Lessons from Colorado

Kevin T. Bauder

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For the third time the state of Colorado has witnessed a murderer run amok. The first occasion took place in 1999 at Columbine High School. The second occurred in 2007 at the offices of Youth With A Mission in Arvada and in the New Life Church in Colorado Springs. The most recent, and the bloodiest, has just taken place in the Century 16 Theater in Aurora. Given these episodes and others like them, certain lessons are worth pointing out.

The first is that human suffering is real. The mayhem within the theater was only the beginning of the anguish that will result from one individual’s sinful choices. The pain of this event will scar many people for many years. Individuals who were not touched by the bullets were nevertheless touched by the trauma. The victims include loved ones who were not even in the theater but whose lives will never be the same because of the terror that was let loose. In the face of such suffering, no feeling person can remain unmoved. Our hearts go out to those whose lives have been ended or forever altered by this crime. Our souls yearn for the appearance of the One who will bring true and lasting peace and righteousness to the earth.

The second lesson is that evil is real. The murderer has already been characterized by many as a psychopath, but even psychosis does not have to result in this kind of slaughter. An individual made a choice to unleash horror. He did not accomplish this deed in a moment. He had a bright mind, he planned carefully, and he acted in ways that were calculated to bring maximum hurt to people who had never harmed him. Whether or not some pathology was involved, this act was vicious and malevolent. The right word for this man and his deed is evil. In a fallen world, the existence of evil must be taken into account. Christians should allow no naïve utopianism to stand unchallenged. Evil is alive and well on planet earth.

Discussion

What The Star Tribune Got Right And Wrong

Jay
The Star-Tribune article about my sermon this past weekend got it partly right and partly wrong. The part that they got right was that I did not give a public endorsement for any legislation or candidate. But they got two parts wrong. First they say, “Key Minnesota pastors opt out of marriage fight.” I didn’t opt out.

Discussion

Thoughts about “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation.”

Jay
A classical Arminian would never deny that Adam’s sin resulted in the incapacitation of any person’s free will. Classical Arminianism (as I have demonstrated in Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities) strongly affirms the bondage of the will to sin before and apart from prevenient grace’s liberating work. Now, perhaps this is the point of the statement’s mention of “the Holy Spirit’s drawing through the Gospel.” But that, too, can be interpreted in a semi-Pelagian way.

Discussion

Video Games About Jesus, The Devil Released On Same Day

Jay
It’s a battle of biblical proportions. Software-maker Blizzard Entertainment released its hotly anticipated role-playing game Diablo III “from the Burning Hells” on Tuesday — and “it’s a bad day for demons,” the company said.

Discussion

Congregation of The Falls Church must begin again

Jay
In 2006, The Falls Church and six sister congregations in Northern Virginia voted (overwhelmingly) to pull out of the Episcopal Church because, in our view, it had drifted so far from orthodox Christianity that we could not remain in good conscience. Reasons for the division have been mainly theological, particularly focused on how we interpret the Bible, and what doctrines of the Christian faith are essential for leaders to maintain.

Discussion

An Incomplete Contraceptive Coverage Compromise

sifilings
Friday’s highly publicized announcement, President Obama may have helped contain the political firestorm over the new federal mandate that health plans cover contraceptives. But the embers are still hot. And legally speaking, nothing has changed.

Discussion