i stopped by our conference office today and, as i always do, i grab the latest edition of our reporter (the united methodist newspaper). i was surprised to see this face on one of the articles. didn't know that brain mclaren was writing for us.. he's actually not, but we still put him in print, so that's news to me in the same. the reporter reprinted an article he wrote for Christianity today's leadership journal titled "The Passion of Hotel Rwanda."
i haven't read any of brian's books (i have some on the shelf) only articles here and there and have heard him speak. i really like his take on most things, and this is certainly one view i can get behind. with statements like:
I think about Tutsi and Hutu locked in a cycle of fear and aggression, insult and revenge, attack and counterattack. And I also think of the Twa (the literal "little people" of our world) whose story is so little known, who suffer in the crossfire between the larger, more powerful tribes. And I think about how our community of Christian believers is divided by tribes also caught in long-standing cycles that seem to defy reconciliation: Protestant, Catholic; liberal, conservative red-state, blue-state; contemporary, traditional; postmodern, modern; seeker-driven, seeker-sensitive; purpose-driven, tradition-driven, and so on....
Then I realize that's why Hotel Rwanda seemed to me an even more Christian film than The Passion of the Christ. Forgive me if this sounds crazy to you, but try to understand; it evoked in me a wave of compassion for my neighbors around the world, whatever their color or tribe, whatever their religion or politics. And I hear our Lord saying, "As you have done it to the least of these … you have done it to me."
at the end of the article it he states church leaders need to be watching this film and then ask a set of questions. which are certainly questions that we all need to be asking ourselves when it comes to our neighbors.
:: full article ::
