Occasionally I notice some of the people and events taking place in my old home town. One of them is Alex Bryan who was a pretty key figure in Walla Walla University area. This excerpt from Adventist Today explains some of the history about Alex Bryan,
“April 14, 2018 In the Walla Walla University Seventh-day Adventist Church, on Sabbath morning April 14, Pastor Alex Bryan announced to his congregation that he would be moving from senior pastorship of that church at the end of this current school year in June. Although he intends to continue living in College Place, Washington, with his wife Nicole Ward Bryan and their two children, he will begin working for Adventist Health, based in Roseville, California, as administrative director for mission identity. The position entails leadership of the healthcare system’s alignment to mission, its spiritual care program, and church and faith community relations.”
A friend of mine posted a recent statement that this now-former-pastor made on Facebook. I am not sure how that works if he is still called a pastor or not, when I wrote the reply to his statement on Facebook I was still under the impression he considered himself a pastor. Here is his statement:
“Alex Bryan
I have come to the position that Christians must let Jesus go.
Why? The only possible solution to our insurmountable global, political problems must include two elements. First, the solution must truly include every individual human being: if any one person or group is left out there cannot be success. Second, the solution must pull every one together. Individualistic libertarianism for all won’t get it done – “live and let live” is a philosophy that eventually kills community.
The solution, therefore, must “hold ALL things TOGETHER.”
Paul’s Colossians 1:15-20 proffer to us: Jesus does this.
Religious sectarianism fails this test. Secular humanism fails this test. Globalism, nationalism, conservatism, liberalism– they all prove inadequate.
Only Jesus will do. But for “Jesus” to work Christians must let him go. We cannot claim him as ours and not yours. We cannot proclaim him as the private possession of Christendom. We cannot use him for our own tribalistic dreams.
He’s always asked for this – “I have to leave now for I have other towns” … “Remember, I have other sheepfolds” … “Mary, you can’t hold on to me” … “God in a Single Human Body must leave so the Spirit of God can blow all over the earth.”
The monotheistic message of Jesus – there is only One God, and all are God’s children, together. This message transcends all religion, all culture, all party, all tribe, all nations.
Transcendence.
And so we have to let Jesus go, and at the very same time, remain.
My response was perhaps not as eloquent as I could have made, it but I wanted to publish it as it was written including my harsh language (“This pathetic pastor”) because it was deleted from his Facebook page.
This is, sadly, what has become of the progressive Seventh-day Adventists. They have given over their minds to political progressivism. While saying they want diversity, they constantly restrict and cancel views that counter their own.
Now of course, on his Facebook page he is free to do as he pleases, but it tells the rest of us a lot about him and his positions. When you can’t argue your position but delete the arguments against your position you are really saying you can’t argue your position logically and you don’t want the people on your side to even read a counter view.
I am speaking as a former progressive SDA. Years ago I saw that progressive SDA’s were moving away from actual progress in theological terms and replacing theology with progressive political views.
Consider this from the same Facebook thread of Alex Bryan.
“5. Conservative "God, Guns, and Gays" fundamentalism fails Jesus. And so does utopian-dream, John Lennon "imagine" liberalism.”
What conservativism is defined as God, Guns and Gays? That term is only used as derogatory attack on conservatives—a caricature of conservatism. Or, as the 2018 Daily Koz article says: “God, Guns, and Gays: Russia's road map to Conquering the Republican Party”
This replacement of religion is even acknowledged in the political progressive media. Consider this website title from the Atlantic. How Politics Replaced Religion in America.
It is a reality.
We see it happening on Adventist Today and Spectrum regularly. They no doubt think it is the conservatives who are replacing their religion with conservatism, yet when was the last time you saw a conservative article on either site? Maybe a letter in response, but it has been years since an actual political conservative article was ever published on either site or magazine.
Here is my response to Alex Bryan:
“Oh, how I hate this kind of pseudo-intellectual nonsense!
First, how does he define letting Jesus go? He does not, yet that is his opening and closing line!
Second, he says Christians cannot claim Jesus as ours or yours. Yet, very clearly that is the Biblical and Christian tradition. "John 20:17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” My Father AND your Father – my God and your God." This pathetic pastor even uses the first part of that text in his message. You can't ignore the whole Bible to follow foolish pastors! "Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
Third, you must be able to deal with reality. Saying that some religion (perhaps Islam) does not hold Jesus as their God, is not telling them Jesus is "not yours". All in all this message is totally unchristian. Not to mention it does not seem to understand transcendence at all if he thinks that it is something that comes from God, that we can stop! The whole thing is based upon his false premise: " We cannot proclaim Him as the private possession of Christendom. We cannot use him for our own tribalistic dreams." I suppose that is true for the very few who do it, (I can't think of any) and I suppose there are some that don't understand Christianity enough to think that. If that pastor knows those types of people he needs to help them. Though after this I would question his ability to do that.
By the way when he says: "if any one person or group is left out there cannot be success." That is liberation theology.
It is also not Christian.
****
Ron Corson lives in Seattle, Washington
