Dear Roger,
Below is a copy of an Email that I sent to Dr. Ronald Sider last year about his book, The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience. With Dr. Sider's permission I asked Christianity Today magazine to publish that Email as a "Readers Write" comment (I also obtained Dr. Roger Olson's permission since I referred to him in the Email). Neither Dr. Sider nor Dr. Olson has in any way endorsed by thoughts or opinions. I have not received any decision from Christianity Today magazine but I hope this is an encouragement to you since it is about the same subject (in general). I also sent a copy of this to Mr. Barna. Please let me know your thoughts.
Your brother,
Roger Ducker
Beginning of Email to Dr. Sider
August 24, 2005
Dear Dr. Sider,
A few months ago, when I read the article at the "Christianity Today" web site about your new book (The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience) I was very excited. I immediately ordered three copies as well as a copy of your earlier book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger (20th Anniversary Revision). I quickly read them and I’m now re-reading "The Scandal".
About the same time I was reading your two books I also mailed to you an unsolicited copy of "My Testimony for Jesus Christ" and a copy of some research I had done about a church for prison inmates, ex-inmates and the families of both. Did you have a chance to read "My Testimony"? One of the reasons I was so excited about your book was that its conclusion about the current general state of Christianity (especially American Evangelicalism) was the same as the message that God had given me to share in "My Testimony" (below):
"The negative side of the vision which God has given me to see is that most of us who call ourselves Christians in our world today are in substantial, if not gross, disobedience to the demands of Christ, and the final consequences of this disobedience will occur on judgment day and in eternity." (page 19 of "My Testimony").
I could hardly believe it when I read the statement on page 109 of your recent book about "the scandal of cheap grace and gross disobedience." I have distributed "My Testimony" to over 100 pastors in my area (mostly Baptist) as well as many fellow Christians, co-workers and family members. The almost overwhelming response has been a profound silence. Only one minister in my area (a Minister of Education) gave me some good Christian encouragement (but never explicitly stated that "the message is true"). One inmate minister (who has become a good Christian brother) at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, LA did state that the message was true. Although the Holy Spirit continued to give me confidence in this work (regardless of the response), I had started to feel that many of those who had read it probably felt that I must have some kind of mental problem for distributing such an absurd message. So you can see why your books have been such an encouragement to me.
You have actually been delivering this message for almost thirty years! As a Christian brother and a lay representative of Christ, I would like to thank you for your steadfastness. You must have had many "silent responses" and funny looks over the years.
While our conclusions about the current general state of Christianity are virtually identical, the reasons for the current crisis of disobedience may seem somewhat different but I believe they are complementary. While "My Testimony" focuses on simple sin as the reason (e.g. 1 John 2:15-16), a theology of "cheap grace" is certainly a convenient and useful foundational theology to facilitate that sin. The issue of which came first is like the chicken and the egg –"did the theology cause or allow the sin or did sin merely appropriate and use a convenient theology?" This is similar to another question I have been recently considering – "did the congregations corrupt our ministers or did our ministers allow our congregations to become corrupted?" Clearly these are also complementary and we must all accept responsibility, but most importantly, we must all start preparing ourselves to give a good account of our lives when we stand before Christ our Lord.
Another area of difference between our messages is "what should we do now to address this problem?" Again, as in the case of the reason for the crisis, perhaps many approaches could be offered and pursued by men and women of good and faithful intentions (of course, with each "pre-tested" against our guidebook the Bible under the guidance of the Holy Spirit solicited through prayer). One example of an effort to "do something" is documented in the last section of "My Testimony" entitled "An Invitation to Join a Group Investigating Avenues of Radical Discipleship". That section proposed the formation of a group to investigate ways that genuine obedience to Jesus Christ might actually be possible in today’s "real world". We did have a group that met for a few months but I have since come to the conclusion that today’s Christians actually know that there are ways that it could be done if it was absolutely necessary.
Rather than suggesting political or economic strategies, the solutions suggested by My Testimony would focus on confession of our gross disobedience, repentance in deed and in Truth, and a new search for what genuine obedience means and might entail. While never being perfect, if we ever really tried to "do our best" (rather than remaining in gross disobedience) then I believe that God would provide us with all that we need to address the problems in the world for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ. In fact, He has already placed much of what we need in our hands, which we have diverted into our bank accounts, retirement accounts, our cars, our houses and our may other "creature comforts". Unless and until we release these things from our grasp, then there would be no need for God to keep providing resources that continue to build up our worldly possessions (this principle is well covered in Jack R. Taylor’s 1975 book God’s Miraculous Plan of Economy").
