Thursday, March 31, 2005
Why the World is Troubled by Christian Families
On his nationally-syndicated talk show, Hugh Hewitt read aloud from a Boston Globe story about an Evangelical family. The family hardly seemed newsworthy, which raises the question, why a full length article about an otherwise normal Christian family? In response to Hugh’s reading, I sent him the following email (which he read in part).
The story can be found at the Boston Globe Web Site at
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/03/29/for_family_religion_shapes_politics/
While Tanya and I live a much more basic lifestyle than the family featured in Hewitt’s article, (I cannot see us ever owning a BMW) and we are egalitarians and not complementarians (or strict subordinationists in the husband-wife context), this family sounds like any that you might find at First Presbyterian Church where we attend. They certainly are not to be feared. Or are they? The text of my email to Hugh follows…
Hugh,
I listened with delight to your reading of the piece from the Globe. It would be humorous if it were not the sign of something bigger here in America and around the world.
Years ago (before I became a Christian at the age of 20 in 1990) the biggest fear was secularism. Secularism at least gave a real enemy against which one could stand in opposition. But in reality the bigger issue today is pluralism. We all want a happy world where everyone gets along, and therefore everyone can make money and pursue their own happiness (so called). Pluralism asks simply that we hold no greater belief than that everyone is equal and therefore all beliefs are equal. If all beliefs are equal then there are no disputes between peoples, nothing to interrupt the pursuit of the material dream.
Along comes evangelical Christians, devout Muslims (and here I don’t think of the violent among them), devout Jews, and other proud followers of faiths with a commitment to the foundational belief that their faith alone leads to the ultimate reality. We just aren’t willing to bow our beliefs fully to the “peace for material dream” sake. Because of this great swaths of the world’s population, and, aghast, at least 25% of Americans, are “gumming up the works.” Simpletons like myself (a final year PhD student in theology over in the U.K. who can read Greek, Hebrew and German) cling to this bizarre belief that not only is Jesus’ kingdom a far better one than the material dream’s kingdom, but that the Triune God will really say to those who deny him, “Thy will be done.” (Sorry to use an old C.S. Lewism, but it really is a great quote).
We threatened the peace, in their minds, by sharing our faith, by living out of a different set of values. While these values are in concert with much of Western liberal democracy, and even pluralism (especially the firm belief that all humans have equal worth to God by virtue of their creation in his image), we cannot fully where they want to lead us. This is why some in pluralistic elite press (I do love Andrew Sullivan’s work) see evangelism as violence. How dare we want to convert Jews, Muslims, and even good-natured, hard-working, union-dues paying American workers! But alas, we know that the Kingdom of God is coming, it is our hope, and we want to see all those we love and interact with experience the goodness of the kingdom, and not, as Amos so powerfully puts it, experience it as night and mourning.
The deal is made each and every day to people in America - put your trust in the material dream and everything else will take care of itself. Jesus own words in Matthew 6:33 are turned on their head, but still we day by day make the choice for the dream of material prosperity or, of the Kingdom.
The tag end of the article,
“In the end, two cars, a pickup, a nice home, good jobs, and a comfortable life in the American heartland are all temporary amenities to the Wilkersons and the other churchgoers who fill Hope’s sanctuary with song and prayer each Sunday. They have their eyes on the hereafter.”
is an insult to what this family and my family believe. We are not just “hanging out” until the last days, we are people given a terrific and meaning purpose in life - to live out the life of Jesus in all our spheres of life. In that we can and do enjoy material blessings, and work hard for all people to enjoy likewise. But we do not put our hope in a nice home, nice cars, or even great education or a great career. They cannot fulfill, but that can serve the larger purposes of life. Our hope and our vision means that the material dream is always a temptation, not the end of all our pursuits.
The article points out that the family was strong Republican. I too voted for Bush and gave money to the Senate campaigns (as you encouraged us to do). I like George Bush, and trust him to do his best to “do no evil.” When evangelicals put too much hope in political power though, we do lose our vision for the redeeming power of the life, message, death and resurrection of Jesus. Law changes are good, but only changed hearts will keep even the best laws. I share the writer’s concern about the baptising of the Republican party with the Gospel, but the simple reality is everyone votes based on their worldview. So why should Christians be the only ones feared, when, after all, our worldview is one of justice for the poor and oppressed, love and care for the hurting, and a stand for life and righteousness in all the spheres of human life.
In the end, like you, I just have to laugh at the article. It is funny that someone thought this was newsworthy. But then again, to a pluralistic world that wants everyone to think dollars instead of ultimate realities, it is something they cannot really believe there is still anyone who would turn down their offer.
Thanks for the great radio show.
Christopher Morton
Serving the U.S. Director of The Navigators
http://www.rovingtheologian.com
