June 10, 2010
Dear Family and Friends,
Many of you know that Judy, Ruth, Wilma and I attended the 23rd Annual Assembly on behalf of Bethlehem. You may
also have heard some of our reflections recently. We came away both full of joy and concerns after a time of
listening, learning, and sharing. I hope to share more of these with you as we carry on the conversation.
“I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). One of the pastors quoted
the divine covenant with Abram, challenging the Assembly where our synod stands and goes in regard of a resolution
concerning Israel. It’s an emotionally charged discussion and heated argument on the last day of the Assembly. One
of us commented afterward, “ELCA is just becoming social.”
The resolution is one the synod likes to forward to the ELCA Church Council for action to adopt the strategy of
boycott, divestiture and sanctions against Israel until it complies with International Law and Principles of Human
Rights. The resolution is now brought back to the Synod Council for more consultation and revision. However, the
issue for many of us concerned is more than social, political. It is also deeply theological and spiritual.
It almost felt like an antidote when I was invited on Tuesday and attended the Rabbi-Pastor Dialogue hosted by Dr.
Mouw at Fuller Seminary. His reflection and that of Rabbi Diamond truly enriched my view of Israel in understanding
the biblical prophecy, mandate, history and theology in relation to the current situations in that part of the world, and
also in ours. I had a great time meeting some key leaders from the Jewish community in this civil discourse, which is
probably also what we need in many of our struggles here at Bethlehem.
I enjoy reading dispensationalism and have learnt a whole lot from my many Christian Zionist friends. I also identify
with many in the Chinese Christian communities in line with the replacement theology believing that every promise
God made to Israel is now given to the Christian church. As an evangelical, I embrace Mouw’s perspective, based on
Romans 11:17-18, that there is a new Israel consisting of Gentile and Jewish believers together. As Christians, we
have a deep solidarity with the Jewish people. We don’t cut ourselves off.
“Watch out,” a dear friend pointed out for me recently, “that name evangelical in Europe does not mean anything of
our tenet. It simply means protestant.” Of course, ELCA is not a European church body declining down the slope of
theological liberalism. The question many wonder about today is: Are we still truthful to the Bible? Do we imply a
steadfast evangelical fidelity to whatever we are bound to theologically, socio-politically out there?
Prayerfully,
Pastor Frank
Dear Family and Friends,
Many of you know that Judy, Ruth, Wilma and I attended the 23rd Annual Assembly on behalf of Bethlehem. You may
also have heard some of our reflections recently. We came away both full of joy and concerns after a time of
listening, learning, and sharing. I hope to share more of these with you as we carry on the conversation.
“I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). One of the pastors quoted
the divine covenant with Abram, challenging the Assembly where our synod stands and goes in regard of a resolution
concerning Israel. It’s an emotionally charged discussion and heated argument on the last day of the Assembly. One
of us commented afterward, “ELCA is just becoming social.”
The resolution is one the synod likes to forward to the ELCA Church Council for action to adopt the strategy of
boycott, divestiture and sanctions against Israel until it complies with International Law and Principles of Human
Rights. The resolution is now brought back to the Synod Council for more consultation and revision. However, the
issue for many of us concerned is more than social, political. It is also deeply theological and spiritual.
It almost felt like an antidote when I was invited on Tuesday and attended the Rabbi-Pastor Dialogue hosted by Dr.
Mouw at Fuller Seminary. His reflection and that of Rabbi Diamond truly enriched my view of Israel in understanding
the biblical prophecy, mandate, history and theology in relation to the current situations in that part of the world, and
also in ours. I had a great time meeting some key leaders from the Jewish community in this civil discourse, which is
probably also what we need in many of our struggles here at Bethlehem.
I enjoy reading dispensationalism and have learnt a whole lot from my many Christian Zionist friends. I also identify
with many in the Chinese Christian communities in line with the replacement theology believing that every promise
God made to Israel is now given to the Christian church. As an evangelical, I embrace Mouw’s perspective, based on
Romans 11:17-18, that there is a new Israel consisting of Gentile and Jewish believers together. As Christians, we
have a deep solidarity with the Jewish people. We don’t cut ourselves off.
“Watch out,” a dear friend pointed out for me recently, “that name evangelical in Europe does not mean anything of
our tenet. It simply means protestant.” Of course, ELCA is not a European church body declining down the slope of
theological liberalism. The question many wonder about today is: Are we still truthful to the Bible? Do we imply a
steadfast evangelical fidelity to whatever we are bound to theologically, socio-politically out there?
Prayerfully,
Pastor Frank
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Columns Section: 世紀網站專欄區 世纪网站专栏区: 008-023 王浩 專欄 王浩 专栏 Pastor Frank Wang Column 作者：王浩 王浩 Pastor Frank Wang Frank's Monthly Pastoral: 2010 June 10: Special Pastoral on Israel |
