While the Catholic Pope is visiting Turkey trying to mend inter-faith relations there, the Tennessean’s current top story is about a religious conference held at Lipscomb University. The two stories are parallel.

I first heard of this last night from WKRN News blogger Jamey Tucker, who covered the event and is now soliciting comments. He also claims to have an online video link, but it apparently hasn’t been posted yet.

This morning, I saw the Tennessean link at the Right Minded blog. Mark A. Rose is upset over a comment by Lipscomb professor Lee C. Camp, who is quoted as saying: “We need to forsake the Christendom model[...] The most basic Christian commitment… is that we say we believe in the Lordship of Jesus. But, if we claim that, how can a Muslim or Jew trust us, if we say Jesus is the Lord of all Lords?”

It would appear from the article that Professor Camp is suggesting that Christians should sacrifice their most basic beliefs about Jesus in order to show tolerance for those from other faiths. But we should watch out for those ellipses and note the lack of context; some comments in the Tennessean forum include the following:

“Bencpt” writes:

I’ve been listening to discussions on this event on a local talk station. One man who attended this seminar discussed what took place and this article has highly skewed the actual message delivered. The question posed was not left unanswered, but addressed. I’m not fully sure what the full message of Camp was, but I suspect it had to do with Christ’s statement here.

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
John 18:35-37

And “lipscombfan” cautions:

None of the extremely loving comments (remember that particular tenet of the Christian faith: “God is LOVE”) have even considered the possibility that Dr. Camp was misquoted, which he was…severely.

There are dozens of other comments being left on the forum, and with the story also getting some play on talk radio, Nashville must be buzzing.

Below are some Scriptures that might shed some light.

Deuteronomy 10:17: For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

Psalm 136:2-3: Give thanks to the God of gods. / His love endures forever. / Give thanks to the Lord of lords: / His love endures forever.

Romans 10:8-10: But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”[a] that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

1 Timothy 6:13-16: In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 12:2-3: You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 17:14: They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

Revelation 19:16: On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

And then, of course, there’s my take on the Prophet Jonah, who made friends and influenced people in Ninevah with this message from God: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

UPDATE: Thanks to a reader who sends this interview with Camp, promoting his book on “radical Christianity.”