Balance is crucial. It is especially crucial when it is easy to swing to extremes.
Following the Commons’ decision on 2 December for RAF airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria after the terrorist atrocity in Paris, there is a new recognition that the UK is at war. Our security forces are thwarting many planned attacks, but there may be reprisals meted out on us. The question is: how can Christians be praying in a biblically sensible way?
Facing extremism
Of course we need to be balanced towards Islam. Many Muslims are civilised people of peace and we need to honour them. But with Hilary Benn’s speech to Parliament the penny seems to have dropped that those supporting Islamic state are as much fascists, seeing themselves as superior beings willing to liquidate all ‘inferiors’, as the Nazis. The West is now engaged in a Third World War. So, how should we pray?
Facing extremism is nothing new for God's people. For example, Nahum’s prophecy is addressed to wicked Nineveh, capital of Assyria, infamous for cruelty. You can still see stone reliefs in the British Museum of the Assyrian army impaling victims on poles and suchlike after the battle of Lachish. Nahum pronounces God’s vengeance (Nahum 1.2) on these extremists, which came to pass as Babylon and the Medes formed a coalition against them.
The re-emergence of heavy shepherds
What would you think if you received a letter from your church leaders that read like this? ‘Are church members …