PASSION FOR FAITH, DEATH AND FREEDOM |
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'We need ethic driven leadership and leaders who can tell a story' |
6 September 2009: Tolerance versus fundamentalism "PASSION for FAITH, DEATH and FREEDOM"
An impressive keynote speech by Jonathan Sacks († 7 November 2020), chief rabbi British Commonwealth of Nations. Stereotyping the Jew during ages shows that people does not learn from history and therefore history repeats itself. Sacks tried to relate religion with liberal democracy. Many Jewish writings are in fact on a part with liberal democracy. Both systems starts with reciprocity: my freedom should not cost the freedom of another: God created diversity. Speakers even stated that "God is back". Religion is a fundamental basic need for humanity. We need civil stability and guaranteed freedom of religion. But does democracy and religion exclude each other? Although democracy is in fact derived from christianity, the form of state can not quite be seen as a condition for a better society. Martin Luther's Definition of Faith: An excerpt from "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans," Luther's German Bible of 1522 by Martin Luther, 1483-1546 Translated by Rev. Robert E. Smith from DR. MARTIN LUTHER'S VERMISCHTE DEUTSCHE SCHRIFTEN. Johann K. Irmischer, ed. Vol. 63 (Erlangen: Heyder and Zimmer, 1854), pp.124-125. [EA 63:124-125] August 1994: |
Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do. |