September 10, 2009

Day 7, Summit Semester

Today was our first real day of classes with Dr. Bauman. We started out with Christianity and Politics, looking at the basic principles that should govern Christians involved in politics.

1. As Xians, we have an obligation to care for those around us.
2. The State is a divinely ordained institution but it cannot solve all the world’s problems.
3. To a Xian, while civil responsibilities are important, they are secondary.
4. The Bible provides Xians with a general perspective on politics but not with a specific agenda.
5. Good intentions are not enough.
6. Un-involvement is not the answer.
7. Although the State is ordained by God, it is not a redemptive institution and must be limited.
8. You must not confuse personal ethics with public policy.

How to formulate public policy:

1. Is there a Scriptural principle on the point?
2. Does the reference apply today? Was it meant to apply today?
3. Is this Biblical rule mandatory or advisory?
4. If there is no Scriptural point on the issue, this the policy being considered consistent with the general role of Biblical government?
5. Does this policy weigh costs as well as benefits?
6. Does it really produce the goal you have in mind?
7. Does the Bible give responsibility for this issue to another form of govt?

In Brit Lit we discussed CS Lewis’ An Experiment in Criticism, which among other things, includes a discussion of what a good reader really is.

GOOD READERS
frequently rereads – keeps going back to it, get the details,
feel impoverished if they don’t read
have enrichment of consciousness
reflect on what they read
literary things comprise a very large part of their lives
receive the book, don’t use the book – try to allow the book to do to them what the book was intended to do
search for the point of the author

In History of Christian Philosophy we looked at the Jewish culture in the time of Jesus – the different religious and political groups that influenced the first century and the life of Jesus.