Coffee this Friday, February 9, at the usual time and place.
Putting together Two Things (almost) every week is a great privilege. And in the age of information, there’s an embarrassment of riches. Culling discussion-worthy topics down to two per week is never an easy task. The task was made easier this week with provision from members of our company.
(1) Christianity vs. liberalism: Kirk Cherry alerted me to this short essay at Public Discourse, where classical educator Joshua Pauling reflects on J. Gresham Machen’s small but prescient book Christianity and Liberalism, now a century old:
Perhaps Machen’s most prescient and provocative claim is that “the great redemptive religion which has always been known as Christianity is battling against a totally diverse type of religious belief, which is only the more destructive of the Christian faith because it makes use of traditional Christian terminology.” This was a “modern non-redemptive religion” that Machen called “modernism” or “liberalism.” By liberalism, Machen [meant] … “modern liberal religion” that is “rooted in naturalism.” The defining characteristic of theological liberalism is “the denial of any entrance of the creative power of God ... in connection with the origin of Christianity.”
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The thesis of Christianity and Liberalism still has surprising relevance…. In Machen’s day, the challenge was primarily theological, as modernists questioned doctrines like the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, and biblical authority. Today, however, the challenges frequently come in the realm of anthropology, ethics, and sexuality, which one could argue are even more foundational to what it means to be human and to live in community.
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Committed Protestant that he was, Machen also noted that despite disagreements, there was a “great common heritage which unites the Roman Catholic Church, with its maintenance of the authority of Holy Scripture and with its acceptance of the great early creeds, to devout Protestants today.” While to Machen the Catholic–Protestant gulf was still profound, it seemed “almost trifling compared to the abyss which stands between us and many ministers of our own Church.” This makes for some interesting alliances in our day, too. Frequently there are progressive and orthodox wings within church bodies, which means we might be more closely aligned on foundational issues with those from orthodox wings of other church bodies than with the progressives in our own.
(2) Politics is local: At Colorado Politics, our very own Michael Tsogt has published an op-ed highlighting why local governments succeed where states and the federal government fail:
At a time when Americans’ trust in the federal government is at rock bottom, citizens in Colorado and across the country are increasingly relying on local government to tackle today’s toughest problems, including homelessness, mental health and crime.
Tsogt highlights three examples across the Front Range: Springs Rescue Mission’s partnership with the City of Colorado Springs to address homelessness with a “treatment-first” model that contrasts with the failed “housing-first” policies of other communities; Douglas County’s Mental Health Initiative that pairs law enforcement with mental health professionals to achieve better outcomes for those struggling with mental-health crises; and Aurora’s proactive efforts to reduce auto theft in the face of state legislative paralysis. “[L]ocal government, being closer to its constituents, immersed in challenges neighborhood by neighborhood—and hearing directly from residents—often can act in a more rapid, agile and creative fashion to craft practical solutions that work.”
Community Haps:
“The Soul of Civility”: Center for the Study of Government and the Individual at UCCS hosts Alexandra Hudson on February 7 to talk about the necessity of civility to social and civic flourishing. Free to the public. RSVP here.
Ash Wednesday services, February 14:
New Life Downtown (at Palmer HS): 6:30 pm
St. George’s Anglican: 8 am, noon, 5 p.m.
First Pres: 6:30 pm
Holy Trinity Anglican: 7 am, 6:30 pm
Abolition of Man course at New Life Downtown Commons, Feb. 15-Mar. 21: Sign up here. The $30 fee covers a copy of the book and food (including a return of my famous “cereal bar”).