Thanks for this Diana. Great insight. Point 5 - Yes, I agree with Phyllis Tickle, however, I think the church will indirectly incite violence against other religions, still maintaining a look of innocence, enabling it to deny the accusations made against it. Only my view, however, too may people in America seems to want ethno-nationalism and it seems more a matter of 'when' it finally happens not 'if.' I am deeply discouraged looking at what is happening within the walls of America. I'm sure out of it all and over time the realignment will come within the church, however, I'm 55 years old and I'm not sure I'll see it in my lifetime.
This is so important. Thank you for bringing out these thoughts. What is there to do? I attended last week's state of the church" with the Episcopal church, and was struck, by exactly that-- the moderation, the lack of engagement with people at the heart level-life level-incarnational life. It was enough to make one consider converting to Catholicism (the Jesuit type anyway). How can we lead our mainline protestant groups into the incarnation life of Christ, and not the moderate intellectual bubble it seems to have become? (I like the intellectual babble, and it serves an important purpose in some cases, but it is not incarnational love).
For those who believe in Jesus, as I do, it is well worth remembering that we believe He demonstrated power over disease, evil spirits, food and wine production, the sea and the weather and even death. Yet He never chose to demonstrate power over government. Do we think He wasn’t able even without the Beatlemania-like crowds that followed Him? Shouldn’t we remember that Satan had tempted Jesus with just such political power in the desert? Truly, this deserves our attention! Rather, Jesus went to the center of government to be arrested, humiliated, tortured and to die by a church instigated, example setting, cruel death while self-regarding disciples had believed He would take over and rule, wanting to sit on his left and right to help Him rule and rid Roman oppression. To be fair, those disciples realized their mistake. But do we Christians in America now? Aren’t we also sending Christ to the cross by our current great need, like then, for political expediencies by rejecting Who is already truly in charge and choosing a Barabbas instead because we believe "liberals" are becoming heartless, autocratic Romans who will be looking soon for Christians to arrest? Why has such faithless fearfulness blinded us to want a Trump as our nation’s savior? Are we too much like the Zealots of Jesus’ time who actually did expedite persecution by the Romans and the destruction of the temple?
Reading the things you and others share screams a problem I am aware of but can suggest no solutions. The majority of people in our societies have very limited ability to think and operate in abstract thought. I took up reading some of your column realizing that as an 86 year old I am losing some of that ability and thought some stimulus would help. But how do we communicate to the majority who are in that condition. Maybe we could become better story tellers like Jesus was? How aware was he of the limitation the majority have with abstraction.
Diana you were not wrong and things are more frightening than before the Trump Era. I think the Christian church in all its forms has nothing to say to the situations we are facing from China, Russia, economic uncertainty, massive climate change and the potential for more deadly diseases we have never heard of before. I have read half of Newell's book today and I think he has things to say to those who believe his issues are right-on. I just don't think there is any time left to save this planet and all its many inhabitants. We the people have doomed the entire planet and are not looking seriously at taking the destruction off planet.
‘Without a clear vision of the future, anxious people fall back on nostalgia, whether or not they even "believe" anything of the religious or faith content of Christianity.’
I am a Canadian so do not comment on American politics. What I sense is the case as church folk look beyond the pandemic is an ability to look only to the past and my fear is that it will appear to have been ‘all good’ and let’s gravitate to it as quickly as possible and folks will come ‘back’. I fear that first there will be an inward gravitation to be among themselves and the world around them, including the ‘other’ people, the physical world, the social outreach world - all that will take second place. “We are in this together” became somewhat of a mantra, almost a cliche, but the ‘we’ seems to be ‘me’ first. And in this, I fear traditional, concrete faith answers is what will rule the day - and my heart and soul ache for something deeper and wider.
I am grateful for your thoughtful perspective. Please know that your writing IS making a difference for individuals like me and in the bigger picture as well. We look to each other for Hope, and you provide it for me and others. Thank you for offering your gift for writing to benefit the rest of us. 💖💖
When Jesus said that we would be persecuted in his name I thought like many of us that it would be from the government and or non-believers. I see now that this persecution would and could come from our own Christian brethren. But alas, Jesus also was persecuted by people in his own Jewish faith. To me the "Christian Right" have become the Pharisee's, Sadducee's and Zealot's of our era.
Sadly, you were/are quite accurate in your descriptors/predictors. We are sorely in need of clarity of both heart and mind if we are to begin to "see" what is already happening within and around us. Matt. 10:34 has Jesus saying "Do not assume that I came to bring peace. I did not come to bring peace but a sword." There is no denying that there is division within the "Christian" community. A new reformation is already in the making - what it will produce depends to a large degree on the, as of now "silent", people in the pews.
