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Apologia Report 16:40 (1,090)
December 7, 2011
Subject: Child evangelism a spreading horror to some
In this issue:
EVANGELISM - how television's "Columbo" connects evangelism with apologetics
+ child evangelism terrifies non-Christian journalist
ISLAM - an overview of Muslim televangelism
SWEDENBORGIANISM - the esoteric belief system condensed into "a concise mapping of spiritual evolution"
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EVANGELISM
Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions, by Gregory Koukl [1] -- "Recognizing the recent renaissance in Christian philosophy that has produced bookcases full of works on apologetic content, Koukl's book seeks to fill a perceived void in the methodology for incorporating such material into daily conversations and interactions. While he uses the words 'game plan' in his subtitle, the book is essentially a manual filled with detailed descriptions and examples of various conversational tactics that allow one to maintain control of an exchange and be effective ambassadors for Christ....
"Without question, the most important of Koukl's tactics is what he spends roughly sixty pages describing in the first half of the book: Columbo. As the bedrock for much of his methodology, this tactic [based on the questioning method of Peter Falk's famed 1970s television detective] aims at forcing one's opponent into fully participating in the conversation. Frequently, challengers to a position will use all manner of vagaries and generalities to lob critiques while never distinctly clarifying their own position; Columbo offers a way to honestly coax out the other position so that an honest discussion can ensue and no straw men need be attacked. ...
"Indeed, Columbo does not merely sweep a conversation for data; after one takes the reins of the interchange, and pulls on one's opponent to clarify the 'what' of his or her position, Koukl describes how questions can then be used to shift the burden of proof onto the criticizer. ...
"However, the question-asking method of Columbo does not simply provide a method for forcing a critic to offer such reasons for a claim, but can thirdly be used as a platform for starting to make one's own case. Koukl spends an entire chapter describing the value of asking 'leading questions' that operate on [Koukl's Columbo approach]. ...
"Most of the other tactics that Koukl describes revolve around how positions do, in fact, self-destruct. These tactics function less as a 'game plan' than as elements of an opponent's position that should be sought out and brought out into the light. ...
"By design, Koukl's book focuses on equipping the responsible, thoughtful believer with a toolkit for effective ministry; in this regard, a particularly relevant portion of his manual is found in his last three chapters on the tactics themselves. ... As Koukl points out, possessing genuine knowledge and being able to discuss it on command is also a powerful element of an effective apologetic.
"Indeed, Koukl's book offers many useful lessons that Christians of all stripes can benefit from; his observations help to carry the nervous Christian apologist to where faith and practice meet. In every chapter, Koukl offers pointed practical advice for how to engage with a non-believer...." Denver Journal, 14 - 2011, <www.bit.ly/v7Eb0x>.
The Good News Club: The Christian Right's Stealth Assault on America's Children, by Katherine Stewart [2] -- "Journalist Stewart ... examines how Christian right groups infiltrate public schools with supposedly innocuous extracurricular Bible study clubs and other groups that have a fundamentalist approach, and whose leaders engage in proselytizing. Focusing on the Good News Club - a group sponsored by the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) - she shows how its leaders see themselves as fighting for children's souls and against the secular humanist forces of 'Satan.' Currently in thousands of schools, the groups are protected under the mantle of 'free speech' thanks to a 2001 Supreme Court decision. While evangelical proponents claim communities often welcome their entry into schools, Stewart argues that such activities are 'the handiwork of well-funded and very well-connected Christian legal groups, and is imposed rather than demanded by communities.' Stewart introduces readers to CEF and other groups' leaders, as well as volunteers, many of whom are proudly antigay, antichoice, and opposed to sex before marriage. While the research is thoughtful, the claims can seem hyperbolic, such as when Stewart writes, 'the CEF moves with industrial precision over great swaths of the country like a multinational corporation homing in on a new market opportunity.'" Publishers Weekly, Nov 15 '11, n.p.
