I am currently reading Longing for God: Seven Paths to Christian Devotion. I am also reading Jeff Sharlet's The Family: The Secret Fundamnentalism At the Heart of American Power. What you may ask do these have to do with each other? Simple, for me the present two sides of a search many Christians are having, namely, How do I have a devotional life while trying to change the world in a way that is not co-opted by power and influence? Sharlet's book is a searing critique of how some groups confuse devotion to Jesus with uncritical access to power. This critique has its place, particularly in light of abuses that have occurred throughout history when mixing faith with imperial ambitions.
Let me be clear, I am not a fundamentalist. Still I hold that our discipleship and devotion should inform, form, and guide our participation in the public sphere. Still there remain severalchallenges to this symbiotic relationship. This is not an exhaustive list nor is the list in any specific order of importance:
Challenge #1: Doing one without the other: The problem is that the temptation always exist to lose oneself in activism without returning to that fountain that forms and informs all of our lives. In short, devotion and activism are part of an itiretative circle that impact each other in synergistic ways. My devotion informs my activism and my activism informs my devotion. The inverse is also true. They could be seen as part of one another. It is a false dichotomy to try to separate the seeking after God with the seeking of the common good for the neighbor. Defining devotion as some individualistic exercise that does not have social and ethical implications is toomisunderstand the comprehensiveness of the devotional life. For devotion without ethics is a Christianity that ignores the incarnation and the meaning of mission.
Challenge #2: Access and notoriety are powerful aphrodisiacs. Confusing our selfish ambition and pride as doing the Lord's work. This is something I continually challenge in myself. Often our activism gives us access and notoriety in ways that have us confuse what we do with who we are. We are called to serve, lead, act, and advocate for the sake of the reign and shalom of God. While recognition has its place we should never confuse our devotion and work with celebrity and fame.
Challenge #3: Legalism . Often our devotion and activism can lead us to a "righteous indignation." We should have righteous indignation at injustice, oppression, hatred, and so many other evils. Still when we move from righteous indignation to self-righteousness and "holier-than-thou" attitudes we do not honor God, who is the grounding of all we do. Biblical Justice saints are not exempt from a sense of moral superiority that instead of inviting others to this noble cause of God's Shalom it alienates. I'm quite sure that I have often lost this balance.
Challenge #4: Exhaustion. All doing without being leads to exhaustion. Allowing time to rest, for Sabbath, and for a transparency before God and the other can be liberating. Exhaustion comes when we think we are the "only ones." The Messianic Complex is the preamble to collapse. God rested so should we. More can be said, but I must rest.
To be continued....