I think you have identified several issues related to faith and our current situation. As a UMC pastor, I ran for congress in 2016 on the republican side, but not supporting Trump, but an older view of Republicanism. I lost to a Freedom Caucus candidate, who was trounced in the general election. I think we need to reflect on new political party identifications, because the two old ones are not working. I agree that the pastoral prophetic balance has been lost and the reflection on a one faith for America is blurring lines and discarding actual spiritual principles and the Christ Like ethical considerations. I too am fearful of what is coming. I blame ourselves in part for not giving the faith to enough people to sense when the language has so far departed what Jesus would have taught, said, considered, encouraged etc. We don't have the basic knowledge of our beliefs to be able to see the poor directions this is heading. Pray a lot!
I wish you had been wrong too - and I wish my Pastor of the 1980”s had been wrong.
I grew up in the Southern Baptist denomination and I am grateful for the Bible teaching that gave me a huge basis for knowing Truth. But today Southern Baptist Churches support beliefs counter to my
faith in the baby born at Christmas who grew up to sacrifice himself for all people.
Jesus warned us about struggles in the church and in the world and “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
Times that test our faith can bring clarity, perseverance, and always a “remnant” which sprouts in God’s time - like a tiny mustard seed.
These are scary times but I feel hopeful - Truth comes out of a purifying fire and this month we celebrate Emmanuel-
Would have been great to have been wrong ... but you weren't, and the last five years have brutally hammered home the reality. Thanks for sharing this piece, again.
Time to break out of the prison of moderation. This is certainly a "confessional moment," but if that confession is merely a restatement of the gospel as understood in the nostalgic past, it will not help. Making connections to create the massive realignment of open and boundary-less Muslim, Jewish, Christian groups is needed. A massive undertaking. The leadership of mainline denominations is needed, and they may not be up to it out of continuing worries about institutional decline and consequent old ways of thinking. The Presbyterian Confession of '67 said "The Church is called to undertake this mission [of reconciliation] even at the risk of losing its life...." It is time for the greatest contemporary restatement of the gospel, radically inclusive of other faiths. It will fail, but it will be honest and true.
Five years later and I am still asking, "Where is Jesus in this new 'christian' movement?" They've all missed the example of love, simply to love, that Jesus preached.
Thanks for this Diana. Great insight. Point 5 - Yes, I agree with Phyllis Tickle, however, I think the church will indirectly incite violence against other religions, still maintaining a look of innocence, enabling it to deny the accusations made against it. Only my view, however, too may people in America seems to want ethno-nationalism and it seems more a matter of 'when' it finally happens not 'if.' I am deeply discouraged looking at what is happening within the walls of America. I'm sure out of it all and over time the realignment will come within the church, however, I'm 55 years old and I'm not sure I'll see it in my lifetime.
This is so important. Thank you for bringing out these thoughts. What is there to do? I attended last week's state of the church" with the Episcopal church, and was struck, by exactly that-- the moderation, the lack of engagement with people at the heart level-life level-incarnational life. It was enough to make one consider converting to Catholicism (the Jesuit type anyway). How can we lead our mainline protestant groups into the incarnation life of Christ, and not the moderate intellectual bubble it seems to have become? (I like the intellectual babble, and it serves an important purpose in some cases, but it is not incarnational love).
For those who believe in Jesus, as I do, it is well worth remembering that we believe He demonstrated power over disease, evil spirits, food and wine production, the sea and the weather and even death. Yet He never chose to demonstrate power over government. Do we think He wasn’t able even without the Beatlemania-like crowds that followed Him? Shouldn’t we remember that Satan had tempted Jesus with just such political power in the desert? Truly, this deserves our attention! Rather, Jesus went to the center of government to be arrested, humiliated, tortured and to die by a church instigated, example setting, cruel death while self-regarding disciples had believed He would take over and rule, wanting to sit on his left and right to help Him rule and rid Roman oppression. To be fair, those disciples realized their mistake. But do we Christians in America now? Aren’t we also sending Christ to the cross by our current great need, like then, for political expediencies by rejecting Who is already truly in charge and choosing a Barabbas instead because we believe "liberals" are becoming heartless, autocratic Romans who will be looking soon for Christians to arrest? Why has such faithless fearfulness blinded us to want a Trump as our nation’s savior? Are we too much like the Zealots of Jesus’ time who actually did expedite persecution by the Romans and the destruction of the temple?
Highly disturbing
Reading the things you and others share screams a problem I am aware of but can suggest no solutions. The majority of people in our societies have very limited ability to think and operate in abstract thought. I took up reading some of your column realizing that as an 86 year old I am losing some of that ability and thought some stimulus would help. But how do we communicate to the majority who are in that condition. Maybe we could become better story tellers like Jesus was? How aware was he of the limitation the majority have with abstraction.
