tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15264500.post1086799479828688288..comments2023-07-11T05:13:06.461-06:00Comments on Morehead's Musings: Evangelicals and the Challenge of Relationships and Civility in Religious EngagementJohn W. Moreheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01262542253787543738noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15264500.post-79056987373269426522012-03-25T17:01:00.481-06:002012-03-25T17:01:00.481-06:00I agree that there are some universal human values...I agree that there are some universal human values involved, but also some particulars, that bring them into line with various religious communities. In addition, ideological values are grounded into something transcendent, or some ultimate immanent, so I don't know that such values find or need no validation.John W. Moreheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01262542253787543738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15264500.post-65341222317299087532012-03-25T16:11:14.010-06:002012-03-25T16:11:14.010-06:00John, that sounds good, but in practice it so ofte...John, that sounds good, but in practice it so often seems like institutional and tribal behavior (us vs. them) wins out over empathy and brotherhood. Too often, small-c community trumps the sense of global community. Religion all too commonly becomes a form of group-think politics. <br /><br />It's increasingly apparent to me that many beliefs and ideals promoted by any particular religious tribe are really just universal human and moral values that need no religious validation.John Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05642239691210008441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15264500.post-91200425851906932862012-03-25T13:11:03.271-06:002012-03-25T13:11:03.271-06:00Thanks for your thoughts, John. I think a key iden...Thanks for your thoughts, John. I think a key identity here is as a follower of Jesus and his way of engaging the other and building the Kingdom. Establishing interreligious relationships and civility is certainly a way of expressing that new identity, or freedom from other forms of identity formation in the past.John W. Moreheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01262542253787543738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15264500.post-53692902163907511652012-03-25T12:13:45.424-06:002012-03-25T12:13:45.424-06:00John, I'm wrestling with the notion of "C...John, I'm wrestling with the notion of "Christian Identity" <br /><br />I wonder if Jesus came to create a new kind of religious tribe, or to free us from the need from religious tribalism. I'm wondering if Jesus is asking us to replace religious identity ("I'm a Christian, I' a Catholic, I'm a ________") with radical new ideals of selfless love, embracing even those farthest from our own group identities - embracing those we formerly considered outsiders, even enemies.<br /><br />Trying to understand all this in context of baptism, gathering together, the "us" in Mk 9:40, Lk 9:50, etc.. <br /><br />The more I observe, the less it appears we're to assume some kind of religious-tribal identity, but rather become free of such baggage.<br /><br />When we value our turf and our identity above others, it requires protection, and we end up protecting our ideas about religion and faith. But does Spirit needs our protection? <br /><br />Perhaps "civility" is just the beginning in a move towards deeper human embrace, and away from today's forms of religious identity.John Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05642239691210008441noreply@blogger.com