Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2014

On your blog you say that you’re “peacefully storming the gates of culture.” That sounds like a contradiction. Can you expand on this idea? MC – Isn’t that the way Jesus did it, bold yet peaceful? MCS – Confrontational but humble. You can be both. JH – Undoubtedly, we fail at times, but we’re trying. BW– The idea itself may offend, and that’s OK, but you don’t want to be offensive in the way you present the idea. We’re trying to make concepts known in a way that is polite. We don’t want to be arrogant, pushy, and rude as you see so often on the Internet. Christ offended because of what He was doing and who He was, not because of the way He presented himself. We want to avoid a presentation that is in itself offensive, yet will bring the truth to bear. MCS – Very well said, Bert. Even if other people find it offensive, it’s also good to model for other believers how to interact with culture. We’re teaching in the classroom, and if our students go on the blog and see us turn a flamethrower on people, they’ll rightly question our integrity. JH – Jesus was very brutal with leadership and their ideas. He is not kind at all toward those propagating false beliefs harmful to those who would follow. But He was always incredibly gentle to the misguided. I’mmore aggressive at wrongheaded ideas, but I’m careful to attack the idea, not the messenger. Someone might disagree in the comment field and that’s where I try to be a lot more gentle. As an economist, I’m not going to be as gentle to Paul Krugman, who knows better and deliberately tries to confuse issues, but if somebody says something they’ve heard from him, then I’m going to treat that entirely differently. TM – That’s another example of our countercultural approach. So much of what we hear in the political arena is “I think ... I feel ... but this is what makes sense to me.” We’re trying to say our politics, our economics, whatever it is, is grounded in truth that is beyond us, that’s grounded in God’sWord. It’s not just how I feel about this issue or ideology that is publically popular right now, as opposed to a timeless truth. Do you attempt to position yourselves differently compared to other Christian commentators or bloggers? MC – In part, yes. Sojourners and Jim Wallis — he’s pretty influential in the evangelical left community. I don’t recall naming him by name, but some of what I say is directed implicitly toward him and those who follow him. JH – I just read something on Evangelicals for Social Action, a beautifully written piece that I felt was very biblically wrong. They were trying to find accommodation with contentious issues within culture to bridge peace. I don’t doubt their motive — they want to have peaceful relations with unbelievers — but in that particular issue it seemed like they were not going to get there without sacrificing clear scriptural teachings. MCS – We’re trying to fight against the caricature of the Christian right as shrill, loud, abrasive, and beating you over the head with a KJV Bible. I don’t think that’s accurate, but that’s how our culture often perceives the Christian right. If we can counter that perception a little bit tonally, that will position us in the Christian community as well. MC – That caricature is also anti- intellectual. It’s this idea that we don’t have good arguments, we’re simplistic. We’re trying to counter that, too. Do you think that caricature is a particular challenge for Christians engaging culture? JH – There are some who would be politically allied with me who would think that. MCS – I think Christians are struggling with being in the minority culturally. When you’re in the cultural majority, quoting from Scripture has more influence. Now that we’re not in the majority in any meaningful sense of the term, we’re going to have to get used to making arguments from a different perspective. It doesn’t mean we can’t rely on Scripture, we have to, but we have to learn that’s just one argument. JH– I posted a comment fromMark Dever (Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church and previous Cedarville chapel speaker) last spring in which he noted that Jesus was executed as a state criminal. So was John the Baptist. Both of them challenged the ruling leadership and it got them killed. We all could have said, “John the Baptist, can’t you be just a little more politically correct? Why do you need to keep bringing that up?” Yet, he felt God calling him to speak, and he was faithful. We need to make sure we speak in a way that if they do kill us, they did the wrong. What are your hopes for Bereans at the Gate? JH – Mark talked about us being in the minority now. We’re in the minority, but not numerically. If Christians thought biblically, then we would have an entirely different situation in this country. If we could be one small part in helping Christians think a little bit more biblically, that would be success. TM– Our students need to see us thinking this way, not just in the classroom, but as part of the broader society. And we want to continue to have a representation out there that helps identify Cedarville within Christianity and within culture. BW – I’d like to see us grow in impact in the public square, where what we’re saying takes root, grows, and changes the direction of the nation itself. The concepts we’re espousing are in decline across the nation and around the globe. Since we’re anchored in the Word of God, I’d like to see actual, tangible change. MC – That’s not going to happen immediately, so we have to be patient and persevering. So Bert, in 30 years, you better still be writing. BW – I wasn’t thinking quite that long. (laughter). To learn more about the Bereans and read blog posts, visit bereansatthegate.com. We’re trying to say our politics, our economics, whatever it is, is grounded in truth that is beyond us, that’s grounded in God’s Word. It’s not just how I feel about this issue or ideology that is publically popular right now, as opposed to a timeless truth. 20 | Cedarville Magazine