Diana you were not wrong and things are more frightening than before the Trump Era. I think the Christian church in all its forms has nothing to say to the situations we are facing from China, Russia, economic uncertainty, massive climate change and the potential for more deadly diseases we have never heard of before. I have read half of Newell's book today and I think he has things to say to those who believe his issues are right-on. I just don't think there is any time left to save this planet and all its many inhabitants. We the people have doomed the entire planet and are not looking seriously at taking the destruction off planet.
The words you ended this article with say it all
‘Without a clear vision of the future, anxious people fall back on nostalgia, whether or not they even "believe" anything of the religious or faith content of Christianity.’
I am a Canadian so do not comment on American politics. What I sense is the case as church folk look beyond the pandemic is an ability to look only to the past and my fear is that it will appear to have been ‘all good’ and let’s gravitate to it as quickly as possible and folks will come ‘back’. I fear that first there will be an inward gravitation to be among themselves and the world around them, including the ‘other’ people, the physical world, the social outreach world - all that will take second place. “We are in this together” became somewhat of a mantra, almost a cliche, but the ‘we’ seems to be ‘me’ first. And in this, I fear traditional, concrete faith answers is what will rule the day - and my heart and soul ache for something deeper and wider.
I am grateful for your thoughtful perspective. Please know that your writing IS making a difference for individuals like me and in the bigger picture as well. We look to each other for Hope, and you provide it for me and others. Thank you for offering your gift for writing to benefit the rest of us. 💖💖
When Jesus said that we would be persecuted in his name I thought like many of us that it would be from the government and or non-believers. I see now that this persecution would and could come from our own Christian brethren. But alas, Jesus also was persecuted by people in his own Jewish faith. To me the "Christian Right" have become the Pharisee's, Sadducee's and Zealot's of our era.
Sadly, you were/are quite accurate in your descriptors/predictors. We are sorely in need of clarity of both heart and mind if we are to begin to "see" what is already happening within and around us. Matt. 10:34 has Jesus saying "Do not assume that I came to bring peace. I did not come to bring peace but a sword." There is no denying that there is division within the "Christian" community. A new reformation is already in the making - what it will produce depends to a large degree on the, as of now "silent", people in the pews.
I think you have identified several issues related to faith and our current situation. As a UMC pastor, I ran for congress in 2016 on the republican side, but not supporting Trump, but an older view of Republicanism. I lost to a Freedom Caucus candidate, who was trounced in the general election. I think we need to reflect on new political party identifications, because the two old ones are not working. I agree that the pastoral prophetic balance has been lost and the reflection on a one faith for America is blurring lines and discarding actual spiritual principles and the Christ Like ethical considerations. I too am fearful of what is coming. I blame ourselves in part for not giving the faith to enough people to sense when the language has so far departed what Jesus would have taught, said, considered, encouraged etc. We don't have the basic knowledge of our beliefs to be able to see the poor directions this is heading. Pray a lot!
I wish you had been wrong too - and I wish my Pastor of the 1980”s had been wrong.
I grew up in the Southern Baptist denomination and I am grateful for the Bible teaching that gave me a huge basis for knowing Truth. But today Southern Baptist Churches support beliefs counter to my
faith in the baby born at Christmas who grew up to sacrifice himself for all people.
Jesus warned us about struggles in the church and in the world and “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
Times that test our faith can bring clarity, perseverance, and always a “remnant” which sprouts in God’s time - like a tiny mustard seed.
These are scary times but I feel hopeful - Truth comes out of a purifying fire and this month we celebrate Emmanuel-
God with us…
us
Would have been great to have been wrong ... but you weren't, and the last five years have brutally hammered home the reality. Thanks for sharing this piece, again.
Time to break out of the prison of moderation. This is certainly a "confessional moment," but if that confession is merely a restatement of the gospel as understood in the nostalgic past, it will not help. Making connections to create the massive realignment of open and boundary-less Muslim, Jewish, Christian groups is needed. A massive undertaking. The leadership of mainline denominations is needed, and they may not be up to it out of continuing worries about institutional decline and consequent old ways of thinking. The Presbyterian Confession of '67 said "The Church is called to undertake this mission [of reconciliation] even at the risk of losing its life...." It is time for the greatest contemporary restatement of the gospel, radically inclusive of other faiths. It will fail, but it will be honest and true.
Five years later and I am still asking, "Where is Jesus in this new 'christian' movement?" They've all missed the example of love, simply to love, that Jesus preached.
evangelical 'christianity' has sold out to politics; but not other denominations of Christianity!