世俗主义与教会Secularismand the Church 

作者: Rev. Lane Keister     翻译:  骆鸿铭

http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com/2011/07/05/secularism-and-the-church/

http://peddrluo.blog.163.com/blog/static/1948013122011769310609/

撒但在今天用什么武器攻击教会？John Sittema在他的书With a Shepherd’s Heart（《牧人的心》）中列出五项（他称之为“狼牙”teeth of the wolves）：世俗主义，物质主义，相对主义，实用主义和女性主义（49页）。下面几篇博文会讨论这些“狼牙”。我们必须清楚这些敌人，不只为保护自己，也保护其他的羊，不受这些狼牙的攻击。

John Sittema’s excellent book entitled With a Shepherd’s Heart has several good chapters on what he calls the “teeth of the wolves.” These are the ways in which Satan is generally attacking the church today. He lists five main attacks: secularism, materialism, relativism, pragmatism, and feminism (p. 49). I’d like to do a few blog posts on these “teeth.” It is crucial for us to recognize these enemies and not only be on guard ourselves, but also guard our flocks from these teeth.

Sittema 对世俗主义的定义很精彩：“神的创造有「定时性」（timed-ness）——在时间内的，受时间限制的，而神看一切所造的都甚好。但是当被造界的「定时性」，当我们作为被造物的现在性（here and now），吞没了我们的永恒观，并占据所有人的心思和注意力时，你所得到的就是世俗主义。”（50页）其带来的结果就是：“只有对此生（here and now）有价值的宗教，才具有真正的意义。”这对人的思想的影响如下：1. 追求即时的满足（instant gratification）；2. 用二元论的二分法（dualistic dichotomy）来绝对区分圣与俗（相对于简单的区分）；3. 对“适切性”（relevance）的痴迷。

So the first one is secularism. Sittema’s definition is quite excellent: “There is a timed-ness to God’s creation; and according to God’s own assessment, it is good! (par. break, LK) But when that timed-ness of creation, when the here and now of our creatureliness, gobbles up any sense of our eternity and occupies all of man’s heart and mind and attention, you have secularism” (p. 50). The upshot of it is that “Only if religion has value for the here and now is it of any real significance” (ibid.). The consequences for people’s thinking are several-fold: 1. instant gratification; 2. dualistic dichotomy (rather than a simple distinction) between secular and sacred, 3. obsession with relevance (pp. 51-52).

如何对抗这个敌人呢？Sittema 提出三点建议：1. 辨认“即时满足”这个敌人（自我欺骗、盲目是世俗主义的关键特色）；2. 教导圣经的管家原则（特别要装备执事们做到这点）；3. 问自己是否对圣与俗有刻板的分割，而不是简单的区分。我还会加上几项建议：教导神的子民寄居者/天路客（pilgrimage）的原则。注意“世俗主义”和“这个世界”或“这个时代”在字源上的关联。我强烈建议要指出新天新地所应许的福分，因为这个世界非我家，我们盼望一个更美的家乡。当然，作为好管家，我们要看顾神托付给我们的这个世界。但是，我们是寄居者，我们应该用末世的眼光来看待我们现世的生活。

Sittema offers three suggestions for how to fight this enemy: 1. Point out the enemy of instant gratification (self-delusion and blindness are often key characteristics of secularism), 2. Teach the principles of biblical stewardship (especially equip the deacons to do this). 3. Ask people whether they have this rigid divide between secular and sacred, rather than a simple distinction. And a few more suggestions I would add: teach people the principle of pilgrimage. Noting the etymological connection of “secularism” to “this worldliness” or “this aged-ness,” I would strongly suggest pointing out the blessedness of the new heavens and the new earth, since this world is not our home. We are looking for a better country. Now, obviously, we should take care of this world as good stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Nevertheless, we are pilgrims, and that should color everything, and give us an eschatological perspective on life.

