As a brief aside, my apologies to all of you who have been waiting on email replies. I'm sure you understand, but I still try to be diligent in this regard. I would appreciate your prayers for my rest. I have been working for about 12 hours a day now for two weeks and its beginning to wear me down a bit. God has certainly sustained me in His abundant grace!
In that vein (which turns my initial remarks into more than an aside), I was reading the beginning of Colossians 2 last night and was struck by God's sovereignty in growing me. As we received Christ, we are told, we should also walk in Him. Sounds like a daunting command, considering that ravages of sin that still afflict our hearts. But then we're told that we're rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith, as we were taught, and are to abound in thanksgiving. The stress is not on our works to maintain our growth, but in Christ's work within us. That then frees us up to abound, because the One whose saving and sanctifying work truly abounds in working in and through us!
In Ragnar's generosity, they offered to print out custom bibs for us with our team names on them. Wanting to add a sober note to this recreational event, I opted for five names that commemorated various people (and our team captains agreed). Here are the names:
Team Flores and Team Aguon--these were two of our dear Task Force Guam soldiers who were lost the month I arrived in Texas for mobilization. I befriended their friends at my old post. I met a cousin of the latter this morning in the motorpool.
Team Greff--this was the last Canadian soldier killed in combat. His name was snatched up by one of the teams right away, as one of that team's soldiers was good friends with this man.
Team Long--this soldier from the IN Guard was killed on their present deployment. Ten soldiers from their unit are spread out through our teams. This is a shout out to their battle buddy.
Team Richard--this is in honor of the little boy, Martin Richard, who was killed at the Boston Marathon by a weapon that is designed to kill soldiers. This attack occurred during one of our final drills before we deployed. The story of this boy touched many of our soldiers. They thought of their families and gained additional resolve to take the fight to the enemy so he doesn't take it the ones we're trying to protect.
May God grant the families of these deceased soldiers that surpassing peace in Jesus Christ that enables frail man to endure the painful shadow of death. And may He do so with the families of the additional handful of soldiers that we lose every month, fighting to maintain the gap between the vulnerable and free and those who would exploit vulnerability and destroy freedom.
26.10.13
25.10.13
The Rise of the Restless and Reformed
About seven years ago, Christianity Today picked up a trend already noticed in the pages of Time--the rise of the "young, restless, and Reformed." (Or as Time called it, "neo-Calvinism.")
Rev. Mark Dever, of Capitol Hill Baptist in DC, recently gave a lecture on factors that contributed to the rise of the YRR movement, which is summed up here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/10/24/where-did-all-these-calvinists-come-from/
Reformed Christianity is not a new movement--it is the recovery of Reformation Christianity which in itself was a recovery of early-Church Christianity. Ultimately, I would claim that it is biblical Christianity. The Bible declares that man is totally depraved, God's election of His people is unconditional, the atonement was limited in that it was for God's elect alone, God's grace is irresistible, and God's people will persevere in faith and never fall away.
The Bible declares that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, who rules us by Scripture alone, which shows us to live for God's glory alone. This biblical theology is expressed most supremely in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Three Forms of Unity, which testify to the unambiguous teaching of Scripture. It is preached in accordance with the unfolding plan of redemption in Christ that is found from the start to the finish of Scripture (redemptive history).
The truth and beauty of this theology had an enormous impact of my own life. God not only lifted the lid off of my shallow beliefs and gave me an expansive view of His saving purposes, He used this theology to give me the intellectual resources to defend my faith against those who would counter or undermine it. It does the same for some of my family members, friends, and untold millions across the country.
Here are a few factors that I believe contributed to the rise of the YRR movement beyond those given by Dever:
1) The rise of the unambiguous, urban intellectuals. Christians have long embraced experientialism and subjectivity in describing their faith, fully ceding the intellectual sphere to false belief. When they do more actively engage their minds, they often do so in cultural and political causes while ignoring the deeper apologetic concerns. (For example, I always found in bizarre that many Christians railed against Harry Potter, which did not dabble in the occult as is often assumed, but largely ignored The Golden Compass, which was Phillip Pullman's effort to "undo the mischief" of The Chronicles of Narnia.)
