This isn't the own you think it is...

 This is an open letter to anyone and everyone who has ever tried to debunk Christianity, the reliability of Scripture, or any Christian doctrine by plaguing us with remarks about the Levitical food laws. I don't mean to be rude, but if you don't know why Christians eat pork and assume we are ignoring certain passages for our own convenience, you are not doing us justice, and you are uninformed. Please stop! If you honestly want to know why Christians eat pork, please ask sincerely. We will gladly tell you. It's an exciting story! 

Christians, at least Reformed Christians, trace our faith back to the beginning of the world, but more specifically to the ancient Israelites. The Old Testament of our Scripture is something we share with the Jews of today. Before Jesus came, most believers were Jews. A few Gentiles came to know about God, and some joined the Jewish faith, especially later on in the Inter-Testimental period. But, by and large, being part of God's people meant being a Jew, whether ethnically or by joining the Jewish people. 

All that changed after Jesus came. His ministry was to the Jews of His day. It was after His ascension to heaven (this happened after the Resurrection), and after persecution against Christians had broken out, that the Apostle Peter (one of Jesus' close friends, one of a group of twelve who became leaders in the early church) had a vision of various animals. God told him to kill and eat, but he refused. God told him not to call anything unclean that He has made clean. God sent the vision three times. It was right after this that a delegation came from a Roman centurion asking Peter to come to his house. God told Peter to go with the delegation, which he did. He preached to the centurion and his family, who became Christians. This was the beginning of Gentile conversion on a mass scale. 

The change in demographic brought about new questions and problems. Was conversion to Christianity the same as conversion to Judaism? Up until this time, full conversion to Judaism required circumcision for men and law-keeping (i.e. being Kosher) for everyone. Did conversion to Christianity entail these changes? The Apostles met in Jerusalem for a council. They decided that the Gentile converts did not have to keep the ceremonial law. What the Apostles did say was that Gentile converts should avoid sexual immorality, meat from animals that had been strangled, and that they should not consume blood. Later letters of the Apostle Paul explain that the food laws of the Old Testament, like many other part of the Old Testament, pictures of a greater reality which had now come with the coming of Jesus. 

As for the moral law, things like not stealing, etc. pretty much all the Ten Commandments are affirmed somewhere in the New Testament (there is some controversy about the fourth commandment). Reformed Christians generally consider the Seventh Commandment to cover sexual ethics in general, not just adultery. Note that the Jerusalem Council did not define what "sexual immorality" meant. It appears they assumed people knew. For this reason, many believe that the sexual prohibitions in the Old Testament Levitical law still apply today. In actual fact, in our society, many of these prohibitions are still in force culturally. Christians have allowed these prohibitions to carry over from Leviticus. 

For those who do know, I would like to explain why traditional Christians don't just stop following other laws, (today the pet one seems to be sexuality). I will first try to outline what I think your reasoning is. The church of the New Testament determined that certain laws were no longer to be followed. You perhaps wonder why we don't accept having the church today make a similar call on issues like sexuality and gender. You should understand that such a thing actually wouldn't occur to most traditional Christians of the more Reformed tendency. 

1. The closing of the canon: The term canon refers to a list of Scriptural books. Note that even those who like and read books like Jesus Calling haven't even talked about trying to put them into the Bible. We don't add books to the Bible. For many in the Reformed camp, and for many outside it, this principle of the closing of the canon also means that significant, church-wide revelation is, for the time being, over. God has spoken in His Word, and people should not expect further revelation, especially not revelation that contradicts the teachings of Scripture. In other words, we today are not in the same position the Apostles were in. They had authority we do not have. They had authority the church presently does not have. God has spoken. At the time of the Jerusalem Council, God was speaking through these men in a way He now only speaks through His Word. It's not that we think there's anything God can't do. 

