(e)mergent Voyageurs

Hey there,

As you can probably see, I have not regularly blogged at this address for some time.  However, I am still getting a fair bit of traffic here.  I am now blogging at my new site A Living Alternative, Our Missional Pilgrimage.  I would greatly appreciate it if you headed over there to take a look.

Also, if you have a blog, I would appreciate any linkage.  Believe it or not, by doing so, you will be helping support our inner city ministry & church plant.  Thanks!

Peace,
Jamie Arpin-Ricci

When I saw this video at Rick’s blog, I was immediately angry. Something needs to happen to see justice served. Learn more about the Jena Six here. I don’t often make so bold a request, but I want to ask you all to do three things:

1. Watch the video and visit the website.

2. Sign the online petition. It doesn’t matter if you are American or not, it will help.

3. Send this information to everyone you know. If you have a blog or a website, please post the video and these three simply options. (click here for the YouTube source)

Thanks everyone.

In my previous post, “Missional Dynamics”, I explored the two foundational dynamics of missional living as seen through the Old Testament Prophets (and affirmed by Christ in His “Jesus Creed”): righteousness and justice.  In the comment section, George asked an important question:

“How does a ‘missional’ Christian stand against the systems/powers of injustice in the world? What are the weapons of your warfare?”

Two sets of Scripture come immediately to mind with this question- Ephesians 6 and 2 Corinthians 10.  Let’s look at some of the specific verses in each chapter:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:10-12, NIV)

And:

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, NIV)

In the Evangelical tradition in which I was raised, these verses would be interpretted to mean that to fight inrighteousness and injustice meant primarily to pray against the “principalities and powers” and live moral lives as an example to the world.  It was suggested that, because our enemies are not “flesh and blood”, we should not resist human injustice (for God would judge them in the end).  At times it even meant that we must concern ourselves with “spiritual matters” (aka prayer, salvation of souls, etc.) and not the “fleshly matter” (politics, poverty, materialism, etc.).

I believe these well-intentioned interpretations dangerous dilute the Biblical mandate for righteousness and justice.  It is built on the false premise of a dualistic view of reality, a gnostic division between the “spiritual” and “fleshly” or natural world.  The resulting consequence of this worldview is a Christianity built upon moral righteousness, but neglecting a significant aspect of what the mandate to live justly means.

While the Ephesians 6 reference teaches us to avoid demonizing people, it does excuse us from confront people who cause and/or perpetuate injustice.  Jesus clearly refused to back down from His prophetic vocation to publically expose and rebuke the abuses of power that furthered the suffering and exploitation of the poor, the marginalized and the lost.  He reflected the prophetic pattern of the Old Testament, yet rooting it in the essential motivation and foundation of love.

The 2 Corinthains 10 reference reminds us that our weapons are not those of the world.  We do not use vengence, violence, etc. to achieve justice, but clearly the weapons we do use are not weak, passive or ineffective.  So what are the weapons we use to fight injustice?  There are many approaches, so let’s look at a few:

1. Opposite Spirit:  I believe with great conviction that one of the most powerful weapons against injustice is living lives in the opposite spirit of that which we seek to overcome.  In the face of greed, vengence and individualism, if we live generously, with grace and through genuine community we have an impact that is significant.

This is perhaps the most difficult, as it requires that we do not allow ourselves to participate in injustice.  It means every aspect of our lives must explore these possibilities.  What good is it to stand against the exploitation of the poor workers, then participate and support businesses that perpetuate the very poverty we seek to overcome?

2. Bringing Light:  Exposing the darkness of injustice to the light of truth is also very important.  This can be done in many ways.  Through research and study, we will begin to see the hidden injustices around us, both large and small.  As we become more aware, it is our duty to bring that awareness to others, teaching them to alter their lives accordingly.  Further, we must speak out publically against these abuses.

While I believe that protest can be one effective way to bring the light, it can also easily get out of control.  I also believe that its effectiveness has diminished in the last few decades, where in the past it has accomplished a great deal.  It can be attractive to many because of its dramatic nature, but unless you are sure it is effective and can be done appropriately, there are many other approaches that are preferable.

3. Prayer: While I said earlier that we cannot minimize our approach to prayer, I did not want to suggest that it was not an important aspect of our warfare.  Rather, I simply did not want us to use this central approach to justify the neglect of our broader call to fight injustice.  Prayer and spiritual warfare are essential, not only as we come up against the powers, but also in centering our own intentions and spirits as we enter battle.

The thing to remember, however, is that we should never ask God in prayer for that which we are not willing to be the answer.  If you ask God to see injustice stopped, the poor cared for, the marginalized embraced, then you must be not only willing to be that answer, but actively pursue God’s will in the matter.  A general rule of thumb is that, unless God says otherwise, our default expectation is that, if we can be, we should be the instrument of God’s purposes.