Instead of ceding the cultural centers of American and retreating into seclusion with the South, Midwest, and suburban homeschooling community, a number of prominent pastors--including Rev. Mark Driscoll in Seattle, Rev. Tim Keller in New York City, and Dever himself chose the opposite path. They entered these supposedly hostile arenas and laid down an intellectual guantlet that confronted false belief and asked people to honestly consider the claims of Christ. Driscoll shares an unambiguous Gospel with a generation of hipsters that are sick of the prior generations "value-free" parenting. Keller's cerebral approach to Scripture and apologetics has resonated with the Ivy League yuppies of NYC. Dever embraces a counter-cultural spirituality of the church in the heart of power in the modern world.
2) Dr. Michael Horton and the White Horse Inn. Dr. Horton is a leading Christian intellectual and apologist in the vein of R.C. Sproul. Whereas folks once listened to "Renewing Your Mind" or read Tabletalk and were allured by Reformed theology, many now listen to White Horse and read Horton's dozens of systematic and popular books. Horton also has a well-deserved reputation as a civil and generous disputant, often engaging leading lights across the spectrum of worldviews. There is no name referenced more within the Army chaplaincy right now than that of Horton.
3) The rediscovery of the beauty of Reformed theology and a consequent passion, rather than the bare truth of Reformed theology and a consequent polemical nature. There is a boundless proliferation of blogs and books coming out of Reformed circles right now, bring that great truths of Scripture to bear in beautiful and practical ways. Reformed Christians once had a reputation for arguing people into a corner and being the "frozen chosen" with regard to zeal and evangelism. That reputation is melting away due to the popular books published by 9 Marks, the Acts 29 Network, and affiliated with the Gospel Coalition.
4) The resurgence of an offensive, God-centered Christianity. The Christianity of the 60s and 70s was largely marked by a sentimental "me and Jesus" type of approach. The language often employed was of a "personal relationship" where one "invited Jesus into their heart." Theology and doctrine were ridiculed as obsolete terms (though everybody had a deeply-entrenched theological grid). Jesus was often treated as near and dear (imminent) but not as the Lord and Judge of the world (transcendence). Many of the songs offered generic platitudes about Jesus (i.e. "Shine Jesus Shine") and lacked a substantial presentation of the Gospel. Postmodern folks (most everyone born in the aftermath of Vietnam) rebelled against cliches and sentimental Christianity. Some fell away. Many grew desperate for the transcendent God of the Bible, vibrant and intimate community with the Church, and a stronger connection with the Church of previous ages.
I have often wondered why my denomination, as one of the most historic of the Reformed bodies in America, has not played a greater role in the society-wide phenomenon. Some would unfairly criticize the denomination as simply being too ingrown (proportionally, the OPC has a high number of missionaries and does a great deal of church planting). Some might erroneously finger the traditional liturgy and style of worship (God's work through Keller in NYC runs along traditional lines).
I think part of our struggle is shown in the type of reading materials we put out. We have pristine papers on historic doctrines and contemporary heresies. We have pamphlets to hand out explaining the importance of the Sabbath. We are guardians of the truth, but often fail to convey the beauty of the faith in general and Reformed theology in particular. While many of these movements and publishing agencies are bringing historic Reformed truths down to the ground level (i.e., The Hole in our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung and Why We Love the Church by DeYoung and Ted Kluck), our struggle seems to be in bringing the vast resources of our faith and history to bear upon the masses. We must more actively engage other people and other worldviews and more winsomely share great truths as if they captivate us by their beauty (they do!).
Of course, so much of this is generalyzing, but such generalizations serve a purpose in recognizing trends and prospective points of collective improvement (without denigrating individuals).
Rev. Mark Dever, of Capitol Hill Baptist in DC, recently gave a lecture on factors that contributed to the rise of the YRR movement, which is summed up here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/10/24/where-did-all-these-calvinists-come-from/
Reformed Christianity is not a new movement--it is the recovery of Reformation Christianity which in itself was a recovery of early-Church Christianity. Ultimately, I would claim that it is biblical Christianity. The Bible declares that man is totally depraved, God's election of His people is unconditional, the atonement was limited in that it was for God's elect alone, God's grace is irresistible, and God's people will persevere in faith and never fall away.
