I made a comment last Sunday that several people have commented on. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that if a "truth" doesn't work in all situations, then it isn't truth. It might seem true. But if it isn't true for everybody, then it isn't true, ultimately, for anybody. This applies to theology. If it isn't true for everybody, then it isn't true for anybody. That's why much of our western theology is poor. Much of what is taught in churches and in our books today seems true, but only if you are middle-class or better and live in North America or Europe. If someone says to me that God would not let me go hungry or bankrupt or die by brutality, that's a lie! He obviously lets many people go hungry and bankrupt and die of brutality. This line of reasoning, as harsh as it may be, must apply all the way down the line. If it is true for me, it must be true for a starving Aides orphan in Darfur or a Christian in China locked away in a solitary cell never to be heard from again. Some people think that some of the best theology these days is coming out of third-world countries. I believe it, because it is less likely to be tainted by comfort- and success-oriented thought patterns that enamour us.The fine art photograph is the creation of my friend Mark Hemmings.
