Recently, I heard Pastor Mark Driscoll explain how the three facets of Jesus' ministry (Prophet, Priest and King) tend to be over-emphasized depending on your religious leaning. I thought he made excellent points that spoke to virtually everyone who would call themselves a follower of Christ.
Driscoll said that the Fundamentalist Christian tends to emphasize Jesus' role as Prophet and King, but not Priest. Fundamentalists have no problem with a Prophet who proclaims Truth unashamedly or with a King who demands complete loyalty and service, but they find it hard to see Jesus as the Priest who intercedes to the Father on behalf of His children. They lose the love and grace aspects to the person and work of Jesus and it shows in their interactions with others.
He also chastised Evangelical Christians (his term) for focusing on Jesus as Prophet and Priest, but not as King. Just like Fundamentalists, Evangelicals have no problem with Prophet Jesus saying the Truth. However, they also have no problem with Priest Jesus who loves them and reconciles them to the Father. Many Evangelicals do have issues with recognizing Jesus as the King of their individual life, the One who tells them to do things that seem contrary to their personal nature.
Lastly, he pointed out that Liberals tend to accept Jesus as loving Priest and even as the King who dictates to them them the behavioral choices for their lives (even though often the choices they believe to be in line with the KIng's will are diametrically opposed to the choices conservatives believe the same about). However, they are not nearly as comfortable with Jesus as Prophet who boldly and unabashedly holds up the banner of Truth, which often runs contrary to popular opinion.
What do you say about this? I think much of it is a bit over-simplification, but I think the general idea is sound. I would say each group is tempted in the direction that Driscoll mentioned. Obviously, it is not the case for each individual Christian from those various groups, but as a whole those factions of the faith tend to be pulled in the direction he indicated.
[As a personal note: I hate that I have not been able to blog and be a part of the discussion and community here. Coming into seminary, I underestimated the time commitment classes, work and keeping my two boys at home would be. I hope to better manage my time this semester. We'll see … I say that going into every semester.]