The Bible declares that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, who rules us by Scripture alone, which shows us to live for God's glory alone. This biblical theology is expressed most supremely in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Three Forms of Unity, which testify to the unambiguous teaching of Scripture. It is preached in accordance with the unfolding plan of redemption in Christ that is found from the start to the finish of Scripture (redemptive history).
The truth and beauty of this theology had an enormous impact of my own life. God not only lifted the lid off of my shallow beliefs and gave me an expansive view of His saving purposes, He used this theology to give me the intellectual resources to defend my faith against those who would counter or undermine it. It does the same for some of my family members, friends, and untold millions across the country.
Here are a few factors that I believe contributed to the rise of the YRR movement beyond those given by Dever:
1) The rise of the unambiguous, urban intellectuals. Christians have long embraced experientialism and subjectivity in describing their faith, fully ceding the intellectual sphere to false belief. When they do more actively engage their minds, they often do so in cultural and political causes while ignoring the deeper apologetic concerns. (For example, I always found in bizarre that many Christians railed against Harry Potter, which did not dabble in the occult as is often assumed, but largely ignored The Golden Compass, which was Phillip Pullman's effort to "undo the mischief" of The Chronicles of Narnia.)
Instead of ceding the cultural centers of American and retreating into seclusion with the South, Midwest, and suburban homeschooling community, a number of prominent pastors--including Rev. Mark Driscoll in Seattle, Rev. Tim Keller in New York City, and Dever himself chose the opposite path. They entered these supposedly hostile arenas and laid down an intellectual guantlet that confronted false belief and asked people to honestly consider the claims of Christ. Driscoll shares an unambiguous Gospel with a generation of hipsters that are sick of the prior generations "value-free" parenting. Keller's cerebral approach to Scripture and apologetics has resonated with the Ivy League yuppies of NYC. Dever embraces a counter-cultural spirituality of the church in the heart of power in the modern world.
2) Dr. Michael Horton and the White Horse Inn. Dr. Horton is a leading Christian intellectual and apologist in the vein of R.C. Sproul. Whereas folks once listened to "Renewing Your Mind" or read Tabletalk and were allured by Reformed theology, many now listen to White Horse and read Horton's dozens of systematic and popular books. Horton also has a well-deserved reputation as a civil and generous disputant, often engaging leading lights across the spectrum of worldviews. There is no name referenced more within the Army chaplaincy right now than that of Horton.
3) The rediscovery of the beauty of Reformed theology and a consequent passion, rather than the bare truth of Reformed theology and a consequent polemical nature. There is a boundless proliferation of blogs and books coming out of Reformed circles right now, bring that great truths of Scripture to bear in beautiful and practical ways. Reformed Christians once had a reputation for arguing people into a corner and being the "frozen chosen" with regard to zeal and evangelism. That reputation is melting away due to the popular books published by 9 Marks, the Acts 29 Network, and affiliated with the Gospel Coalition.
4) The resurgence of an offensive, God-centered Christianity. The Christianity of the 60s and 70s was largely marked by a sentimental "me and Jesus" type of approach. The language often employed was of a "personal relationship" where one "invited Jesus into their heart." Theology and doctrine were ridiculed as obsolete terms (though everybody had a deeply-entrenched theological grid). Jesus was often treated as near and dear (imminent) but not as the Lord and Judge of the world (transcendence). Many of the songs offered generic platitudes about Jesus (i.e. "Shine Jesus Shine") and lacked a substantial presentation of the Gospel. Postmodern folks (most everyone born in the aftermath of Vietnam) rebelled against cliches and sentimental Christianity. Some fell away. Many grew desperate for the transcendent God of the Bible, vibrant and intimate community with the Church, and a stronger connection with the Church of previous ages.