What other weapons must we use?

Last year, when representing YWAM at local church on their missions weekend, Kim & I had the opportunity of listening the guest speaker, James Cantelon. During his message he shared a story about his time pastoring a significant and large Evangelical congregation in Jerusalem. An all too common experience in his position was to respond to Christians showing up at his door with “prophetic words” from the Lord, most of them bizarre. Inspired by one such encounter (where God supposedly spoke to a woman in Texas through her teddy-bear telling to go to Jerusalem), Cantelon decided make a thorough study of the Old Testament prophets/prophecies, a common source cited by these delusional fanatics.

What emerged for him was a surprise. He already knew that Biblical prophecy had far more to do with “forth-telling” than “fore-telling”, but he saw two themes consistent throughout- a call for Israel to a) return to right relationship with God and b) return to a right relationship with their neighbours. In essence, the message was about righteousness and justice. (For a fuller exploration of his ideas, get his excellent book “When God Stood Up: A Christian Response To AIDS In Africa”).

I believe that this is clearly reflected in the Jesus Creed (ht: Scot McKnight) to love God and love your neighbour. It is easy in our culture, where the word “love” is thrown around so flippantly, to fail to see the connection between love and justice. Certainly we know that being unjust would be unloving, but we fail to see how significant the connection between the two is. In a study of Scripture, we begin to see the theme of justice being central in its emphasis on protecting, serving and loving the marginalized and standing against the systems/powers of injustice in the world.

When we consider, then, what it means to fulfill Christ’s command to love God and others, we must read it through this more thorough Biblical understanding. No longer are we able to see the so called “social gospel” as secondary (or wrong) compared to the “salvation of souls”. Without the whole message of the Gospel and the transformative life of righteousness and justice it requires, we end up preaching and living an anemic expression of faith.

Of course, just as we in the Evangelical church have erred with out under-emphasis on justice, so too can we risk swinging to the opposite extreme of under-emphasizing righteousness. Notice, I am not saying over-emphasizing or over-valuing either, as I am not sure, ultimately, that is possible. It is should never be one at the expense of the other, but both mutually being the life blood of missional, incarnational living.

Therefore, as we seek to discover and live out all that it means to be missional, I believe it is critical that we see these two foundations as critical within that. To incarnationally fulfill our vocation as the Body of Christ, the Church, we must remember and embrace the mutually dependent dynamics of righteousness and justice.

What do you think?

(NOTE: I should be clear from the beginning that, when I reference the prophetic in the title, I am speaking of in the sense of the role of the prophet to be a voice against the abuses of power by the rulers and systems of the world. I know this does not encompass all that prophecy and the prophetic express, but it is the heart of what I will be exploring here.)

Living and serving in the inner city, I find myself confronted daily with the systemic injustices of the world, especially towards the marginalized (i.e. the poor, the racial minority, women, etc.). It is a discipline, at times, not to allow righteous anger to turn to bitter cynicism. So deeply are these injustices engrained into the fabic of our cultures, systems and wordlviews that it can seem hopeless. How can you bring change into such situations?

While this is a challenge to all believers, I think it is particularly difficult to those who are stirred in their calling/gifitng of the prophetic. We are called to be a voice against injustice, as well as a community who lives lives against the grain of injustice whenever we can. However, some are called and gifted to be a “louder voice” against the leaders and systems that perpetuate these failures. From what I have experienced and seen, it can often be a lonely place for those women and men.

Specifically, I have begun to realize some of the dangers that go along with that role in our current society. One such challenge is relating to advocacy groups and organizations that are seeking to bring the same kinds of change. These groups do essential and valuable work, with Christians being too often from their ranks. These groups can often be a source of experience, resources and community for Christians wanting to address injustice, especially the prophetic voices.

However, there are some challenges and dangers that come with this. The more I interact with such groups myself, the more I realize that the means by which things get done raise some difficult questions for Christians. For example, a great deal of the work of these groups is aimed at acquiring finances to further their goals, often getting entangled in the bueracratic systems to do so. Further, their posture is often so angry and combative, that their message seems more important than the people involved.

Therefore, I have begun to realize that to engage issues of injustice, the Church needs to respond as community (or communities) itself. I am not suggesting we have NO involvement- by no means! I do not want to suggest that we set up a “sacred vs. secular” dichotomy againt. Rather, I think Christians needs to recognize that the reasons and means by which we are called to address injustice is different (and often incompatible) with the other common approaches.

So what does this look like? How does the Church address systemtic injustice in its role as a prophetic agent in the world?

Several years ago, while working on staff with YWAM in Vancouver, we came into the office one morning to discover emergency vehicles parked in the YWAM lot. We soon learned that over the previous night a kid on heroin ODed under the overhang in the back of our building. When the neighbour called 911 it was already too late. Shaken up, we went inside the office as the body was taken away.

