A Short Note on a Big Subject

Why are we here? That's a huge, open-ended question that might prompt all sorts of philosophical responses, but basically I just want to scratch the surface of the place of Christians and the church within our society because when I consider some of the things I read and see I think we may have confused our role.


There was a time when the church had a dominant role in society, this resulted in what we term 'Christendom', a culture and society predominantly influenced by the church and Christian values. However, Western nations in Europe, the US, Canada, Australia etc. that were a part of Christendom are now mostly secular societies, post-modern, post-Christian, holding and exploring values and lifestyles that are not generally seen as part of historic Christian orthodoxy. I am completely aware that the Christian faith is both historic and constantly reforming, and consider myself less conservative (certainly not fundamentalist) and more what Roger Olsen terms 'post-conservative' in my theology and practice of my faith. It is beyond question that the way our culture is evolving is certainly away from the type of society that was evident under Christendom.


Given that reality I think that much of the 'noise' coming from churches, pastors and the Christian Right has to do with the loss of influence and power that they are experiencing. Statistics and observation show that in the last thirty years the church has lost the voice we once had, and to many - most? - we are now seen to be irrelevant, anachronistic and intolerant. I don't think that ultimately we can reduce 'relevancy' to being 'cool,' and having the latest technology, hippest music, brightest lights or most success oriented message. Such trappings aren't bad, but they are the mist that daylight burns away. To be relevant, to have a voice in our post-modern secular world means to present a different way of living, a different set of values and different way of being human. And to do so with love, grace, mercy and justice. Kind of like Jesus did....


Whether you are English, Australian, American, Canadian, Iranian, French, South African or whatever, I'm sorry (not really) to inform you that God doesn't have a favoured-nation clause in his dealings with the world. Jesus came to expand the people of God from one nation and ethnicity to all nations and ethnicities. Whatever the laws, values or practices of our various governments, they don't change the way in which Jesus responds to his church. When we misquote, or rather misapply, Prov. 14:34, 'Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people,' we miss the point that in this case 'righteousness' isn't a return to pre-1950s values but is better understood in terms of justice. God is reminding his people Israel to act justly and exhibit care and concern towards the marginalised and needy. God isn't interested in making Australia great if it listens to the church more, he is interested in his people shining brightly in a sin ravaged world to witness to the fact that through Jesus it's possible to be different, live different, and experience in part now what will one day be fully known when Christ returns.


For example, I am stunned when pastors, theologians, bible scholars and Christian commentators weigh in on the subject of global warming. I read and hear how this is a lie and Christians shouldn't believe it. Is it? I don't know, I'm not a scientist. I guess it depends on which scientists you listen to, but ultimately it isn't something that scientific illiterates like me should pretend to understand or expound on. There is no doubt that our world is a mess and that as followers of the one who created it all we should be seeking to work for the care of our planet and the people who inhabit it. No wonder Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that the world is groaning! If, as believers in Jesus, we subscribe to an escapist theology where God will rescue his people from this horrible world and then blow it up and start over, then the final chapters of Revelation make no sense, and in losing the devil wins and in winning God actually loses. (For more I'd encourage anyone to read Surprised by Hope by N T Wright for a thoughtful, scholarly and balanced examination of these topics) Rather our theology and praxis should care for a world that God loved enough to send his Son to redeem, a world he will renew and refresh, full of people he seeks to redeem and liberate.


This isn't to subscribe to a triumphalist theology that expects the world to be Christianised in readiness for the Second Coming (latter day post-millennialism). Such a theology doesn't seem to adequately represent the ongoing struggle of the kingdom of God against that of the violence, injustice and greed that characterises our world and requires a drastic re-defining of how Jesus depicts the church and the message of the book of Revelation.


In all of the complexities we face in the 21st century the church is to be seen as representing a different way. The first century was full of people who worshiped various idols; practiced slavery; child abuse in all forms; alternative sexual lifestyles of all varieties; injustice; economic, gender, ethnic and class bias and discrimination; was ravaged by war and hate and violence and crime; in fact, much of what is represented on our televisions, newspapers and magazines - not to mention music videos!! Yet Jesus and Paul and the other authors of the New Testament didn't seek to reform their culture, they formed the church, the ekklesia, the called out ones to image this new kingdom the Messiah had inaugurated and to loving and graciously be the presence of God to their world. A kingdom marked by love, justice, mercy, generosity, equality and welcome.


In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul reminds that seriously messed up church that he hasn't been called to judge those who are outside of the church, he is encouraging the Corinthian believers to image a different way, the way of Jesus. Perhaps if the church spent less time telling other people to live in a way that is consistent with Biblical values, and did so faithfully ourselves, being known by the way we love and care more than the way we hate and judge, then maybe we would be more relevant, have more of a voice, and subversively turn our world upside down in the way the early believers did.


I think that's why we're here.