I have often wondered why my denomination, as one of the most historic of the Reformed bodies in America, has not played a greater role in the society-wide phenomenon. Some would unfairly criticize the denomination as simply being too ingrown (proportionally, the OPC has a high number of missionaries and does a great deal of church planting). Some might erroneously finger the traditional liturgy and style of worship (God's work through Keller in NYC runs along traditional lines).
I think part of our struggle is shown in the type of reading materials we put out. We have pristine papers on historic doctrines and contemporary heresies. We have pamphlets to hand out explaining the importance of the Sabbath. We are guardians of the truth, but often fail to convey the beauty of the faith in general and Reformed theology in particular. While many of these movements and publishing agencies are bringing historic Reformed truths down to the ground level (i.e., The Hole in our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung and Why We Love the Church by DeYoung and Ted Kluck), our struggle seems to be in bringing the vast resources of our faith and history to bear upon the masses. We must more actively engage other people and other worldviews and more winsomely share great truths as if they captivate us by their beauty (they do!).
Of course, so much of this is generalyzing, but such generalizations serve a purpose in recognizing trends and prospective points of collective improvement (without denigrating individuals).
24.10.13
On the Homefront
A soldier came through my office for redeployment counseling today (as all soldiers must when they redeploy to the States).
Both of his teenage sons are mildly autistic and violent and have been violent toward his wife. They have both been involuntarily committed to a mental care facility (or they would face imprisonment). His pre-teen daughter is about to have back surgery of the same sort that her young adult sister had a few years back. It is a fair assessment to say that the family is currently mired in chaos.
Such is the state of this broken world that the homefront can often be more chaotic than the warfront. I prayed with this soldier, that the God who alone can bring order to a broken world and broken lives would do so with this family. Blessed are the peacemakers. This soldier will be such a man in this case, but his hope lies ultimately with Jesus Christ, who reconciled sinners to God by His own blood.
A home is an outpost of sorts in the believer's pilgrim journey to his heavenly home. Yet, in the savagery of sin in this world, the home can often become a place of great harm. In such cases, the need and hope of heavenly glory merely becomes more pronounced.
"Though parents may betray, the Lord will take me in." (Ps. 27)
Both of his teenage sons are mildly autistic and violent and have been violent toward his wife. They have both been involuntarily committed to a mental care facility (or they would face imprisonment). His pre-teen daughter is about to have back surgery of the same sort that her young adult sister had a few years back. It is a fair assessment to say that the family is currently mired in chaos.
Such is the state of this broken world that the homefront can often be more chaotic than the warfront. I prayed with this soldier, that the God who alone can bring order to a broken world and broken lives would do so with this family. Blessed are the peacemakers. This soldier will be such a man in this case, but his hope lies ultimately with Jesus Christ, who reconciled sinners to God by His own blood.
A home is an outpost of sorts in the believer's pilgrim journey to his heavenly home. Yet, in the savagery of sin in this world, the home can often become a place of great harm. In such cases, the need and hope of heavenly glory merely becomes more pronounced.
"Though parents may betray, the Lord will take me in." (Ps. 27)
23.10.13
The Kill Order and the Death of Hope
I finally read the prequel to the wonderful Maze Runner series I read a few weeks back and it is just as exciting and depressing as the rest.
I have always gravitated toward depressing, future-oriented dystopian novels, like 1984, A Brave New World, Ender's Game, The Hunger Games, etc. In a society that constantly dismisses acts of evil as isolated from human nature and assumes that people are generally good, these books provide a refreshing contrast. They warn us about always assuming the best about human nature, especially of those in power.
Many a time, our naivete regarding human nature has gotten us in trouble, particularly on the international scene. We assume that foreign leaders are trustworthy and are acting with the same moral compass that we do and the exploit such simple thinking (e.g. the Soviet Union in a number of cases). Of course, we often don't consistently act with our moral compass either (few remember the age of eugenics prior to WWII, where abortion was promoted to wipe out minorities and tens of thousands of "less pure" types around the country were sterilized).
The Kill Order, by James Dashner, which sets the stage for The Maze Runner, is as dark and dystopian as the rest of the books. In fact, I would say it's darker, but will not give away any of the plot in explaining why. It certainly is an effective critique of utilitarian ethics, which measures morality by what causes the greatest pleasure for the greatest number of people. In the name of the greater good, powerful, government forces make a heinous moral decision. They ultimately pay dire consequences for their benevolent choice.
