Belhar Resources: J. Todd Billings on the Belhar

Again, I want to refer you to material on the Belhar Confession found on Kevin DeYoung's blog. This time he interacts with the work of J. Todd Billings of Western Theological Seminary. Billings' recent book on believers' union with Christ criticizes the Belhar's phrasing that "God, in a world full of injustice and enmity, is in a special way the God of the destitute, the poor and the wronged.”

Belhar Resources: A CRC Congregation's Proposal to Not Adopt the Belhar

Overture to Synod 2012: Not Adopt the Belhar as a 4^th confession in the CRC by First Christian Reformed Church (of Byron Center) 

This overture to Synod is a thoughtful proposal from a local church congregation. I think it is particularly helpful in pointing out that the Belhar addresses an important problem, though not at its root. Racism is a reprehensible sin that ought to be fought with Spirit-given strength; however, it is not our alienation from each other that is the root problem. Our root problem is our alienation from God, which produces the corollary problem, alienation from each other:

The first concern is with the Belhar Confession’s content. The content of the Belhar is limited in scope compared to our other standards, the Three Forms of Unity. It’s true as Lyle Bierma points out that “Not all confessions…have the same scope.” (Calvin Theological Seminary Forum, Fall 2010, p.7.) The Belgic Confession covers many topics that the Canons of Dort and the Heidelberg Catechism do not. The Canons of Dort are narrower in focus than the other two. But while not all cover the same breadth of material, each one is a summary of the gospel and the Reformed Christian faith. The Belhar Confession, however, fails to meet that standard. It addresses gospel implications without much explanation of the gospel itself. How can a gospel explanation be missing when it is the gospel alone which has the power to stop racism? Racism is a blood sin which can only be defeated by the power of the blood of Christ. Racism is not first a social issue but a spiritual one. Our deepest problem is not that we are alienated from one another, but that we are alienated from God. Only when we address our alienation from God can we find the answer for alienation from others. The gospel alone has the power to conquer the roots of racial hatred such as pride, greed, hate, and guilt. Yet, gospel content is in large measure missing from the Belhar Confession. The result is that it is left to be interpreted by our other confessions, which makes it submissive to them and not adequate to be considered as a confession with equal authority. Even worse, the Belhar Confession potentially leaves itself and our denomination open to gospel reinterpretation. Considering the absence of clear gospel definition it is no coincidence as John Cooper indicates that the Belhar Confession allows readings from the perspectives of Reformed orthodoxy as well as the progressive social gospel, and various forms of liberation theology. (Copper, Affirm the Belhar? p. 11) How can a document open to so many perspectives serve as a confession?

Further, adoption of the Belhar would fail to preserve the unity it affirms.

One final concern regarding the Belhar Confession deals with consensus. Confessions are designed to create unity. Unity is best achieved when an issue arises from the bottom up or from the grass roots. Adoption of the Belhar Confession, however, feels more like a top down approach. We have been told that this is the “gift of the Belhar.” How can you refuse a gift? The burden of proof, it seems, does not stand with those who wish to adopt it but with those who do not. This is not a path to unity. Rather than unifying our denomination, adopting this confession may lead to unnecessary division.

Belhar Resources: Kevin DeYoung (of the Reformed Church in America) on the Belhar Confession

Since the Belhar Confession is up for approval as a fourth confession in the Christian Reformed Church at the denominational Synod in Ancaster, Ontario, I thought it was fitting to put our ear to several voices objecting to the adoption of the Belhar as a confessional document. Stay tuned through out this week for more resources related to the Belhar. 

The Belhar Confession: Yea or Nay? By Kevin DeYoung.

