[asa] Young Evangelicals was RE: Creation Care Magazine

On Jan 22, 2008 3:03 PM, I wrote:

>
>
> On Jan 22, 2008 11:14 AM, Janice Matchett <janmatch@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > Stop arguing about the bottom line. I will help the poor . You will
> > help the poor. But don't attempt to steal from me what's mine so that you
> > can use my resources to help the poor.
> >
> > Got it?
> >
> >
>
> I remain optimistic that the viewpoint above is becoming increasingly an
> anomaly as other evangelicals and [unmentionables] are starting to get it.

This week two things came out that brought this into sharper relief. First,
David Brooks had the following op-ed on the "revolt" concerning the
grassroots of the [unmentionables].

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/opinion/22brooks.html

The movement [unmentionables] are losing control of their ranks with R ush L
imbaugh complaining the death of the party if the candidates who are
currently winning end up getting the nomination. Particularly interesting is
the evangelical base. The leaders support different candidates than the
grass roots. H uckabee is getting more support from the grass roots even
though his economic approach differs wildly from the "bottom line" expressed
above.

Which brings me to what also came out this week: Jim Wallis' new book, The
Great Awakening. Here Wallis notes the post-religious-r ight evangelicalism.
Wallis quotes a mega-church pastor who is tired with the private-only
solutions by one side and the public-only solutions on the other. The
"answer" being espoused is to start private and then prophetically move into
the public space. What's different about this book than previous ones is
that it's descriptive and not prescriptive. Namely, he is stating that he
himself is behind the curve and trying to catch up with the next generation
of evangelicals. Another refreshing aspect of this book is that it doesn't
read like the answer to the religous r ight is the religious l eft -- at
least that's how his previous books struck me. Rather, Wallis is describing
young evangelicals -- including the college-aged ones that we are trying to
reach as part of the ASA's mission -- are becoming more involved with
climate change, poverty, Darfur, etc. The difference between the current
activism and past ones is that these students are, as he described,
prophetic rather than p artisan.

I really think that these two are on to something here. Ted, is that what
you are seeing on campus at Messiah College?

Rich Blinne (Member ASA)

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Received on Thu Jan 24 14:57:25 2008