BWA Freedom & Justice Report - June 2008
Most Americans will spend this day celebrating the mythos of liberty won at great cost. For my part, I'm content to reflect on the great cost of crucifixion that won my eternal liberty. Yet I am indeed thankful that, when it comes to the practice of the gospel, America is at least more redeemed among the powers than most. Too bad we have so often squandered that redemption by buying into the seductions that America the power presents us. Nevertheless, there are Christians around the world who have much worse to contend with than we, and for them we should pray, for they face persecution in response to the freedom they have already found in Christ.
*****
Hamid Shabanov, a Baptist pastor in Aliabad in the Central Asian country of Azerbaijan, was arrested on Friday, June 20.
Elnur Jabiyev, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Azerbaijan (BUA), reported that the “police claim to have found an illegal weapon in his home.”
Denying the allegations against Shabanov, and suggesting that the weapon was planted by the police, Jabiyev stated that the arrest “was a provocation by the police,” and that it was “a deliberately targeted action.” The BUA leader asserted that “the police's aim is to halt Baptist activity and close the church in Aliabad.”
BWA president David Coffey stated that “the BWA will do all we can to publicize among the world family what has happened in Aliabad” and that “the global family” will be praying for the Shabanov family.
General Secretary Neville Callam expressed his disappointment at the arrest. “We are registering our grave disappointment at the denial of religious freedom that is evident in Azerbaijan,” the BWA leader said. “Our Baptist brothers and sisters in Azerbaijan should be completely assured of the BWA commitment to pray for them as they struggle in the context of oppression, and, as an expression of our historic commitment to personal liberty, freedom, and justice, to make representation on their behalf.”
Labels: Baptists, Discipleship
Mythos?!?! I respectfully disagree with your opinion of the 4th of July. Certainly, nothing should be placed in greater esteem than what Christ did for us. Still, it is unwarranted to disregard the sacrifices made by men for the freedom this nation. Even now I am reading a book, "The Proud Tower," and I see that the common people of England even over 100 years later still had little say in that country and were lorded over by aristocracy. Should the colonists settled for that? Certainly our government now has problems, but we do have some say in the matters.
On the 4th I think about men like my great uncle David Mellendorf. He joined the U.S. Army in WWII and went to fight in Europe where my grandpa, his brother John, was already fighting. David Mellendorf was killed by a sniper and is now buried in Belgium. These guys were and are not "mythos." They were born in a log cabin, grew up on a farm, and later went over to fight Hitler.
Thanks and Best Regards,
John
Posted by
Anonymous |
Monday, July 07, 2008 10:27:00 PM
I think by mythos what Schelin means is that the American Empire, distinct from that which my grandfather and yours faught for, has its own story of salvation rivaling the Christian mythos. I will disagree with some conclusions Schelin will draw, but I agree with the basic thoughts.
Regarding Being Consumed:
It is an awesome book. I really, really want to believe his critique of capitalism. really do. But I want someone (Milbank, James Smith, Cavanaugh, Stanley) to honestly deal with the market critique of socialism. Ron Sider was publically destroyed by David Chilton because notwithstanding Sider's good intentions, he could not deal with the basic laws of economics.
Cavanaugh makes good promises--the best I have ever seen--and has tentative measures for realizing them, but I cannot believe just yet. I want to. I really do.
A while back John Milbank said that the only way to deal with the current economic-social situation is to scrap the modern project and just start over with something like the medieval guild system. Extreme maybe, but we migh thave to.
Posted by
Jacob |
Tuesday, July 08, 2008 12:57:00 PM
John,
I read the Proud Tower and I'm fairly familiar with English history. You think it's good to fight for the rights of the common person? Good, so do I. Just don't ask me to kill anyone while doing so.
Posted by
Chris Schelin |
Wednesday, July 09, 2008 11:01:00 PM
Hello Chris,
I certainly would never ask you to kill anyone. I know you are for non violence. I was just a bit surprised at your comments towards the 4th of July.
I can't see where we have an "AMerican Empire." We can't even balance our budget, monitor our borders, or even enforce the law already on the books, and the politicians run on platforms wanting more laws.
I hope things are going good in Roxsboro and we look forward to seeing you all next year in Houston, whenever that conference is. Do you have to drive far to the church?
Best Regards,
John
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, July 10, 2008 7:55:00 PM
by empire I mean we station our troops around the world to maintain our political and financial itnerests by military force. We are a FAR CRY from George Washington's non-interventionist policy.
And our empire is also connected to idolatrous statements like "Making the world safe for democracy," a concept almost all of our founding fathers despised.
Posted by
Jacob |
Friday, July 11, 2008 9:07:00 AM
Here is Cavanaugh's critique of the idolatry of political pluralism in the form of the American Empire. Top notch (the audio isn't great, though, but there is a pdf transcript).
http://catholicanarchy.org/cavanaugh/
Posted by
Jacob |
Friday, July 11, 2008 1:04:00 PM
Post a Comment