I found myself still upset, embarassed for the reputation it gives Christians, and disturbed by Bush’s lack of articulation about what he meant by “he changed my heart”. He couldn’t give a straight answer to someone asking him what that meant. He said it would be “hard to understand” by someone who didn’t KNOW what he was talking about. So much for “Be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within you”. It says to me that this faith is to be questioned not for its sincerity, but for its lack of depth or understanding.

If Bush is indeed a member of the brand of evangelicalism that proclaims a “me and Jesus” faith that is largely privatisitic, pietisitc, and outside of those factors, leaves one largely without much differences between them and the “world” around them, then this is normal and typical , I suppose. And Bush’s “mens Bible Study” experience may well have reinforced that. Rarely , in my experience, was there ever any talk about the Jesus who “challenged the powers”, and posed a threat to the religious establishment, who refused to join the zealots in violent revolution, or blindly accept the tendencies toward legalism in the Jewish leadership of Jerusalem.

To me, the current state of “evangelicalism” is being cheapened by being associated with the Religious Right brand of Chrisitianity. “Evangelicalism” does not equal “seeking to convert to a privatistic , individualistic faith”, but simply the effort to “tell the Jesus story” as it has affected our lives. Bush failed miserably on this count in that instance. If we seek to communicate meaning, then we must be ready to describe HOW Jesus has changed our heart, and without anybody asking for HOW. That should be a given. To say, “if you don’t know, then you won’t understand” is a total copout, and reduces the faith to some esoteric mumbo-jumbo with which nooone in their right mind would seek to align. This Jesus I know has an effect upon LIFE…..and the effect of all that upon my HEART is that I want to seek and be open to the ways in which my experience with Jesus gives me new perspective on the GRIM REALITIES of WAR as the panacea that it has been used for throughout history, as the ACTUAL INTENDED means of solving disputes (regardless of rhetoric about how we “tried but could not succeed in talking about it”. Jesus brings to light the inequities of ANY system of government and stirs in peoples hearts to MOVE them to action and advocacy. Jesus stirs us to seek loving relationships with ALL people, regardless of their position in the “caste system” that exists either socially, politically, or spiritually. Jesus moves us to seek just relationships in all areas of life. Jesus wants our “institutions” to be able to see with the eyes of faith and put that into action. Just a few starters. People wil get the idea.