go: chapter 0: mature foundations, part two

"Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest!" these words, with the accent of one gomer pyle, echoed through my head as i read a paragraph in bdm's generous orthodoxy. "In that traditional setting," writes bdm, "orthodoxy could be articulated and debated by scholars or officials who had little responsibility to actually live by or live out the orthodoxy they defended. Defenders of orthodoxy were seen more like referees than basketball players; nobody cared if they could pass, dribble, or shoot, as long as they could blow a whistle and name an infraction in their black-and-white striped shirts" (go, 30-31). now split infinitive aside, i think bdm is correct here. all too often, we become so enamored with defending the faith, that we forget the scriptures insistence that we have been given an active faith. "By this," jesus taught, "all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (john 13:35). nothing here about chasing down the one making a u-turn and screaming at the top of our lungs (though paul does make it clear that such actions are needed at times if we aim to love our neighbors). in part, bdm's point is made as the "gomer pyles" of the evangelical world shout after him.

this isn't to say that referees aren't useful to make certain the rules are enforced. though from my playing days, there were very few that could be trusted. maybe that's why i am so hesitant to trust the evangelical zebras. the fact is, in the end, the game can be played without referees, but not without players. furthermore, we are not left without such enforcers. by grace, we have been given the rules of the game (found in the old and new testaments). the holy spirit, through the writings of the prophets, jesus, and the apostles, is our referee. finally, one that can be trusted. so, let's stop whining about the calls and get to what is fun. let's play.