How to witness for Jesus Christ

Christians are having to think carefully about how to witness for Jesus Christ in today’s society. Sally Magnusson recently interviewed the newly designated Moderator of the General Assembly for 2010/11, Rev John Christie on BBC Radio. She asked him, “What have you been told not to say anything about?”. He did not reply. Former Moderator David Lacy was quoted in Scotland on Sunday a few years ago saying, “I was told not to talk about God”. I cannot think in living memory of any Moderator who challenged the nation and people of Scotland with the Christian Gospel’s message. Earlier this year at a meeting of West Lothian Presbytery another former Moderator Sheilagh Kesting spoke about the 2010 Missionary Conference in Edinburgh, commemorating the 1910 Missionary Conference,  I asked if there would be any serious presentation of the major issue facing Christians in the 21st century - namely - distinction between Christianity and Islam, She replied, “No - we don’t want to offend our Muslim guests”. This year, the press release naming the new Moderator to be was ignored by most newspapers and television. This is hardly surprising. The Church of Scotland does not say much that is newsworthy and the General Assembly’s embargo on public discussion of the Aberdeen homosexual minister was regarded as restriction of freedom of speech by the media. Why should they mention the Church in other contexts?

Neil Oliver’s History of Scotland programme last Sunday evening has provoked controversy. In The Herald, Dr Jim Begg from Ayr wrote a scathing criticism of its bias and partiality. He said,

The objectivity expected of a historian was replaced by the personal, dramatic and needlessly snide script of a self-opinionated TV personality. From the “Thank God for that!” final remark of Mr Oliver, it is obvious he took a personalised and partial approach to both Covenanters and Kirk.

The programme was riddled with inaccuracies. For example, three times he referred to “Bluidy” Claverhouse as James Graham, when his name was John. He implied that Peden the Prophet was free as a result of leniency by Charles II, when he escaped with 66 other Covenanters from a ship taking them to slavery in the West Indies. Oliver admitted that as many as 60% of Scotland’s population initially supported – and 60,000 signed – the Covenant, but belittled this by implying that many signed “with shaking hand” through “fear of God”. It is difficult to imagine 10,000 ordinary men, women and children walking many miles over hills to one conventicle, simply because of fear of God. For most, it was a demonstration of people power as a political means of improving their wretched lot. Although (Robert) Burns despised the righteous Auld Lichts, he had the intellect to acknowledge and admire the thrawn courage of the thousands of ordinary folk who endured murder, torture, maiming, execution and slavery in the pursuit of freedom, justice and equality. Pity about Mr Oliver.

There is some general revision going on about the hypocrisy of Scotland’s promotion of the Jacobites at the expense of the Covenanters. I think we all know that the successors of King James VI and I were dreadful monarchs. Had Bonny Prince Charlie won in England or at Culloden Britain would have gone back to the dark ages. The shortbread tin idealisation of this part of Scottish hasty is absurd - but - I suppose - you would not sell many tins of shortbread with pictures of Calvinistic ministers dressed in black robes on the front with speech bubbles saying “Aye - yer sins will fin’ ye oot!”. Protestant Christianity is being bullied out of existence in the public sphere. The Church of Scotland is allowing this to happen and indeed, has denied its own origins in its recent restrictions on freedom of speech.

At the other end of the spectrum, there was a theatre production called Jesus, Queen of heaven in Glasgow recently which portrayed Jesus as a transvestite. This was part of the Glasgay Arts Festival, partially funded by taxpayers. It was reported that More than 300 Christian protesters demonstrated in the centre of Glasgow against a publicly funded play that portrays Jesus as a transsexual woman. The demonstrators, who waved placards and sang hymns and gospel songs, blocked Chisholm Street for about two hours from 6.30pm as they held a candlelit vigil outside the Tron Theatre. An ecumenical congregation including Catholics and evangelical Christians voiced their disapproval of the show, which presents Christ as a man who wants to become a woman. One placard said: “Jesus, King of Kings, Not Queen of Heaven”. Another stated: “God: My Son Is Not A Pervert”. The production is part of the Glasgay! arts festival, Scotland’s annual celebration of homosexual culture, which receives funding from Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Arts Council. Protesters said last night that they did not feel their demonstration would give more publicity to the show they wanted banned. Jack Bell, pastor of the Zion Baptist Church in Polmadie, said: “We are here to protest against the blasphemy of this play.” Another demonstrator, Peter Campbell of St Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church in Greenock, said: “I am here to say enough is enough. I feel I have to do something because I don’t feel this is right and I have to stand up for the cause of Jesus.” Glasgay!, which is supported by the city council quango Culture and Sport Glasgow, has already provoked outrage over an exhibition that encouraged the public to graffiti a Bible.

Is this witnessing for Jesus? Of course it is. Is it helpful? The media tend to deride such Christian protest and mock the protesters. They are generally portrayed as fundamentalists and nutters. They ask the sensible question, “Would this play be allowed if it was Mohammad that was being portrayed as a transvestite? Would the Koran be allowed to be publicly defaced?”. The answers is No and No. Liberal nominal Christians like Ron Ferguson and others however don’t mind these types of plays and presentations and  think it best not to protest against them. They take the tolerant view. Funny - it  is these people who have  stopped freedom of speech in the Church of Scotland, isn’t it?

How is it best to witness for Jesus Christ today? There was a very interesting article in The Times on Monday about this. Libby Purves suggested that Christians should now learn from Jews how to survive by respecting the secular majority. This - Rabbi Jonathan Sacks had been saying - was how Jews had had to live these past 26000 years. He said that Christians had to begin to adapt and Muslims had not accepted the need to learn this lesson yet. Libby Purves argued against having powerful institutional Christianity since it leads to authoritarianism and misuse of power. Critics of John Calvin would agree. You cannot impose Christianity - it must be freely chosen. The trouble is that that is not how history operates. In fact, all succeeding ideologies are minority reports. Look at the disproportionate influence of Islam in Britain today. Look at the dominance of homosexual ideology. Where Christianity once was influential, others now are. So - the tolerant middle way is not the answer because it only allows those with a stronger agenda and greater commitment to take over and become the new orthodoxy. That is now happening in the Church of Scotland. How do we witness for Jesus Christ in this new context?

Christianity is a missionary faith which seeks to invite all humanity to follow Jesus Christ. You will not get that clear statement from the Edinburgh 2010 Missionary Conference, however. You might get something better from Pope Benedictus when he visits next year. How are we to witness?

Firstly - we should not be afraid, we should not be cowered, we should not be bullied.

Secondly, we must give an account of the hope that is within us as the New Testament teaches us. We are to be able to give a credible and reasonable explanation of and for our Christian Faith to people.

Thirdly, we can show by our faith and conduct that we are in possession of something special.

Fourthly, we need to be committed and not half-hearted in our Christian life.

Fifthly, we should not give up on passion and opinion even if its leads into danger. Christianity produces colourful characters and they are sadly lacking in contemporary Scotland and in the Church of Scotland dominated by legalism and political correctness.

Sixthly, we need to maintain a merry heart, even in the midst of trials and difficulties. That is our expression of Christ’s victory. Jesus did it and so did Paul. Great Christians always had that edge of inner joyfulness even in difficult personal circumstances.

This is how we must witness for Jesus Christ in this time and age and culture and society.