Another Perspective on the Israli & Lebanese Situation

To all who have an ear:

Please allow me to post a topic that I believe is much more substantive than most posted on this particular thread:

I studied ethics w/David Gushee at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He now teaches Moral Theology (Ethics) @ Union University in Jackson, TN.

He is involved in a dialog with one of the professors, Dr. Accad, from the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut. This prof came to Fuller TS to teach a class and was stranded here b/c of the war. I think, if you follow the dialog b/t the two of them you may get a perspective on the Middle East that we have lost or never had in American Evangelicalism and the news.

It should make us all more mindful that out culture, political persuasion, time in history, et al flavors our theology for the good or the bad. This is especially true of the American brand of eschatology and how it is even interwoven into America's foreign policy. I know this will upset some of you. But where else should you be able to go to have your theology challenged if not the Baptist College/Seminary thread of the BB?

Here is the primary link;

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/129/42.0.html#related

I would like to see what type and how much response this article will engender. It is truly a new and fresh OP and may even make some of us who are of the old & dispensational variety have a new perspective when it comes to the Middle East. It may even make some of us angry. If that anger provokes new and open thought then it is worth the OP IMO!

I certainly hope it does for all our sakes?!!

I will put more links as I find them.

I put this here b/c it is a dialogical exchange between two Baptist profs who are committed to the Lord but who have a different culture, language, and thus a divergent understanding of how war and politics should be done in that region.

sdg!:wavey:

rd

 

Another Link

To all who have an ear:

Here is another link:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/128/53.0.html

I am sorry that I did not post them all in chronological order.

sdg!raying:

rd

 

Another Link

To all who have an ear:

Here is another link:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/130/22.0.html

I am more than just interested to hear your responses to the opinions expressed here.

sdg!raying:

rd

 

Another Link

To all who have an ear:

Once again I apologize for the inconsistency of the articles being out of order. But, I believe that the dialog that these two profs have had from two different positions culturally and politically will be startling to some and infuse a dose of anger in many others. In any manner, we must be forced to hear from our brothers and sisters who are hurting around the world.

I truly do not want "to cause a stink." But, I do wish to make each and every one of us think outside of our narrow, sectarian, "south-ran," dispensational, US, "us four and no more," type of eschatological manner to see that the church of Jesus Christ is not an "American church" only.

Here it is:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/129/53.0.html

Believe me, I do expect "to get those cards and letters comin' in!"

Please let your insights and comments be insightful and seasoned with the Lord's grace.

sdg!:thumbs:

rd

 

Another View

Hey to all who might read this series of articles:

Here is another perspective that has a comment of David Gushee's article.

http://www.bpnews.net/printerfriendly.asp?ID=23692

I look forward to hearing from each and every one of you.

sdg!raying:

rd

PS Check this out too. I am not certain I have added it:

http://www.abpnews.com/1280.article

 

Articles

EG,

When I went to my first post and tried the link, it took me to an article that is germane to the Lebanese/Israeli war. I apologize for the fact that I did not put the articles in order. You will have to read them all to get the flow.

I am sorry for the confusion, but the link in my first post is the one that caused me to put all of the others there. I studies Ethics with David Gushee and he has such an alternative position to most Baptists I have found!

I think if you will take the time to read and fit all of the articles together you will find their dialog quite interesting.

Once again I am sorry for the confusion or inconvenience.

sdg!:wavey:

rd

 

Reponse to Joseph

Hello Joseph,

I would greatly appreciate it if you would take the time to read the articles. And I really cannot believe that the issues that the articles bring to light are not important to you?????!!!! I know you to be a man of conviction and one who has a heart for those who are hurting, especially those who "are of the household of faith!"

Prof. Accad teaches at the Baptist Seminary of Beirut, LB. He is only trying to get the masses of American Evangelicals who follow blindly the American party line on Israeli to at least consider that there might be another way of seeing things.

I would strenuously take issue with the fact that these things do not have a wider meaning (and maybe one that we are blinded by out of American patriotic and Evangelical views) and implication for all of us in the Lord's church. Especially when those in the broader context of the Lord's church are not Westerners per se but are nonetheless Baptists.

Please read the articles and then get back to me.

Praying for the Peace of Israel and the entire region!

sdg!raying:

rd