The Wisdom of Both/And

  For the past month or so, I've been seeing a steady stream of commentary from my conservative loved ones that they're looking for the Rapture to occur at any time. I wasn't seeing this earlier this year or last year or really in any recent years, but there's been a definite uptick in sentiments to this effect in the post-election chaos of misinformation and unmerited court challenges that failed to move any judicial court to overturn the election results. When our favored politician/party loses power and we find ourselves thinking the end in near, we need to take an honest look at where our functional security lies. What about the millions who have been suffering under brutal, totalitarian regimes or widespread famine and war in their countries -- conditions that white evangelicals in America have no real experience with? Being the most powerful of empires today, why do we assume that God's plan in closing out this age centers around America? What does this say a...

Hallelujah!  For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth! Hallelujah! The kingdom of this world is become The kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ And He shall reign for ever and ever! Reading Fleming Rutledge's sermons on Advent this season, I'm reminded daily that the best antidote to the sadness and anger of reading the daily news is reflecting on the "once and future" coming of King Jesus. "Advent begins in the dark", waiting for a promise to be fulfilled. It's apocalyptic in its focus. After 400 years of silence, John the Baptist heralds the beginning of the age to come, "Prepare the way of the Lord!" The present evil age— in which all creation is enslaved to sin and death —is to be invaded by the King of the age to come. Christ came to reclaim territory occupied by the enemy, redeeming a multi-ethnic people held in sin's captivity.  It marks a turning point in history, not unlike D-Day as the turning point of WW2, though the final victory ...