite, with full attention to sensory experiences.
Slide 7: Incorporating Mindfulness into Daily Life
You can practice mindfulness in everyday activities such as washing dishes or taking a walk in the park.
Adding mindfulness practice to daily routines can help increase awareness and presence.
Mindfulness helps us become more aware of our needs and better manage our time, leading to balance and harmony in life.
Slide 8: Summary: Embracing Mindfulness for Full Living
Mindfulness can bring numerous benefits for physical and mental health.
Regular mindfulness practice can help achieve a fuller and more satisfying life.
Mindfulness has the power to change our perspective and way of perceiving the world, leading to deeper se
In Jude 17-23 Jude shifts from piling up examples of false teachers from the Old Testament to a series of practical exhortations that flow from apostolic instruction. He preserves for us what may well have been part of the apostolic catechism for the first generation of Christ-followers. In these instructions Jude exhorts the believer to deal with 3 different groups of people: scoffers who are "devoid of the Spirit", believers who have come under the influence of scoffers and believers who are so entrenched in false teaching that they need rescue and pose some real spiritual risk for the rescuer. In all of this Jude emphasizes Jesus' call to rescue straying sheep, leaving the 99 safely behind and pursuing the 1.
Kenneth Grant - Against the Light-Holmes Pub Grou Llc (1999).pdf
Coercion freedom
1. In response to John Dear, SJ at http://ncronline.org/blogs/road-peace/revenge-not-way
Most accept that it is not helpful to call those who disagree with us on every particular
matter of orthodoxy – heretics; neither should we call those who disagree with us on widely
disputed matters of orthopraxy – “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
In the faith development trajectory of most traditions, belonging (orthocommunio) will
enjoy a primacy over desiring (orthopathy) which will precede behaving (orthopraxy), all
before believing (orthodoxy). Therefore, it is best that we first model hospitality that they
know they belong and next invite them to our worship where our own holy desires were
first formed. If the right-behaving doesn’t ensue, it might be better to introspectively
discern where we, ourselves, may have gone wrong in our community and liturgical life
before reflexively laying off the blame on our poor proselytees.
1) Some view a just war as a probable good to be achieved by political statecraft and the
Gospel ethic of nonviolence as an invitation to an extraordinary virtue (praiseworthy and
exceeding the demands of justice) to be realized in the here and now by individual vocation,
both aspirations grounded in a presumption for peace.
2) Others view a just war as a necessary evil and the Gospel ethic as ultimately and finally –
not immediately – normative, both grounded in a presumption against violence.
3) And there are a few who take the Gospel ethic of nonviolence as absolutely and
immediately normative for both individuals and states.
One might find merit in each of these approaches if each is placed in the proper context. Are
we dealing with ontic (pre-moral) or moral evils? moral or practical realities? now or
eschatologically? individually or politically? necessary evils vs lesser & higher goods? a
presumption for peace (and justice) or against violence? I resonate more with #1 than either
#2 or #3 above. But they also deserve serious consideration.
The elements of these different stances are often combined in other ways, too. Even those
who hold to the very same principles may differ in their moral judgments because they may
otherwise reasonably disagree regarding empirical and prudential matters in evaluating
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2. what may also be a legitimate plurality of solutions. In the writings of John Courtney
Murray, Reinhold Niebuhr, Stanley Hauerwas and John Howard Yoder, many of these things
are given thoughtful consideration and from significantly divergent perspectives. Do check
them out.
My own thoughts?
I am least sympathetic to Niebuhr’s realism, which has found its way piecemeal into the
writings of Obama, McCain and Clinton even if not systematically (which would be hard to
do for all sorts of reasons). Consistent with his catholic stance, Murray’s approach is not at
all dialectical or over against “the world.” I very heartily resonate with the Anabaptist and
Mennonite sensibilities, perhaps more so from a vocational and prophetic witness
perspective, but no so much from the belief that they would have any broader normative
impetus, especially for political statecraft.
Too many critiques engage caricatures. This may be especially true of pacifism, which has
about twenty distinct forms per Yoder. Even buying into Murray’s distinction between
statecraft and vocation, wouldn’t our politics change drastically if more of us embraced
nonviolence? Even if we reject Niebuhr’s realism, which colors the Gospel ethic as too
otherworldly, couldn’t we accept his practical accommodations to human weakness on the
basis of a compassionate pastoral sensitivity (even as we would reject any theoretical
capitulations — i.e. watered-down Gospel — based on disingenuous theological
reinterpretations)?
