I attended Pastor Hunter's church for 12 years. I personally observed his "transformation" from pastor to politician. This book, like it's predecessor, Right Wing, Wrong Bird, is a favorite of the "evangelical Marxist" crowd (Ron Sider, Jim Wallis, etc). Pastor Joel is a decent, God loving man. Having said that, this book perverts the Christian message in my view. I believe that Christ appealed to individuals on a personal basis. If He were to return today, he wouldn't hop a plane to Washington to lobby for progressive taxation. No, He would want to know what the body of Christ - His Church - was doing to care for the poor and disadvantaged. Where does Hunter go wrong? His reliance on government to solve problems that are the responsibility of the church. He attends to physical interests rather than focusing on the soul. He is content (as I have personally observed) to advance the causes of "creation care" (which he originally termed "global warming") and unbridled immigration. In his world, as in this book, Hunter wants a left leaning right wing. He would be better off avoiding the use of labels let alone the creation of new ones. Joel Hunter is a good man. But he is dead wrong in his quest to fold so-called "conservatism" into our existing socialist tendencies. It doesn't to the church any good to do so. Nor does it enrich individual Christians.
Last week my Sunday study guide directed me to Romans 8.
Verses 19-22 (New King James) jumped out at me:
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Sounds like today, and 2nd Law of Thermo in action.
My interpretation:
Creation subjected to futility (turned over to man)
Creation will be delivered (at Christ’s coming)