Pam
February 28, 2022
If we are advancing God’s desired peace and love for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, let’s not overlook the clear scriptural justification for strong intervention as an expression of that same love and desire for peace
It’s striking to reflect on how many positive influences in my life have come from friends of other faiths, and even of no faith. This is my story, or at least a few fun strands of it.
If we can’t even agree about the threatened invasion of a democratic, sovereign nation playing out before us, what does that say about our own condition as an American people?
Our discussion of Brad Wilcox’s firesides has been a hard and valuable one, and Dan Ellsworth closes with this plea for more forthrightness about the uncomfortable challenges Zion requires of us all.
The understandable tribal response to controversial moments like Brother Wilcox’s talk is to put up walls. However, if we pause the impulse, there is much we stand to gain.
I get together with some friends to discuss Brad Wilcox’s recent comments–and the strong response they received. We talk about intent and circumstances, but also the reason the comments were hard for so many.
Note: we tried to get this right. I guarantee we didn’t manage perfectly. A group of thoughtful people talking it out helped me though. There were some really good moments and insights, and if nothing else, I think we modeled what it looks like to grapple with something hard in as faithful a way as possible. That sounds me as worth doing.
While freedom of expression will always be important, perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to provide defensive cover for those making serious errors—especially if that forecloses opportunities to learn and grow.
Contrary to dismissive public rhetoric, more and more couples are thriving in what the world calls “mixed-orientation marriages.” Yet anyone considering it faces enormous opposition. It’s time for that to change.