My paper turned into a blog. At least I don't have to cite.

Like I said: I'm in the middle of writing a paper and got tired of having to cite, and give proof, and argue my opinion in a way that makes me sound smarter (or is it more arrogant?) than I actually am. Thus I decided to head for the ol' bloggo instead. Where anything goes. Almost. Okay, at least you just have to take my word for it, no footnotes, no Chicago, no nothing. It's a nice break!

The paper I've been plugging away at (in the same cafe for 6 hours) asks whether or not it is okay for Christians to be police officers. I've come to a some riveting conclusions:

Yes.

No.

and Sometimes.


Yowza.Thankfully I was blessed by finding a great book that has helped me articulate this in a way that makes enough sense!

The big thing that I've noticed while writing this dang thing is that it really, REALLY doesn't matter what the best scholars say about how Christians should make decisions in their walk. It's nice to have centuries of insight available, and I like Bonhoeffer as much as the next person, but when it comes to praxis none of it matters.
My main argument in the paper focuses on policing in light of the Gospel: It seeks restoration, peace, and is rooted in fostering community before patrolling it. True and just policing is very grassroots in my opinion, and is all about being an agent of social change. Therefore, yes, a Christian can definitely be a police officer.
But what about the violence? (say the pacifists)
Well, it's unavoidable. Like any sin, there's nothing we can do about it. It exists in the world, and though we are conquerors in Christ--it's still there. Crime prevention programs work, but only go so far, and one day the Christian police officer might need to employ violence to intervene. Does that mean Christians shouldn't be police officers? No. Maybe?
Sometimes...a believer's personal conviction before the Lord says "No", and that's okay too (can I get an Amen from the Anabaptists!). Romans 14 goes over all that, and it makes sense. If the Lord says no, don't do it. And if you do it anyway, it's sin. But, maybe just watch out about assuming that He's going to say that for everyone. Each believer has their own relationship with the Lord, and needs to be faithful to what He's shown them, first and foremost.
Personally, I sit comfortably on the fence on a lot of issues--including this policing thing, just war versus pacifism, Calvinism versus everybody else, etc.
Why? Because ultimately, it is the Lord who decides and the Lord who teaches. I'm always challenged by people who hold vastly different convictions than my own. But frankly, it's all too easy to take that challenge as an attack. Let's just put it out there: Christians come in all sorts. We're allowed to have different opinions and convictions! As much as it causes divisions (over 600 official ones...) I believe that our differences in opinion simply speak to a complex, unexplainable God who is truly beyond our conception.
Hug a pacifist today, and commend a Christian police officer  :) They're both holding on to difficult convictions to live out; and in essence, both are right.



And speaking of Bonhoeffer...I've decided to spend the month of December trying to understand Christmas. This book will be one of my tools! I want to understand why it is we celebrate the way we do, and how in the world we so easily lose sight of the reality of what it meant for God to become man and dwell among us.  I'll probably do some blogging on it, so stay tuned! Despite what this picture says, you can't click to look inside...sorry to disappoint. Follow the link I posted below instead :)

http://www.amazon.com/God-Is-Manger-Reflections-Christmas/dp/0664238874


PS, Happy first day of Advent!