December 2010 Archives

The link to the entire survey is here and at the end of this introduction



Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups on a new survey of religious knowledge, outperforming evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and Catholics on questions about the core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions.





Read the entire survey here on the official site of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

In order to make things fit (especially the tragic, untimely execution of Jesus) Christianity veered toward other-worldliness, and paradoxically wove into its narrative anti-Jewish impulses.

These two shortcomings in this magnificent and helpful world religion is sad in dozens of ways (the tragic history of Christian persecution of Jews being a big one), but three main problems are especially important to note.

By way of disclosure, this is not an anti-Christian article. This writer thinks the world of Christianity, and considers our current instability and precarious possibility of decline of US, Europe, and the West, to be the result of the declining influence and presence of Christianity in day to day life. The decline of sufficient and genuine integration of Christianity in daily life and in the lives of leaders, evolved due to Christianity's inability to retain viable relevance in the world when challenged by the great materialist movements of the 19th Century (Darwin, Freud, and Marx). But just because a thought system or a community loses or fails to attain relevance or influence it does not mean that its tenets are not true. I know plenty of truths that have virtually no influence, and that are ignored by massive numbers of people.

The three core tragedies associated with Christianity's early break from Judaism are: 1. Christianity's resultant other-worldliness, 2. Christianity's difficulty to access the person they follow and worship, and get a clearer sense and understanding of what this particular Israeli was trying to explain and demonstrate, and 3. The mismatch to have a religion with such influence in world affairs itself be so deeply other-worldly in its core worldview. It is a crying shame that Christianity lost its connection to its own roots, and the halakik wisdom for life in the world so urgently needed in our current time of instability.

This disconnect, and this "half-ness" was strongly evident in the Christmas sermons of two of the most powerful religious leaders in the world today, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, head of the Church of England, and Pope Benedict XVI, head of the Roman Catholic Church. 

Christmas is the most important calendar day for Christians. These sermons given on this day represent (at least should, and probably do) serious soul-searching, and preparation by these leaders to settle upon a message to the world designed to be as helpful and as momentous as possible.

Pope Benedict called for peace in the Holy Land, urging Israelis and Palestinians to improve their relations (a pleasant enough sentiment, no doubt). And just how does His Holiness advise Israeli's and Palestinians to go about this greater cooperation? Of course, by the light of Christmas! "May the light of Christmas shine forth anew in the Land where Jesus was born, and inspire Israelis and Palestinians to strive for a just and peaceful coexistence," he said. Additionally His Holiness used the occasion of Christmas to intensify his spat with China over who's in charge here.

Archbishop Rowan Williams had a different emphasis in his Christmas sermon. He focused largely on the global economic malaise created by the laws of universe snapping back at rampant greed. "There is a "lasting sense" that the most prosperous in society have yet to shoulder their load in the economic downturn," the archbishop of Canterbury said yesterday. "That confidence isn't in huge supply at the moment, given the massive crises of trust that have shaken us all in the last couple of years and the lasting sense that the most prosperous have yet to shoulder their load."

Additionally Archbishop used the occasion of the forthcoming royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton to state that the Christian bond of marriage is a symbol of hope for humanity.

Surely these messages are good enough. They're good enough for me; war is bad, people should get along, communities of faithful under duress need encouragement and fortitude, people better off should invest in uplifting those of lesser means, and spiritually rooted family is vital. We are grateful for leaders such as Williams and Benedict willing to bear heavy burdens of responsibility.

The problem in the messages is the gaping lack of applied spiritual laws and principles that could serve to raise these messages above the sound of yawning platitudes. Why can't we hear something to work with from the greatest, most sophisticated forces of Christianity in the world today? Why can't we hear a more relevant and sophisticated vision and set of guidelines to light the way toward the peace and prosperity Williams and Benedict properly call for?

Tragically, the deep-rooted other-worldliness of Christianity dilutes these admonitions, rendering them into idle comments from passers-by, casual observations from folks who in their heart of hearts really do not believe in the substantial possibility of the peace and prosperity for which they call. The enduring breach between Judaism and Christianity cripples the voice of spiritual guidance needed in our time. Halaka ("the walk"), and the mission of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) that arise from halakik obligations should radiate from Christmas sermons, giving these important calls the ring of clear and confident guidelines to leaders and citizens in a world that has lost its moorings and needs a clear way forward.

