April 2018 - godblog

Is Stanley Hauerwas the end of socially responsible Christianity?

Stanley Hauerwas was named “America’s best theologian” by Time Magazine in 2001. It’s been a few years, but was he ever America’s best theologian? Or does that category even make sense?

Hauerwas’ most well-known and popular book is Resident Aliens. There he argues that Christians should see themselves as “resident aliens” in a foreign land. Instead of attempting to influence government and society, Christians should live lives that exemplify the love of Christ. The first social task of the church is to be the church (Peaceable Kingdom, loc 235, 2492).

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Martin Luther King’s letter from the apostle Paul: two revolutionaries

April 4^th was the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. In remembering this date, we mark the death of a martyr. The apostle Paul was also a peaceful social revolutionary who likely died a martyr’s death at the hands of the Romans. For many people, Paul was an uptight social conformist who encouraged slaves to remain with their masters (Ephesians 5-9). Martin Luther King knew better. One thing he probably knew is that Ephesians is one of the many forged letters. Martin Luther King’s letter from Paul is the post for today, but first a few comments on Paul, and why he fits so well with MLK.

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