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Part Four in the Series: "We have it in our power to begin the world again" -Tom Paine The Editor-in-Chief of SOJOURNERS Magazine, the Evangelical Jim Wallis, has released a new book, The Great Awakening, written with hope to wake up American institutionalized Christians to be a part of the rebirth and renewal to heal, mend and transform "the biblical scandal of poverty around the globe and here at home, the crisis of environmental degradation and climate change that pose a threat to God's creation, and to the multiple assaults on human life and dignity that shame our world." [Page 12, Feb. 2008, SOJOURNERS]
Wallis proposes Seven Principals and Rules of Engagement for Christian political involvement in the world: 1. God hates injustice. 2. The kingdom of God is a new order. 3. The church is an alternative community 4. The kingdom of God transforms the world by addressing the specifics of injustice. 5. The church is the conscience of the state, holding it accountable for upholding justice and restraining its violence. 6. Take a global perspective. 7. Seek the common good. All seven points are well and good; I wish Jim luck and pray he does indeed arouse the sleeping Christians since the western institutions have failed at its commission. Too many churches in the USA have become places to socialize and be entertained; to be patted on the back just for doing the minimum of what is required if one claims to be a Christian; and churches have become businesses that maintain the status quo, rather than spread the social gospel. The gospel -which means good news- that Jesus preached, was very political and a direct challenge to the politically powerful and the arrogant, self-satisfied, self-righteous teachers of the law. Two thousand years ago the Cross had NO symbolic religious meaning and was not a piece of jewelry. When Jesus said: "Pick up your cross and follow me," everyone back then understood he was issuing a POLITICAL statement, for the main roads in Jerusalem were lined with crucified agitators, rebels, dissidents and any others who disturbed the status quo of the Roman Occupying Forces. In the latter days of Nero's reign [54-68 AD] through the domination of Domitian [81-96 AD], Christians were persecuted for following the nonviolent, loving and forgiving Jesus. That Jesus was first left behind when Augustine penned the Just War Theory. Before Emperor Constantine brought Christianity into the mainstream, all the early Church Fathers taught that Christians should not serve in the army but instead willingly suffer rather than inflict harm on any other. St. Augustine was the first Church Father to consider the concept of a Just War. In 313 AD, Emperor Constantine legitimized Christianity and thus, those who had been considered rebels and outlaws began to enjoy political power and prestige. Within 100 years of Constantine, the Empire required all soldiers in the army to be baptized as Christians and, thus, the decline of Christianity began in earnest.
Eileen is the Reporter and Editor of Producer of "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu" Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" She has been to Israel Palestine five times since June 2005.
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