December 15, 2010

Remembering A Man of Vision
By Laurel A. MacLeod, Director of Communications

There are seldom words to describe the emotion felt by those who are left, when a giant of the Faith passes to Glory. That is certainly true this week, as the National Religious Broadcasters mourn the loss of Dr. Ben Armstrong, the association's first Executive Director. Dr. Armstrong's legacy is far-reaching, and his life was lived well; it is a privilege for us to share even a brief overview of his time at NRB.

Ben Armstrong began working for NRB in 1966, just 22 years after the association's founding. The early pioneers of religious broadcasting had recognized the dwindling of religious radio, as the "Golden Era" of radio broadcasting in the 1930's gave way to draconian restrictions on paid religious programming in 1943. Almost overnight, evangelical ministers were unable to purchase radio airtime, and in 1944, 150 forward-thinking leaders met and created the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB). By 1966, NRB was effective, but its reach was still small. The Executive Committee decided to make Ben Armstrong, then the Director of Radio for Trans World Radio (TWR), NRB's chief administrator. He was given a $9,000 budget, a part-time secretary, and no office space. Dr. Armstrong was already a seasoned religious broadcaster who knew the impact of using media to take the Gospel to the world, and during his 23-year tenure he grew NRB from a small office in his home to an influential association with a full-time staff of 25.

As one reads the history of Dr. Armstrong and NRB, one word is oft repeated: Vision. Anne Dunlap, his long-time Executive Assistant, recalls that Dr. Armstrong "often demonstrated more faith in people than they felt in themselves." When anyone told him that something couldn't be done, Dr. Armstrong would always say: "Why not?" "He had an uncanny ability to convince someone they could do something, achieving their goal when they doubted - like starting up that small radio station or hosting a new program," says Dunlap with a smile. "He told them it was possible, and - far more often than not - they did it."

In addition to his work leading NRB, Dr. Armstrong was an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and an alumnus of The Stony Brook School, Houghton College, and Nyack College. He earned B.S. and M.A. degrees from New York University, studied theology at Princeton, and received his M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in 1955. Before becoming TWR's Director of Radio in 1958, Dr. Armstrong pastored Presbyterian churches in the New York metropolitan area. In 1967, just one year after joining NRB, he obtained a Ph.D. in mass communications (written in English, French, and Russian) from New York University. He later published The Electric Church, and lectured around the world. When Dr. Armstrong retired from NRB in 1989, he and his wife, Ruth, relocated to Bucks County, PA. In 1998, Dr. Armstrong was inducted into NRB's Hall of Fame. He also continued to teach until last year, holding the position of Director of Doctoral Studies at Faith Theological Seminary in Baltimore, MD.

"Not only did Dr. Armstrong bind together the diverse, pluralistic membership of our own association," recalls Dunlap, who continues to serve NRB as a Special Assistant to the President, "but he was able to reach out to those outside the Evangelical realm and win friends - friends in the FCC, in The White House, in the press, and at major networks. And through his efforts, Dr. Armstrong generated for religious broadcasters both acceptability and major influence." Indeed, even The President of the United States recognized the work of this man. "You understand," said Ronald Reagan in a 1986 tribute to Ben Armstrong, "that unless the Lord builds the house, we workmen labor in vain. For being the patriot that you are, the man of God that you are, my thanks. May He bless you and Ruth as you start your next 20 years."

The National Religious Broadcasters owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Ben Armstrong - a man of courage and vision who grew the association, and a man of deep faith who personally carried forward the banner of Christ through the medium of mass communication. He will be missed here, yet Heaven rejoices.

Dr. Ben Armstrong is survived by his wife Ruth, son Robert, and daughters Bonnie and Debbie. His memorial service will be held at the Silverdale Brethren in Christ Church in Silverdale, PA, on Saturday, January 22, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. Friends may meet with the family from 12-1 p.m. For additional information or to send condolences, please contact the Anders-Detweiler Funeral Home.

PHOTO ABOVE: (L-R) The late Brandt Gustavson, NRB President (1990-2001); Dr. Ben Armstrong and his wife Ruth, at his 1998 induction into the NRB Hall of Fame; David Clark, NRB Chairman (1991-94).