I was encouraged to read, in many places over the last few months,  
that many Evangelicals are more and more troubled by one group of  
their brethren getting so deeply involved in politics, and these  
others are trying to take back the Evangelical movement, concentrate  
more on following the teachings of Jesus, feeding the poor, helping  
the needy, etc. 'Bout time. Render unto Caesar etc. That's the  
drawback to any religion, the ability to pick and choose from one's  
sacred writings to justify doing what you were going to do in the  
first place. Look at all the contradictory readings we get about the  
Quran, and the endless wrangling by Ultra- Orthodox Jewish Rabbis  
about the meaning of this and that.

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? A major theological  
concern during the Middle Ages. I'm sure it enriched many souls...

Nancy

-------
I was never lost, but I was bewildered once for three days.

--Daniel Boone



On Feb 23, 2007, at 7:05 AM, [log in to unmask] wrote:

> What I find remarkable is not only that evangelicals today
> remain so ignorant of their own history, but also that as a
> consequence they have now changed their position to support
> greater state engagement with religion.
>
> If we revere the wisdom of the Founders, then surely we have
> to revere their position on State and Church.  This position
> developed adherants largely because evangelical Christians in
> Virginia wisely perceived that "accomodation" of Church and
> State was not in their best interest.  Strict separation, and
> not accomodation, originated in Virginia, and with the full
> and dedicated support of Virginia's reformed Christian sects.
>
> Madison's "Memorial and Remonstrance" contains arguments
> designed to appeal to the coalition that ultimately formed the
> majority and passed Jefferson's bill.  Some of his arguments
> appeal to the enlightenment rationalism of men like Jefferson.
>  But a number are straight out of Luther and Calvin, and
> ultimately from Paul's letters.  The City of Man and the City
> of God are two radically separate things, and the one is
> rather more sinful and corrupt than the other.  It would be
> foolish indeed to structure society to allow those who immerse
> themselves in the City of Man to regulate what happens in the
> City of God.  That's an argument evangelicals, of all people,
> should find amply confirmed in their own history.
>
> If they *knew* their own history, of course.  Therein lies the
> rub.
>
> All best,
> Kevin
>

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