As for normative impetus, it includes not only moral force but practical considerations and
the normative significance of religion has always been much less about morality, which is
transparent to human reason without the benefit of special revelation (although not in
some grand Kantian way but an approach that is much more contritely fallible than that),
and much more about an invitation into worshipful, loving relationship.
On the occasion of Yoder’s passing, Hauerwas wrote: “Reading Yoder made me a pacifist.
It did so because John taught me that nonviolence was not just another ‘moral issue’ but
constitutes the heart of our worship of a crucified messiah.”
Indeed, the response our crucified messiah invites is not only ultimate but immediate. Still,
it would be wrong to characterize aspirations that clearly exceed the demands of justice as
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3. generally morally binding.
1) Governments aren’t subject to the ethics of Jesus? Really? <<<
To the extent state secularization has (properly and thankfully) taken hold in our pluralistic
society, no, the government does not need the ethics of Jesus per se or what are ostensibly
Christian norms in particular. But precisely because, as you suggest, such moral truth is
neither private nor available only to Christians but, as I said, is otherwise already
transparent to human reason (albeit fallibly so) without the benefit of special revelation, not
to worry, n'est pas?
In the USA, state secularization, fostered by the nonestablishment and free exercise clauses
of the 1st Amendment, has enhanced religion's influence in the public square rather than
marginalizing it (as happened on the Continent post-Enlightenment), but, in order to
profitably exercise that influence, any specifically moral teachings must be translated into
the lingua franca (common parlance), philosophically and/or common sensically, without
authoritarian appeals to such as Scripture, a Magisterium, a Tradition or private experiences
(revelations).
2) So does that mean that governments should not be just, serve the common good, or seek
peace? This sounds like recycled dualism. While the government is not the church, the
mission of God working through the church is to transform ALL life, including governments,
into new birth. The truth of Christ is not a private truth, available only to Christians, but is
the very logos that grounds all creation and calls all governments into true vocation. <<<
Of course we are to permeate and improve the temporal order!
Secularization is a strategy for affairs of the state (not for society or culture) and, with an
amplified rather than marginalized voice in the public square, religions have the opportunity
to influence the government politically, again, translating their moral stances into
arguments transparent to human reason, indeed, being just, serving the common good and
seeking peace. There is nothing dualistic here in this approach, which resonates more with
JC Murray, less with Niebuhr, who establishes a temporal dialectical approach (over against)
between the present world and other-worldliness, eschatologically,or Yoder, who
establishes a spiritual dialectical approach between the world and the church,
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4. ecclesiologically.
3) Conservatives can’t on one hand say that US is a Christian nation that should hold to
moral codes–about say, abortion and gay marriage–and on the other deny that the
government has a role to play in being and seeking justice as Jesus prescribed. <<<
Whether conservative, liberal or independent, whatever one's moral emphases (among the
life issues, usually, whether war or abortion or extreme poverty), the same principles apply.
JC Murray shed some light on government's role; it is to maintain the public order but not to
codify and enforce all moral realities. The subsidiarity principle, consistently applied,
establishes a proper bias against government (inherently coercive) and for individual
freedom in the service of human dignity but with due attention to the common good.
All that said, in my view, morality is NOT what distinguishes the core mission (much less
core competency) of our religions, which are not mostly about either describing or norming
reality, or even evaluating it, but are instead more about interpreting reality vis a vis its
meaning and giving it eternal (beyond the mass-energy-space-time plenum) significance. It
might be helpful if the churches spent way more time evangelizing (witnessing more by
action, less by apologetics) and way less time moralizing, in my view.
The teachings of Jesus are NOT mostly ethical or moral but transcend (go beyond not
without) these concerns to establish the robustly relational, inviting us into a loving (not
moralistic in emphasis but, instead, intimate) trust relationship that is intrinsically rewarding
(like truth, beauty and goodness are their own rewards) and with less emphasis on the
extrinsic rewards (e.g. for good behavior).
Finally, politics is the art of the possible, and the charitable presumption might be that most
people of large intelligence and profound goodwill differ, therefore, not in their moral
stances but in their practical and strategic approaches. These approaches get caricatured as
moral rather than practical differences in order to cynically manipulate, demagogue and
energize one political faction or another. If religious leaders and politicians would declare a
moratorium on moralizing that might be pragmatically helpful and if they would all shut up
already with their moral grandstanding that would be aesthetically appealing to me (I don't
want to offer a moral prescription for what they might do, for that would be too ironic).