The book is another wonderful, white-knuckled read. It again passes the "what makes a good plot in Stevo's mind" test by not making key characters impervious to suffering and death.
That said, the dystopian genre, also seen in World War Z and the current zombie/vampire craze, is too dark. I have heard them described as nihilistic (the philosophy of nothingness or meaninglessness). I think the description is apt.
These books our modern imitations of Ecclesiastes, which examines the world through a variety of pursuits, only to render the verdict over and over: Meaningless! But the point of Ecclesiastes is to show a world broken by sin, a world that can offer no enduring meaning, and that is destined to disappoint and destroy. Yet Ecclesiastes ends on this note:
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Ultimately, the present world of semi-chaos and utter brokenness is still ruled by God, and the Creator will re-create in perfection the world that man broke. While the blood of Abel (whose name means "meaningless" in the Hebrew) cries out in judgment against the brokenness of this world (Gen. 4; Heb. 11); the blood of Jesus Christ brought eternal meaning to something even as devastating as crucifying the Son of God on a cross. Death, decay, and despair never have the final word for those who belong body and soul to Jesus Christ.
This is ultimately the fatal flaw in the masterful genre of dystopian novels. They display remarkable clarity in their view of the world and of human nature. But they are blind to hope.
I have always gravitated toward depressing, future-oriented dystopian novels, like 1984, A Brave New World, Ender's Game, The Hunger Games, etc. In a society that constantly dismisses acts of evil as isolated from human nature and assumes that people are generally good, these books provide a refreshing contrast. They warn us about always assuming the best about human nature, especially of those in power.
Many a time, our naivete regarding human nature has gotten us in trouble, particularly on the international scene. We assume that foreign leaders are trustworthy and are acting with the same moral compass that we do and the exploit such simple thinking (e.g. the Soviet Union in a number of cases). Of course, we often don't consistently act with our moral compass either (few remember the age of eugenics prior to WWII, where abortion was promoted to wipe out minorities and tens of thousands of "less pure" types around the country were sterilized).
The Kill Order, by James Dashner, which sets the stage for The Maze Runner, is as dark and dystopian as the rest of the books. In fact, I would say it's darker, but will not give away any of the plot in explaining why. It certainly is an effective critique of utilitarian ethics, which measures morality by what causes the greatest pleasure for the greatest number of people. In the name of the greater good, powerful, government forces make a heinous moral decision. They ultimately pay dire consequences for their benevolent choice.
The book is another wonderful, white-knuckled read. It again passes the "what makes a good plot in Stevo's mind" test by not making key characters impervious to suffering and death.
That said, the dystopian genre, also seen in World War Z and the current zombie/vampire craze, is too dark. I have heard them described as nihilistic (the philosophy of nothingness or meaninglessness). I think the description is apt.
These books our modern imitations of Ecclesiastes, which examines the world through a variety of pursuits, only to render the verdict over and over: Meaningless! But the point of Ecclesiastes is to show a world broken by sin, a world that can offer no enduring meaning, and that is destined to disappoint and destroy. Yet Ecclesiastes ends on this note:
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Ultimately, the present world of semi-chaos and utter brokenness is still ruled by God, and the Creator will re-create in perfection the world that man broke. While the blood of Abel (whose name means "meaningless" in the Hebrew) cries out in judgment against the brokenness of this world (Gen. 4; Heb. 11); the blood of Jesus Christ brought eternal meaning to something even as devastating as crucifying the Son of God on a cross. Death, decay, and despair never have the final word for those who belong body and soul to Jesus Christ.
This is ultimately the fatal flaw in the masterful genre of dystopian novels. They display remarkable clarity in their view of the world and of human nature. But they are blind to hope.
22.10.13
Ragnar Running
As an afterthought to the half marathon series several months back, I shot a random email to the nice folks with the Ragnar Relay to feel out their interest in supporting a shadow run (for their Las Vegas race).
