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<\/a><\/p>\nTHE BURNING ISSUE\u2014 delivered at Hexham on 12\/13\/84<\/p>\n
For about 25 years you\u2019ve allowed speakers to choose their own subject. Then you started setting puzzles, such as Judas Iscariot.\u00a0 Now, you have given me the hardest task. For me, issues rarely burn, even when I feel strongly. Moreover, I\u2019ve had a go at most of the things I feel strongly about. No doubt I could reuse some.\u00a0 This was once specifically a preachers\u2019 fellowship, and in a different way I have spoken about the importance of preaching. I could say it all again.\u00a0 As a consequence I believe in the importance of the Bible. I have spoken about that in general and in specific terms too, and would gladly do so again.\u00a0 Both of these are still needed.\u00a0 So is reformation, and I have spoken about Luther, Calvin, Zwingli. I would have chosen Luther for last year\u2019s meeting but you chose another subject for me.\u00a0 \u00a0This year\u2013 Wycliffe (died Dec. 31. 1384) \u2018Morning Star of the Reformation.\u00a0 If we ask what are we doing to celebrate his century the answer is nothing!\u00a0 \u00a0He was one of the most radical of English Reformers. He wanted everyone to read the Bible and he and his followers translated. Salvation is dependent on grace. What about King and peasant?\u00a0 Democracy. What about transubstantiation, or worship of saints, pluralism, non-residence, pilgrimages\u2014 nope.\u00a0 I could get quite warm about Wycliffe! If you had asked me to speak about education, I feel strongly about that too.\u00a0 But I\u2019m not going to repeat myself.<\/p>\n
And I have found myself increasingly unhappy about \u2018burning issues\u2019. a) If we have too many the currency is debased. Bold headlines every day mean that no one notices. b) They can lead to division. Because we press one issue hard, someone else will teach the opposite harder than he really wants to.\u00a0 I was thinking along these lines when it led me to my burning issue\u2014 toleration.<\/p>\n
I. How and where toleration is needed.\u00a0 I begin (where you might not expect) with marriage.\u00a0 This morning\u2019s letter asks, what do Christians make of marriage. What do they expect? Total domination? Absolute perfection?\u00a0 Without tolerance marriage is impossible. Every time I think my wife is wrong, she must think I am wrong!\u00a0 Incredibly, I go on to industrial relations.\u00a0 The very least you can do is have a ballot, and avoid bloodshed.\u00a0 Perhaps we will learn something here as we have done in international relations.\u00a0 In politics the bipartisan area should be expected not contested, and avoid dirty mud-slinging.\u00a0 What of the church and theology? I write after the bishop of Durham row (e.g. he declines to affirm the resurrection), which is not yet over.\u00a0 In these days, if a man stands up and affirms he is a Christian I should not be too quick to doubt his word.<\/p>\n
II.\u00a0 The history of toleration.\u00a0 There hasn\u2019t been very much of it. This may encourage us! On the whole, the OT is not much of a tolerant book. Occasionally \u2014 Amos 9.7\u2013 \u201cDid I not bring you up out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, the Arameans from Kir?\u2019 Isa. 19.24f.\u00a0 \u2018 In that day Israel will be the third, with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth.\u00a0 And God will say \u2018Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and\u00a0 Israel my heritage\u2019.\u00a0 \u00a0Socrates was a man who knew is own mind, but his only way of imposing it was by Socratic debate and discussion.\u00a0 Paul was another who showed tolerance, all the more remarkable because of his strong convictions\u2013Rom. 14.5; Phil. 3.15. The practices of the Roman Empire varied. It is significant that with intolerance, persecution increases with fear. The early church argued for tolerance when it was weak, but after Constantine did not practiced it.\u00a0 The Reformers were not much better, though the Anabaptists of Munster had to be dealt with (not killed) and gave others a bad name, and Socrates would have fared as badly in a Catholic city.\u00a0 Cromwell was an early advocate of toleration. Because you in the hands of Christ think that you may be mistaken.\u00a0 Christians must realize how much of modern or Victorian tolerance is owed to the Enlightenment. My adversary\u2019s error is not due to his rejecting divine guidance, but due to a failure in logic.<\/p>\n
III. The Grounds of Tolerance. These are not all good.\u00a0 It can be a matter of not caring as in the 30s and perhaps today too. Or a doubting of our own position.\u00a0 On the other there is love of trouble-saving compromise.\u00a0 But why do we want to compromise? Out of conviction or just to avoid trouble?\u00a0 The only sufficient motive is genuine love, but it must be accompanied by intelligent thought.<\/p>\n
IV. The Application of Tolerance. Much of this has been covered in 1 above.\u00a0 We certainly have to teach a Christian understanding of marriage. We must not expect tolerance if we are unwilling to give it.\u00a0 We must be prepared to partake in the political aspect of life. Would the miner\u2019s strike now be what it is, if there were as many Christian miners as there were 100 years ago?<\/p>\n
V. Are there limits to Tolerance?\u00a0 If so where? Do we refuse to tolerant the intolerant?\u00a0 When Christian truth is at stake, do we have to excommunicate?<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE BURNING ISSUE\u2014 delivered at Hexham on 12\/13\/84 For about 25 years you\u2019ve allowed speakers to choose their own subject. Then you started setting puzzles, such as Judas Iscariot.\u00a0 Now, you have given me the hardest task. For me, issues rarely burn, even when I feel strongly. Moreover, I\u2019ve had a go at most of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":62478,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[14280],"class_list":["post-62601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-on-the-limits-of-tolerance"],"yoast_head":"\n
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