Jan
07
2010
Brit Hume, Tiger Woods, and Jesus Christ
Journalist Brit Hume isn’t backing down from his recent comments that Tiger Woods should turn to Christ for redemption and forgiveness.
As he says in the follow-up interview below, “Jesus Christ offers Tiger Woods something he badly needs.”
Last year on my blog I mentioned the following about Hume and what he planned to be doing in his retirement.
Brit Hume, the Washington managing editor at Fox News and one of the best in the business, is retiring from his position. Starting in 2009 he’ll become senior political analyst and work 100 days in the year.
When public figures retire at the top of their game they often cite wanting to spend more time with their family. And that’s the case here. But Hume offers an additional reason–one rarely cited in these situations:
I certainly want to pursue my faith more ardently than I have done. I’m not claiming it’s impossible to do when you work in this business. I was kind of a nominal Christian for the longest time. When my son died (by suicide in 1998), I came to Christ in a way that was very meaningful to me. If a person is a Christian and tries to face up to the implications of what you say you believe, it’s a pretty big thing. If you do it part time, you’re not really living it.
From another interview:
And since my son died, I have been, really, I felt rescued by God and by Christ. I have an intense desire to pursue that more ardently and have it be a bigger part of my life than it has been.
When asked how that will translate, Hume responded, “It’ll translate into Bible study.”
Denny Burk also includes this quote from Hume’s interview on WTOP News radio:
Christianity is uniquely and especially about redemption and forgiveness. That is what the cornerstone of what the faith is about. Now other faiths aren’t hostile to the idea, but think of what the message of Christ and Christianity is. It is that the God of the universe sent His only begotten Son, who died a hideous death on the cross, to atone for all of our sins. And we are thereby offered through that act a new covenant in which we are offered forgiveness and redemption on a continuing basis in return for our faith in God and our continuing efforts to live the Christian life. That is a unique doctrine.
Listen to the whole interview below:
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HT: James Grant
Peter Wehner also looks at the criticism Hume is receiving.
Here are some important points:
The intensity of offense taken at what Hume said is itself revealing. Perhaps it can partly be chalked up to shock; maybe Shales and Hume’s other critics are genuinely surprised to learn that those who hold the Christian faith do so because they believe the claims of Christ are true, that His story is real. But of course if Christians didn’t believe their faith were true, there would be no reason to embrace it, as the Apostle Paul himself understood. . . .
I should add that when Christopher Hitchens, whom I like and whose company I enjoy, appeared on television shows promoting his book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, he was far more critical of Christianity than Hume was of Buddhism. Yet I don’t recall the Left saying that those criticisms were inappropriate for public debate. In fact, they weren’t — and neither are Hume’s words. Furthermore, those who are unnerved by Hume’s “sectarianism” were untroubled by the aggressive atheism of Hitchens.
31 Comments
[...] Justin Taylor has a few brief insights into Hume’s own conversion to Christianity that are worth [...]
I think it’s incredibly refreshing to hear what he’s been saying, even in the face of such strong opposition from both his fellow journalists and the general unbelieving public.
I can’t believe he’s been so ardent on this. The reason I can’t believe it is because I didn’t know there were actually believers in the media (whether conservative or liberal). I’m very impressed with him and he has a fan in me. It takes a good man to do what he did, and I’m glad he’s not backing down.
Looks like all that time in Bible study is paying off. :) God bless him.
[...] For more on this topic, see Justin Taylor’s blog post “Brit Hume, Tiger Woods, and Jesus Christ” [...]
Yeah, his days on national news are numbered.
The irony of the situation is that Hume is accused of imposing his views on another and claiming the superiority of “his” view over another. Yet opponents are doing the exact same thing (without realizing it): “our approach to religious pluralism is superior to Hume’s approach to religious pluralism.” What’s so troubling to me is not that Hume is expected to abandon a Christian worldview at the door of the studio, but to adopt a completely different worldview when inside the studio.
Perhaps atheist-popularizers need to rephrase their “problem of evil and suffering” argument to account for men like Hume — one of the greatest “problems of evil and suffering,” for atheists, is that evil and suffering tend to strengthen believers such as Hume.
Wow – this is fascinating. I cannot remember hearing another man, on (somewhat) mainstream media speaking so declaratively, boldly and simply about Jesus Christ and what He can do. A breath of fresh air.
The attacks he is receiving can be summed up in two words: spiritual warfare.
As is correctly pointed out, no one gets up-in-arms over atheists saying much worse about Christianity. But let a Christian hold up his faith as the only true path – and watch out. As Mr Hume correctly points out, this is how it has always been and will always be. May God bless and strengthen him.
The last paragraph regarding Hitchens is absolutely spot on. I’ve watched lots of Hitchens’ media appearances, and his comments and critiques cannot even be compared to Hume’s assertions. Yet people seem, as the post says, “untroubled by the aggressive atheism of Hitchens.”
“a new covenant in which we are offered forgiveness and redemption on a continuing basis in return for our faith in God and our continuing efforts to live the Christian life”.