My dialogue with them picked up steam over the past several weeks and I started putting out the word here about a potential 200 mile relay race. I was thinking that we might generate enough interest to conjure up a team, possibly two, for such an adventure.
As of this post, we are at 65 runners and counting. Two teams were formed entirely from single units. I will gather with several other race leaders here to put together four other composite teams--each led by a Canadian marathoner/ultra-marathoner, and each consisting of American and Canadian soldiers, contractors, officers and enlisted, male and female.
We will run a one mile loop here on our post, with two of us doing ultra-type distances, half a dozen or so doing marathon-type distances, and all the rest doing totals of 12-20 miles.
Ragnar will be sending us t-shirts, slap bracelet batons, bibs, and medals. They will also be tracking this on one of their sites and will have runners from Las Vegas send us notes of encouragement. We will send them photos, videos, and our immense gratitude.
I will keep you posted on what Ragnar does to advertise this event.
I think this will be a big morale boost for our soldiers here. Please pray that this would also enable me to reach more soldiers with the love and the hope of Jesus Christ.
My dialogue with them picked up steam over the past several weeks and I started putting out the word here about a potential 200 mile relay race. I was thinking that we might generate enough interest to conjure up a team, possibly two, for such an adventure.
As of this post, we are at 65 runners and counting. Two teams were formed entirely from single units. I will gather with several other race leaders here to put together four other composite teams--each led by a Canadian marathoner/ultra-marathoner, and each consisting of American and Canadian soldiers, contractors, officers and enlisted, male and female.
We will run a one mile loop here on our post, with two of us doing ultra-type distances, half a dozen or so doing marathon-type distances, and all the rest doing totals of 12-20 miles.
Ragnar will be sending us t-shirts, slap bracelet batons, bibs, and medals. They will also be tracking this on one of their sites and will have runners from Las Vegas send us notes of encouragement. We will send them photos, videos, and our immense gratitude.
I will keep you posted on what Ragnar does to advertise this event.
I think this will be a big morale boost for our soldiers here. Please pray that this would also enable me to reach more soldiers with the love and the hope of Jesus Christ.
21.10.13
The Politics of Prudence
I just finished reading Constitutional Conservatism by Peter Berkowitz of the Hoover Institute and found it to be a fascinating read.
I am loathe to bring politics anywhere near the pulpit, as it has proven to be a dreadful distraction from the spiritual focus of the Church: proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the whole of Scripture (nor do I think it appropriate, even it were not a distraction). That said, I cannot hide the fact that I love politics--the philosophy, the science, the art, the competition.
And one of my great passions in the history of the modern conservative movement. I love learning of its roots in great British parliamentarian, Edmund Burke, and its crucial role in the shaping of the American founding through figures like John Adams and Alexander Hamilton (for more on these figures, see Russell Kirk's The Conservative Mind). I am particular fascinated by the resurgence of conservatism in the aftermath of WWII, where fiscal libertarians (emphasize freedom and limited government), traditionalists (conservation of order, tradition, and virtue), and foreign policy hawks (those who sought to maintain these principles before aggressive foreign adversaries), gradually coalesced into what became the modern conservative movement.
Later, this movement was joined by the "Religious Right" which added grassroots heft to the intellectual weight of the traditionalists, as well as neo-conservatives (former liberal academics who became disillusioned with the modern trajectory of the Democratic Party). Berkowitz seems to fall pretty clear into this latter camp. Neo-conservatives tend to be more realistic and pragmatic in their approach to politics. Instead of trying to return government and society to its former glory days, they concede that America will never again accept "small government," but will abide by "limited government." Likewise, the sexual revolution will never be overturned, but its more harmful impulses can hopefully be channeled into more positive directions.
There has always been inherent frictions between these different groups. Libertarian emphases on freedom and creative destruction do not mesh well with traditionalist emphases on tradition and virtue. Neo-conservative concessions regarding government and culture tend to prove an open sore to libertarian and traditionalist alike. The emphasis on security measures and military power by hawks and neo-conservatives find a sharp objection from the libertarians. Over the decades, William F. Buckley of National Review became the dominant figure in channeling these healthy debates into a fundamental political course that united these streams upon common complex view of human nature (dignified and depraved) that likewise stood as the worldview behind America's founding. For a great debate between these groups, see Frank Meyer's What is Conservatism? and to see how these groups were all drawn together, see George Nash's The History of the Conservative Intellectual Movement Since 1945.
