Among the many things that Scot McKight is doing on his blog is to describe a “Third Way’ for Christians to live out their faith. By this he means another path besides conservative evangelical and liberal social gospel positions that are often the only alternatives that most people in our culture see among Christians. McKnight wants to explore this third path that is somewhere between conservative and liberal.
McKnight draws on the work of Adam Hamilton in his new book, Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White: Thoughts on Religion, Morality, and Politics. Hamilton reflects on his own journey of faith as he asks, are there only two alternatives or is there a large gray area in the middle of the two extremes.
My sense is that there are many serious Christians who long for such a third way and would see themselves as embracing it. Anyone who is interested in examining this option would probably find Hamilton’s book instructive.
Here’s just one example of how Hamilton applies this third way. We might ask are Americans generous or do we act like spoiled children? Perhaps the answer isn’t so clear-cut one way or another.
On the one hand, McKight cites data assembled by Hamilton regarding Americans:
We have 5% of the world's population; we consume 22% of its energy resources. We expect other countries to go along with our global and national designs. We are obese while other nations struggle with starvation.
We think we are generous. According to the Congressional Research Service, in 2004, we were the largest dollar donors in the world -- we gave .2 of our GDP. 5 times less than we were giving in the 1970s. Our income in that time has increased 5 times. Half of our 20 billion dollars in aid went to the poor -- the rest went to foreign militaries. We give the most to Israel.
Germany gives twice as much as we do in aid; France gives three times more of its GDP and Denmark seven times more.
On the other hand, other data would suggest that Americans are a generous people:
...American individuals are generous, leading many foreigners to like Americans but not the USA. In 2000 we gave away -- as individuals -- 33.6 billion dollars.
How do we respond to such facts? Do we argue with the data? Do we suggest that such criticism is unpatriotic?
Hamilton outlines another way of responding, listing four elements to that response.
First, we need to take seriously the Christian understanding of sin. If as individuals we struggle with sin, that will also be the case for our nation.
Second, the Christian community is meant to witness to an alternative world and alternative kingdom voice. We are to be a conscience to the nation and not its mirror or its mouthpiece.
Third, critique is not unpatriotic.
Fourth, we are to be a blessing to other nations; we are to be the salt and light; true greatness is not power but loving service.
I find much to recommend this Third Way and hope I can eventually read what Hamiliton writes. If you want to read more about McKnight’s view of this Third Way, travel over his blog and click on that term on the Tag Cloud on the right side of the page.
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