Later that day we went into staff intercession where we were spending time praying for the recent events of the September 11th attacks. So many of us were moved by compassion for the people impacted by these tragedies (as we well should have been), some even crying through our time of passionate prayer. When we had finished, I returned to my office to work. I suddenly stopped at the realization that where I sat was only a few short feet from where the young man had died. With this realization came the unsettling question of why his death on our very property had stirred so little in me, especially compared the depth of feeling I had for the 9/11 victims.

Now, I want to clarify a few things before I go on. First, the staff of YWAM Vancouver were then and remain now committed to the people of their city and their neighbourhood. Second, I believe our time and passion in prayer for Sept. 11th was warranted and honouring to God. Third and finally, this post is about challenging towards something, not an attack on something else.

Over the last few years I have become increasingly involved on dealing with issues of global poverty and injustice- Northern Uganda (Invisible Children, Gulu Walk, DTS), Micah Challenge Canada, Make Poverty History, Join RED Campaign, etc. I believe in all of these things, will continue to be involved in them and continue to challenge others (yes, you!) to get involved as well. However, I have begun to wonder if they might make us susceptible to another all too common danger.

One of the most exciting shifts in larger Christian culture is an interest and engagement of justice issues that lie at the heart of the Gospel. However, as we seek to engage them, we can spend a great deal of time, energy and resources into large, but distant causes that, while they deeply touch and inspire us, keep us at a “safe” distance. The reality is that, should ever get close and personal with these issues, we would be exposed to the complex and messy realities of these issues (see my post “Demystifying Poverty”). This doesn’t reduce our need to be committed to them, but not out of some romantic sense of deservedness (as this is a huge part of the marketing machine for good causes).

I believe that for every degree of commitment we have to these important issues of global and systemic justice, we must put equal- nah, greater investment into these realities in our own community. Here’s the challenge- if we really want to engage these realities, we will only go so far with overly programmed approached, such as short-term missions or larger scale charity. These approaches are good, even essential, but will not truly bring real change. Rather, it will require very personal connection with the lives of the people impacted by these realities, as well as bringing change to our own lifestyles.

Therefore, my challenge to all of us, including myself, is that we work to make poverty history here. Does this mean I think local poverty is more important than AIDS in Africa or debt reduction in the global south? Not at all. However, there are two things we need to keep in mind (ok, there are more than two, but I’ll name two here): First, the way we live our lives, individually and together, in the Western world is deeply connected to the realities of global injustice. Many of the assumptions behind the (North) American Dream fail to acknowledge the costs our prosperity and even “freedom” exact on other, both within our borders and around the world. Second, until we can engage with these issues free of the romantic, paternalistic ignorances that play a (well intentioned) role in our involvement in justice issues, we will bring true and lasting change, either in society or in our hearts.

So, how do we do it? How do we start together to make poverty history here?

Did you know that in Canada, women were not considered persons, under the law, until 1929? That may seem like a long time ago, but my grandmother was in the first generation of Canadian women to be considered persons. Not so long ago after all.

Did you know that First Nations (native) Canadians were did not have the right to freely vote until 1960? They could vote prior to that, but were then required to relinquish all treaty rights. First of all, this was an unreasonable and unjust expectations. Second, treaty agreements were violated again and again (and still not fully honoured) by the Canadian goverment anyway. Third, 1960 is practically yesterday. We may have come a long way in a short time, but we have a long way to go.

I bring these examples up to demonstrate the realities of the human rights battle that are a part of our own, relatively progressive context. Looking at the global community, we discover that human rights have been (and continue to be) systematically violated. These are battles that must be at the forefront of our missional endeavours as Christian communities- simply as humans created in God’s image.

This is why I am excited about the The Canadian Human Rights Museum being built here in Winnipeg. The CHRM is dedicated to advancing understanding and support for human rights in Canada and throughout the world and will be a national and international destination - a centre of learning and history where people can engage in dialogue and commit to taking action to combat the forces of hate and oppression. Located in at The Forks in Winnipeg,the museum will be the largest human rights centre in the world, with a special focus on equipping and educating young people to become human rights leaders and advocates. Check out the website to find out more.

One way you can support this exciting venture is the Shine pin campaign. They recently launched “Shine” a commemorative “reach for the stars” pin in support of the Museum. The pin is a limited edition pin, intended to raise awareness and funds for the Museum and to promote the idea that everyone can be a human rights “star”. It is great, as it is not a pin at all, but a magnetic “pin”, strong enough to stay put, but without danger of being poked or damaging your clothes. Get it at the website here.

Check it out and get involved. While it won’t official open until 2010, it is worth getting involved with now.