Berkowitz, in setting forth his vision of Constitutional Conservatism, traces many of the aforementioned periods and figures. He spends a chapter on the thought of Edmund Burke, a chapter on the Federalist-Anti-Federalist debates surrounding the Constitution, a chapter on the rise of modern conservatism through Kirk, Hayek, Friedman, Chambers, Buckley, and Meyer to the polticians, Goldwater and Reagan, and finally a chapter on the future.
Having read much from many of these figures, what I found particularly arresting was Berkowitz's continual theme of political moderation (as opposed to ideological) as a key component of conservatism. Conservatism came to the fore in the Western world alongside the reactionary utopianism of the French Revolution. Conservatism constantly sought to engage a real world, not an ideal one, and changes were sought with prudence, through compromise, and for incremental change.
This same political moderation infused the conservatism of the founding, tempered the debates of the modern movement, and was keenly expressed in the presidency of Ronald Reagan, who sought substantial, but not revolutionary, changes while in office. Throughout the history of conservatism, compromise has not generally been viewed as a departure from principle, but a prudent exercise of it in pursuit of incremental change and long-term gain.
Practical application to modern political (without engaging in the foray or the particulars): While the Tea Party (Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike) has replenished the philosophical roots of conservatism in the present day by speaking more of the role of government in a representative democracy, it has not shown the political moderation of past generations of conservatism. America, unlike France, is an inherently moderate country. She desires changes in increments, not in revolutions, and punishes those who overreach. Conservatism has historically embraced this impulse.
Instead of speaking of "small government," it should indeed speak of "limited government." Entitlements will not go away, but they can certainly be reformed, and perhaps without severe political consequences if done with prudence. Abortion will not be outlawed anytime soon, but there is a public consensus regarding the heinous nature of partial-birth abortion. Why not pursue the elimination of what most consider infanticide rather than waste political capital on a Constitution amendment that will never pass? As Russell Kirk once said, "There is no such thing as permanent political losses, nor permanent political victories."
America may one day face her next "rendezvous with destiny," and that rendezvous must involve conviction and compromise in service of conviction if it is to prove successful.
I am loathe to bring politics anywhere near the pulpit, as it has proven to be a dreadful distraction from the spiritual focus of the Church: proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the whole of Scripture (nor do I think it appropriate, even it were not a distraction). That said, I cannot hide the fact that I love politics--the philosophy, the science, the art, the competition.
And one of my great passions in the history of the modern conservative movement. I love learning of its roots in great British parliamentarian, Edmund Burke, and its crucial role in the shaping of the American founding through figures like John Adams and Alexander Hamilton (for more on these figures, see Russell Kirk's The Conservative Mind). I am particular fascinated by the resurgence of conservatism in the aftermath of WWII, where fiscal libertarians (emphasize freedom and limited government), traditionalists (conservation of order, tradition, and virtue), and foreign policy hawks (those who sought to maintain these principles before aggressive foreign adversaries), gradually coalesced into what became the modern conservative movement.
Later, this movement was joined by the "Religious Right" which added grassroots heft to the intellectual weight of the traditionalists, as well as neo-conservatives (former liberal academics who became disillusioned with the modern trajectory of the Democratic Party). Berkowitz seems to fall pretty clear into this latter camp. Neo-conservatives tend to be more realistic and pragmatic in their approach to politics. Instead of trying to return government and society to its former glory days, they concede that America will never again accept "small government," but will abide by "limited government." Likewise, the sexual revolution will never be overturned, but its more harmful impulses can hopefully be channeled into more positive directions.
