There are two quotes that stuck with me from Ruth’s session:
““The Gospel of [American Way of Life Christianity] is a message of conformism, a message that, if not accepted, can at least be easily tolerated because it doesn’t disturb anybody. The racist can continue to be a racist, the exploiter can continue to be an exploiter, Christianity will be something that runs along life, but will not cut through it. A truncated Gospel is utterly insufficient as a basis for churches…It can only be the basis for unfaithful churches, for strongholds of racial and class discrimination, for religious clubs with a message that has no relevance to practical life in the social, the economic, and the political spheres.”
“The challenge is to the direction of our desires. If our direction is me, I will use circumstances and create conditions to guarantee my self-service. But ultimately it’s not about you and your own interests. It’s about you, the body of Christ or it’s nothing. We are Ubuntu – “I am because we are.” We are embedded in this ecosystem of relationships that need to be watered and tended and cared for. I have never made it if we don’t make it together.”
I am wrestling to understand how we might untether Christianity from cultural Christianity and decoupling our faith. This feels especially relevant in light of what is happening in America right now with the new where it feels like the Christian faith is being co-opted by people who might pull out a few verses to support their policies but don’t see the holistic thrust of the gospel that requires us to lay down our lives, our own privileges and self-interests for the good of the most marginalized among us. Going to this session helped me to refine a blog that I wrote and published on UniteBoston’s website last week. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it if you get the chance.
Ruth’s story around the pushback by other church leaders when she shared boldly about the need for a holistic gospel, not discounting people who suffer, and calling out theologies that justify violence was inspiring to me as I have experienced similar pushback by other Christians. Ruth’s presence also reminded me of the value of a communal faith, where we live and breathe the reality that “I am who I am because we are who we are.” While decoupling our faith from cultural Christianity is important, it can be overwhelming to think of where to begin. One thing I want to do is to press into relationships with people of color in my life so I can continue to see how I need to be re-shaped and refined to follow Jesus towards an authentic faith and practice.
Last, I wanted to share some guardrails that our team is drafting for centering on the gospel, as a step towards decoupling our faith from a White / Western way. There are a lot of people saying they are doing things in the name of Jesus Christ and it’s an important time to ensure all of us are walking in His ways. I’d love to get your thoughts on this, how you would edit or change this too!
GUARDRAILS / LITMUS TEST FOR CENTERING ON THE GOSPEL (DRAFT)
When considering promoting a particular event, article, or movement, we use the following questions to keep ourselves centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. There may be times when leaders need to speak up publicly if we feel like significant concerns are brought up as we consider the answers to these questions:
- How does this event/practice align with the holistic thrust of Scripture? The life and character of Jesus Christ that Scripture witnesses to?
- How does it align with Christian tradition and what those seeking to follow Jesus have believed and practiced over the centuries?
- Does it call us towards repentance, to confess the err of our ways, and to put our faith in Jesus Christ as the redeemer and restorer of all things?
- What is the “telos” or the end of this movement? Is the ultimate hope in a particular leader, policy, political party, or in God alone?
- How does it align with the North Star – of loving God and neighbor? (The greatest commandment – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt 22:39; Lk 10:27) and that “they will know that we are Christians by our love” (Jn 13:35)
- What kind of tone is embodied – one that stokes fear as “acts of the flesh,” (v. 20) including hatred, discord, rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions, or brings forth the “fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? Is there a commitment to non-violence in posture and action?
- How does this movement portray people on the “other side?” Does it convey a sense of imago dei and belovedness to all of God’s children?
- Are we listening to the Holy Spirit? What is the Holy Spirit saying?
- Who is behind this event or movement? What do they have to gain or lose? Whose interest does it serve?
- What power differentials and systems are at play? Does it center or exploit the needs of the poor, marginalized, and oppressed? (See James Cone’s Christian Theology and Scripture are the Expression of God’s Liberating Activity for the Poor; Howard Thurman’s “Jesus and the Disinherited;” Reading the Bible from the Margins)
- What is the character of the people leading this movement? Are they people of deep faith, integrity, and humility?
- How is money stewarded in this organization or movement? Do they have strong practices of ethics and accountability?
- What type of public witness does this portray? Does it “smell” like Jesus? What would non-Christians think if they see this?
9 comments
Kelly, I too resonate with all the work you are doing toward the “untethering”. And it seems that once our eyes have been opened to see what is broken, we cannot be content without working toward change.
It is certainly difficult but necessary work and it is expressed well through these guardrail questions. Thank you for sharing this very helpful resource with us!
Thanks Kassandra! I do hope that it’s true that once we see what is broken we will work for change. I fear that the way we ‘diagnose’ brokenness can lead us to work to change that is actually counterproductive (i.e. those that are seeking to reduce national debt by improving government efficiency but actually causing greater wealth inequity). I am hoping to offer systems questions above as I think when we see the bigger picture this can be mitigated.
This is a beautiful call to pause and hold ourselves to being one in Christ as we work and plan and dream. I love the way you look at so many angles of this in the draft guardrails. I’d love to be part of a community that was willing to be this heartfelt and loving in living out a holistic Gospel!
Thanks so much Brigid! I appreciate your encouragement in wanting to be a part of a community like this; come on over to Boston and you can join us 🙂
I was also thinking about some of these same issues during that last session – I think one of the major shifts that happened in me somewhere during my education was to begin to see the work of the church as something that is far beyond any of us individually, whereas most of Christian spirituality in America seems to be focused on our personal needs, feelings, beliefs, etc… In our questions and discussion, I found myself noticing different instincts as what Dr. Padilla-DeBorst kindled reflection on larger movements, communities, and power structures for me, it kindled personal response about how to handle stress or controversy in others. It was helpful for me to note the difference, and to gain some self-awareness about my own frame of reference (I think it would be helpful for me to remember myself, my stress, and my personal spiritual journey a bit more these days, actually). But I guess I’m trying to say that your reflection helpfully articulates this particular dynamic that is necessary in general, but especially if we are going to find ways to stretch our concern, interest, and work beyond our particular demographic groups.
Thanks Chris. Yes I agree that so much of Christianity is self-oriented; a personal gospel about meeting my needs, rather than a gospel that seeks to address systems and structures that are set up so only some of us might flourish. It’s a both-and gospel – Jesus came to bring both personal and social transformation. I think in our guardrails / litmus test above, we are hoping to offer personal and systemic questions so folks can lean into both sides/angles of the transformative work of the gospel.
Hi Kelly!
I clicked over to the Unite Boston blog post and appreciated it so much: the thoughtful reflections, and the connections to our current political climate, and call to action.
I resonate with the desire to untether Christianity from American/cultural Christianity. I agree with the impulse to press into relationships with people of color in my life. I’m also wondering how I can continue to learn from leaders like Ruth from the corners of the globe that are not northern or western.
Thanks so much for these thoughts!
I’m curious around the difference between self serving and self love. Its an area I wrestle with a lot personally and with my faith community.
Thanks Katy! For me, I think of self love as self care; internal efforts we make to tend to our souls and lives so that we can live the life God has called us to live. I think of self interest as focusing on the needs of me, myself and I, and not thinking about those of my neighbors; a self-orientation that doesn’t ask much of myself. I think of the distinction as the travelers that passed the injured person by rather than the good samaritan who stopped, tended to his needs and gave of his own time and resources to bring God’s care and healing. I’m curious how you’d define the distinction between self serving and self love!