From Bull-Run to Bull-Head

While I posses a healthy imagination I admit that I have difficulty picturing myself as a soldier in the American Civil War; standing with my regiment in the midst of a bloddy skirmish whilst slowly loading an old Enfield musket as other men across the battlefield are firing bullets and canon balls at us, nervously anticipating the rush of a cavalry brigade or hand to hand combat and bayonets.  I don’t posses the fortitude to endure that; my uniform would have a permanent pee stain down the front.

One of the more dispiriting moments of my imaginary and fearful enlistment in the American Civil War would be lining up for such a battle on a particular battlefield that I had fought upon previously!  For example, there was the Battle of Bull Run (or the Battle of Manassas for my more Northernly inclined friends ;)  ) and then a little more than a year later, the Second Battle of Bull Run.  The pointlessness and futility of all their efforts that must have swept over those the soldiers of both armies along with their anxious families at home must have been overwhelming, as they came once again to places they had already fought for and suffered at.  I can see myself, the chicken-hearted solider whining  “I was lucky enough to survive last time; what in the world are we doing back here?!?!  Didn’t we just do this already?”  

By no means do battles of the American Civil War have a monoply on oft contested strips of land; thoughout history there are many places that have been fought for numerous times.  The cities of London, Paris and Rome have played host to Roman legions, barbarian hordes and Nazi/fascist armies.  The true imagery of Revelation’s Battle of Armageddon is heightened by it's long history of wars: the Egyptians, Assyrians, Israelites and Babylonians fought for it, Roman legions made an encampment, the Allied forces of World War I and the Ottoman Empire duked it out... all upon the plains of Megiddo, the real-life location for St John’s vision of this battle.  Even in Middle Earth battles were fought over and over again for the Dagorlad battle plain, Helm’s Deep and Amon Sul/Weathertop.  Though the names of participating armies, nations, generals and weapons change, some places seem to be perpetual battlefields.

This is no less true than when discussing critical differences in religion.  Certain beliefs, doctrines and ideas are repeatedly debated, argued and fought for.  For my part, I have witnessed different points of view between Catholic and Evangelical thought.  There are many different tactics, attacks and counter-attacks in such dialogues.

I don’t presume that I write on these issues definitively nor do I labor under the illusion that these brief, amateur articles will settle these debates once and for all.  I know my role on the battlefield.  In these debates some intellects have the brute force of artillery, others the subtlety and quickness of mounted cavalry, and still others are commanders and generals strategizing from their viewpoint of the “big picture."  In these great debates I tremble before the power of the artillery, watch the cavalry with admiration and live under the command of generals... I am only a common solider in my metaphor.  But everyone in a battle decides where they stand... otherwise they won't be in the battle at all, merely spectating or running away. We do not know all there is to know and there is much that is dark to us (and if we are honest, this is true to even the best and brightest among us) but just because none of us can know everything about these issues that does not excuse us from responsibility to form good reasons for our beliefs.

I hope this illustration does not come across as saber-rattling to my Evangelical brothers and sisters.  I don’t mean to provoke, instigate or pick a fight with those who’s views differ from mine.  Indeed, if I were picking a fight I would soon come across someone who would give me the worst end of one (and I don’t think it would take long).  So while I am not seeking debate or arguments, it is nonetheless true that there are critical differences between Evangelical/Protestant and Catholic thought.  If we truly believe as we say we do then our convictions must compel us to take a firm stand, even on issues that some may think are secondary or non-essential.  As Horton once said, "A person's a person no matter how small."  The same could be said about truth, "A truth is a truth, no matter how small."  

However, in a very real, very large context, Christians of many stripes stand united on many important issues and battlefields over against armies of modernism, skepticism and religious indifference.  In these battles, we stand side-by-side as soldiers of one army under the banner of one King.  If indeed, we must die fighting one day I would be proud to fight alongside my Christian brothers and sisters whether they are Catholic, Evangelical, Mainline or Mennonite.  At the end of our “in-house battles” I hope we all pray for unity in our divisions and that we value the many beliefs we are already united on.