2009-08-21 00:05:38

PRIVATE VS. PUBLIC FAITH

Filed under: Faith,Film,Music,Politics
Posted by: Craig

Here at Purple State of Mind, we explore the edges of faith and doubt. What happens when our personal beliefs crossover to the public square? Jesus warned us not to display our faith for others’ affirmation or praise. So should faith remain a private matter? Jesus also took his teachings into the public arena, from the Sermon on the Mount to the marketplaces of his ancient Judea. We must examine our motives, examining why we air our faith.

Perhaps the question should be, “Can we discuss our values with those we disagree with in a civil way?”
At Purple State, we assume that we all must live together despite our differences. We must be free to our convictions without fear. Yet, we must do so in a humble and respectful manner—as active listeners.

On a recent tour of Australia, my friend, Geoff Broughton, introduced me to the Center for Public Christianity. We crossed over the dramatic bridge to north Sydney for an afternoon of conversation at the nexus of faith and culture. I was pleased to meet like-minded colleagues Greg Clarke, Simon Smart, and Hugh Clark. They interviewed me during a memorable afternoon. They’ve produced a podcast and a videoblog from our conversations that you can find here.

The Centre for Public Christianity is exploring life’s most enduring questions in a smart, media savvy way. Dr. Greg Clarke will actually be coming to America this fall, to present a talk on how Bono and Nick Cave perceive Jesus. U2: the Hype and the Feedback will take place on October 2-4 in North Carolina. Check out the intriguing schedule of speakers here.

Comments (2)

2 Comments »

1. Public faith today can be challenging. I am a christian, follower of Jesus Christ. Today it seems the minority is dictating what the majority can do in the work place, school, and politics. Nativity scenes and the Ten Commandments have become items that offensive to a small minority. It is amazing that a display of Christianity celebrating the birth of Christ at Christams is offensive. Since Christams is a Christian holiday, Christians show be allowed to celebrate their faith at Christmas on pulbic property. The Ten commandments had been deemed a religious symbol and ordered to be removed from public places. They were rules for the Jewish people to live by. They also are the basis of the American judicial system. If more people displayed their faith, there might be more civility in our country. Some companies such as WalMart have told their employees to say Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas is not allowed. WalMart makes a lot of money selling Christmas gifts, decorations and items.

   Comment by Ken Hinkle — August 22, 2009 @ 7:40 pm

2. Thanks for the comments, Ken.
   Yes, everyone seems to feel like a minority and is tired of being pushed around or shoved to the sidelines. Those who are resisting Christmas celebrations may have grown tired of being the only kid in school not celebrating that holiday. I’d say our civic religion is mostly Christianity (or at least a benevolent deity) but how do we make sure the majority don’t force their beliefs upon the minority? That is an important reason why America was founded–religious freedom, rather than compulsion….

   Comment by Craig — August 24, 2009 @ 1:59 am

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