 世俗主義這種宗教  The Religion of Secularism

作者: Burk Parsons 翻譯: Maria Marta

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/religion-secularism/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/LYMqP7SaEiE

1956年，總統艾森豪（Dwight David Eisenhower）簽署法令，將「我們信靠上帝」（In God we trust）正式定為美國的國家格言。最初實施這項法令的部分原因是，要把美國與蘇聯及其明確聲明的無神論區別開來，這句格言一直沿用到今天。然而，與許多格言一樣，這片語不幸地成為許多美國人的一次性陳述，而非真正信靠聖經的獨一真神的宣告。

我們的確希望，我們的國家和每個國家都真正信靠上帝。雖然許多人都聲稱信靠上帝，但他們的行為好像他們的生活不受任何掌管。他們自我掌管，他們自我授權的基礎與他們隨變的心所出現的情緒那樣不穩定。無論他們知道與否，他們都已屈服於始於內心，終結於死亡的世俗主義。世俗主義是一種信念：人在社會、政府、教育、或經濟事務中不需要上帝或上帝的律法。具有諷刺意味的是，世俗主義拒絕宗教，但它本身卻是一種宗教。在整個美國，在宗教自由的標題下，隨著人本自主性(human autonomy)的提高，我們的許多政治家、法院、學校、與企業都擁抱和促進世俗主義這種宗教，這樣不可避免地導致無政府狀態。

世俗主義在我們的文化中是一個日益嚴重的問題，這已經夠糟糕的了，但更糟糕的是，它侵入教會。崇拜往往滿足感覺需要，和符合世俗人士的需要。許多牧師不宣講地獄，因為害怕將人嚇走。我們當中的一些最受歡迎的宗教領袖只不過在傳達自助的，再以基督教的粉飾裝扮的信息。一些傳道人甚至擁抱世俗主義的教導，即我們定義我們自己的現實。因此，他們很樂於重新定義性別、婚姻、和許多上帝啟示的制度和規範。

世俗主義不僅是文化上的問題，更是在我們的內心、我們的家庭、我們的教會裡，我們必須要對抗的問題。我們很容易受試探誘惑忘記上帝，和避免與世界發生沖突。有時似乎更容易生活，上帝好象真的不存在，我們過我們的日子，沒有反映出祂的掌管，和我們所蒙的吩咐：要活上帝的面前, 與上帝面對面。但是若果我們忘記祂，我們便會忘記我們是誰。我們是祂的子民，我們蒙吩咐必須堅決反對世俗主義黑暗的蔓延，和向我們的心、我們的家、我們的教會、與我們的國家宣告：全能的上帝掌管一切，而且我們堅定不移地信靠上帝。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌2017年三月號 。

The Religion of Secularism

by Burk Parsons

“In God we trust” officially became the national motto of the United States in 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law. Originally implemented in part to distinguish the United States from the Soviet Union and its explicit state atheism, the motto has remained to our day. Like many mottoes, however, the phrase has unfortunately become more of a throwaway statement for many Americans than a declaration of true faith in the one and only God of Scripture.

It is indeed our hope that our nation—and every nation—would genuinely trust God. Although many people claim to trust God, they act as if He has no authority whatsoever over their lives. They are an authority unto themselves, and the foundation for their self-appointed authority is as unstable as the emotions of their ever-changing hearts. Whether or not they know it, they have succumbed to secularism, which begins in the heart and ends in death. Secularism is the belief that man does not need God or God’s laws in man’s social, governmental, educational, or economic affairs. Ironically, secularism rejects religion, yet is itself a religion. In these United States of America, many of our politicians, courts, schools, and businesses embrace and promote the religion of secularism under the rubric of freedom from religion and by the advancement of human autonomy, which inevitably leads to anarchy.

It’s bad enough that secularism is a growing problem in our culture, yet it’s even worse that it’s making inroads in the church. Worship is often shaped by the felt needs and wants of secularized people. Many pastors will not preach on hell for fear of scaring people away. Some of our most popular religious leaders do little more than take self-help messages and dress them up with a veneer of Christianity. Even some preachers have embraced secularism’s teaching that we define our own reality. Thus, they are happy to redefine gender, marriage, and a host of other divinely revealed institutions and norms.

Secularism is not only a problem out there in the culture, it is something we must fight in our hearts, our homes, and our churches. We are too easily tempted to forget God and to avoid conflict with the world. It sometimes seems easier to live as if God really isn’t there, to go about our days without reflecting on His authority and that we’re called to live all of life coram Deo, before His face. But if we forget Him, we’ll forget who we are. We are His people, and we are called to stand firm against the creeping darkness of secularism, declaring to our hearts, our homes, our churches, and our nation that the Lord God Almighty has authority over all and that, unwaveringly, in God we trust.