Written in May 2009 prior to the Reformed Church in America’s adoption of the Belhar Confession. While affirming the theme that God’s people should not be divided by race or ethnicity, DeYoung probes the problematic language of the Belhar:

“…there are a few lines that cannot be supported by Scripture. Here’s just one example: We believe that God, in a world full of injustice and enmity, is in a special way the God of the destitute, the poor and the wronged. To be sure, the Bible is full of examples of God’s heart for the poor and the oppressed. But it goes too far to say he is in a special way a God to them. The covenant promise—I will be your God and you will be my people (language Belhar echoes here)—is for those who put their faith in God, not simply those who are poor or oppressed. In fact, Abraham, the man of faith and the model for all covenantal blessing (Gal. 3:5-9), was especially rich (Gen. 13:5-6). Is God less of God to him than to the poor man who rejects Christ? Was God a God to Job, Zacchaeus, Mary and Martha in a less special way because they were well-to-do? There are plenty of verses to support the contention that God cares for the poor and oppressed, but are there any verses to suggest that he is their covenantal God apart from faith? Or any verses to suggest that God looks on the believing poor with more favor than the believing non-poor? God does not show partiality to the poor, nor does he defer to the great (Lev. 19:15).”

DeYoung also points to the plurality of applications that have been seen to emerge out of the Belhar as a confusion-creating problem.

Further Links Concerning Human Trafficking

Justin Holcomb, executive director of The Resurgence, provides this post about sex-trafficking and the Super Bowl.

Two organizations that were featured in Not for Sale:  International Justice Mission and the Not for Sale campaign. IJM has a petition you can sign to ask President Obama to increase efforts to end global slavery here.

A cool app for Iphone and Android users is available at Free2Work. By scanning product bar codes, consumers can access reports about the ethical practices of companies. Do you use this app? How well do you feel it works?


Free2Work App on CBCNational from Not For Sale Campaign on Vimeo.


Also, a clip concerning human trafficking in West Michigan.

Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade-- And How We Can Fight It

When Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade-- and How We Can Fight It was published in 2007, over 27 million people were victims of the global slave trade, an industry which saw profits of $31 billion dollars annually. This book sought to put names and faces to those who are victims of the slave trade and those who are fighting to stop it.

"This book aims to be a handbook for the modern-day abolitionist. As such, it does not pretend to be an exhaustive study of the global slavery in the twenty-first century. Rather, it follows the trail of a select group of extraordinary abolitionists into their respective settings. We get a feel for the people around them who have fallen into captivity. We delve into the historical antecedents and social forces that frame their time and place. We learn how the slave traders they resist use power and violence to exploit the weak. And we gain an insight into the specific strategies abolitionists deploy to bring about emancipation for the captives" (Batstone, 15-16). 

The book was eyeopening. Beginning in Cambodia and Thailand, each chapter progressively drew closer to North America-- South Asia, Uganda, Europe, Peru-- until finally Batstone is speaking of the slave trade that is occurring around North Americans today. Human trafficking is not only an issue "over there", but indeed it is one that is an issue on in our stores and in our neighborhoods.

• In the USA alone, it is estimated that sex trafficking is a $9.5 billion industry! 
• In 2010, reports estimated that 10,000 prostitutes were brought into Miami for the Superbowl.
• In West Michigan, it is estimated that 2400 children are in slavery, according to the United States State Department. 

Batsone's book is an important read. It draws attention to a global issue that Christians ought not ignore. An important feature of the book is that it does not just highlight the plight of those enslaved, but it demonstrates the value and power of an individual or group to free those who are in bondage. Batstone speaks clearly and honestly about the captivity of children in the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda, where children are kidnapped and forced to serve as soldiers in a mad man's army (click on the link to listen to an NPR feature on the LRA from November 2003). Only a few pages later, readers are told the story of a priest who created a shelter for women who were forced in prostitution. He protected these women even in the face of threats from organized crime thugs.

These stories must be heard. I highly recommend Not for Sale and your continued prayers and efforts to stop the trafficking of men, women, and children around the world. May Christ bless our efforts. 

Not For Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade-- and How We Can Fight It by David Batstone

Published: 2007 by HarperOne

Length: 293 pages

Thesis Statement: Human trafficking is a current global issue that we have the ability to respond to.

Difficulty: Readability- One; Emotional Difficulty- Five.

Rating: Nine and a half

Recommended For: Everyone over the age of sixteen

Cheapest Place to Buy: $10.19 on Amazon

As always, your comments and feedback are appreciated. I would especially like to hear from anyone who has studied this topic or who, like me, is really beginning to open their eyes to it.