Month: March 2008

Categories
Books

Rethinking Theology

Re-thinking TheologyIs it possible that many of the common concepts held by Christians and churches today about sin, repentance, salvation, the kingdom of God, and being born again – some of the very things which seem to be at the centre of a biblical worldview – are in fact unbiblical? That seems to be what Ron Martoia is suggesting in his thought-provoking book Static. Martoia says that we should “tune out the Christian noise and experience the real message of Jesus.”

The author is not a fan of the pre-packaged one-size-fits-all style of gospel presentation, and he is not a fan of the use of Christian jargon for which outsiders tend to have negative preconceptions. He feels that evangelistic efforts are often unsuccessful because they are perceived as militant, imperialistic, intolerant and arrogant. Jesus never applied a formula to his preaching; he was sensitive to the situation of his audience and tailored his message accordingly. He never made an altar call or invited his audience to pray the sinners’ prayer.

I identify with many of the author’s problems with Christian jargon, although I do not agree with all of his solutions. In an effort to make it more accessible, the book has been written in the context of “conversations” with some friends, but after the first chapter I started finding this irritating and just wished it had been written in a shorter and more formal manner. Nonetheless, I found the book challenging and well worth reading.

Categories
Poverty

Eliminating poverty is a leadership issue

Trainee LeaderLeadership matters a great deal, according to Patrick Awuah, the co-founder of a liberal arts college in Ghana, who spoke at TED in Arusha in June 2007. Economic success depends on having people who are creative, persistent, hard-working and empowered, but it also depends on external factors such as free markets, the rule of law, and infrastructure, which are provided by institutions run by leaders who have emerged not spontaneously, but through appropriate training.

The three major problems in Africa, according to Awuah, are corruption, weak institutions, and inadequate leadership. These are big problems which are very difficult to deal with. What is it about the local conditions which produces leaders who are unethical or unable to solve problems? The educational system involves learning by rote, with very little emphasis on ethics, and the typical graduate has a stronger sense of entitlement than a sense of responsibility.

Every society must be intentional about how it trains its leaders. Accordingly, Awuah’s Ashesi University is attempting to train a new generation of ethical entrepreneurial leaders, who have the ability to ask the right questions, deal with ambiguity, identify the right problems and come up with workable solutions. The real business of leadership is to serve humanity.

Categories
Future

Melbourne’s rapid growth

House BuildingMelbourne will overtake Sydney as Australia’s largest city within the next 20 years, according to Victorian premier John Brumby. Melbourne is now growing at 1500 people per week, much faster than previously forecast. The population is now expected to reach 6.2 million by 2020. House prices have been increasing rapidly, as have interest rates, and as a result housing has become unaffordable for many people.

Mr Brumby yesterday announced that land within various areas surrounding Melbourne would be zoned residential, thereby making available land for 90,000 new houses. However, the success of the Victorian government’s strategy depends on a number of different factors, including:

  • availability of adequate water supplies (current plans to secure future water supply are not entirely convincing)
  • road infrastructure and future road usage patterns (depending on whether environmental considerations will result in reduced usage of roads)
  • public transport infrastructure (currently stretched to its limits, with no current plans for the massive upgrades necessary)
  • provision of adequate community services in the growth corridors

There are significant challenges, but also significant opportunities for churches to help people as they transition to a new phase of life in the new developments. Will churches rise to the challenge, taking the uncomfortable and uncertain path of going to where people in need are, or will they stay within comfortable “Bible Belt” locations?

Categories
Present

Peace at last in Kenya?

Extract from cartoon by Gado published in Daily Nation 2 March 2008Peace at last seems to be on the horizon in Kenya. Last Thursday the rival contenders for the Kenyan presidency signed a political agreement brokered by Kofi Annan, which, it is hoped, will bring an end to the post-election violence. However, the damage and trauma which have already been caused will take a long time to heal. Friends from Nairobi report as follows:

“The Rift Valley that has been the bread basket of the country (maize meal) was in most parts burnt. It is estimated there will be serious famine. There is onset of Malaria and other related diseases in camps that have not forcefully been closed down by government. In the slums some households still remain threatened with marks (X) on their door frame for hit squads to attack at appropriate times; ours was marked but we reported to the police who told us to wipe it out. Many new families have moved into the slums of Nairobi from various parts of the countryside due to eviction. The condition in Kibera remains tense in that there are some Luos who chased tenants and landlords of Kikuyu origin illegally occupying their houses. Police and the authorities are preparing to storm and arrest those occupying such houses. Apparently they are posed to fight.

“The peace agreement was a landmark for Kenyan citizens. People have begun to return to places of work and the church. The Pastor who was shot in the chest in the presence of his wife and children is still in a coma at Agha Khan Hospital and no visitors are allowed as yet to see him! The cost of living has gone up by 30%. Pray for us as peace returns.”

Categories
Past

End of the Caliphate

Turkish FlagOn this day 84 years ago, the 1300-year-old Muslim Caliphate was abolished by a Bill of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. The Governor of Turkey went to the palace of the last Caliph, Abdul Medjid Effendi, and read the decision of the Grand National Assembly to him, before ordering him to pack his belongings and leave for Switzerland.

The Caliphate was the highest office in Islam. The Caliph was the successor of Mohammed, and the Caliphate first came into existence in AD 632 on the death of Mohammed. The first Caliph recognised by Sunni Muslims was Mohammed’s closest friend, Abu Bakr. He died after two years and was succeeded by Umar ibn al-Khattab, then Uthman ibn Affan, and the fourth was Ali ibn Abi Talib. Shi’a Muslims consider Ali, who was the cousin and son-in-law of Mohammed, to have been the first legitimate Caliph.

At the time of the abolition of the Caliphate, only 5% of the world’s Muslims lived in Turkey. Numerous proposals were made for appointing a new Caliph, and various meetings were held, but the various parties were unable to reach an agreement. As a result the position of Caliph has been vacant ever since.

Categories
Faith

Coming clean about healing

Healing the leperIn Matthew Chapter 8 – and in numerous other chapters in the gospels – Jesus is described as healing various people. First he heals a man suffering from leprosy, then a centurion’s paralysed servant, then Peter’s mother-in-law who had a fever, then various demon-possessed people. The idea of miraculous healings is a rather uncomfortable one to the contemporary western mind. Is it easy to believe that Jesus really did miraculously heal people? Yes, if you believe that God is powerful enough to have created the whole universe, it’s no great leap of faith to believe that he was able to heal a few people. Is it easy to believe that people are miraculously healed today? Well, no, not really.

One problem is the charlatans, the faith healers who produce fake healings just so that they can make money out of people. Another problem is the unpredictability of miracles. A guy I knew at university put on a healing miracles show one lunchtime. I was there with my sceptical friends. Sick people went forward and the guy prayed for them. There were no obvious signs of anyone being healed, and my sceptical friends remained sceptics. In fact, most Christians have experienced the disappointment of unanswered prayers for healing for someone they know. Another problem is the reality of death: no amount of healing miracles ultimately stop everyone from dying in this life.

On the other hand, there are many people alive today who have experienced what appears to be miraculous healing. I believe that God can and does provide miraculous healing, but it’s something which he controls, not something which we can control by following a particular ritual or saying a particular prayer. We pray in faith, and sometimes God produces a miracle, whereas other times he doesn’t.