If you are reading this post it might because the title caught you. Full disclosure, I intentionally put some shock in the title. But it's not nearly as shocking as what Pastor Sean Harris at Berean Baptist in Fayetteville, NC had to say:
So this clip has outraged a lot of people, Christian and non-Christian alike. He clearly advocates physical violence against children.
Truth be told, there are a lot of Scriptures in the Bible that advocate for physical violence, even murder. The difference is most thoughtful, spiritual people don't take them literally today. Thank God we've given up stoning, severing limbs, and gouging eyes (although some would argue we still do it figuratively).
I read his retraction and you can hear him in his audio file trying to express his heart while navigating inconsistent ethics and conflicting theology. He says it was hyperbole and talks about Jesus using it in his sermons as well. But Jesus was pretty adamant on condemning any harm done to children.
I really feel for this pastor. Layers of disconnect come through--theologically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually. He now finds himself in a firestorm.
This is when I have to trust that somehow God is working through ALL things, even things like this.
There must be a better way to dialogue on this subject. Here's an article I found helpful which the blogger calls "A Nicodemus Approach."
Right relationship rather than being right.
Thoughtful discussion rather than thoughtless diatribe.
We can do better than this. In the Church and outside of it.
Recent Comments