2. The reliability of Scripture: Traditional Christians believe that the Bible accurately reflects God's message to us. It does not tell us what people thought God was trying to say or what they thought He wanted. It is successful communication from God. It accurately tells us what God wants and Who He is. While there may be textual variants or spelling mistakes in some manuscripts, the Bible is free from  errors as to the message. Thus, when the Apostles made their decision, they were not correcting an error in the Old Testament. They were, instead, recognizing, not without Divine aid, a profound change in the times. Remember how much guidance God gave Peter!

3. The monumental nature of the change from Old Testament to New Testament: The coming of Jesus, the Crucifixion, and the calling of the Nations into God's people- these are all the marks of a fundamental change. Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecies made from almost the dawn of human history! What newer,  cataclysmic fulfillment can people today point to? What reason do we have to expect that, under our noses, an Even Newer Testament is in the process of being written? Christ has not yet returned. What other event could possibly compare to what has already happened? 

I understand fully that these points I have made are points of disagreement between more conservative Christians like me and more progressive Christians. My point here is that any discussion of changing our ethics must start with these and similar points, not with the issue of pork. Again, I would never dream of arrogating to myself or even to my pastor, the authority the Apostles wielded in the Jerusalem council. When you bring up pork we just don't know what you're talking about. Please, quit it with the pork!

Reading Narnia in Time of War

Narnia is a part of my childhood. When I was about four or five years old, my Dad started reading us the Narnia books, recording his reading for our later enjoyment. His recordings became a family treasure, affording numerous hours of entertainment as we re-listened to them. These dear stories recall days of happiness, family unity, home life, and peace; but the books themselves cover themes that are anything but halcyon. The series starts out (if you start with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) with themes of war, tyranny, and repression. And it is in a time when all three are very much alive in our world that I have begun sharing these same books with others, this time as a tool for learning English. 

Before February of 2022, I lived in Odessa, Ukraine, and taught literature and history at a small school for the children of missionaries. When the threat of war became severe, I relocated with my family to a smaller town near the Romanian border. When Russia attacked, we fled to Romania. We were able to finish out the school year online, but, since our last day of school in 2022, that school has not functioned. We have instead worked to help and support the numerous other people who also fled from Ukraine to Romania. One service we offer is English lessons. And one resource I have used with several of my students is the Narnia series. 

The first book in the Narnia series (according to the order in which the books were written, not the order of the events in the books), includes a reference to the evacuation of children from London to the more peaceful countryside. I remember my father explaining to me about Hitler and the bombing of Britain, but air raids were a far away reality. Now, when I read that opening paragraph, my students generally ask me what the word "air raid" means, not because they don't know what an air raid is, but because they don't know the English word. I answer with a term that is now all too common in Ukraine. Those who left after the attacks started, or those who have been back, know the meaning of "air raid" even better than that. 

The concept of evacuation is also all too familiar. Many families are living separated. Since male Ukrainian citizens may not leave the country (a few exceptions exist), most of those living in this new diaspora are women and, like the Pevensies, children. At times, people's new living situations have brought opportunities for fun as well as grief. At one point, numerous Ukrainian families were living in the same complex, creating a kind of village. Children were able to go freely about, playing with friends. 

This same book also echoes the horrors of enemy occupation. When we first enter Narnia, it is occupied by an unlawful, repressive ruler. Although the book does not give a picture of anything like the horrors of Russian occupation, it does give a picture of a tyrant and the hope of liberation. 

With most of my students, when we finished The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we did not continue with other Narnia books. But with one student, I have continued into Prince Caspian. Like the previous book, this book has Narnia occupied, this time by humans. These humans have not only conquered but displaced the native inhabitants, the talking animals, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs, etc. They have been killed off, and those who survive have been driven into hiding. The rulers covered up the crime. They denied that such creatures had ever existed in Narnia. I discussed this state of affairs with my student. It was then that we both used a word I had never before associated with Narnia; the word genocide. This word is all too familiar to Ukrainian people. Although Putin is not succeeding at getting rid of the Ukrainian people, his rhetoric, and the rhetoric of others in his following, shows a desire to get rid of Ukrainians. I will not go into the horrible details here, but they exist for those with the stomach to read them. The supreme irony is that this genocide goes on under the cover of "de-Nazification," in other words, opposition to a regime and a philosophy that has become synonymous with genocide. 

