A Wing and a Prayer

An article by Drew    No Comments

Around 30% of our planet’s population are currently Christian, that’s over 2 billion people who in some way recognize Jesus as the son of God and the saviour of all, that’s 2 billion shades of belief in a vast spectrum of faith. If we were all wise and mature we would celebrate our diversity and use our enormous, united influence to save our world but sadly we are quarrelsome, opinionated, pig headed humans and the history of Christianity is one of division and bitter internal conflict.

Two visitors, driving through a town that neither had seen before, were struck by the number of churches. Almost every corner seemed to have a different church of a different denomination. “Wow,” said the first visitor “The people in this town must really love the Lord!” “Yeah,” the other replied “And they must really hate each other.”

It’s tragic that while we Christians in theory all worship the same God of love, peace and justice we are undoubtedly our own worst enemies. Slander, violence, murder and torture have been repeatedly and extensively used throughout our history by one group of Christians against another over theological differences. How deeply this must grieve God, the loving parent of us all.

When I was growing up in Aotearoa/NZ there was still bitter rivalry between Catholics and Protestants and even today there’s still bigotry on both sides. I’ve heard an intelligent, warm hearted protestant friend state that Mother Teresa is burning in hell because she was a Catholic – an opinion I find profoundly shocking and repellent.

We are very quick to label and dismiss those who disagree with us – fundies, liberals, pentes, greenies etc. – insults which suggest the deepest rift in Christianity today, at least in the minority world, is the conservative/liberal, right wing/left wing split. Our theological differences spill over into our politics and we allow our differences to become powerful and passionate disagreements within families, churches and denominations.

I confess that I am as guilty of this as anyone. I am a chardonnay socialist from way back – a one eyed leftie, pinko, greenie, armchair, bleeding heart, tree hugging liberal and proud of it. My 54 year journey with Jesus has fully convinced me that if we stand with the exploiters, the warmongers, the over paid servants of mammon, we stand against Jesus but when we struggle for justice, for peace, for the poor and oppressed then we are standing with our Lord.

This is my deepest belief and I’m not about to change but what I do with that belief is most important. I can use it like a bludgeon, attacking people who hold different beliefs adding to the hatred and division or I can hold my belief confidently, firmly but gently listening to others with courtesy, even when that freedom is not extended to me.

Those of us who enjoy a good natured, robust debate find lively exchanges stimulating and informative but we have to remember that other more sensitive souls may find this sort of discussion threatening. We must endeavour to temper our passion with reason and consideration, always keeping our arguments logical rather than personal.

Blog sites like this one are ideal places for a spirited exchange of ideas and I must admit at times we deliberately write on topics that we know will be a bit controversial. We don’t apologize for this. It would be weak and cowardly to shy away from important issues just to avoid disagreement and let’s face it vigorous exchanges over important issues keep a blog site interesting. But we must always ensure that we argue the issue, honestly and intelligently, not attack the person, no matter how wrong or stupid their views may appear to us.

On a blog site, in a family, in a church, in the wider community, people matter more than our particular opinions and beliefs. Loving and encouraging my brothers and sisters in God’s family is far more important than beating them round the head with my theology and politics, trying to force them over to my point of view. Over the years I have learned that a lot of Christians are a great deal better than their theology. While I may dislike their political and religious views, I’ve discovered that they are kind people, often doing a great deal of good. If we concentrate on our differences we’ll just clash heads, convinced we’re right, determined not to give an inch, but if we find our areas of common ground – friendship can grow from respect and the Kingdom is strengthened not further divided.

Sometimes we can be so busy arguing about what we believe that we fail to put those beliefs into practice. Jim Wallace of Sojourners is so right when he exhorts us not to go to the right, or to the left but to go deeper into God. All around the world today you can see radical Christians who are really trying to live out the Gospel, being Christ in the world, often living in community like the early church, serving selflessly. For these Christians right and left/liberal and conservative labels cease to matter – they are too caught up in the work of Love to bother about such trivia.

My prayer is that we put aside our wings and work together; if we cannot enjoy our differences then at least accept that other people’s views and experiences can be very different to our own. Your style of worship may drive me right up the wall and vice versa but if it helps you come closer to God then go for it! Let’s look at the bigger picture and be the loving representatives of Jesus that our sick and suffering world so desperately needs.