This is a big day. A hinge point in my life. For the better part of a decade, I have been a student of history, politics, and economics, and have collected news that paints a terrifying picture of tyranny emerging around us. I have taught about the U.S. Constitution and individual liberty. And I have opposed violations of both. The main purpose behind my political and news activism has been to point people away from confidence in worldly, coercive governments and toward the kingdom of God as taught by Jesus. And, as the sun sets on 2010, I feel that after one book and three years of blogging, that point has been made loudly and clearly. It is time to move on to bigger and better things. Namely, God.
Certainly, defending God’s reputation and advancing his kingdom has always been at the forefront of why this blog has existed. Disassociating Jesus from the evils done in his name by so-called Christianity and a so-called Christian nation has been perhaps the most important task this blog has served. And spreading Jesus’ message of non-violence and love of our enemies has been and will be an enduring purpose of this blog.
However, to continue to regularly post news and commentary on political matters would not be true to the journey in my own heart and mind. Over the past year or two, my interest in pursuing the political-theological mission of this blog has been slowly giving ground to more theological and spiritually practical realities. Recently, I have been consumed by the question, “what is God like?” and less interested in the question, “what are the latest evils that the kingdoms of this world are up to?” Therefore, rather than telling the world what Christ is NOT all about, more emphasis needs to be put on telling the world what Christ IS all about. Perhaps more time should be spent beholding, admiring and participating in the kingdom of God and less time should be spent critiquing and calling Christians out of the kingdoms of this world.
I hope that the 2300+ posts on Civics News will stand as a reminder to Christians to put not their trust in princes, in politicians, in the coercive governments of this world. If I were to do many of these blog posts over again, the emphasis and angle and even tone would certainly change to some degree, yet my convictions about liberty of conscience and God’s displeasure with Christian militarism remain as strong as ever.
But it is time to turn the page in my journey with God. He is now asking me to simply show the world what he is like. And this means doing much less of what I’ve been doing on Civics News for 3 years.
This brings me to the (drumroll please...) launching of the new blog, entitled "See Him As He Is." Expect more activity at that website than at Civics News. Civics News will not disappear. And posts will be made from time to time on pressing matters involving the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world. But I invite your participation in the most important adventure of all--seeking to know God better.
Seeking a knowledge of God can best be done in community with others of the same purpose of mind. So, "See Him As He Is" needs to be a conversational website. Just as “knowledge” of God in the Bible implies an intimate relationship with him, so seeking that knowledge must be done by people in relationship. So please join or start the conversation at the new blog.
Maybe in a way, Civics News has prepared the way for See Him As He Is. And like John the Baptist who prepared the way for Christ, Civics News says “I must become less, he must become greater” (John 3:30). Civics News must become less. See Him As He Is must become greater. And there is nothing greater than knowing God, for it is the very definition of the eternal kind of life (John 17:3).
-Scott