Not only is the act of genocide a relevant concept in this war, so is misinformation and repression of speech. In Prince Caspian, the titular prince's nurse is sent away when the king, Caspian's uncle, finds out she has been telling her nursling stories of the true history of Narnia. Later, the prince's tutor refuses to openly tell him the true history, warning him that, if he does so, they will both be punished. (He later tells Prince Caspian about Narnia's true history, but only at night when they are in a place far from prying ears. )In Russia, a similar situation exists. A child drew a picture critical of the war. She was taken from her father, and her father was placed under house arrest. Ukrainians with friends or relatives in Russia find that these people do not want to talk about the war. Some even refuse to believe that their friends or relatives in Ukraine are being bombed, instead quoting Russian propaganda. Anyone who has looked at Twitter posts about the war has seen how many people (or bots) are spewing misinformation about the war, and how many people are believing it. 

No doubt, as I continue on this journey through books dear to me since my early years, I will see other connections. But perhaps the most important connection is the call to be strong, to do right, and to believe in God in the face of trouble and evil. Let us answer that call. 

A Conservative Christian Case for Supporting Ukraine

  There was a time when many American Communist sympathizers praised the Soviet Union. They saw it as an embodiment of their ideals and an inspiration. When accounts of Soviet atrocities came out, they were skeptical. Many refused to believe in the horrors of Stalin’s repression despite repeated proofs. These people blinded themselves to the truth of what was going on in Russia and other Eastern European countries. Their willful blindness was wrong. I am afraid that many Republicans are making the same mistake. 

Today is the one year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While the official stance of the United States has been one of support, many in the United States, notably Donald Trump, have questioned US support for Ukraine. Some on the right even sympathize with Putin. I am very concerned about this stance. I am concerned that my political party (the only time I voted, I voted Republican) is taking a turn away from what is right. 

My case for supporting Ukraine is based on Conservative ideas that I hold dear. The first is patriotism. We on the Right tend to be patriotic, especially in the face of criticisms of our nation. People may try to use the nation’s sins to discredit the United States and undermine the love of country. We are concerned that the next generation have a love for their nation that will inspire them to work for its good in the future. Support for Ukraine is a patriotic thing to do. In the first place, support for Ukraine honors our history as a nation that fights for freedom. How can we praise people like Patrick Henry, who would die rather than be denied freedom, and have no sympathy with a nation of people who are facing the same choice? How can we forget the invaluable support France gave our nation? Is not supporting another country in its fight for freedom and democracy a superb way to pass on the favor? Can we, as Americans, be indifferent when another nation longs for independence and Democracy? We have never been ones to roll over and die in the face of aggression. How can we expect that of others? Are we not proud of our history? Do we not see the same spirit in the Ukrainians? 

    Conservative media has undermined support for Ukraine by spreading ideas critical of the behavior of the United States. While it is acceptable to criticize our nation when it has done wrong, the talk in this instance seems more befitting to our enemies than to our friends. I am talking about the biolab rumor. The story goes that the United States has been secretly funding laboratories in Ukraine, perhaps for the purpose of producing biological weapons. The insinuation is that Russia invaded because the United States was helping Ukraine produce biological weapons to hurt Russia. While I think this idea is a piece of Kremlin propaganda, I will not expect my readers to take that view. Let us suppose, instead, that the United States were really funding biological laboratories in Ukraine. Let us even assume these laboratories really were an international threat, producing biological weapons against Russia. In that case, I have some questions. Russia's response indicates a belief that the United States is an enemy. That means Russia is an enemy of the United States (or so it sees itself). Why are we siding with our enemy in this matter? While there may be reasons for a true patriot to condemn his or her country's actions, even to the point of sympathizing with an enemy when one's country has done something truly awful, this assumption on the part of many that Russia is justified in invading comes too easily and quickly to be truly patriotic. It is almost as though the merest hint that the United States had biolabs in Ukraine is enough to justify Russia. Excuse me, but this is the attitude of an enemy of the United States. Indeed, if the United States has been up to funny business with biological weapon development in Ukraine and if that activity is a major reason for the invasion, then the war is the United States's responsibility. If you really believe Russia has a valid concern over US creation of biological weapons in Ukraine, then the war is the United States's fault, and the United States should take on full responsibility, both for supporting Ukraine in its defense and rebuilding it after the war. 

