For much too long the image of Christians in the U.S public sphere has been one of screaming heads with no capacity to listen. This has been true of every side of the political spectrum. My blogging on this issue stems from a concern that some of Christian discourse in the public sphere has descended into the demonizing and divisive discourse that was part of the culture wars in the 1980s and 1990s. It is time to turn the page!!!! Liberals, conservatives, moderates, progressives, and all others must choose a better way forward.
My hope is that Christians' would be committed to civil discourse that honors our discipleship of Jesus and to speak the truth in love. Perhaps, a better word would be "Prophetic Christianity." Prophetic Christianity is a way of being prophetic without being viciously destructive. One mark of true Propethic Christianity is an incredible capacity to be pastoral and empathetic without compromising conviction. We must earn the right to be prophetic. Christian prophets must embody paradox and dialectics. The paradox of empathy and compassion with zeal and passion. Empathy and compassion for those who most need it must be coupled with a righteous indignation against injustice, oppression, and abuse. Most Hebrew prophets reflected a love for the people even when they denounced their sin and injustice.
This paradox is not easy to balance; most modern-day prophets are all zeal and no compassion. A call to civility is not an excuse to ignore and obviate injustice but rather a call to denounce injustice and provide just alternatives. Genuine prophets do not dehumanize or demonize someone just because they disagree with them. In the words of M.L King Jr., "we should meet others capacity for inhumanity with our humanity." Admittedly, this is not easy. Still, we do things because they are right not because they are easy.
So my prayer is for respectful disagreement in the public sphere as we all seek the common good. My prayer is that righteousness will roll down like an ever-flowing stream. My prayer is that we would be civil while we seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly before God.
I couldn't agree more. Well said.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you. As a teacher, I was in an extreme minority being a Christian and a moderate/conservative in my former work environment. When people would discover my faith and values, and political leanings, most would look at me with the most puzzled of expressions. As if to say, "are you serious?" This was partly due to the preexisting image of Christians that is brought to mind, what you described as "screaming heads with no capacity to listen." Therefore, I agree that we have to do what we can to change our image from the inside.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my experience also demonstrates a part of the issue that is out of our control. This is the image we have because it is constantly propagated in the various forms of media. Is is difficult to have a discourse when your would be "opponent" disqualifies you as incapable of rational debate and discourse on the very grounds of your beliefs, in the same way that one might be disqualified for being mentally disabled. This is how we are portrayed. Bill Maher, for example, has made this his life's work. Therefore, with respect to this circumstance, I UNDERSTAND when people do lash out. It's hard as a Christian to try to reason with somebody who, as stated in Contact, "doesn't believe in God and who thinks the other ninety-five percent of us are suffering from some kind of mass delusion."
Perhaps an example will help elucidate this seemingly impossible task of being at once prophetic and compassionate: Anti-abortion protest couched in the form of service: holding up signs that, instead of showing the horrors of abortion or "expressing the love of Christ" via articulations found in the scripture, they invite those who are considering abortion to let their child be adopted by the sign holder.
ReplyDeleteOf course, however, this requires true Christian charity and service. Hence the problem.