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Christianity Today, September, 2008 |

On the Grand Canyon Bus

The Christian life is about the journey as well as the destination.

Philip Yancey | posted 9/25/2008 10:07AM

In may, exactly three months before the Democratic National Convention in Denver, I spoke at a state prayer luncheon in the convention center that would soon be filled with delegates wearing silly hats ...

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Clinton

Posted: September 28, 2008 6:47 PM

Mr. Yancey, we definitely need both/and Christians. I heartily agree with you. The problem arises when we think earthly solutions are sufficient and eliminate our dependence on God. Most certainly, as Christians we believe "our kingdom is not of this world" and daily we pray for His Kingdom to come, yet if we think we can solve the world's problems through human strength alone, we as Christians are to be pitied. We must work for the good of all mankind, but in the end it is only the proclamation of the Gospel that redeems us and redeems the earth as St. Paul says. It therefore troubles me that some Christians claim to advocate caring for the earth, etc while propagating abortion and gay marriage. Likewise, we cannot claim to love God and ignore the poor, hungry and homeless. A Christianity that is bereft of the crucified Christ is not Christianity at all. And why do some keep blaming Mr. Bush for all the world's ills. He's certainly been wrong many times but aren't we all to blame too?

Valerie Reed

Posted: September 27, 2008 8:54 AM


I love Philip Yancey for his open heart and open mind. I believe we need to keep these during this election and not follow the ways of the past eight years as gullible, blinded pessimists. We can set this world back on a better track for our children, our parents, our animals in danger and our neighbors in need. We can live the dream and not be ashamed in 2008.

Gregory Chase

Posted: September 26, 2008 3:50 PM

I believe there needs to be a balance here. This world is important but the Kingdom is in this world and the next. The Kingdom that exits here is will only reach its fulness in the future. I really didn't like the bus analogy because we are not sightseers on the journey, we are pilgrims going for the Celetial City. God requires us not to be spectators but participants in the building of His Kingdom.

Jean b. stein

Posted: September 26, 2008 1:29 PM


The last paragraph says it - we need more "both/and Christians"...Christians who live out their faith in commitment to the church but also beyond it to all people, our earth and its creatures....all God-created.

Tom Braddock

Posted: September 26, 2008 1:04 PM

It is amazing to this sinner how after reading this fine article and its delineation of the "window shades pulled during the trip....", that at least two readers did exactly that, e.g. Bush is a bad president. Our concern for our sojourn here on earth should be paramont regardless of those circumstances surrounding us whether they be political or otherwise. We are, indeed, tasked with conducting ourselves in a loving and Christian manner which hopefully reflects the glory of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. P.S. It wouldn't allow me to correct the rating above - it's a 5 star rating not one!!!!

Jim Helfers

Posted: September 26, 2008 12:06 PM


Phil, I'm actually wondering about your statistics and their source, primarily the prisoner one. Given China's 1 billion people, I find the statistic that the U.S. has numerically more prisoners than even China alone, frankly incredible. Did you mean per capita? Were they not counting other sorts of imprisonment and punishment like internal exile?

meg	Posted: September 26, 2008 8:09 AM


Wow that's it. We can't have a great government system , if it's not governing good people. We have let the fabric of America weaken.

Bev	Posted: September 26, 2008 1:59 AM

I love what you have written and I believe that it is the heart of God. The voice of one crying in the wilderness often cries out unheard, yet the Word of the Lord still goes out and the inexorable trajectory of the actions we are choosing will still cause us to end up in the wreckage of our own choices, whether we hear or or believe it... or whether we don't. God help us, not just America but the whole western world. Maybe the way He is helping us is to withdraw His hand enough to enable us to see that we are not inherently blessed because we deserve to be but because of His favour. So many other civilisations have risen and fallen because of their own self indulgence - why would we not think that can happen to us also. The strongest churches in the world are now not in the west but in South America, Asia and Africa!

Rex Joshua

Posted: September 26, 2008 12:16 AM

I am from India, the developing world. Here there are two sections of people as regards the US. One section, cries foul at the very name of it and the other always looks up to the US as a dreamland, where dreams come true, particularly the software dreams. What should be noted is ofcourse, America's pioneering work in many fields. As a trailblazer it tends to have a responbility to the rest of us. It is nice to have a world leader who trumpets his faith, but with it also comes the attention of the roving eyes of people, who dont share that faith. So, mistakes, minor or major are looked down upon as a humiliation or travesty of the faith. That's the tight rope Bush has to walk, Americans in general have to walk. Because here, America is looked up/down as a Christian country and so the actions of Americans directly have a bearing on the 'Christian' name. However, spacewalks are not clelebrated as Christian victories, but the war on terror is looked down as a Christian country doing evil!

kwonbbl

Posted: September 26, 2008 12:08 AM

Why do you say those were empty rhetoric? Thoug I have not listened or watched Democrat's (I don't need and want to. Was it Hussein and Hillary?), but I listen to McCain and Palin (Sydney and Sarah). There was nothing empty about. Unless I am mistaken it seems to boil down down to this: Ask what can the country do and should do for you ; we will do for you with tax money. (Democrats who is for everything goes from abortion and infanticide, perverting marriage, etc.) vs. Don't ask what the country should do for you; because what you are doing is doing for the country (publicans). Mr. Yancy, did you have time actually listen to both? I'm amazed of your summary remark. Or is it supposed to be just a rhetoric touch full of insight?

George Mitrovich

Posted: September 25, 2008 4:56 PM

Sir, Phil Yancey is a person of substance and spiritual insights, but I'm afraid his point will be lost on most of CT's readers. Within the fundamentalist/evangelical community there’s a whole lot of people who believe America equals greatness, goodness, and, most of all, God’s favor. They are blind to what’s happened to our country – especially during the past eight-years of our self-confessed “born again” president. Unfortunately Bush 43 proves dramatically that being a Christian does not automatically equate with greatness in office. But Bush’s Christian faith is all that appears to matter to many fundamentalists/evangelicals. America may be slipping toward third world status – but it’s being led there by a fellow believer. I think it’s terrific if a president confesses his Christian faith. But in the Oval Office, competence is more important. George Mitrovich San Diego

George

Posted: September 25, 2008 4:40 PM


Sometimes waking up is hard to do. Philip Yancey is a good waker upper. The journey goes through the "wilderness." Maybe we need most of all to hold hands as we march toward the promised land.

Dave	Posted: September 25, 2008 4:15 PM


Great article. As a pastor getting used to seasons of change, it's comforting to be reminded that the journey is what counts, not a destination. As we stay true to the path before us, we leave the results of that path to God.

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