Another concern I have is the sympathy people have had with Putin’s supposed concern about the spread of NATO. Again, how can we turn against our own nation in this way? The United States is part of NATO and has been a major force in it. There was a time when being pro-American meant supporting and even celebrating the nation’s role as a leader in the free world. There was a time when isolationism had behind it the idea that the United States had caused more trouble than good on the world stage and should crawl into a corner in shame. Surely we Conservatives don’t believe that! We are proud of our nation and of those who have a fighting spirit! It may well be that there is a false equivalence  at the bottom of American sympathy for Putin. In the past, the United States has objected to having Communist nations on its borders. Why then, the thinking goes, ought we to expect Putin to accept having NATO on his borders? This equivalence is unworthy of Conservatives. How can we consider NATO anything like Communism? Communism took away people’s freedom and wormed its way in where it was not always wanted. NATO, by contrast, doesn’t just let anyone join. It does not force nations to join it, nor does it work by destabilizing nations to facilitate its spread. Instead, it must approve those nations who want to join. A nation can be rejected. Equating NATO with Communism is like equating the local country club with a cult. 

Conservative people respect democracy and the rule of law. These principles are vital to our national institutions and to our vision for the nation. In the present conflict, democracy is at stake, at least in Ukraine. Although Russia may be a democracy in name, it is a democracy in name only. It is no more a democracy than the Soviet Union was. It may be more of an oligarchy than the old Soviet system, but it is no democracy. Ukraine, by contrast, is a democracy. From 2014-2021, Russia has had one President. During that time, Ukraine has had three (four if you count Yanukovich). While Ukraine has had peaceful transfers of power, Putin has been monkeying with the Russian constitution to allow himself to stay in power longer. If Putin accomplishes regime change, Ukraine won’t have a democracy. Ukraine will have a puppet government under Moscow. 

Perhaps the most important reason for conservative Christians to have solidarity with Ukraine is that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ benefit from a free Ukraine. While closer ties with Europe could mean the introduction of wrong ideologies from the West, do not be deceived. Putin is no friend to Evangelical Christianity. From what I have heard, religious groups who are not Russian Orthodox do not have great freedom in Russia. In Ukraine, by contrast, Protestant Christians hold worship services, conduct evangelism, put on public events connected with religious holidays, and engage in political demonstrations. In occupied areas, Protestant pastors have been targeted because of Protestantism’s connections to the efforts of Western missionaries. Many of these missionaries have had to cease their work in Ukraine and leave the field because of the war. For us, (I am one of these missionaries) return to an occupied Ukraine is probably not an option. 

The last reason is the most basic and the most vital. It is the reason of common humanity. The war is causing much suffering in Ukraine. Cities have been completely destroyed. Numerous lives have been lost, not only soldiers, but civilians as well. Numerous Ukrainian people now live in exile in neighboring countries, many surviving on aid from the governments of those countries. The sooner the war ends, the sooner these people can go home and support themselves. 

My friends, perhaps I have argued with more spirit than logic. I ask you to indulge me, as this is a topic dear to my heart. I have lived in Ukraine most of my life. My childhood home is there, and I long to return. My nation’s support for Ukraine has been a joy to me. Although I was not initially happy at Biden’s election, I am proud of him now. Let us not make the mistake of taking a stance just for the sake of disagreeing with the candidate from the other party. Lives are at stake. Freedom is at stake. Our support for  Ukraine will cost us a drop in the bucket compared to the abysmal ocean of our national debt. Our withdrawal of support will mean a living hell for millions. Please, don’t make that mistake.