Musings from Crown Alumni

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Duerkop...and others...your thoughts on our former neighbor to the East Greg Boyd's book, "The Myth of a Christian Nation?"

posted by Josh Mann at 11:29 PM

13 Comments:

  • Everybody's staying quiet nowadays, huh? I'd drop some ideas, but I haven't read the book, and I am actually now interested. Anyway, Duerk knows I've been vocal against the Christian nation/national heritage thing for a long while now, so my bias seems to do little in contrast. You know, Josh, you could tell us your thoughts, and we could go from there. Or, in my case, you could drive forty-five minutes and then we could talk about it in person. So many ideas. Hopefully somebody that's actually read the book will have something to say here soon. Glad you're posting, Mr. Mann. Where is Duerk, anyway?

    By Blogger Hubka, at 2:22 PM  

  • I'm around - and in my defense I believe I'm still the only person to congratulate the Folkestads on their little one - where's everyone else?

    By Blogger Duerkop, at 11:52 PM  

  • you're the only person!? I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that wrote a comment on their post! Oh, it's on now, Mr. President-elect 2020!

    By Blogger Hubka, at 1:30 AM  

  • Nobody cares about Caden? Obviously you have not met him! I might be a drag, but he is simply amazing!

    To clear it up, Hubka and Duerkop both commented, but I deleted the first post on accident. Sorry! Thanks to the TWO of you for caring! :)

    By Blogger Folkestad, at 1:31 PM  

  • Folkestad, you just stopped Duerk and I from dueling to the death over this one. Close call. Yeah, just us history majors looking to congradulate new parents and the like. And then you have Joshua P. Mann walking into our humble abode as though he's here twice a week, a picture of a book and a question, and then he's off again to conquor the Willammett Valley. I've gotta go prepare for a follow-up excuse call with a blonde young lady named Michelle... Maybe the congrats will come my way here soon enough! HA!

    By Blogger Hubka, at 5:22 PM  

  • Now as to the original question. I haven't read the book, but after taking a look at a few reviews it would seem the arguments contained within are not as controversial as the title would suggest.

    It would be foolish to believe political power can be used to save humanity. I would argue that Christians involved in government can only hope to create an environment where all you ministry majors can do your jobs.

    I understand there is the risk of turning people off to Christianity because of partisan politics and I'm not really sure what the answer to that is. Perhaps Boyd offers the solution in his tome.

    Well Mr. Mann - your thoughts?

    By Blogger Duerkop, at 11:52 PM  

  • I haven't read it, but what I've heard is that the primary audience is Christians, and the main point is that Christians qua Christians should not be striving for political power. While some Christians certainly should be working in government, the church as a group should not be striving for political power (I'm thinking of Dobson, Falwell, etc). That is not the job of the church.

    By Blogger bradley, at 3:50 PM  

  • This comment has been removed by the author.

    By Blogger Duerkop, at 10:54 PM  

  • Brad, I'd like to think Dobson isn't seekin political power but instead wants to affect the direction of policy - though perhaps that is a finer line than I would like.

    All, the following article may be of interest - it is the local progressive paper's take on the church I am involved in. Does this compare with Boyd's vision?

    http://www.thedailypage.com:80/isthmus/article.php?article=5136

    By Blogger Duerkop, at 10:59 PM  

  • Wow, look at everyone chatting here. This is exactly what I hoped the blog would be: a venue to discuss books and life, etc. If I had read this book perhaps I could participate, but instead I guess I'll just have to be content reading the running commentary.

    Keep it up.

    By Blogger Lynnea, at 11:19 PM  

  • You shouldn't let a minor detail like not having read the book keep you from commenting. It certainly hasn't stopped any of us. Ironically, I think the only person who has read the book, started this conversation and then walked away... ahem, Josh.

    By Blogger Duerkop, at 12:35 AM  

  • Duerk, the next time Josh is on here, we'll have another two years of blogging between - he'll never find these comments. It is funny, though, that the only person that can actually tell us about the book is long gone. Oh, and as a side-note, today is my birthday! I'm 25, and feeling like... this is the last cool birthday of my life. Here it goes, to thirty, forty, not much past forty because of the robot wars or my health habits. Okay, I've gotta get started on work. The rest of you folks have been at work for a few hours, but the nice thing about the West Coast... we sleep in. I'm so funny. Did I mention that Orlando, the book, was somewhat interesting and disappointing? Maybe somebody else has read that.

    By Blogger Hubka, at 9:48 AM  

  • Whoa whoa whoa...I deeply regret that I have spent any more time with this book other than the time it took to track down that picture...my sincerest apologies :) I did hear him give a message that hit on some of the basic themes and have read some of his other stuff which touches on this hot topic. I also attend a church that has been strongly committed to not passing out voter guides and the like, our line is that our pulpit is for devotion, not promotion. And it is good to be back...you guys have to know that I read this thing way more than i write on it...i guess i have performance anxiety or something, i'll work through it! Can I suggest another book? i'll post it on the main section.

    By Blogger Josh Mann, at 12:38 PM  

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