Why the Church Fails When It's on the Wrong Side of Power: Dr. David Fitch
Apr 22, 2024
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Dr. David Fitch, an expert in evangelical theology, discusses the failures of the church when it's entangled with power. Topics include the church's role in societal issues, distinctions between government and Christian power, morality, abortion, Christian nationalism, and the importance of embodying Jesus' teachings within local communities.
Understanding power dynamics within the church is crucial for faithful witness and gospel expression.
Recentering on Jesus's lordship is essential to combat Christian nationalism and promote unity.
Embracing Jesus's power, humility, and service can guide churches through political polarization challenges.
Deep dives
Power Dynamics in the Church
The discussion delves into the relationship between power dynamics and the church, exploring how historical contexts and personal journeys impact views on evangelicalism, theology, and engagement with culture.
Impact of Stanley Hauerwas's Thought
Stanley Hauerwas's nuanced perspective on individualistic Christianity is highlighted, emphasizing the need for lived Christianity within the church as a basis for witnessing and living out true gospel expressions.
Discerning the Role of Government
The conversation navigates the complex role of government, delving into perspectives on its nature, purposes, and limitations, questioning its ability to bring transformative change or rely solely on divine authority.
Christian Nationalism and Its Effects
Concerns are raised around the rise of Christian nationalism and its impact on cultural and political spheres, urging a recentering on Jesus's lordship to counter divisive ideologies and promote unity within church communities.
Navigating Political Polarization
The dialogue addresses the challenges of political polarization and its effects within churches, underlining the importance of refocusing on Jesus's power, humility, and service as lenses for interpretation and action.
Dr. David Fitch (Ph.D Northwestern University) is the Betty R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary and has pastored for 30 years, and has been involved in 8 church plants over the course of his ministry. He is married to Rae Ann and they have one son named Max. He is an ordained pastor in the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
He’s coached hockey for the YMCA USA Hockey program for seven years. David teaches, speaks, and writes within the fields of Neo-Anabaptist theology, missiology, culture studies, political theory, and ethics. He writes from time to time on his own page at Missio Alliance, on his own substack, for Christianity Today, Outreach Magazine, ChurchLeaders.com, EthicsDaily, and multiple other sites, magazines and journals.
He leads discussion on his facebook page (fitchest) and on twitter at @fitchest. He is co-host of the Theology of Mission podcast.
His most recent book is Reckoning with Power: Why the Church Fails When It's on the Wrong Side of Power, which forms the backdrop for our conversion.
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