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ISLAM
"Holy smoke: Islamic preachers are drawing on a Christian tradition" (no byline) -- "Screaming hordes of teenage girls are a common sight at pop concerts and film premières. They are less usual when waiting to hear a religious preacher. But such girls - one gasping 'I can see him, I can see him' through the folds of her niqab - awaited Moez Masoud [www.tinyurl.com/86uefgn], an Egyptian televangelist, recently in Cairo. He is part of a growing band of Islamic preachers who are true celebrities, says Yasmin Moll, a researcher at New York University, who attended Mr Masoud's talk. ...
"For the past ten years Amr Khaled, an Egyptian one-time accountant turned televangelist star, has led the way. ...
"In 2001 Mr Khaled burst onto screens with his show 'Words from the Heart' and his brand of modern, moderate piety. Sharp-suited, mustachioed and speaking colloquial Egyptian, Mr Khaled and his audience (of men and women) discussed the concerns of young Muslims, such as whether Islam forbids cinema-going.
"Others have followed in his footsteps. Egyptians dominate, including Mr Masoud and Mustafa Hosny. In Indonesia Abdullah Gymnastiar, known as 'Elder Brother Gym', attracted millions of viewers to his television shows and seminars - until his decision to take a second wife in 2006 outraged his many female fans. ...
"The appeal of such preachers lies in large part in their very lack of official religious credentials. They present themselves as ordinary Muslims who have overcome personal struggles to discover their faith. Many say they were not religious when they were younger. ... Sincerity and personal integrity are crucial to their appeal."
Three are briefly profiled, and they "all got their start on Iqraa TV [www.http://en.iqraa.com/en], a Saudi-based religious satellite channel. At one point, about 80% of Iqraa TV's advertising was reportedly generated by Mr Khaled's programmes. Mr Khaled has since broken away from Iqraa TV and his programmes are broadcast on a variety of networks, including secular ones such as MBC, a satellite channel based in Dubai.
"Until now most of these preachers have resolutely avoided getting involved in politics. But this may be changing. Since Egypt's revolution, Mr Khaled, for instance, has become more political. ... He has yet to declare any [specific] political intentions but if he does, the power of Islamic televangelists could reach a new level." The Economist, Oct 29 '11, <www.tinyurl.com/cbduwrj>.
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SWEDENBORGIANISM
The Hidden Levels of the Mind: Swedenborg's Theory of Consciousness, by Douglas Taylor [3] -- "Those confounded by the writings of 18th-century theologian Emanuel Swedenborg will find an able guide in Taylor.... In this slim volume, the author explains the many facets of what could be called Swedenborg's philosophy of mind. With remarkable clarity, Taylor presents the Swedish mystic's conception of body, mind, and soul, which were believed to exist on a spectrum of awareness beginning with sensory information and culminating in unconditional love of the Lord. The goal is regeneration, a process of raising consciousness to 'allow the influence of the Lord to enter us and transform our being.' Just as Swedenborg blended Enlightenment rationality with unshakable faith, Taylor fits an esoteric belief system into a concise mapping of spiritual evolution. Readers expecting tales of Swedenborg's heavenly travels may want to look elsewhere; Taylor sticks to his subject without getting sidetracked, and it is interesting enough without delving into the afterlife or angels. In neatly relating how Swedenborg believed a spiritual life should be lived, Taylor affirms the scientist-mystic's continued relevance." Publishers Weekly, Nov 15 '11, n.p.
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SOURCES: Monographs
1 - Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions, by Gregory Koukl (Zondervan, 2009, paperback, 208 pages) <www.tinyurl.com/26994fy>
2 - The Good News Club: The Christian Right's Stealth Assault on America's Children, by Katherine Stewart (PublicAffairs, January 2012, hardcover, 304 pages) <www.tinyurl.com/6w7zwwh>
3 - The Hidden Levels of the Mind: Swedenborg's Theory of Consciousness, by Douglas Taylor (Swedenborg Fdn, 2011, paperback, 128 pages) <www.tinyurl.com/75mp4a7>
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