I am sorry for the family and friends of D. James Kennedy, as well as the people of his church as they grieve his loss. I trust that he has found the comfort of heaven and is now at peace.
I do wish, however, that he had done more for peace in his life. There are a number of issues where I differ from him on theology and on the application of faith in the world. He was a strong opponent of same-sex marriage, believed that judges needed to acknowledge God as the provider of all law, was a young earth creationist, and was a member of the Moral Majority. Needless to say, he and I would not have seen eye to eye. But the one position that he took that I find most disturbing was the way that he found to justify the war in Iraq. He signed a letter sent to President Bush outlining how a preemptive attack on Iraq could be justified by the just war theory. He also preached about the biblical justifications here and here. You may find that you agree with his arguments, but I found them to be both bad theology and a misuse of scripture.
Blog you later,
Pastor Ian
Thursday, September 6, 2007
REST IN PEACE
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2 comments:
Dr. Kennedy was a rather bold figure in evangelical Christianity. His books often invoke this mentality that we needed to "take back America for Christ" or that the "gates of hell shall not prevail". I remember reading his books and being impressed with his passion for America, as he saw her. But often that narrow view made for tough sledding. I would ask my friends what they thought of Dr. Kennedy. He was an activist first, and a preacher secondly. Some would argue that many preachers on the leftward edge of the spectrum are guilty of the same thing. But few of them have reached any where near the rhetorical juggarnaut of Dr. Kennedy.
The upside to Dr. Kennedy, as with Jerry Falwell, was his committment to evangelization via a personal relationship with Christ. Kennedy was a direct disciple of Donald Grey Barnhouse who was a firey preacher in the 1920's through the '40's. Kennedy's other gifts included a very distinguished speaking style. He made the Bible sound like the Holy Book it is when he spoke.
Kennedy's influence was felt most in the mid 1990's, and his message resonated with conservatives who were growing weary of Bill Clinton. In recent years, Dr. Kennedy began to slow down and last December, he had a massive heart attack which left him unable to continue in the ministry.
With both Falwell and Kennedy gone, the conservative movement will be looking for new voices to debate their message. These two men were gifted in doing that. I don't understand Kennedy's obsession with the war, other than being consistent with the conservative movement. In the end, my thoughts and prayers go out to all who served with Dr. Kennedy, with the hope that a truly kinder and gentler Christianity emerges from the ashes.
I also will miss the Theologian and his work. He articulated and defended the faith with reverent humor and weighty statement with one of the clearest and most understandable preaching gifts I have ever heard. I listen to re-broadcasts of his show on WVNE regularly. His stance against the danger of radical Islam was rock solid, and as we will sorely find out in the near future, well warranted. I pray his message of the love of Christ and country, and his example of the devotion of a life given to the service of the One True God will inspire and set aflame many a new preacher and pulpits, to stand in unashamed truth for the Whole and compromised Word of God.
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