Finally, the other major difference between your book and the message in "My Testimony" was the evidence supporting the main conclusion. Your book used many polls and surveys, which certainly contained compelling evidence. The central message of "My Testimony" was supported by what I call a "judgment day dialogue with Jesus" (in the "Scripture" section of My Testimony). Perhaps, some people might view it as something like a "spiritual exercise" but I view it as much more than that. Why wait until judgment day to talk with Jesus about our many serious failures as disciples (our "gross disobedience")? Why not talk with Him now while we can still do something about it?
Lastly, I would like to ask you something very important, but please let me give a little preface first.
I read the only "Readers Write" response published in "Christianity Today" (June issue) about your April article for your new book. The central message of your book and that article is absolutely profound and should shake the Christian world to it’s very foundations, especially among our ministers, those who have been called and equipped by God to lead the rest of us in faith and obedience. Without any doubt, this is the most profound and important message of the 20th and 21st centuries. The pastor who mailed in his comment simply does not "see" what Dr. Sider sees! I believe this is the condition of most of our ministers. I personally suspect that, at some level, many of our ministers know the truth about this, but for many practical reasons are hesitant to present "the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth, all the time (in ways that cannot be mistaken and are not subject to self-delusion or denial). For those who really know the Truth about this and would like to proclaim it (and do something about it) I’d guess that fear and rationalization are big factors. However, until and unless our ministers become convinced and repent, and lead the rest of us in repentance, I cannot see how we are going to be led out of the current crisis.
What can we do to convince our leaders – our ministers -- of the truth about the current crisis of disobedience? How can we convince them of the need to start publicly and consistently declaring this crisis? How can we convince them of the need for repentance by both themselves and their congregations? How can we convince them to start leading their congregations in the planning and work to make the 21st century a century dedicated to uncorrupted Christian Truth, reformation and renewal? Can they receive some "ammunition" from a host of respected and like-minded theologians and scholars from all evangelical denominations, which would help them start off this century on the right foot for Jesus Christ? Can they be given some credible and convincing "ammunition" that they can lift up to their congregations, when those congregations start the powerful and perhaps explosive process of resisting change, especially fundamental change? The whole subject of helping our pastors deal with this and actually be the implementing arm of a renewed Christianity is totally beyond my reach or experience (but there is somebody "out there" who can help us with that too).
I will mention the name of another evangelical theologian (at Baylor) that I have corresponded with during the last year of so. He has responded to my inquiries with brotherly patience and kindness, for which I am very grateful. A comment in one of his books caught my attention, which initiated my correspondence to him. Below is a quote:
In Dr. Roger Olson’s book The Story of Christian Theology – Twenty Centuries of Tradition and Reform, his concluding chapter contains the following comment:
"Many observers would argue quite rightly that the worldwide church of Jesus Christ is overdue for a new reformation. This time that reformation will need to be a reassertion of basic, or mere, Christianity that strikes a healthy balance between experiencing God and knowing about God intellectually. A new reformer of the universal church is needed – a great spiritual thinker like Irenaeus, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, Wesley or Barth must step forward to provide a new unifying vision of Christian theology that is solidly based on divine revelation, consistent with the Great Tradition of the church and spiritually reinvigorating." (page 611-612)
While his comment is about the need for theological reform, as indicated above there is a very basic connection between what we believe and how we live. While I might agree or disagree (or not really know) about the need for a new Augustine, Edwards, Wesley or Barth, I was greatly encouraged by his comment about the need for a new reformation. If our theology is reformed then surely our lives will be also. Conversely, if our ministers come to a full, open and honest understanding of the current crisis of disobedience then the dual task of examining our way of life and our theology of cheap grace will complement each other in the 21st century. In fact, it seems that they would have to go hand in hand.
My important question to you is this: What can be done to make the 21st century a century of reformation in our faith and lives, and restore Truth to both?
What do you think of this idea?:
What if you and other like-minded theologians from each of the evangelical traditions, as well as other like-minded Christian leaders and writers held a conference to consider and issue a consensus statement about the current state of Christianity (and especially American Evangelical Christianity), the crisis of disobedience, the theological and lifestyle implications, and set our vision and prayers to the 21st century as the time for this reform. Surely, I would like to see this happen "yesterday", but since that cannot happen, isn’t today a good time to start?
From the depths of my heart, and I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, I ask you my brother to take this Email seriously.
I am your brother and I respectfully submit this request for your prayer and consideration.
In Christ’s Wonderful Love,
Roger Ducker
59 Bull Mountain Rd.
Asheville, NC 28805
(828) 298-0122
Email: rogerpd@juno.com
End of Email to Dr. Sider
