Apparently Glen Beck is now urging people to leave their churches if their leaders begin to speak about social justice. [Seriously, I'm not making this up.] To make matters... 'er... worse, he notes that the term "social justice" is really just a code word for Communism and Nazism.
You can read more about this here and here.
Honestly, I find this kind of heartbreaking. The scriptures are filled with references to what could be deemed as "social justice" - both the Hebrew Bible, as well as the New Testament. The message of the gospel is something that changes society, bringing about justice and hope. It is about bringing heaven here, and praying, "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." To devoid the gospel of it's social justice component is to cheapen the gospel itself, reducing it to a personalized message of self-help.
My hope is that someone would help Beck nuance his thoughts and rhetoric a bit, as he seems to be quickly becoming the Pat Robertson of political punditry.
[HT: Zach]
Well, considering his theological background...
Posted by: Derek Rishmawy | March 08, 2010 at 09:23 PM
Agreed. What breaks my heart is that some will just uncritically accept his rhetoric as theologically true. [Sigh.]
Posted by: mike | March 08, 2010 at 09:29 PM
Wow. Just when I thought he had sunk as low as he could . . . that guy outdoes himself again.
Posted by: Kristen | March 08, 2010 at 09:54 PM
**shaking head**
for real. i am going to be in real trouble soon. Whatever Glen says makes its way into my church at one point or another.
Posted by: Friar_Tuck | March 08, 2010 at 10:26 PM
There is a two drink minimum to watch the show, right?
Posted by: El PappaJ | March 08, 2010 at 10:40 PM
Someone has tried to help him "nuance his thoughts and rhetoric" but his response is staggering.
http://blog.sojo.net/2010/03/15/in-spite-of-glenn-becks-new-threats-my-invitation-to-dialogue-stands/
Posted by: Wes Ellis | March 17, 2010 at 05:02 PM
Jim wallis talks about the situation at the beginning of this youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL7NaCFF2ts&playnext_from=TL&videos=2cU_ZgTIYFc
Posted by: Ian | April 16, 2010 at 05:33 PM
Maybe you should listen to his entire speech. What he said was that churches who talk about social justice - LIKE JEREMIAH WRIGHT'S CHURCH - should think about leaving the congregation or at least get informed about what the church is teaching. He was talking about forced "charity" and handouts from the government.
He is in NO WAY insisting that helping out one's fellow man - like Jesus and the Disciples - is not what the church should teach.
Posted by: jen | April 25, 2010 at 07:01 AM
Jen, as a matter of fact I have seen the entire discussion. While he does in fact begin with Jeremiah Wright's church as an example of a "social gospel," where he ends up is quite another place. As with much political punditry, he seems to careen away from his initial thoughts and wind up stating positions and making connections that are unfounded. The swift and unified response by many in the Christian community, across denominational and theological positions shows that his comments at best were misguided, and at worst, flat out ignorant.
Posted by: mike | April 25, 2010 at 07:30 PM
Mike, I totally disagree with you. You are completely entitled to your opinion. He went out of his way on many occasions to make sure that people did not take he words out of context and try to say the he "hates Jesus", etc. Unfortunately, many people have just completely disregarded him as a fraud and a fake. I stick by him and what he said because he backs up everything he says. I am not blind to everything he says but I check it out for myself. To bad others cannot do the same.
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