There has always been inherent frictions between these different groups. Libertarian emphases on freedom and creative destruction do not mesh well with traditionalist emphases on tradition and virtue. Neo-conservative concessions regarding government and culture tend to prove an open sore to libertarian and traditionalist alike. The emphasis on security measures and military power by hawks and neo-conservatives find a sharp objection from the libertarians. Over the decades, William F. Buckley of National Review became the dominant figure in channeling these healthy debates into a fundamental political course that united these streams upon common complex view of human nature (dignified and depraved) that likewise stood as the worldview behind America's founding. For a great debate between these groups, see Frank Meyer's What is Conservatism? and to see how these groups were all drawn together, see George Nash's The History of the Conservative Intellectual Movement Since 1945.
Berkowitz, in setting forth his vision of Constitutional Conservatism, traces many of the aforementioned periods and figures. He spends a chapter on the thought of Edmund Burke, a chapter on the Federalist-Anti-Federalist debates surrounding the Constitution, a chapter on the rise of modern conservatism through Kirk, Hayek, Friedman, Chambers, Buckley, and Meyer to the polticians, Goldwater and Reagan, and finally a chapter on the future.
Having read much from many of these figures, what I found particularly arresting was Berkowitz's continual theme of political moderation (as opposed to ideological) as a key component of conservatism. Conservatism came to the fore in the Western world alongside the reactionary utopianism of the French Revolution. Conservatism constantly sought to engage a real world, not an ideal one, and changes were sought with prudence, through compromise, and for incremental change.
This same political moderation infused the conservatism of the founding, tempered the debates of the modern movement, and was keenly expressed in the presidency of Ronald Reagan, who sought substantial, but not revolutionary, changes while in office. Throughout the history of conservatism, compromise has not generally been viewed as a departure from principle, but a prudent exercise of it in pursuit of incremental change and long-term gain.
Practical application to modern political (without engaging in the foray or the particulars): While the Tea Party (Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike) has replenished the philosophical roots of conservatism in the present day by speaking more of the role of government in a representative democracy, it has not shown the political moderation of past generations of conservatism. America, unlike France, is an inherently moderate country. She desires changes in increments, not in revolutions, and punishes those who overreach. Conservatism has historically embraced this impulse.
Instead of speaking of "small government," it should indeed speak of "limited government." Entitlements will not go away, but they can certainly be reformed, and perhaps without severe political consequences if done with prudence. Abortion will not be outlawed anytime soon, but there is a public consensus regarding the heinous nature of partial-birth abortion. Why not pursue the elimination of what most consider infanticide rather than waste political capital on a Constitution amendment that will never pass? As Russell Kirk once said, "There is no such thing as permanent political losses, nor permanent political victories."
America may one day face her next "rendezvous with destiny," and that rendezvous must involve conviction and compromise in service of conviction if it is to prove successful.
20.10.13
Fleeces and School Supplies
I spoke with a Romanian friend for a little while last night. (As an aside, it is amazing how much men will open up when they are smoking.)
We have many Coalition soldiers like this one who earn far less than US forces and have a much harder financial situation back home. As the cold season approaches, I think some of these soldiers could use fleeces, and they often have children back home who could use basic school supplies.
If any of you would be willing to send any of these items out here, it would surely be appreciated. You could also attach a note and Bible verse, giving a reason for your care and the hope you have.
US soldiers need very little in material support these days--the same cannot be said of these faithful allies.
If you are interested in helping, email either me or the wifey for my address out here.
I preached in the morning and evening today--The Gospel According to Isaac: God's Substitute and A Devastating Day of God's Glorious Grace (Martyrdom of Stephen), respectively.
Wish you all God's richest blessings in Jesus Christ.
We have many Coalition soldiers like this one who earn far less than US forces and have a much harder financial situation back home. As the cold season approaches, I think some of these soldiers could use fleeces, and they often have children back home who could use basic school supplies.
If any of you would be willing to send any of these items out here, it would surely be appreciated. You could also attach a note and Bible verse, giving a reason for your care and the hope you have.
US soldiers need very little in material support these days--the same cannot be said of these faithful allies.
If you are interested in helping, email either me or the wifey for my address out here.
I preached in the morning and evening today--The Gospel According to Isaac: God's Substitute and A Devastating Day of God's Glorious Grace (Martyrdom of Stephen), respectively.
Wish you all God's richest blessings in Jesus Christ.
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