世俗主義這種宗教 The Religion of Secularism

作者: Burk Parsons  翻譯:  Maria Marta  

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/religion-secularism/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/LYMqP7SaEiE

1956年，總統艾森豪（Dwight David Eisenhower）簽署法令，將「我們信靠上帝」（In God we trust）正式定為美國的國家格言。最初實施這項法令的部分原因是，要把美國與蘇聯及其明確聲明的無神論區別開來，這句格言一直沿用到今天。然而，與許多格言一樣，這片語不幸地成為許多美國人的一次性陳述，而非真正信靠聖經的獨一真神的宣告。

我們的確希望，我們的國家和每個國家都真正信靠上帝。雖然許多人都聲稱信靠上帝，但他們的行為好像他們的生活不受任何掌管。他們自我掌管，他們自我授權的基礎與他們隨變的心所出現的情緒那樣不穩定。無論他們知道與否，他們都已屈服於始於內心，終結於死亡的世俗主義。世俗主義是一種信念：人在社會、政府、教育、或經濟事務中不需要上帝或上帝的律法。具有諷刺意味的是，世俗主義拒絕宗教，但它本身卻是一種宗教。在整個美國，在宗教自由的標題下，隨著人本自主性(human autonomy)的提高，我們的許多政治家、法院、學校、與企業都擁抱和促進世俗主義這種宗教，這樣不可避免地導致無政府狀態。

世俗主義在我們的文化中是一個日益嚴重的問題，這已經夠糟糕的了，但更糟糕的是，它侵入教會。崇拜往往滿足感覺需要，和符合世俗人士的需要。許多牧師不宣講地獄，因為害怕將人嚇走。我們當中的一些最受歡迎的宗教領袖只不過在傳達自助的，再以基督教的粉飾裝扮的信息。一些傳道人甚至擁抱世俗主義的教導，即我們定義我們自己的現實。因此，他們很樂於重新定義性別、婚姻、和許多上帝啟示的制度和規範。

世俗主義不僅是文化上的問題，更是在我們的內心、我們的家庭、我們的教會裡，我們必須要對抗的問題。我們很容易受試探誘惑忘記上帝，和避免與世界發生沖突。有時似乎更容易生活，上帝好象真的不存在，我們過我們的日子，沒有反映出祂的掌管，和我們所蒙的吩咐：要活上帝的面前, 與上帝面對面。但是若果我們忘記祂，我們便會忘記我們是誰。我們是祂的子民，我們蒙吩咐必須堅決反對世俗主義黑暗的蔓延，和向我們的心、我們的家、我們的教會、與我們的國家宣告：全能的上帝掌管一切，而且我們堅定不移地信靠上帝。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌2017年三月號 。

The Religion of Secularism

by Burk Parsons

“In God we trust” officially became the national motto of the United States in 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law. Originally implemented in part to distinguish the United States from the Soviet Union and its explicit state atheism, the motto has remained to our day. Like many mottoes, however, the phrase has unfortunately become more of a throwaway statement for many Americans than a declaration of true faith in the one and only God of Scripture.

It is indeed our hope that our nation—and every nation—would genuinely trust God. Although many people claim to trust God, they act as if He has no authority whatsoever over their lives. They are an authority unto themselves, and the foundation for their self-appointed authority is as unstable as the emotions of their ever-changing hearts. Whether or not they know it, they have succumbed to secularism, which begins in the heart and ends in death. Secularism is the belief that man does not need God or God’s laws in man’s social, governmental, educational, or economic affairs. Ironically, secularism rejects religion, yet is itself a religion. In these United States of America, many of our politicians, courts, schools, and businesses embrace and promote the religion of secularism under the rubric of freedom from religion and by the advancement of human autonomy, which inevitably leads to anarchy.

It’s bad enough that secularism is a growing problem in our culture, yet it’s even worse that it’s making inroads in the church. Worship is often shaped by the felt needs and wants of secularized people. Many pastors will not preach on hell for fear of scaring people away. Some of our most popular religious leaders do little more than take self-help messages and dress them up with a veneer of Christianity. Even some preachers have embraced secularism’s teaching that we define our own reality. Thus, they are happy to redefine gender, marriage, and a host of other divinely revealed institutions and norms.

Secularism is not only a problem out there in the culture, it is something we must fight in our hearts, our homes, and our churches. We are too easily tempted to forget God and to avoid conflict with the world. It sometimes seems easier to live as if God really isn’t there, to go about our days without reflecting on His authority and that we’re called to live all of life coram Deo, before His face. But if we forget Him, we’ll forget who we are. We are His people, and we are called to stand firm against the creeping darkness of secularism, declaring to our hearts, our homes, our churches, and our nation that the Lord God Almighty has authority over all and that, unwaveringly, in God we trust.