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Of late, I have begun to realize that Christian piety (at least in Canada) can no longer avoid political implications.
Here are five reasons why I believe this, which in turn explain what I mean by political implications. The church’s mission is worship, but her worship of God and her good works will encounter a world that does not think those works are always so “good.” [Read more…] about Christian Piety can no Longer Avoid Politics
We have become increasingly suspicious of others over the past decade, no doubt connected to the internet’s constant flow of information. Spend a few minutes on social media, then you will hear every opinion under the sun. The most sensational it is, the more we stare or leer. Soon, we find that government and friend alike must be up to some nefarious ends.
Such suspicion makes us fear others (and so isolate) and be angry at others who fail us.
In the latter case, our expectation of the government or group or person’s failure becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Since we do not think they will succeed and are nefarious at the core, we do not contribute or join them to make a positive change. Then time passes and tribes develop. A group falls or fails, and the accuser says, aha! I told you so.
But then what if we started without a baseline of suspicion? What if we committed to mutually support each other? Would we not see government or group as part of who we are, a community of people whom we can affect and work with?
The current pandemic has reignited a time honoured argument about government overreach. Given the commonality of this argument, I wanted to share a few thoughts about perceiving government overreach as a Canadian and from the perspective of Americans.
You should ignore this article if politics are not your thing or if you feel very passionate one way or the other the question. These thoughts are meant to be light, easy thoughts, not an article for argument.
I am more-or-less working out how Canadians and Americans perceive government overreach.
[Read more…] about Government Overreach in Canada and the USA
Alongside the Enlightenment, a mature understanding of the individual emerged. Freedom as a right of the sovereign individual became a pillar to understand how states ought to work. Individuals consented to be governed by a vote.
This basic liberal idea might be captured by John Locke’s affirmation of the individual’s right to life, liberty, and property; or in the USA’s declaration of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The story of fear over the past two years cuts in more than one direction: fear of the pandemic and of government overreach.
In both cases, responses unveil a sort of anxious energy which the Gospel itself can and does qualm.
I suppose that’s why I think Gospel centrality makes sense (and it’s biblical). Perfect love, the Spirit abiding in us, means I neither ultimately fear death by the virus nor death of freedom by the government.
[Read more…] about Living in Fear of Virus and of Government