I rejoice in the fact that the name of Jesus is being proclaimed, but for me this is a “wait and see” thing. Why? Because if what Hume publicly promotes as the Gospel is contained the words he spoke here, then he is saying things that are not grace. What he describes in the words above is no more unique than the Buddhism he says Woods should abandon. It is just another system of works under the banner of Christ.
Hume is right on. I think many Christians (including me) sometimes fall into Buddhist/karma type of thinking. When people have a spectacular fall, we often emphasize that they are “reaping what they sowed.” How much better to proclaim the gospel and remind the fallen that forgiveness and redemption can only be found in Jesus Christ.
“I certainly want to pursue my faith more ardently than I have done.”
Yet another example of how Christians are separating sacred/secular.
Taylor,
Maybe, but not necessarily.
Agreed. Though he certainly could have meant that, that’s way to big of an assumption.
Wehner is right on in that last little blurb. Good for Hume.
Excellent post. I love the matter of fact way Brit speaks.
Sorry to hear his son died that way. I pray for Brit to grow near to Christ. I pray we would all grow closer to our Savior. Amen.
Thanks for the post Justin. Very insightful stuff.
I’m more than thrilled with the way Brit Hume has held up Christ as the answer to Tiger’s dilemma.
As good as this is, there are a few things that continue to frustrate me with regards to how many Christians in the media spotlight tend to represent Christianity. I see a few of these things over and over.
1. O’Reilly asked him “Isn’t this proselytizing?” And he responded with “Well, I don’t think so…”
Why are Christians today so afraid of being termed a proselytizer? He should have said an enthusiastic “YES!” to that question! There is no one who does not proslytize! Sadly, many Christians have been persuaded (proselytized?) by the secular relativist culture to act as though our hope in Christ is a nice little internally helpful anecdote rather than the life-altering thing that it is.
2. Hume – “And we are thereby offered through that act a new covenant in which we are offered forgiveness and redemption on a continuing basis in return for our faith in God and our continuing efforts to live the Christian life. ”
I agree with a previous poster – Why are many Christians in the media spotlight so afraid to be distinctly different than other religions and say the truth – that their salvation is all about grace through faith, and has nothing to do with our “efforts”? I hope Hume just worded that part poorly and doesn’t think that his salvation is a transaction with God in exchange for his efforts.
3″I certainly want to pursue my faith more ardently than I have done.”
I fear this is Dualism rearing its head again, as a previous poster had mentioned. We need Christians in the public sphere, living grace-marked and Christ-like lives out in the open!
I really did like what Hume had to say. Really. I just had these thoughts as I read it.
[...] Justin Taylor offers some detailed and insightful discussion on this interview at his website, The Gospel Coalition. [...]
[...] Justin Taylor offers some detailed and insightful discussion on this interview at his website, The Gospel Coalition. [...]
[...] And so, it’s little wonder that Brit Hume would get a bad rap for saying his God was the best (for a great analysis of this, I’d encourage you to check out the post on Justin Taylor’s blog). [...]
Here is a book that highlights this conversation on how to communicate the Gospel to people that believe in this idea of karma.
http://wwww.karmaofjesus.com
I wish Hume had said it as it was quoted above: “Jesus Christ offers Tiger Woods something he badly needs.” but he actually said “Christianity” not “Jesus Christ”.
Tiger Woods doesn’t need religion, he needs salvation and faith in Christ. I wish Hume would have made that distinction for the majority of the population who see “Christianity” as just another faith option.
Merritt,
You should watch and listen to the interview Hume did with O’Reilly again. 1 minute 30 seconds into the interview Brit clearly states “Jesus Christ offers Tiger Woods something that Tiger Woods badly needs.”
You’re right – I just listened again and it’s there. Must have missed it the times I listened before. Thanks for pointing out exactly where.
Britt even said that didn’t he. He said he didn’t use the name Jesus Christ, and he was still lamblasted.
I don’t think we need to have it down pat every time we share our faith. And Britt is at a particualr season in his faith.
What he did was refreshing. I commend him. I pray he would grow close to the Lord, and that the Lord would fill him with a desire for His Word, (which it seems he has), and a love for Jesus, and his neighbor. And that he would come to hate his own sin. Amen.
You make a great point donsands, there is grace for ALL our imperfections, even in how we share truth. I value your comment and your prayer.
His genuine grace is what causes us to live a life with agrateful heart; and a life of faith and love.
There is the cheap grace, that is not grace, that some in the Church speak of.
Real grace is a grace of blood sweat and tears, and yet agrace of peace that passes comprehension, and joy that is difficult to express, and love that is beyond knowing.
Have a terrific weekend and Lord’s Day.
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[...] Tiger, & Jesus 2010 January 8 tags: britt hume, Jesus, tiger woods by Jonathan Dodson Interesting article on Brit Hume’s comments regarding Tiger Woods and [...]
[...] A number of Christian bloggers have been tracking the controversy. Justin Taylor had a post on ‘Brit Hume, Tiger Woods, and Jesus Christ’ that includes a later interview that Bill O’Reilly conducted with Hume. The Vitamin Z blog [...]