from denmark

A reader writes …

I just wanted to write you a letter after seeing your video (and reading the comments below the video) with Scott McKnight, which you posted in one of your blogs.
I can imagine how difficult it must be to be put on the bench like that and having to answer such tough questions in front of a (sometimes very) sceptical audience. But I am glad that you did. And I feel that your patience, honesty and love for the critics of your message is deeply rooted in the truth of your quest for this new paradigm. And what this quest has done of good things for you as a Christian is obvious in my eyes through your gentle and loving personality.
I have been a Christian since summer 2008 (don’t really like that sentence, but anyway) and through my wife’s faith, which she has had since childhood, I became a part of a Lutheran/evangelical communion. It was an exiting time, and I really felt natural being there as a Christian together with other Christian friends. Then about 10 months ago I got a soft introduction to your books through a friend. I read the first book in your trilogy (the beautiful stories about Dan and Neo) and found it really encouraging and inspiring. My friend, though, suggested that I should only read to that one book, because she really did not agree with the others and perhaps found them a bit dangerous. But anyway, I read the last two and then some – the latest being your newest book, which I read during this summer. And guess what – I agree with you. And in some way, I do not find it that difficult to step into this new kind of paradigm, it just feels very natural to me. Maybe it is because I have not been a Christian for that long and therefore have not been a part of a long tradition of a certain denomination, I really do not know, but I can only say that today I read the bible from same viewpoint as you – it is truly inspiring and encouraging to me as a Christian. And of course I want to thank you for that.
But still, I find it hard to explain all of this to my wife/friends, which sometimes can be frustrating (and they, like many of your critics, are not ready for it yet, I believe). And I can clearly see how my way of seeing things differs from the Lutheran/evangelical thoughts (well, I actually believe it builds upon them, like walking up a mountain), and there are really few people, who can understand what I am talking about – or agree with what I am saying. It feels kind of lonesome sometimes. But you inspire me to have patience and engage with people and their questions, like in that video with Scott McKnight – and that is what I wanted to get through to you. Thanks

Thanks for these kind and encouraging words. I think your comments are especially helpful in relation to the other post I’m putting up today on “two frustrations.” I’m grateful that Scot and I were both able to model respectful engagement in the presence of disagreement. Neither of us could have done it alone!