Well, I finally finished reading Red Letter Revolution. Truth be told, this book was what my husband would call a "game changer" for me. In the interest of full disclosure I do consider myself a Christian. However, quite often I feel like I'm just not doing it right! I feel like I just keep screwing it up over and over again. Then I read this book and realized that I am screwing it up over and over again, but that every time I do there is a God who is infinite in His grace to forgive me and let me try again. Now I know I should have already known that, and on some level I'm sure I did know it. But reading the way author Tony Campolo puts it: "Because I am not yet living up to what Jesus expects me to be... I always define myself as somebody who is saved by God's grace and is on his way to becoming Christian" (p 11). And I think that the main premise of this book is exactly that... grace. As a Christian, I am extended God's grace and it should be my response to that grace that makes me gracious toward others. Do I always do that? Absolutely not. Have I been trying harder to do that since I read this book? Believe it or not, yes, I have. I'm not perfect at it, but my mind has sure been stretched on who "deserves" and thus receives my grace.
This book is divided into three basic sections, which are made up of a number of discussions between the authors on topics related to the section heading.
I will admit that the authors of this book stand far to the left of me on social issues. But to find myself seriously questioning my long-held beliefs on more than one topic was deeply unsettling to me.
Understand that I did not necessarily change my beliefs on things, but I was challenged to think beyond some of my "talking point" beliefs. Case in point: I am a pro-life person. Having two children convinced me of that long before I became a Christian. But in my mind, being pro-life meant only "stop women from wanting/having abortions." I never really did anything about it, only had the thoughts in my head. And to top it all off, I was not against the death penalty. Having read the Pro-Life section of this book, I found myself realizing that pro-life means exactly that - for LIFE! "From womb to tomb" as the book calls it. And this is where they got me on the death penalty issue - nobody is beyond the reach of God's grace and forgiveness. Nobody.
The other issue where they had me was in regard to abortion. If I am against them, what am I doing to help the women that don't have them? Aside from saying "Don't do it!" am I offering any assistance to them when they find themselves and their babies in need of help? Am I voting for politicians who will support initiatives to help same women and babies? How am I putting my hands and feet to the work of helping those most vulnerable people? The awful truth was, "Im not." Consequently, very soon after reading this section, a woman I know was participating in a fund-raiser for a Christian crisis pregnancy center that tries to do those things I just mentioned. Without a second's hesitation I wrote the check. Now I realize that isn't enough, but it's a beginning. Perhaps the next step is to get involved with the center in some way? I don't know, but I will keep the idea in mind.
All in all I really liked this book. Not every section caused the crisis of conscience described above, but there were other sections that made me pause. This is one of those books that I think everyone should read, but not my copy! Buy your own here! LOL!!