4
5. +++
Thanks for the feedback, folks. There are several key distinctions in play, in my view, on
which people can disagree of course. Ron, you properly invoke a redemptive imagination
and speak of "justice" beyond retaliation. The way I have approached these ideas is to look
at the Gospel or Good News as a brand new category; it indeed goes beyond Old Testament
justice but not by being a type of justice or a moral category. It has moral implications but is
not an essentially moral proposition. Neither is it grounded in practical considerations and
extrinsic reward systems (like crime & punishment or even afterlife calculations).
The Good News has the type of performative significance that is much more closely related
to how one might respond when one is in love, when one has been invited and initiated into
a relationship characterized by intimacy, trust and abiding presence. Being in love with one's
spouse or children or family is not foremost a moral reality, which is to say that it is not
mostly about doing something because it is right or wrong, good or evil. Neither is this being
in love driven, as I said, by extrinsic rewards (what am I going to get out of this?) or practical
concerns. It is an intrinsically rewarding reality like truth, beauty, goodness and freedom,
which are rewards in and of themselves. It is intensely personal and much less so functional.
Now, the Old Testament God was very much more an impersonal deity, although more
involved than any deistic God of the philosophers. Jesus came and revealed God as Abba, as
Daddy, and invited us into that type of trust and intimacy. Now, clearly, if we are going to
respond to God in a much more personal way (Daddy, lover, friend) and a much less
functional manner (cosmic policeman, provider), that will have moral implications because
we will, indeed, act differently toward God and others, who are all now sisters and brothers.
But this is not first a moral reality but a robustly relational dynamic. We do not start with
behavior and belief but, instead, with belonging and desire.
So, what differentiates the Christian brand in the marketplace is not foremost a moral
reasoning, which as Kevin properly noted is already available to all people, being
transparent to human reason and, as Sammie recognized, is already at work in the Old
Testament, which was not dispensed with but is still operative. Jesus didn't do away with
the law or with justice but broke open an entirely new category for relating to God and it
ends up exceeding the demands of justice with realities like charity and mercy. When
5
6. people do not act in accordance with such Gospel imperatives as charity, mercy, forgiveness
and so on, they are not therefore necessarily being immoral or even unChristian even if
being Christ-like is an ideal to which they aspire because there are many other distinctions
that may come into play. For example, many believe that the Gospel ethic of nonviolence is
an invitation to a personal vocation (as even a voice of prophetic protest) but is not
otherwise being prescribed for the purposes of political statecraft.
++++
In my view, there is a Tau-like appeal in play in all of these themes, it seems, a dance
between freedom and coercion with a bias against coercive force (for freedom), unless
necessary. We see this in just war theory, criminal justice, subsidiarity principles, political
philosophy, parenting/discipline guidelines, codependency psychology and other human
affairs which involve interdiction.
Nature, itself, reveals a pattern of emergence that relies mostly on formative influences that
are high frequency-low amplitude, iow, frequent but incremental, as well as redemptive
influences that are low frequency-high amplitude, iow, infrequent but substantial. I call this
the axis of co-creativity. Generally, it eschews what I call the axis of codependency, which
swings between an apathetic pole of isolation & withdrawal (low frequency- low amplitude)
and a pathetic pole of over-involvement (high frequency-high amplitude), which manifests
in militarism and codependent behavior.
There is a great deal of inconsistency in modern political approaches as BIG GOVT is
embraced by almost all cohorts only for different agenda. Social conservatives want to use it
to enforce their moral vision. Neoconservatives want to use it to enforce a foreign policy
vision. These conservatives, along with fiscal conservatives, are otherwise suspicious of it
regarding economic agenda. Liberal influences advocate BIG GOVT involvement in economic
6
7. but not social matters. All invoke justice as a theme. The most consistent approach is that of
the libertarian or classical liberal, which would limit government influence in the bedroom,
living room, classroom, school room, war room, board room, etc The problem with modern
day libertarians (aside from being kooky) is that they confuse the bias for freedom (against
coercion) as an absolute, instead, and they further confuse license and liberty (ignoring Lord
Acton’s distinction between the freedom to do what we want versus what we must).
The proper application of subsidiarity principles, the proper distinction between political
statecraft and individual vocations, and a surrender to reality’s axis of co-creativity and Tau
seems to be the most consistent and efficacious route.
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