Union Theological Seminary and Glenn Beck
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Don’t they teach the students at Union Theological Seminary how to show charity to others?Apparently upset with Glenn Beck over his recent show about liberation theology, seminary president Serene Jones (pictured right) has written a snarky response to Mr. Beck over at the Huffington Post. She sarcastically reasons that Beck holds negative views of social justice and liberation theology because he hasn’t read the Bible, then announces that she and Union students are sending him a case of Bibles. She also adds:
Have you heard of John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion or Reinhold Niebuhr’s Nature and Destiny of Man ? Both are Caucasian men — not that it matters — and they have lovely discussions of religion and politics. You’ll just eat them up!
What a cheap shot. I understand using a little satire, but Dr. Jones goes beyond satire here. And the video (see below) is even worse. Let’s assume for a moment that Mr. Beck is wrong about black liberation theology. (I personally think he gets it mostly right.) Do Dr. Jones and the Union students think that their publicity stunt did anything to help win Glenn Beck to their cause? What about the millions of people who watch and listen to Beck, many who identify as Christians? Perhaps reaching out to Beck and attempting real dialogue might have persuaded more of his audience to consider another point-of-view.
Instead, Union came off looking foolish. Glenn Beck, whether you agree with him or not, aired an informative show where he interviewed theology and ethics professor Anthony Bradley (pictured left), an African-American and an expert on black liberation theology. (Dr. Bradley is the author of Liberating Black Theology.) I thought the program was interesting and would have enjoyed hearing an opposing point-of-view offered with the humility I would expect from a Christian seminary. Instead, they gave us a mean-spirited letter and video.Put this one down in Union’s “missed opportunity” column. (This post has been edited for clarity.)
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July 21, 2010 am31 11:45 am
Could they have been any more condescending? The word “Pharisee” comes to mind.
July 22, 2010 am31 12:52 am
This is the voice of the religious left who have found a home in the big government / socialistic tent . At least at election time . The religious right teamed up with Wall Street , so I guess its fair to say political movements need strange bedfellows to succeed. If you read blogs and spokespeople for the religious left, say on Jim Wallis’s Sojourners blog , you hear editorials dis regarding the Need of Christ’s Atonement over hell , since there is no hell, to supporters of the Social Justice supporters who mock the Beliefs of Evangelicals , Christians who celebrate the Fourth of July, Have a Faith supporting Spirtual Gifts , or worse yet , believe in less taxes , are pro life , and believe we should have a marriage policy in this country that promotes and supports a child haveing the advantage of a Mom and Dad . The negativity does sound close the athesistic far left , add a little religious and you get the Pharisee tone instead .
But if you do not believe it is a good idea to use the Bible to promote socialism or a Gospel that supports skin color over unity in Christ , you get a lesson on Christianity .
You find more of Ms Jones political opinions shared at Universalist Churches , secular circles in academia and of course the DNC platform committee more often then any traditional Bible believing church .
Which does not mean she is wrong , just the vast majority of traditional Christians in this country think shes , well actually will not even hear what she says .
July 23, 2010 am31 10:14 am
I suppose the propriety of patience with Beck depends on whether or not you see him as the moral equivalent of the money changers in the temple. Jesus certainly displayed no kind of patience in clearing them out.
When does patience with intolerance become a compound sin?
July 30, 2010 am31 7:56 am
Consider the source. To expect comments about Beck to reflect a Christian perspective, one has to turn elsewhere. There are sites where on may find comments on Beck that reflect a Christian perspective.